One traditional way of determining system requirements during
analysis is interviewing. This involves talking to with users
about current or potential systems to establish needs. These
interviews can be done individually or in a group setting.
Conducting interviews in a group setting may allow you to
see requirements from multiple sides at once, since users
can agree/disagree with each other in a group setting in
real time. A contemporary technique is prototyping. Prototyping
can be used to gather user requirements and present them
a working system prototype. This can allow users to test
the sample system and analysts can then adjust the prototype
to properly fit the user’s needs .A radical method of
determining system requirements is business process reengineering
(BPR). BPR is the search for and implementation of radical
changes. BPR can provide radical improvements in speed,
quality, and customer satisfaction. Which method of analysis
to use to determine system requirements can depend on the
project size or complexity, or the customers personal preferences.
A traditional technique for the determination of systems
requirements during analysis is interviewing. When an interview
is conducted, a researcher or analyst is helped to collect
information from interviewees regarding the information systems
needs of the users. This method is useful when detailed
insight into the system requirements is needed. A drawback
of the interviewing technique is that it is time-consuming
and can increase the duration of the information systems
project. It can be used when the needs of the users
might vary. A contemporary technique for determining systems
requirements during analysis is called prototyping. The prototyping
method can be used for capturing user requirements and
then presenting them as a working system prototype. It is
most useful when users need to get involved in the
design process and ascertain whether it is aligned with their
needs or not . A drawback of the technique is the
absence of a methodical process. It is possible to ascertain
whether to use the technique or not if users find it
difficult to specify their exact requirements. Process modelling
is a radical technique for determining systems requirements
during analysis. It involves a graphical representation of the
process, which can be used to get better clarity into
system needs .A drawback of the technique is the risk
relating to excess analysis. The decision to use the technique
depends on the need to understand the existing system.
One traditional way of gathering and documenting requirements
is through a use case. A use case is textual description
of a user (an actor) using or interacting with a system.
We establish a goal -- what the user wishes to accomplish
and write out the steps (scenario) in which the user will
perform actions to accomplish the goal. We can also
document pre-conditions and post-conditions, which describe what
must happen before the scenario can begin and the conditions
that follow upon the scenario completing. This is a time-
tested means for requirements as old as system development
itself. Every organization will need to determine what kind
of techniques are best suited for them. In order to pick
the approbate techniques for their new system projects, they
need to factor in their key characteristics and values that
must meet with the techniques. These techniques have their
advantages and disadvantages when it comes to selecting. The
advantage of using the traditional techniques is that it gives
a structured approach to development of the project. which
means it will lay out the steps in order and meet
all the requirements and all the stakeholders are involved.
Most organizations are familiar with these techniques so they
can utilize more effectively and in a controlled manner.
Once an organization have a clear understanding of problem
and the requirements will be the most beneficial technique
to employ. And of course, this might take more time
and lots of documentation which can be helpful for future
references. The advantage of contemporary technique is that is
user cantered focused which means this will put a strong
emphasize on user requirements and their needs. With these
techniques it also fosters more collaboration between users,
stakeholders and other teams to meet all the requirements.
This technique can adapt to any situations by quickly
develop prototypes and test any issues in which they get
feedback. The Radical technique is faster way for determine
the requirements with new innovation and experiments. With
this approach developers can come up with quick solutions
and get quick feedback to reduce time and cost. This
technique is also emphasized on user involvement which can
create effect solutions. Based on all these techniques, I
would use traditional if I know what my problem is
and I have the solution that will solve everything. This
type of method is for organizations that needs more faster
functional requirements to meet their functional requirement. For
contemporary techniques is for organizations that are more
user orient system. Their goals is how to improve the
user interface for better system. The radical techniques is
much faster approach in my opinion because it allows the
organization to get a quick feedback in order to improve
the system for real world. By using this method, organizations
can solve problems during the development and improve based
on the feedback. All these techniques work great in right
situations depending on the organizations goals and values. A
traditional way of gathering information is by interviewing. It
is a really common process analysts use, but it is quite
time consuming to interview large amounts of people. Although
time consuming, an advantage it is more tailored than let's
say a survey sent out to everyone. In the interview
process, other questions come up and more details are
recorded. Interviews would be recommended when the topic
of the interview isn't so black and white, but maybe
has a lot of gray area. A contemporary method, Joint
Development Application (JAD), is a common business analysis
technique. JAD is a process that involves the client to
design and develop computer-based systems. Some advantages
include lower risks, better software with minimal errors,
accelerated process and lower costs. Some disadvantages could
arise from different opinions and time issues. JAD would
be good to use when a client is looking for something
new and unique. Finally, Business process reengineering
methodology, a radical process, is defined as a process that
takes areas important to a customer and rethinks and
redesigns to achieve a dramatic improvement. This allows a
business to focus on customer needs or whatever else they
deem important. It also can get rid of unnecessary activities.
