Page 255 - DMGT505_MANAGEMENT_INFORMATION_SYSTEM

Management Information Systems

Notes Two Models of Structural System Analysis

 Waterfall Model: Has been a basis for a majority of structural system analysis methods
since the 1970s. This model consists of different phases carried out one after the other. Each
phase can be assigned to a group of experts.
 Spiral Model: Initiated by Barry Boehm, has become more and more popular and a basis
to iterative development systems. This approach also consists of various phases carried
out one after the other as in the Waterfall model. However, the system development
process is divided into different steps and smoothened after repetitive steps, the system
becomes more perfect.

Task Discuss the traits of structural system analysis.

13.4.1 Nature of Analysis

Analysis focus on systems’ requirements specification and clarification and is the stage, when
system designers have to work at two levels of definition regarding the study of situational
issues and possible solutions in terms of “what to do” and “how to do”. System analysis process
in its most general form includes the following main steps:

 Identify the operation of the existing system;
 Understand what the existing system does;
 Understand the needs of the users;

 Decide on what the new system should be doing;
 Decide on how the new system will function.
In the process of system analysis, it is not always possible to study every aspect of each of the
above steps and this is the time to pay attention to the following points:

 If the method of working applied to participants of system development (users, analysts,
designers, and programmers) is efficient;

 If the updation of changes that happens in the process of system development is touched
upon;
 Tool for analysis;

 If workload allocation is reasonable. (Users have to take part in 2 systems; old and new, at
the same time);
 If documents are easy to understand by all participants.

13.4.2 Role and Requirement of System Analysts

The system analyst is a key member of any systems development project. In a broader sense, the
systems analyst plays several roles:
 Archaeologist and Scribe: As a systems analyst, one of the main job is to uncover detail
and to document business policy that may exist only as “tribal folklore”, passed down
from generation to generation of users.

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