The 6 Types Of Information Systems And Their Applications

An Introduction to Information Systems

Information system refers to various information technology systems like computers, software,
database, communication systems, the internet, devices, and others used by an organization to
collect, transfer, organize, and store data. Bursting with changes, the current business milieu has
helped companies implement a varied set of advanced technologies into different processes.
These IT applications have introduced automation, efficiency, and timeliness in various business
activities.

The introduction of information systems into the business has evoked a chain reaction among
different interrelated processes that have only benefited the companies by increasing profits and
reducing costs and lead time, among other things. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the
growing importance of information systems in companies.

What Is Information Systems And its Importance?

An information system is a group of data sets that ensures that business operates smoothly,
embracing change, and helping companies achieve their goal. The dictionary defines an
information system as a computer system or set of components for collecting, creating, storing,
processing and distributing information. The information system is incomplete without the
support of information technology (IT) systems.
An information system is not primarily associated with technology or IT system. Instead, it is
related to how technology is used to fulfil the needs of- individuals, groups or organizations. In
the digital era that we are in, the importance of information systems is increasing because it
standardizes the process of passing, collecting, storing, and accessing information or data for
individuals or businesses.

There are different types of information systems that help individuals and companies to use the
information to their benefit. In the succeeding part of the article, we will discuss various types of
information systems in detail.

Six Types Of Information Systems And Their Application

Although many information systems offer various benefits, typically, businesses use these five
applications in their company. Whichever information system you plan to implement in your
business, here are the benefits it will offer:

 It will induce innovation in business activities through its research and development.
 It will enable automation, reducing steps undertaken to complete a task.
 It helps keep the hardware, software, data storage, and networking system safe and up to
date.

Now that you know the changes information systems can bring about in an organization, let’s
look at the application that yields the power to change the business process- types of information
systems.

What Are The Types Of Information Systems?

1. Knowledge Work System
There are different knowledge management systems that an organization implements to ensure a
continuous flow of new and updated knowledge into the company and its processes. A
knowledge work system (KWS) is one of the knowledge management systems that ease the
integration of new information or knowledge into the business process.
Furthermore, KWS also offers support and resources to various knowledge creation techniques,
artificial intelligence applications, and group collaboration systems for knowledge sharing,
among others. It also uses graphics, visuals, etc., to disseminate new information. Below are
some of the applications that work on the core fundamentals of KWS.

 Designers often use computer-aided design systems (CAD) to automate their design
process.
 Financial workstations are used to analyze huge amounts of financial data with the help
of new technologies.
 Virtual reality systems are found in the scientific, education, and business fields for using
graphics and different systems to present data.
2. Management Information System
The management information system provides aid to managers by automating different processes
that were initially done manually. Business activities like business performance tracking and
analysis, making business decisions, making a business plan, and defining workflow. It also
provides feedback to the managers by analyzing the roles and responsibilities.
A management information system is considered a significant application that helps managers
immensely. Here are some of the advantages of the information system:

 It enhances the efficiency and productivity of the company

 It provides a clear picture of the organization’s performance
 It adds value to the existing products, introduces innovation and improves product
development
 It assists in communication and planning for business processes
 It helps the organization provide a competitive advantage

3. Decision Support System

A decision support system is an information system that analyses business data and other
information related to the enterprise to offer automation in decision-making or problem-solving.
A manager uses it in times of adversities arising during the operation of the business. Generally,
the decision support system is used to collect information regarding revenue, sales figures or
inventory. It is used across different industries, and the decision support system is a popular
information system.

4. Office Automation System

An office automation system is an information system that automates different administrative
processes like documenting, recording data, and office transactions, among others. The office
automation system is divided into managerial and clerical activities. Here are some of the
business activities that are done under this type of information system:

 Email
 Voice mail
 Word processing

5. Transaction Processing System

The transaction processing system automates the transaction collection, modification, and
retrieval process. The peculiar characteristic of this type of information system is that it increases
the performance, reliability and consistency of business transactions. It helps businesses perform
daily operations smoothly without hassle.
Once you are well-versed with different types of information systems, understanding the
application of these systems becomes easy to comprehend. Therefore, in the last part of the
article, we will look into applying information systems.

6. Executive Support System

An Executive Support System or ESS helps top-level executives to plan and control workflow
and make business decisions. It is very similar to Management Information System or MIS.
Here are some of the unique characteristics of ESS:
  It provides great telecommunication, better computing capabilities, and effective display
options to executives.
 It enables them with information through static reports, graphs, and textual information
on demand.
 It helps monitor performances, track competitors’ strategies, and forecast future trends,
among others.

How To Apply Information Systems in Business?

Here are some of the business activities that require the intervention of an information system.

 Enterprise resource planning (ERP)

Applying information systems to enterprise resource planning helps automate business

administration and planning functions.

