Week 5 Project
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Alternative Methods for Building IS
The selection of a systems-building approach can have a big impact on the cost, time, and result of systems development. Let us discuss some alternative methods for building IS:
Systems Lifecycle: Develops IS in formal, sequential stages that have a de�ned output. The system lifecycle is useful for large projects that require tight management control and formal speci�cations over each stage of system building. The weakness of this approach is that it’s costly, rigid, and not suited for decision-oriented, unstructured applications where requirements can’t be immediately visualized.
Application Software-Based IS: Eliminates the requirement for writing software programs when developing IS. You don’t spend as much time designing, installing, testing, and maintaining the new system. Application software packages are helpful if an organization doesn’t have the �nancial resources or internal IS staff to customize a system. The weakness of this alternative is that when packages need extensive modi�cations to meet a �rm’s unique requirements, development costs may increase.
Prototyping: Builds an experimental system inexpensively and quickly for evaluation and demonstration to users for determining information requirements. Continuous re�nement of the prototype occurs until all the requirements of the users are satis�ed. This then acts as a template to create the �nal system. The weakness of this approach is that the rapid creation of prototypes can result in systems that have not been completely documented or tested or are technically inadequate for a production setting.
End-User development: Refers to the development of IS by end users with minimal assistance from IS specialists. These systems are created using fourth- generation software tools. The primary bene�ts are an improved requirements determination with increased end-user participation. The system development process is controlled while the total application backlog is reduced. The weakness of end-user development is that distributed computing introduces new organizational risks due to low quality data resources and IS.
Outsourcing: Subcontracts computer center operations, applications development, or telecommunications networks to external vendors. Outsourcing can save application development costs or allow �rms to develop applications without internal information systems staff. The weakness here is that organizations might lose control over their information.
After discussing some alternative methods for building IS, let us focus on web-based ESS and EAI software which integrate software applications and enhance decision making.