Disadvantages can be that it isn't good for every business
and other department could end up suffering from the
"improvements" in other areas. One tradition way is for
finding the system requirements is ask someone that has
ready done a similar project before. This is effective and
can save a lot of time. A more contemporary style
would be to ask AI or some other sort of learning
system to do it for you. This will eliminate human
error. A more radical process would be get a bunch of
options and put them in a hat and choose from the
drawing of the hat. This obviously is the least recommend
option. The drawbacks of asking someone else is that their
ideas may not be exactly what you’re looking for and
probably wouldn’t for the project. The drawback of using
AI is that although you wouldn’t have human error, you
would just take on computer error. Lastly, the hat idea
isn’t good because you would have to come up with
the ideas first, and then add them to the hat. I think
the AI choice is the best one. Modern times require
modern solutions and thinking outside the box seems to
have been the best method for all human history. Analysts
use system requirements determination to understand current
problems and opportunities and what is needed and desired
in future systems. Typically, the current way of doing
things greatly impacts the new system. In some organizations,
though, management seeks new ways to perform everyday
tasks. These ways may be radically different from how
things are done now, but the payoffs may be enormous:
Fewer people may be needed to do the same work;
relationships with customers may improve dramatically; and
processes may become much more efficient and effective, all
of which can result in increased profits. The overall process
by which current methods are replaced with radically new
methods is referred to as business process reengineering (BPR).
To better understand BPR, consider the following analogy.
Suppose you are a successful European golfer who has
tuned your game to fit the style of golf courses and
weather in Europe. You have learned how to control the
ball's flight in heavy winds, roll the ball on wide-open
greens, put on large and undulating greens, and aim at
a target without the aid of the landscaping common on
North American courses. However,BPR advocates suggest that
radical increases in the quality of business processes can
be achieved through creatively applying information technologies.
BPR advocates also suggest that radical improvement cannot
be achieved by making minor changes in existing processes
but by using a clean sheet of paper and asking, "If
we were a new organization, how would we accomplish
this activity?" Changing how work is performed also changes
how information is shared and stored, which means that
the results of many BPR efforts are the development of
information system maintenance requests or requests for system
replacement. Interviewing is one of the traditional ways analysts
can gather information about an IS project. The advantages
are that an interview is flexible, it can offer a better
opportunity to evaluate the validity of the information that
is gathered, and it can be an effective technique for
eliciting information about a complex subject. Some disadvantages
are that it can have a long preparation time and take
a lot of time and money to conduct.Joint Development
Application (JAD), a contemporary method, is a very common
technique in the business analysis world. It brings system
developers and users together in a productive and creative
environment through a structured approach that involves discussion
groups with the goal of obtaining requirements and specifications.
The advantages are that it allows you to resolve difficulties
simply and produce better, joint collaboration between the
company and clients lower risks, reduces costs and time
needed for project development, and has well-defined requirements
to improve system requirements. Some disadvantages are that
different opinions within the team can make it difficult and
depending on the size of the project it may require a
large time commitment.Business process reengineering methodology,
a radical methodology, involves the radical redesign of core
business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity,
cycle times, and quality. The advantages are that it gives
an appropriate focus to business as it revolves around
customer needs, it helps in building a strategic view of
operational procedures by making radical inquiries about how
processes are improved and how things could be done, it
eliminates unnecessary activities and thereby helps in reducing
organizational complexity. Some disadvantages are that it doesn't
suit every business need as it depends on factors like
size and availability of resources, and in some cases, the
efficiency of one department is improved at the expense of
the overall process. There are some pros and cons when
it comes to a traditional, contemporary, and radical technique
when determining systems requirements during analysis. For a
traditional approach, I think interviewing is great to collect
data about an information frameworks project. In the beginning
stages in a project, an interviewer would use a lot of
time and effort talking to individuals about their work. A
disadvantage is that it would take a lot of time and
planning. However, interviewing can be an advantage because
it is an adaptable tool. It could be used to find key
issues by looking for opinions individuals like being met.
