Week 5 Project

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Steps Required to Build a New IS

 

System development is structured problem solving with distinct activities that convert an IS solution to a business opportunity. The system development process consists of:

Systems analysis: Analyzes and studies the problems of existing systems and identi�es requirements for their solutions. A systems analyst conducts a feasibility study, which is a way to determine whether the solution is achievable with the �rm’s constraints and resources. The systems analyst de�nes the speci�c information requirements that the selected system solution should meet. Information requirements include a detailed statement of the information needs that the new system should satisfy, identi�es who requires what information, how, when, and where.

Systems design: Provides the speci�cations for an information system solution, showing how its organizational and technical components �t together.

Programming: Translates the system speci�cations prepared during the design stage into program code.

Testing: Determines whether the system produces the desired results under known conditions. The three types of tests are: Unit testing separately tests each program in the system.

System testing tests the functioning of the entire IS to determine if discrete modules will function together, as planned.

Acceptance testing provides the �nal certi�cation that the system is ready for use in a production environment.

The development team prepares a test plan after user approval. The plan includes all the preparations for the series of tests to be performed on the system to certify the system for production.

Conversion: Changes from the old system to the new system utilizing one of the four principal conversion strategies. They are: Direct Cutover strategy: The new system completely replaces the old one on a selected day.

Parallel strategy: Both the old system and its potential replacement are run together for a time until everyone is assured that the new one functions correctly.

Phased Approach strategy: The new system is deployed by organizational units, functions, or geography.

Pilot Study strategy: The new system is introduced to a limited area of the enterprise until it proves to be fully functional. Conversion takes place across the entire enterprise only after this.

Maintenance and production: Production is the stage after the new system is installed and conversion is complete. In this time, technical specialists and users carefully review the system to determine how well it has met its original goals. Sometimes a formal post-implementation audit document is prepared. After the system is �ne-tuned, it will need maintenance. This occurs over time and changes in software, procedures, documentation, or hardware meet new requirements, improve processing ef�ciency, or correct errors.

In the next lecture page, we will discuss some alternative methods for building IS.