300585 - Systems Analysis & Design

Workshop 1

Workshops will run to cover the practical aspects of the topic each week via workshop case
study that runs across the whole semester and other examples via 2 parts

• Workshop Quiz
o Students to visit app.gosoapbox.com, click Join and use access code ‘wsquiz’
to attempt the workshop quiz. Pls note this quiz is not assessable. Students
must attempt this quiz in the time allocated by the workshop facilita-
tor/tutor, followed by discussions on the student attempt and the topics
• Workshop questions
o This document contains 2 parts
o Part A contains Classwork case study and questions that are done in work-
shop with the tutor in Groups of 2 students. Task 1 would always refer to
Workshop Case study and some additional case studies in rest of the tasks
o Part B contains questions and tasks related to case studies that individual
students need to answer in their own time and submit as Portfolio exercises
as per the Portfolio due dates given in the Learning guide.

Part A: To be done during the workshop

Various types of information systems are found in business organizations. These systems are
often integrated through the use of shared data. The types of systems include the following:
Customer relationship management (CRM) system; Supply chain management (SCM); Ac-
counting and financial management (AFM) system; Human resource management (HRM)
system; Manufacturing management system; Knowledge management system (KMS); Col-
laboration support system (CSS); and Business intelligence system.

In addition, many companies today use enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems which
incorporate most or all of the functionality of many of the above-mentioned systems.

Task 1

Workshop Case Study

Willow brook School is a small, private school in the Midwest United States. As an
independent systems analyst, you work as an IT consultant, specializing in developing IT
solutions for small businesses. You have been contacted by the director, Victoria Owens, to
discuss the possibility of setting up a computer system to handle some of the school’s
administrative and financial tasks. You agree to meet with Victoria and the principal, Kathy
Gilliard next week to discuss the school’s need for an information system.
Victoria explains her role as the executive director of the school. She administers the
activities of the school in accordance with the mission, vision, and policies established by
the Board of Directors. She supports the educational staff and oversees the financial,
payroll, and human resources functions for the school. Susan Brown is the vice principal.
She is responsible for the after-care program. Michelle Madrid is the administrative
assistant reporting to Victoria. There are six part-time after-care teachers, three for the
pre-school/kindergarten group, and three for the primary grades. After-care teachers
report to Susan Brown. The following activities are undertaken by the school, Admission,
Enrolment, Attendance management, Accounts, Transport Management and the Library
Database. The school also supports the local charity by selling artefacts and toys made by
the students and maintains an online website where people can buy and look at the new
toys and crafts made by the students, which is user friendly and has images of the
artefacts, toys and crafts. Michelle, the administrative assistant, in particular is feeling the
strain of the increased workload associated with the rapid growth in the student
population. The system that she has been using, of spreadsheets and word processing
documents, worked well when enrollments were smaller, but now the amount of time
spent copying information from one place to another is daunting, and the possibility of
errors is increasing. An information system is necessary to cope with the growing
administrative workload

Q1. Read the case study above carefully and identify various types of Information Systems
(IS) that are currently operating in Willow brook school.

Q2. Lecture 1 talks about different components of an information system. Now identify the
different components of an information system you identified in Q1.
One has been done for you as an example
People – School staff, students and customers of the website.

Q3. From the lecture we now know who a systems analyst is, and that part of a system
analyst role is to examine current IT systems and suggest improvements. Assuming that you
are a system analyst for Willow Brook School and you are to examine their current systems,
list the problems currently faced.

Task 2
Q. The above diagram depicts a process flow of a warehouse distribution from the weaving
factory to the retailer. How many types of Information systems (IS) can you identify? Note
some of your answers regarding the information system maybe a combination of more than
one type of IS. For example one of the Information systems from the diagram is a
combination of Enterprise Computing and Knowledge Management.

Task 3

Q1. From the above diagram which is essentially a visual process flow of a Taxi Booking
system. How many types of Information systems can you identify? Note some of your
answer regarding the information system maybe a combination of more than one type of
IS. An example of a combination information system has been given in the question of Task
Q2. Identify the different components of the Information system?