This technique would be great to use when you are
looking for feedback and direct interaction with an interviewee.
A contemporary technique could be use is the Joint
Development Application (JAD). This is a typical method in
business examination environment. This brings clients and system
developers together in an organized methodology that includes
discussion groups with the objective to acquire necessities and
determinations. A disadvantage is that various beliefs inside
the group make it hard to adjust objectives. However, JAD
permits you to resolve difficulties more simply and produce
better software. I would use this technique when the
organizational culture underpins joint critical thinking practices
among various degrees of employees.As for the radical
technique, I would consider the Business process re-engineering
(BPR) methodology. An advantage of this is that it gives
proper concentration to a business as it rotates around client
needs. A disadvantage is that it does not exactly suit
each business need as it relies upon factors like size
and accessibility of assets. I would use this technique when
companies need to break the mold and turn the tables
in order to accomplish ambitious goals. There are several
factors to consider for each IS project to consider which
technique(s) to employ during the determination of systems
requirements for the analysis phase. One may use a more
traditional approach such as interviewing everyone from the
users on up to the stakeholders to determine system
requirements, but the drawback is the time and need for
interpersonal skills and organizational meetings. The more
contemporary approach is the e-JAD or electric joint application
development method in which the client and developers along
with a facilitator iron out the system requirements in a
streamlined and organized format. This does leave out room
for add-on requirements in some cases though. As a more
radical route, there is the business process reengineering method,
however this tends to be better utilized by larger enterprises
as the cost of investment in the required IT and the
ability to withstand the length of time for the project
to complete. While it is more consumer-focused and overcomes
some of the more shorter sighted approaches, again, it's
likely out of the scope of smaller businesses. The week's
lesson focuses on the analysis phase of the Systems
Development Life Cycle (SDLC). During the analysis phase,
determining the requirements of the system that is being
developed is integral to the success. The different techniques
that can be used during this phase include: traditional,
contemporary, and radical. Traditional methods include interviews,
document analysis, and observations. Interviews can be conducted
using a top-down approach, which can be a more effective
when it comes to gathering information. Contemporary techniques
are based on a bottom-up approach and allow for more
collaborative, for example the Joint application development, or
JAD, brings stakeholders together in a group workshop setting
to identify the system requirements. The downside of this
can be reluctance or resistance to change, as well as
lack of participation. Radical techniques allow the stakeholders
to be more directly involved in designing, via active
participation. In this way, stakeholders can confirm that the
system is satisfactory. I believe the approach an analyst
decides to take will depend on the system that needs
to be designed. I do however, tend to lean more towards
the interview method, because it seems to offer more well-
rounded insight. On the traditional route, I would have to
say that observing workers is a good technique. It gets
you to the ground level where things really happen. As
a supervisor at my job, there have been plenty of times
that something comes from home office and is not feasible
in real-world applications. A drawback would be they do
become kind of timid and may not come out with the
best info or work the old process correctly in front of
you.
With the contemporary route, I feel that the joint
application design would be a good way to go. I feel
placing all the key people in an off-site location and
having them brainstorm could bring out a lot of good
info and possibly get it all agreed upon at the same
time. It could also be a bad thing, in my experience
having that many higher-ups in the same place could turn
into a tug-of-war situation IF they do not understand they
are working towards the same goal at the start. It is
also hard to try to schedule everyone at the same time.