 Supply chain management (SCM)

Information systems provide a common forum to connect with different parties in supply chain
management. Moreover, it makes communication between parties easy and resourceful.

 Customer relationship management (CRM)

Many information systems help in realizing customer requirements. Furthermore, other

information applications help companies interact with their audience easily and hassle-free.

To understand the use of information technology and its ancillary systems, many business
professionals pursue different courses. Emeritus India offers some of the best IT courses in
partnership with various Indian and international institutes. So, enrol in our famous IT courses to
accentuate your career.

Types Of Information System

DEFINITION OF INFORMATION SYSTEM – ” An information system is a set of
interrelated components that works together to collect, process, store and
breakdown the information to support decision making. ”
Following are the DIMENSIONS of information system:
1.ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSION : Information system are part of
organization. Information system will have the standard operating procedure
and culture of an organization embedded within them. This involves:
a)Functional specialties b)Business processes c)Culture d)Political interest
groups
2.MANAGEMENT DIMENSION : Managers perceive business challenges in the
environment. Information systems supply tools and information needed by the
managers to allocate,coordinate and monitor their work, make decision,create
new products and services and make long range strategic decision.
3.TECHNOLOGY DIMENSION : Management uses technology to carry out their
functions. It consists of – computer hardware/software, data management
technology, networking/telecom technology.Its one of the many tools managers
use to cope with the change.
Information Systems are classified by organisational levels, mode of data,
processing, system objectives and type of support provided.
Following are the TYPE of information system:
1. Transaction Processing System (TPS):
 Transaction Processing System are information system that processes
data resulting from the occurrences of business transactions
 Their objectives are to provide transaction in order to update records
and generate reports i.e to perform store keeping function
 The transaction is performed in two ways: Batching
processing and Online transaction processing.
 Example: Bill system, payroll system, Stock control system.
2. Management Information System (MIS):
 Management Information System is designed to take relatively raw
data available through a Transaction Processing System and convert
them into a summarized and aggregated form for the manager, usually
in a report format. It reports tending to be used by middle management
and operational supervisors.
 Many different types of report are produced in MIS. Some of the
reports are a summary report, on-demand report, ad-hoc reports and
an exception report.
 Example: Sales management systems, Human resource management
system.
3. Decision Support System (DSS):
 Decision Support System is an interactive information system that
provides information, models and data manipulation tools to help in
making the decision in a semi-structured and unstructured situation.
 Decision Support System comprises tools and techniques to help in
gathering relevant information and analyze the options and
alternatives, the end user is more involved in creating DSS than an
MIS.
 Example: Financial planning systems, Bank loan management
systems.
4. Experts System:
  Experts systems include expertise in order to aid managers in
diagnosing problems or in problem-solving. These systems are based
on the principles of artificial intelligence research.
 Experts Systems is a knowledge-based information system. It uses its
knowledge about a specify are to act as an expert consultant to users.
 Knowledgebase and software modules are the components of an
expert system. These modules perform inference on the knowledge
and offer answers to a user’s question
The 6 Most Popular Types of Information Systems and Their
Applications
Information has become one of the primary factors in business success. We’re living in
the Information Age, and those with the best, most current, most accurate information
will win the day. Knowledge is power, and data information is just another example of
that power.

However, it’s not enough to have vast amounts of good information; businesses and
organizations need to have the best types of information systems to work with that
information and produce the best outcomes. That’s why, in today’s data-heavy world,
organizations need a solid information system.

So today, we’re covering six different types of information systems and how they’re
applied.

We’ll begin with the fundamentals, namely “what is an information system?”

Information Systems Defined

Information systems are collections of multiple information resources (e.g., software,

hardware, computer system connections, the system housing, system users, and
computer system information) to gather, process, store, and disseminate information.
Tools such as laptops, databases, networks, and smartphones are examples of
information systems. So yes, as you read this article, you’re employing an information
system! Many people rely on various types of information systems to communicate with
friends and family, bank or shop online, or look up information via a search engine.

Companies and organizations employ information systems to communicate and work

with their customers and suppliers, manage the organization, perform essential
business operations, and roll out and maintain marketing campaigns.

Six Major Types of Information Systems

Now that we have dealt with the basics, let's look at the six primary types of information
systems. Although information systems are not limited to this list, typical businesses
and organizations have the following six, each system supporting a different
organizational level.

For starters, we have the transaction processing systems (TPS) at the operational level.
Next are the office automation systems (OAS) and knowledge work systems (KWS),
both working at the knowledge level. Next, the management level has the management
information systems (MIS) and decision support systems (DSS), and we conclude with
the executive support systems (ESS) at the strategic level.

Let’s explore the different types of information systems more in-depth.

 Transaction Processing System (TPS)

Transaction processing is essential to helping businesses perform daily operations.