Task 4

Sandia Medical Devices (SMD) – Running Case study

Medical monitoring technology has advanced significantly in the last decade. Monitoring
that once required a visit to a health-care facility can now be performed by devices located
in a patient’s home, or carried or worn at all times. Examples include measures of glucose
level (blood sugar), pulse, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram (EKG). Measurements can
be transmitted via telephone, Internet connection, and wireless data transmission
standards, such as Bluetooth. A particularly powerful technology combination is a wearable
device that records data periodically or continuously and transmits it via Bluetooth to a cell
phone app. The cell phone app can inform the patient of problems and can automatically
transmit data and alerts to a central monitoring.

Health-care providers and patients incur significant costs when glucose levels are not
maintained within acceptable tolerances. Short-term episodes of very high or very low
glucose often result in expensive visits to urgent care clinics or hospitals. In addition,
patients with frequent but less severe episodes of high or low glucose are more susceptible
to such expensive, long-term complications as vision, circulatory, and kidney problems.

Sandia Medical Devices (SMD), an Albuquerque manufacturer of portable and wearable

medical monitoring devices, has developed a glucose monitor embedded in a wristband.
The device is powered by body heat and senses glucose levels from minute quantities of
perspiration. SMD is developing the Real-Time Glucose Monitoring (RTGM) device in
partnership with New Mexico Health Systems (NMHS), a comprehensive health delivery
service with patients throughout New Mexico.

SMD will develop the initial prototype software for smartphones with Bluetooth capability
running the Google Android operating system. If successful, NMHS and its patients will have
free use of the software and SMD will resell the software to other health systems
worldwide.

Question:

From the above description, identify various types of Information Systems (IS) that are
currently operating. Identify the different components of the Information system.
Part B: exercises to be submitted weekly

Case Study: Association for Computing Professionals (ACP) Meeting

“I’ll tell you exactly what I look for when I interview a new college grad,” Jane Adams
volunteered. Jane, a system development manager at a local bank, was talking with several
professional acquaintances at a monthly dinner meeting of the Association for Computing
Professionals (ACP). ACP provides opportunities for information systems professionals to get
together occasionally and share experiences. Usually, a few dozen professionals from
information systems departments at a variety of companies attend the monthly meetings.
“When I interview students, I look for problem-solving, aptitude for team work and
communication skills,” continued Jane. “Every student I interview claims to know all about
latest programming languages and development environments or whatever the latest
technology is. But I always ask interviewees three things: ‘How do you generally approach
solving problems? How do you like working in teams and how strong are your
communication skills ’ And then I want to know if they have even thought much about banks
like mine and financial services generally, so I ask ‘What would you say are the greatest
problems facing the banking industry these days?’”

Mike Parsons, a database administrator for the local hospital, laughed. “Yes, I know what you
mean. It really impresses me if they seem to appreciate how a hospital functions and what
the problems are for us—how information technology can help solve some of our problems.
It is the ability to see the big picture that really gets my attention.” “Yeah, I’m with you,”
added Erin Young, the manager of marketing systems for a retail store chain. “I am not that
impressed with the specific technical skills an applicant has. I assume they have the aptitude
and some skills. I do want to know how well they can communicate. I do want to know how
much they know about the nature of our business. I do want to know how interested they
are in retail stores and the problems we face. “Exactly,” confirmed Jane.

Question 1

Do you agree with Jane and Mike about soft skills? Discuss three points to justify your
response whether you agree or disagree.

Question 2

A special session of ACP meet invited students to attend. Mike offered you an interview of
systems analyst role. Should you research about the latest news and information related to
the hospital where Mike works before you go for interview with Mike? What would be the
benefit of doing so in your interview. Discuss three points.
Question 3

Your friend who got job offers to work as a systems analyst from both, Jane and Mike is
concerned if the job going to be the same in both organizations and asking you for advise in
deciding which one to pick. What three important points would you tell your friend to help
decide? Discuss.