The last would be the radical route and to me, this
one seems as it is what the name implies. it would
be fast-paced and you may beat the time crunch but I
feel there may be some missed thongs that could cause
some headaches if not seem early enough. Traditional techniques
involve gathering information from stakeholders, user and SME’s
to identify their needs and requirements. A traditional method
would be interviewing & listening but a few drawbacks are
that its time consuming and can be costly. Contemporary
techniques include methods like user stories, prototyping and
design thinking which are more flexible. I took a SAFe
class and I think that would be a good example of
a contemporary technique. Especially the way a PI increment
planning session is conducted with everyone in on location
working off of visual aides like kanban boards. Radical
techniques involve a more deep immersion into users environment
and understanding the needs through observation. w One that
found very interesting was Ethnographic research, which involves
living and working with the user population for extended
periods of time to understand their values and beliefs. It
basically observing the users in their natural settings. A
drawback of this is that its also time consuming and
can probably become very expensive. This one was the
most interesting and possibly the most effective in my
opinion. ww
Techniques for determining systems requirements during analyses:
• Traditional: interviewing and listening, questionnaires, direct
observation.
• Contemporary: case tools, group support systems, joint
application design (JAD), prototyping.
• Radical: rapid application technique (RAD), object-oriented
analysis, business process reengineering (BPR), disruptive
technologies.
Interviewing and Listening (traditional):
ww Advantages:
• A flexible tool.
• Provides a better opportunity to evaluate the validity of
the information gathered than that of a questionnaire.
• Easier to discover key issues by hearing opinions.
• Effective for gathering information on a complex topic.
Disadvantages:
• A long preparation time.
• Requires lots of time and money to conduct.
Recommended Use:
• Complex topics.
• Requires a lengthy explanation.
• Topic and/or questions are not clear to participants.
Joint Development Application (JAD) (contemporary):
ww Advantages:
• Collaboration lowers all risks.
• Close communication allows for faster progress.
• Reduces costs and time needed for project development.
Disadvantages:
• Differing opinions can make it difficult to align goals
and maintain focus.
• Can require a large time commitment.
Recommendation for Use:
• Organizational culture supports joint team problem-solving.
• Workflow allows for the absence of key personnel for
days at a time.
Business Process Reengineering (radical):
ww Advantages:
• Focuses on customer needs.
• Eliminates unnecessary activities.
• Overcomes short-sighted approaches.
Disadvantages:
• Usually only benefits large organizations.
• Does not provide immediate resolution.
• Can require substantial investment in IT.
Recommendation for Use:
• If the goal is to reduce costs and cycle times
regardless of job impact.
• Goal is to improve quality.
. One traditional technique for determining systems requirements
during analysis is the Structured Systems Analysis and Design
Method (SSADM). This technique is a waterfall methodology
that involves breaking down a system into smaller components
to understand its requirements. It is a well-established approach
that can be useful when working with large, complex
systems. However, its rigidity can make it difficult to adapt
to changing requirements. A contemporary technique for determining
systems requirements is Agile development. This approach involves
iterative development and continuous feedback from stakeholders.
It is useful when dealing with uncertain or rapidly-changing
requirements, but can be challenging for larger, more complex
systems that require a more structured approach. A radical
technique for determining systems requirements is Design Thinking.
This approach involves empathizing with users, defining their
needs, ideating possible solutions, prototyping, and testing. It
is useful when working with complex systems that require
a deep understanding of user needs. However, it can be
time-consuming and may not be appropriate for all types
of systems. Each technique has its own drawbacks. SSADM
can be inflexible and slow to adapt to changing requirements.
Agile development can be challenging to manage and may
not be appropriate for all types of systems. Design Thinking
can be time-consuming and may not be feasible for all
projects. To decide which technique to use, it is important
to consider the specific requirements of the project and the
stakeholders involved. Factors such as project size, complexity,
and timeline should also be taken into account. Ultimately,
the chosen technique should be one that aligns with the
project goals and can effectively meet the needs of
stakeholders. There are different ways to determine system
requirements during the analysis phase of SDLC. One traditional
ways is the interview. You can schedule interviews with
people within the company that may have information you
need to determine system requirements. During the interview
you will ask closed ended questions (questions where you
need simple facts), open ended questions (questions that may
require an explanation or longer response), and probing
questions (questions that come up while the interviewee is
talking to get more clarification). After the interview the
analysts will prepare an interview report. This is a useful
tool that sums up the information collected in the interviews.