Transactions are defined as any activity or event that affects the company, and include
things like deposits, withdrawals, shipping, billing customers, order entry, and placing
orders. TPS supports these business transactions.
  Office Automation System (OAS)

OAS consists of computers, communication-related technology, and the personnel

assigned to perform the official tasks. The OAS covers office transactions and supports
official activity at every level in the organization. The official activities are subdivided
into managerial and clerical activities.

Office automation systems include the following applications:

 Email: The email application also covers file attachments such as audio, video, and
documents.

 Voice Mail: This application records and stores phone messages into the system’s
memory and can be retrieved anytime.

 Word Processing: Word processing covers the creation of documents, including

memos, reports, letters, and anything else that’s printable electronically. The created
text can be copied, edited, and stored via word processing commands, and checked
for grammar and spelling, line and word counting, and headers and footers.

 Knowledge Work System (KWS)

The KWS is a specialized system that expedites knowledge creation and ensures that
the business's technical skills and knowledge are correctly applied. The Knowledge
Work System aids workers in creating and disseminating new information using
graphics, communication, and document management tools. Here are some examples
of KWS:

 Computer-Aided Design Systems (CAD): CAD systems automate design creation and

revision via computers and graphics software, especially in the manufacturing and
tooling processes.

 Financial Workstations: These systems pull and combine data from many different
internal and external sources, covering research reports, market data, and
 management data. Financial workstations can rapidly analyze huge amounts of
financial data and trading situations.

 Virtual Reality Systems: These systems take the CAD system to the next level, using
interactive graphics utilities to create realistic computer-generated simulations. VR
systems are typically found in scientific, educational, and business circles.

 Management Information System (MIS)

Middle managers handle much of the administrative chores for day-to-day routines and
performance monitoring, ensuring that all the work is aligned with the organization's
needs. That's why MIS is such a valuable tool. Management Information Systems are
specially designed to help middle managers and supervisors make decisions, plan, and
control the workflow. The MIS pulls transactional data from various Transactional
Processing Systems, compiles the information, and presents it in reports and displays.

Additionally, these reports can be produced monthly, quarterly, or annually, although

MIS can have more immediate reports (e.g., hourly, daily).

 Decision Support System (DSS)

The DSS is a management-level, interactive computer-based information system that

helps managers to make decisions. The Decision Support System specifically gives
middle managers the information necessary to make informed, intelligent decisions.

Decision Support Systems use different decision models to analyze or summarize large
pieces of data into an easy-to-use form that makes it easier for managers to compare
and analyze information. Often, these summaries come in the form of charts and tables.
  Executive Support System (ESS)

 The ESS is like the MIS but for executive-level decision-making.  The decisions involve
company-wide matters, so the stakes are higher. Consequently, they demand more
insight and judgment.

The ESS provides greater telecommunication, better computing capabilities, and more
efficient display options than the DSS. Executives use ESS to make effective decisions
through summarized internal data taken from DSS and MIS and external sources. In
addition, executive support systems help monitor performances, track competitors, spot
opportunities, and forecast future trends.

What Are the Main Applications of Information

Technology?

Although the system application descriptions hint at how they are best applied, let’s
spell out some of the chief information technology applications.

 Information/Data Storage

Although companies need good information to create better goods and services, they
must also have a reliable, cost-effective system to store the information that allows
rapid data access when required. In addition, a sound information system helps
businesses keep logs of essential activities and store valuable assets such as
communication records, revision histories, activity logs, operational data, and other
relevant documents.

By storing information in an organized manner, businesses understand why problems

and roadblocks occur and how to solve them.
  Rolling Out New Products and Services

Although there is an ever-increasing demand for new goods and services, any business
that wants to stay competitive needs information to make better decisions and
consequently offer better products. Information systems help analyze independent
processes and organize the company's work activities. So, an information system
allows a business to better understand how it can design, create, and sell services or
products that people want.

 Simplified Decision Making

It’s challenging enough to make decisions, let alone consistently making the exact, right
decisions. There are no guarantees that an organization’s decisions will work. However,
information systems help take some of the pain out of the process by offering
information rapidly and easily.

 Improving Employee Behaviors and Attitudes

Information systems can be effectively employed to improve communication between

employers and employees. An efficient information system empowers employees by
making relevant information more accessible, helping them become a part of the
decision-making process. This empowerment boosts motivation and increases
commitment to the project or assignment.

Here are some broad categories that highlight types of information system applications:

 Communication. Information system applications allow rapid data sharing on

a global scale.

 Education. Information systems help make remote learning easier (particularly

useful during pandemics) and make people more comfortable with tech
advancements such as smartphones, tablets, and other network devices.
  Employment. The advent of information systems has directly resulted in
creating new positions such as data analyzers and cyber-security experts.

 Finance. Information systems make the transfer of funds more manageable

and more secure.

 Healthcare. Thanks to information systems, healthcare providers can access

vital medical records faster.

 Security. Information systems make it easier to employ data safeguards to

reduce the likelihood of a data breach or malware.

Types of Information System: MIS, TPS, DSS,

Pyramid Diagram
A typical organization is divided into operational, middle, and upper level. The
information requirements for users at each level differ. Towards that end, there are
number of information systems that support each level in an organization.

This tutorial will explore the different types of information systems, the
organizational level that uses them and the characteristics of the particular
information system.

In this tutorial, you will learn the different Classification of Information.

 Pyramid Diagram of Organizational levels and information requirements

 Transaction Processing System (TPS)
 Management Information System (MIS)
 Decision Support System (DSS)
 Artificial intelligence techniques in business
 Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)

Pyramid Diagram of Organizational levels and

information requirements
Understanding the various levels of an organization is essential to understand the
information required by the users who operate at their respective levels.
The following diagram illustrates the various levels of a typical organization.

Operational management level

The operational level is concerned with performing day to day business

transactions of the organization.

Examples of users at this level of management include cashiers at a point of sale,

bank tellers, nurses in a hospital, customer care staff, etc.

Users at this level use make structured decisions. This means that they have
defined rules that guides them while making decisions.

For example, if a store sells items on credit and they have a credit policy that has
some set limit on the borrowing. All the sales person needs to decide whether to
give credit to a customer or not is based on the current credit information from the
system.

Tactical Management Level

This organization level is dominated by middle-level managers, heads of
departments, supervisors, etc. The users at this level usually oversee the activities
of the users at the operational management level.

Tactical users make semi-structured decisions. The decisions are partly based on
set guidelines and judgmental calls. As an example, a tactical manager can check
the credit limit and payments history of a customer and decide to make an
exception to raise the credit limit for a particular customer. The decision is partly
structured in the sense that the tactical manager has to use existing information to
identify a payments history that benefits the organization and an allowed increase
percentage.

Strategic Management Level

This is the most senior level in an organization. The users at this level make
unstructured decisions. Senior level managers are concerned with the long-term
planning of the organization. They use information from tactical managers and
external data to guide them when making unstructured decisions.

Transaction Processing System (TPS)

Transaction processing systems are used to record day to day business
transactions of the organization. They are used by users at the operational
management level. The main objective of a transaction processing system is to
answer routine questions such as;

 How printers were sold today?

 How much inventory do we have at hand?
 What is the outstanding due for John Doe?

By recording the day to day business transactions, TPS system provides answers to
the above questions in a timely manner.

 The decisions made by operational managers are routine and highly

structured.
 The information produced from the transaction processing system is very
detailed.
For example, banks that give out loans require that the company that a person
works for should have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the bank. If a
person whose employer has a MoU with the bank applies for a loan, all that the
operational staff has to do is verify the submitted documents. If they meet the
requirements, then the loan application documents are processed. If they do not
meet the requirements, then the client is advised to see tactical management staff
to see the possibility of signing a MoU.

Examples of transaction processing systems include;

 Point of Sale Systems – records daily sales

 Payroll systems – processing employees salary, loans management, etc.
 Stock Control systems – keeping track of inventory levels
 Airline booking systems – flights booking management

Management Information System (MIS)

Management Information Systems (MIS) are used by tactical managers to monitor
the organization’s current performance status. The output from a transaction
processing system is used as input to a management information system.

The MIS system analyzes the input with routine algorithms i.e. aggregate, compare
and summarizes the results to produced reports that tactical managers use to
monitor, control and predict future performance.

For example, input from a point of sale system can be used to analyze trends of
products that are performing well and those that are not performing well. This
information can be used to make future inventory orders i.e. increasing orders for
well-performing products and reduce the orders of products that are not
performing well.

Examples of management information systems include;

 Sales management systems – they get input from the point of sale system
 Budgeting systems – gives an overview of how much money is spent within
the organization for the short and long terms.
 Human resource management system – overall welfare of the employees,
staff turnover, etc.
Tactical managers are responsible for the semi-structured decision. MIS systems
provide the information needed to make the structured decision and based on the
experience of the tactical managers, they make judgement calls i.e. predict how
much of goods or inventory should be ordered for the second quarter based on the
sales of the first quarter.

Decision Support System (DSS)

Decision support systems are used by senior management to make non-routine
decisions. Decision support systems use input from internal systems (transaction
processing systems and management information systems) and external systems.

The main objective of decision support systems is to provide solutions to problems

that are unique and change frequently. Decision support systems answer questions
such as;

 What would be the impact of employees’ performance if we double the

production lot at the factory?
 What would happen to our sales if a new competitor entered the market?

Decision support systems use sophisticated mathematical models, and statistical

techniques (probability, predictive modeling, etc.) to provide solutions, and they
are very interactive.