Another information gathering technique is JAD (Joint Application
Development) this allows the project team, users, and
management o work together in creating the requirements of
a system. This technique could be beneficial having everyone
conversing in one room in a perfect world. However, there
will be people who will not take other people's opinions
seriously and there will be those who are afraid to
speak up when people who out rank them are in the
room. JAD also offers a nontraditional way of determining
requirements called e-JAD. E-JAD uses software on a computer
in the company's network to allow ideas to be submitted
anonymously. If I were the analyst and had to choose
I would choose e-JAD because people tend to speak more
freely when it's anonymous and it can also help free
you up from your own biased that may make you hear
more of what one person has to say over the other.
A traditional technique for determining system requirements is
collecting information about the current system and what is
needed for improvements. For example, does it need to be
improved for currency or organization? The best way is to
talk to the directly or indirectly involved in different parts
of the organizations. The only downfall will be the time
it would take to interview each person about the concerns.
A contemporary technique would be the Joint Application
Design to collect system requirements from key people involved
with the system in one place. This process could take
from 4 hours to a week. It needs to be in a
separate location from the company. It could get costly.
A radical technique would be Business Process Reengineering,
a process where a current method is replaced with radically
new ways. Not only improving the business process but
reorganizing the complete data flow in significant sections by
eliminating unnecessary steps. The disadvantages of Business
Process Reengineering are that the process is lengthy and
costly, and many companies need more patience and money
to go that route.
The technique I suggest is the Joint Application Design
because it is teamwork between the company and client
and makes the process go by faster. During system analysis,
various techniques can be used to determine the requirements
of a system. Three common techniques are traditional,
contemporary, and radical approaches.The traditional approach to
determining system requirements involves gathering information
through questionnaires, interviews, and surveys. This technique
relies on the experience of stakeholders and experts in the
field to identify system requirements. The contemporary approach
involves gathering requirements through user observation and user
feedback. This technique relies on user experience and direct
feedback to identify system requirements. Finally, the radical
approach involves challenging traditional assumptions and questioning
the status quo. This technique encourages creativity and
innovation in identifying system requirements.
Each technique has its strengths and weaknesses. The traditional
approach is useful when stakeholders have a clear idea of
their needs, but it can be limiting when it comes to
discovering new or unexpected requirements. The contemporary
approach is useful when trying to identify requirements that
will improve the user experience, but it may not capture
the full scope of system requirements. The radical approach
is useful when there is a need to challenge existing
assumptions and think outside the box, but it can be
difficult to implement and may not be suitable for all
types of projects.
When deciding which technique to use, it is important to
consider the project's goals, resources, and stakeholders. A
project that requires quick implementation may benefit from
the traditional approach, while a project with a focus on
user experience may benefit from the contemporary approach.
A project that requires innovation and new ideas may
benefit from the radical approach. Ultimately, the chosen
technique should align with the project's goals and objectives.
I think interviewing is most useful when you hardly have
any other way to gather information about the functions of
the business system.
Strengths:
Interviewee can respond freely and openly to questions.
Interviewee can be asked for more feedback.
Questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual.
Interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed.
Drawbacks:
Very time-consuming, and therefore costly, fact-finding approach.
Success is highly dependent on the systems analyst's human
relations skills.
May be impractical due to the location of interviewees.
JAD Joint application development (Contemporary)
Joint Application Development is most likely the best option
when you are working on system that requires you to
work as a team and involve others.
Strengths:
Understand multiple perspectives at once.
Have user feedback while documentation is being made.
Drawbacks:
Facilitator required.
Can take valuable time from other work.
Coordination required and group issues arise.
Business Process Reengineering (Radical)
BPR should be used when the business system is no
longer meeting requirements or found to be inefficient.
Strengths:
Business performance, making processes more efficient boosting
productivity, and employee morale.
Motivation in employees, which then results in job satisfaction.
Drawbacks:
Costly Process.
Long-Term process.
Requires proper training.
How would I decide which technique to use:
I enjoy working with people. Due to the nature of work
that I do, I believe that involving others makes them
feel as though their opinion matters and that ideas should
be challenged and voted on esp. when money and time
and so many things are a factor in creating a successful
process.
Therefore, JAD is probably the route I would go.
The first technique I will talk about is a traditional
technique. This technique is called Interviewing and listening.
This technique requires one to talk to users, mainly,
individually and sometimes as a group to discover their
views about the current systems. It also involves preparing
an interview outline and guide before said interviews. This
technique is most useful when very few people are involved
or when a more personal method is needed. While there
are are some advantages there are also some disadvantages.
Those being long preparation times and the amount of time
and money it takes to conduct each interview. The
second technique is a radical technique called business process
reengineering. This technique involves the extreme redesign of
core processes to achieve improvements in productivity and
quality. It coordinates and integrates several functions immediately,
reduces the number of checks and reconciliation processes and
eliminates unnecessary activities and in return helps in reducing
organizational complexity. However the advantages also come with
disadvantages of course. The first being that the efficiency
of one department may be improved at the expense of
the overall process, the second is that it may require a
very large investment in IT along with almost perfect
planning, amazing teamwork and flawless implementation.
If one wanted to use the interviewing and listening technique
they would have to be prepared to spend a lot of
time doing interviews about the systems . They should also
use this technique if the system they are studying requires
a lengthy explanation to the participants. They would want
to use the BPR technique if they already have stable
systems but wish to lower the costs and cycle times
and/or Improve the quality of said systems.
When it comes to traditional technique its a process that
is taken step by step, which in most cases is good,
as it allows for thorough planning and analysing but its
downfall is it may take a little longer to complete the
same goal. Where as other methods may be a little
more fast paced as it makes it easier to complete the
goal but with a better product, but the downfall of the
other methods may be something could get missed, even
though it is constantly evolving. Thinking about it like the
Cyberpunk game, it came out not ready, people thought it
was a terrible game, because it was not finished and
they decided to go through with it, after a few updates
and patches everything got fixed that was an issue, but
was a big game then lost its interest, so it may be
a risky move.Radical techniques are similar to what I had
described above about the Cyberpunk game, as it is a
game that was underdeveloped before it reached the consumer,
then when it had gotten fixed, all interest was lost in
the game, radical development techniques are just a risky
move sometimes, which is because if something does get
"hyped up" per say, you are looking at a group of
people that were so happy to recieve the game and then
it destroys the whole value of the game at the time.
Same thing for any apps. A company could have a
good reputation for producing good apps, but it could have
flaws as the company plans to continuously develop and
change, which in otherwords, makes it harder on the
company to bounce back not producing something worth
peoples time.
I would decide what technique to use depending on the
situation. Games, that is a traditional style, that is because
people are willing to wait on a game, when it comes
to businesses, sometimes rolling out something that has ever
evolving updates and people use on a daily basis, that
is something where a radical technique would come in
handy, because O365 is a great program, it is an
evolving system, and lots of people are growing on it.
This program needs continuous development to help ease the
customer on usability and effort.
Interviewing and Listening
Interviewing is one of the traditional ways analysts gather
information about an information systems project. Early in a
project, an analyst may spend a large amount of time
interviewing people about their work, the information they use
to.
Advantages:
• Interview is a flexible tool.
• It offers a better opportunity rather than the questionnaire
to evaluate the validity of the information gathered.
• It is an effective technique for eliciting information about
complex subject.
• It is easy to discover key problem by seeking opinions.
• Many people enjoyed being interviewed.
Disadvantages:
• Long preparation time
• Take a lot of time and money to conduct.
Recommendation for use: Interviews are also useful when the
topic you are studying is rather complex, when whatever
you plan to ask requires lengthy explanation, or when your
topic or answers to your questions may not be immediately
clear to participants who may need some time or dialogue
with others to work through their responses to your
questions.
Joint Development Application (JAD) (Contemporary Method)
Is a very common technique in business analysis world. It
brings system developers and users together in a productive
and creative environment through a structured approach that
involves discussion groups with the goal to obtain requirements
and specifications.
Advantages
• JAD allows you to resolve difficulties more simply and
produce better, error-free software.
• The joint collaboration between the company and the
clients lowers all risks.