Examples of decision support systems include;

 Financial planning systems – it enables managers to evaluate alternative

ways of achieving goals. The objective is to find the optimal way of achieving
the goal. For example, the net profit for a business is calculated using the
formula Total Sales less (Cost of Goods + Expenses). A financial planning
system will enable senior executives to ask what if questions and adjust the
values for total sales, the cost of goods, etc. to see the effect of the decision
and on the net profit and find the most optimal way.
 Bank loan management systems – it is used to verify the credit of the loan
applicant and predict the likelihood of the loan being recovered.

Artificial intelligence techniques in business

Artificial intelligence systems mimic human expertise to identify patterns in large
data sets. Companies such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google, etc. use artificial
intelligence techniques to identify data that is most relevant to you.

Let’s use Facebook as an example, Facebook usually makes very accurate

predictions of people that you might know or went with to school. They use the
data that you provide to them, the data that your friends provide and based on this
information make predictions of people that you might know.

Amazon uses artificial intelligence techniques too to suggest products that you
should buy also based on what you are currently getting.

Google also uses artificial intelligence to give you the most relevant search results
based on your interactions with Google and your location.

These techniques have greatly contributed in making these companies very

successful because they are able to provide value to their customers.

Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)

Online analytical processing (OLAP) is used to query and analyze multi-
dimensional data and produce information that can be viewed in different ways
using multiple dimensions.

Let’s say a company sells laptops, desktops, and Mobile device. They have four (4)
branches A, B, C and D. OLAP can be used to view the total sales of each product in
all regions and compare the actual sales with the projected sales.

Each piece of information such as product, number of sales, sales value represents
a different dimension

The main objective of OLAP systems is to provide answers to ad hoc queries within
the shortest possible time regardless of the size of the datasets being used.

Types Of Information System

DEFINITION OF INFORMATION SYSTEM – ” An information system is a set of
interrelated components that works together to collect, process, store and
breakdown the information to support decision making. ”
Following are the DIMENSIONS of information system:
1.ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSION : Information system are part of
organization. Information system will have the standard operating procedure
and culture of an organization embedded within them. This involves:
a)Functional specialties b)Business processes c)Culture d)Political interest
groups
2.MANAGEMENT DIMENSION : Managers perceive business challenges in the
environment. Information systems supply tools and information needed by the
managers to allocate,coordinate and monitor their work, make decision,create
new products and services and make long range strategic decision.
3.TECHNOLOGY DIMENSION : Management uses technology to carry out their
functions. It consists of – computer hardware/software, data management
technology, networking/telecom technology.Its one of the many tools managers
use to cope with the change.
Information Systems are classified by organisational levels, mode of data,
processing, system objectives and type of support provided.
Following are the TYPE of information system:
1. Transaction Processing System (TPS):
 Transaction Processing System are information system that processes
data resulting from the occurrences of business transactions
 Their objectives are to provide transaction in order to update records
and generate reports i.e to perform store keeping function
 The transaction is performed in two ways: Batching
processing and Online transaction processing.
 Example: Bill system, payroll system, Stock control system.
2. Management Information System (MIS):
 Management Information System is designed to take relatively raw
data available through a Transaction Processing System and convert
them into a summarized and aggregated form for the manager, usually
in a report format. It reports tending to be used by middle management
and operational supervisors.
 Many different types of report are produced in MIS. Some of the
reports are a summary report, on-demand report, ad-hoc reports and
an exception report.
 Example: Sales management systems, Human resource management
system.
3. Decision Support System (DSS):
 Decision Support System is an interactive information system that
provides information, models and data manipulation tools to help in
making the decision in a semi-structured and unstructured situation.
 Decision Support System comprises tools and techniques to help in
gathering relevant information and analyze the options and
 alternatives, the end user is more involved in creating DSS than an
MIS.
 Example: Financial planning systems, Bank loan management
systems.
4. Experts System:
 Experts systems include expertise in order to aid managers in
diagnosing problems or in problem-solving. These systems are based
on the principles of artificial intelligence research.
 Experts Systems is a knowledge-based information system. It uses its
knowledge about a specify are to act as an expert consultant to users.
 Knowledgebase and software modules are the components of an
expert system. These modules perform inference on the knowledge
and offer answers to a user’s question

System Development Life

Cycle Guide
The software development process is normally long and tedious. But project
managers and system analysts can leverage software development life cycles
to outline, design, develop, test, and eventually deploy information systems or
software products with greater regularity, efficiency, and overall quality.

What is System Development Life Cycle?

A system development life cycle or SDLC is essentially a project management

model. It defines different stages that are necessary to bring a project from its
initial idea or conception all the way to deployment and later maintenance. 

System Development Life Cycle US

Guide
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the system
development life cycle, including all of its stages. We’ll also go over the roles
of system analysts and the benefits your project might see by adopting SDLC.