• JAD reduces costs and time needed for project development.
• Well-defined requirements improve system quality.
• Due to the close communication, progress is faster.
• JAD encourages the team to push each other to work
faster and deliver on time.
Disadvantages
• Different opinions within the team make it difficult to
align goals and maintain focus.
• Depending on the size of the project, JAD may require
a significant time commitment.
Recommendation for use: the following list of conditions will
help you decide when the use of JAD may be fruitful.
Consider using joint application design when:
• User groups are restless and want something new, not
a standard solution to a typical problem.
• The organizational culture supports joint problem-solving behaviors
among multiple levels of employees.
• Analysts forecast that the number of ideas generated via
one-on-one interviews will not be as plentiful as the number
of ideas possible from an extended group exercise.
• Organizational workflow permits the absence of key personnel
during a two-to-four-day block of time.
Business process reengineering methodology (Radical)
The traditional definition is that Business Process Reengineering
Methodology involves the radical redesign of core business
processes to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, cycle
times and quality.
Advantages:
• It gives an appropriate focus to business as it revolves
around customer needs.
• BPR helps in building a strategic view of operational
procedures by making radical inquiries about how processes
are improved and how things could be done.
• It eliminates unnecessary activities and thereby helps in
reducing organizational complexity.
• It coordinates and integrates several functions immediately.
• Provides improved viability and adequacy to an organization
by eliminating delay and unessential phases of operations and
management.
• Reduced number of checks/controls and reconciliation processes.
• It helps overcome short-sighted approaches that usually
emerge from excessive concentration on functional boundaries.
Disadvantages:• It doesn't suit every business need as it
depends on factors like size and availability of resources.
It usually benefits large organizations.
• In some cases, the efficiency of one department was
improved at the expense of the overall process.
• This BPR approach does not provide immediate resolution.
It concentrates significantly upon long haul income collaborations
of a business which not only takes some effort to take
shape but are hard to gauge as well.
• It might require a substantial investment in IT along
with proper planning, fantastic teamwork, and exceptional
implementation.
• It can replace humans when it comes to getting the
job done error-free hence posing as a real threat to jobs.
Recommendation for use:
Majority of business use Business process reengineering method
if they want to:
• Reduce costs and cycle times.
• Improve quality.
Traditional techniques for determining system requirements during
analysis typically involve a sequential, top-down approach. This
involves identifying key requirements, creating a requirements
document, and refining it based on feedback. An example
would be interviewing and listening. Contemporary techniques
tend to be more iterative and flexible. This approach allows
for more frequent feedback and enables teams to adapt to
changes. An example would be prototyping and Focus groups.
Radical techniques challenge traditional assumptions about requirement
gathering and management. This approach prioritizes learning and
experimentation and aims to validate assumptions about the
product's market. An example would be questionnaires. Each
technique has its strengths and weaknesses, and its usefulness
will depend on the project's context. Each technique has
potential drawbacks. Traditional, such as the Waterfall method,
can be inflexible and may not allow for changes in
requirements. Contemporary, such as Agile, can be challenging
to implement if the team is not experienced. This can
also result in scope creep. Radical, such as Lean Startup,
can be risky because it involves testing assumptions before
investing heavily in development. This can result in delays
if the team needs to pivot or change direction. Choosing
the appropriate technique depends on several factors, including
the requirements. Evaluate the project's requirements and consider
if they are well-understood and stable. If they are, the
Waterfall model may be appropriate. If they are likely to
change, then a contemporary technique may be more suitable.
Assess the potential risks and benefits of each technique
and compare them. Identify the potential needs and priorities.
Traditional- this is to be done where there is ample
sample space and the time is also not a constraint, the
geography is also defined. The drawback is it is time
consuming and to be used when sample size is good &
ample time is present.
Contemporary is used when the time is limited and more
analysis is required, the sample size is less, and we are
required to get a bird eye view of the situation. The
drawback is the results give the bird's view as based
more on analysis and estimate. It is to be used when
we have less time, and we need an overall trend.
Radical- It is the most advanced technique available, when
the time is less, and the sample size is too less.