‍
7 Stages of the System Development Life Cycle

There are seven primary stages of the modern system development life cycle.
Here’s a brief breakdown:

 Planning Stage

 Feasibility or Requirements of Analysis Stage

 Design and Prototyping Stage

 Software Development Stage

 Software Testing Stage

 Implementation and Integration

 Operations and Maintenance Stage

Now let’s take a closer look at each stage individually.

‍
Planning Stage

Before we even begin with the planning stage, the best tip we can give you is
to take time and acquire proper understanding of app development life cycle.

The planning stage (also called the feasibility stage) is exactly what it sounds
like: the phase in which developers will plan for the upcoming project.

It helps to define the problem and scope of any existing systems, as well as
determine the objectives for their new systems.

By developing an effective outline for the upcoming development cycle, they'll

theoretically catch problems before they affect development.

And help to secure the funding and resources they need to make their plan
happen.
Perhaps most importantly, the planning stage sets the project schedule, which
can be of key importance if development is for a commercial product that must
be sent to market by a certain time.

Analysis Stage
The analysis stage includes gathering all the specific details required for a
new system as well as determining the first ideas for prototypes.

Developers may:

 Define any prototype system requirements

 Evaluate alternatives to existing prototypes

 Perform research and analysis to determine the needs of end-users

Furthermore, developers will often create a software requirement specification

or SRS document.

This includes all the specifications for software, hardware, and network
requirements for the system they plan to build. This will prevent them from
overdrawing funding or resources when working at the same place as other
development teams.

‍
Design Stage

The design stage is a necessary precursor to the main developer stage.

Developers will first outline the details for the overall application, alongside
specific aspects, such as its:

 User interfaces

 System interfaces

 Network and network requirements

 Databases
They’ll typically turn the SRS document they created into a more logical
structure that can later be implemented in a programming language.
Operation, training, and maintenance plans will all be drawn up so that
developers know what they need to do throughout every stage of the cycle
moving forward.

Once complete, development managers will prepare a design document to be

referenced throughout the next phases of the SDLC.

Development Stage
The development stage is the part where developers actually write code and
build the application according to the earlier design documents and outlined
specifications.

This is where Static Application Security Testing or SAST tools come into

play.

Product program code is built per the design document specifications. In

theory, all of the prior planning and outlined should make the actual
development phase relatively straightforward.

Developers will follow any coding guidelines as defined by the organization

and utilize different tools such as compilers, debuggers, and interpreters.

Programming languages can include staples such as C++, PHP, and more.
Developers will choose the right programming code to use based on the
project specifications and requirements.

‍
Testing Stage

Building software is not the end.

Now it must be tested to make sure that there aren’t any bugs and that the
end-user experience will not negatively be affected at any point.

During the testing stage, developers will go over their software with a fine-
tooth comb, noting any bugs or defects that need to be tracked, fixed, and
later retested.

t’s important that the software overall ends up meeting the quality standards
that were previously defined in the SRS document.

Depending on the skill of the developers, the complexity of the software, and
the requirements for the end-user, testing can either be an extremely short
phase or take a very long time. Take a look at our top 10 best practices for
software testing projects for more information.

Implementation and Integration Stage

After testing, the overall design for the software will come together. Different
modules or designs will be integrated into the primary source code through
developer efforts, usually by leveraging training environments to detect further
errors or defects.

The information system will be integrated into its environment and eventually
installed. After passing this stage, the software is theoretically ready for
market and may be provided to any end-users.

Maintenance Stage

The SDLC doesn’t end when software reaches the market. Developers must
now move into a maintenance mode and begin practicing any activities
required to handle issues reported by end-users.

Furthermore, developers are responsible for implementing any changes that

the software might need after deployment.

This can include handling residual bugs that were not able to be patched
before launch or resolving new issues that crop up due to user reports. Larger
systems may require longer maintenance stages compared to smaller
systems.

Role of System Analyst

An SDLC’s system analyst is, in some ways, an overseer for the entire
system. They should be totally aware of the system and all its moving parts
and can help guide the project by giving appropriate directions.

The system analyst should be:

 An expert in any technical skills required for the project

 A good communicator to help command his or her team to success

 A good planner so that development tasks can be carried out on time at

each phase of the development cycle

Thus, systems analysts should have an even mix of interpersonal, technical,

management, and analytical skills altogether. They’re versatile professionals
that can make or break an SDLC.

Their responsibilities are quite diverse and important for the eventual success
of a given project. Systems analysts will often be expected to:

 ️Gather facts and information

 Make command decisions about which bugs to prioritize or what

features to cut

 Suggest alternative solutions

 Draw specifications that can be easily understood by both users and

programmers

 Implement logical systems while keeping modularity for later integration

  Be able to evaluate and modify the resulting system as is required by
project goals

 Help to plan out the requirements and goals of the project by defining
and understanding user requirements

6 Basic SDLC Methodologies

Although the system development life cycle is a project management model in
the broad sense, six more specific methodologies can be leveraged to
achieve specific results or provide the greater SDLC with different attributes.

‍
Waterfall Model
The waterfall model is the oldest of all SDLC methodologies. It’s linear and
straightforward and requires development teams to finish one phase of the
project completely before moving on to the next.

Each stage has a separate project plan and takes information from the
previous stage to avoid similar issues (if encountered). However, it is
vulnerable to early delays and can lead to big problems arising for
development teams later down the road.

‍
Iterative Model

The iterative model focuses on repetition and repeat testing. New versions of
a software project are produced at the end of each phase to catch potential
errors and allow developers to constantly improve the end product by the time
it is ready for market.

One of the upsides to this model is that developers can create a working
version of the project relatively early in their development life cycle, so
implement the changes are often less expensive.

‍
Spiral Model

Spiral models are flexible compared to other methodologies. Projects pass

through four main phases again and again in a metaphorically spiral motion.
It’s advantageous for large projects since development teams can create very
customized products and incorporate any received feedback relatively early in
the life cycle. 

‍
V-Model

The V-model (which is short for verification and validation) is quite similar to
the waterfall model. A testing phase is incorporated into each development
stage to catch potential bugs and defects.

It’s incredibly disciplined and requires a rigorous timeline. But in theory, it

illuminates the shortcomings of the main waterfall model by preventing larger
bugs from spiraling out of control.

‍
Big Bang Model

The Big Bang model is incredibly flexible and doesn’t follow a rigorous
process or procedure. It even leaves detailed planning behind. It’s mostly
used to develop broad ideas when the customer or client isn’t sure what they
want. Developers simply start the project with money and resources.

Their output may be closer or farther from what the client eventually realizes
they desire. It’s mostly used for smaller projects and experimental life cycles
designed to inform other projects in the same company.

‍
Agile Model

The agile model is relatively well-known, particularly in the software

development industry.

The agile methodology prioritizes fast and ongoing release cycles, utilizing
small but incremental changes between releases. This results in more
iterations and many more tests compared to other models.

Theoretically, this model helps teams to address small issues as they arise
rather than missing them until later, more complex stages of a project.

Benefits of SDLC

SDLC provides a number of advantages to development teams that

implement it correctly.

‍
Clear Goal Descriptions

Developers clearly know the goals they need to meet and the deliverables
they must achieve by a set timeline, lowering the risk of time and resources
being wasted.

‍
Proper Testing Before Installation

SDLC models implement checks and balances to ensure that all software is
tested before being installed in greater source code.

‍
Clear Stage Progression

Developers can’t move on to the next age until the prior one is completed and
signed off by a manager.

‍
Member Flexibility

Since SDLCs have well-structured documents for project goals and

methodologies, team members can leave and be replaced by new members
relatively painlessly.

‍
Perfection Is Achievable

All SDLC stages are meant to feed back into one another. SDLC models can
therefore help projects to iterate and improve upon themselves over and over
until essentially perfect.

‍
No One Member Makes or Breaks the Project

Again, since SDLCs utilize extensive paperwork and guideline documents, it’s
a team effort and losing one even major member will not jeopardize the
project timeline.

‍
What You Need to Know About System Development Life Cycle
Where is SDLC Used?

System development life cycles are typically used when developing IT

projects.

Software development managers will utilize SDLCs to outline various

development stages, make sure everyone completes stages on time and in
the correct order, and that the project is delivered as promptly and as bug-free
as possible.

SDLCs can also be more specifically used by systems analysts as they

develop and later implement a new information system.

‍
What SDLC Model is Best?

It largely depends on what your team’s goals and resource requirements are.

The majority of IT development teams utilize the agile methodology for their
SDLC. However, others may prefer the iterative or spiral methodologies.

All three of these methods are popular since they allow for extensive iteration
and bug testing before a product is integrated with greater source code or
delivered to market.

DevOps methodologies are also popular choices. And if you ever need a
refresher course on what is DevOps, you needn't worry as our team
at CloudDefense has got you covered!

‍
What Does SDLC Develop?

SDLC can be used to develop or engineer software, systems, and even

information systems. It can also be used to develop hardware or a
combination of both software and hardware at the same time.
‍

FAQs
What Were the 5 Original Phases of System Development Life Cycle?

The systems development life cycle originally consisted of five stages instead
of seven. These included planning, creating, developing, testing, and
deploying. Note that it left out the major stages of analysis and maintenance.

What Are the 7 Phases of SDLC?

The new seven phases of SDLC include planning, analysis, design,

development, testing, implementation, and maintenance.

What is System Development Life Cycle in MIS?

In the greater context of management information systems or MIS, SDLC

helps managers to design, develop, test, and deploy information systems to
meet target goals. 

Conclusion
Ultimately, any development team in both the IT and other industries can
benefit from implementing system development life cycles into their projects.
Use the above guide to identify which methodology you want to use in
conjunction with your SDLC for the best results.