Prototyping helps when we have almost nil sample size
and we use similar patterns to understand the trend, this
might not be accurate in practical sense as the variables
may change. To be used when we do not have a
sample size but have a similar model which behaves in
likewise fashion. When it comes to systems analysis different
techniques are used to determine systems requirements. Traditional,
contemporary, and radical techniques are three such methods.
The traditional technique focuses on gathering information about
the systems' requirements from stakeholders through interviews,
surveys, and questionnaires. The contemporary technique relies on
prototyping and iterative design, which involves developing a
working model of the system and refining it through
feedback from users. The radical technique involves brainstorming
and creative thinking to generate innovative solutions that
challenge traditional assumptions.Each of these techniques has its
strengths and weaknesses. The traditional technique is useful
when dealing with well-understood problems and stakeholders with
clear expectations. However, its drawbacks include the potential
for bias and limited creativity. The contemporary technique is
most effective when dealing with complex or unfamiliar
problems, as it allows for rapid prototyping and an iterative
design process that can quickly generate solutions. However,
it can be time-consuming and costly, and feedback from
users may not always be reliable. The radical technique is
ideal when dealing with uncertain or ill-defined problems, as
it encourages innovative thinking and promotes out-of-the-box
solutions. However, it can be difficult to implement and
may require a significant investment of time and resources.
Ultimately, the decision of which technique to use should
be based on a careful assessment of the project's goals,
requirements, and constraints. If you look at a list of
reasons for failed projects, you'd probably see reasons like:
scope creep, unclear requirements, insufficient planning, and
insufficient resources. Most of these center around planning.
Analysis is another planning phase for us in the SDLC.
For this reason, we call it BUFD -- big up-front design.
We try to get to a perfect state in requirements and
the design that follows, then we implement them without
any issues. Or at least we try to in waterfall methods.
Agile takes a different approach. We take a big idea
(an epic or feature) at the start of a project, then
we break it down into smaller pieces (a user story).
When we're ready to implement the story in our sprint,
we break it down again into a series of tasks. The
result is that we actually do more planning in agile than
in waterfall. But, we do it incrementally and we do it
just in time before we build it. In agile, our requirements
should be clear, but this isn't always the case. I worked
for a company that developed software for customers, and
we were wrought with issues. This might have been the
fault of the customer, the product owner, or the developers.
Maybe all of the above. I say this because there is
no silver bullet when it comes to building systems. During
the analysis phase is where the as-is-system is understood
and the gathering of requirements of the to-be-system happens.
There are traditional, contemporary, and radical techniques that
can be used to determine the requirements. Traditional –
Typically uses an interview approach, where the system analysist
will do some research up front then conduct interviews
with appropriate subject matter experts to understand the issue
and gather the requirements for the new system. This
usually is done using a top-down approach with closed,
open, or probing questions. The benefit of this technique
is that you are speaking with all levels and can truly
dig down into the system. The drawback is it is time
consuming and if not done correctly can lead to scope
creep. Contemporary – This technique typically works with
groups, the reading this week gives an example of Joint
Development Assessment (JAD). Done with a facilitator, usually
at an offsite location, your more senior level subject matter
experts attend who understand mission, issues and requirements.
In my experience this is how we have dealt with
requirements gathering. The benefit is that it can be done
quicker with less of a scope creep. The drawback is
that you have several senior level individuals out of the
lab for a week or two. Radical – I look at this
as a greenfield approach, a complete redesign and thinking
of the system. The advantage is you can design the way
you need, but the disadvantage is the cost.
Interviewing and Listening-
Interviewing is one of the traditional ways analysts gather
information about an information systems project. Early in a
project, an analyst may spend a large amount of time
interviewing people about their work, the information they use
to.
Advantages:
• Interview is a flexible tool.
• It offers a better opportunity rather than the questionnaire
to evaluate the validity of the information gathered.
• It is an effective technique for eliciting information about
complex subject.
Disadvantages:
• Long preparation time.
• Take a lot of time and money to conduct.
• Interviews are also useful when the topic you are
studying is rather complex, when whatever you plan to
ask requires lengthy explanation, or when your topic or
answers to your questions may not be immediately clear
to participants who may need some time or dialogue
with others to work through their responses to your
questions