System Development Life Cycle

An effective System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) should result in a high quality system that
meets customer expectations, reaches completion within time and cost evaluations, and works
effectively and efficiently in the current and planned Information Technology infrastructure.
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model which includes policies and
procedures for developing or altering systems throughout their life cycles.
SDLC is used by analysts to develop an information system. SDLC includes the following
activities −

 requirements
 design
 implementation
 testing
 deployment
 operations
 maintenance

Phases of SDLC
Systems Development Life Cycle is a systematic approach which explicitly breaks down the
work into phases that are required to implement either new or modified Information System.
Feasibility Study or Planning
 Define the problem and scope of existing system.
 Overview the new system and determine its objectives.
 Confirm project feasibility and produce the project Schedule.
 During this phase, threats, constraints, integration and security of system are also
considered.
 A feasibility report for the entire project is created at the end of this phase.
Analysis and Specification
 Gather, analyze, and validate the information.
 Define the requirements and prototypes for new system.
 Evaluate the alternatives and prioritize the requirements.
 Examine the information needs of end-user and enhances the system goal.
 A Software Requirement Specification (SRS) document, which specifies the
software, hardware, functional, and network requirements of the system is
prepared at the end of this phase.
System Design
 Includes the design of application, network, databases, user interfaces, and system
interfaces.
 Transform the SRS document into logical structure, which contains detailed and
complete set of specifications that can be implemented in a programming
language.
 Create a contingency, training, maintenance, and operation plan.
 Review the proposed design. Ensure that the final design must meet the
requirements stated in SRS document.
 Finally, prepare a design document which will be used during next phases.
Implementation
 Implement the design into source code through coding.
 Combine all the modules together into training environment that detects errors and
defects.
 A test report which contains errors is prepared through test plan that includes test
related tasks such as test case generation, testing criteria, and resource allocation
for testing.
 Integrate the information system into its environment and install the new system.
Maintenance/Support
 Include all the activities such as phone support or physical on-site support for
users that is required once the system is installing.
 Implement the changes that software might undergo over a period of time, or
implement any new requirements after the software is deployed at the customer
location.
 It also includes handling the residual errors and resolve any issues that may exist
in the system even after the testing phase.
 Maintenance and support may be needed for a longer time for large systems and
for a short time for smaller systems.

Life Cycle of System Analysis and Design

The following diagram shows the complete life cycle of the system during analysis and design
phase.
Role of System Analyst
The system analyst is a person who is thoroughly aware of the system and guides the system
development project by giving proper directions. He is an expert having technical and
interpersonal skills to carry out development tasks required at each phase.
He pursues to match the objectives of information system with the organization goal.
Main Roles
 Defining and understanding the requirement of user through various Fact finding
techniques.
 Prioritizing the requirements by obtaining user consensus.
 Gathering the facts or information and acquires the opinions of users.
 Maintains analysis and evaluation to arrive at appropriate system which is more
user friendly.
 Suggests many flexible alternative solutions, pick the best solution, and quantify
cost and benefits.
 Draw certain specifications which are easily understood by users and programmer
in precise and detailed form.
 Implemented the logical design of system which must be modular.
 Plan the periodicity for evaluation after it has been used for some time, and
modify the system as needed.

Attributes of a Systems Analyst

The following figure shows the attributes a systems analyst should possess −

Interpersonal Skills
 Interface with users and programmer.
 Facilitate groups and lead smaller teams.
 Managing expectations.
 Good understanding, communication, selling and teaching abilities.
 Motivator having the confidence to solve queries.
Analytical Skills
 System study and organizational knowledge
 Problem identification, problem analysis, and problem solving
 Sound commonsense
 Ability to access trade-off
 Curiosity to learn about new organization
Management Skills
 Understand users jargon and practices.
 Resource & project management.
 Change & risk management.
 Understand the management functions thoroughly.
Technical Skills
 Knowledge of computers and software.
 Keep abreast of modern development.
 Know of system design tools.
 Breadth knowledge about new technologies.

systems development life cycle

(SDLC)
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used
in project management that describes the stages involved in an information
system development project, from an initial feasibility study through
maintenance of the completed application. SDLC can apply to technical and
non-technical systems. In most use cases, a system is an IT technology such
as hardware and software. Project and program managers typically take part
in SDLC, along with system and software engineers, development teams and
end-users.

Every hardware or software system will go through a development process

which can be thought as an iterative process with multiple steps. SDLC is
used to give a rigid structure and framework to define the phases and steps
involved in the development of a system.

SDLC is also an abbreviation for Synchronous Data Link Control and software
development life cycle. Software development life cycle is a very similar
process to systems development life cycle, but it focuses exclusively on the
development life cycle of software.
SDLC models
Various SDLC methodologies have been developed to guide the processes involved,
including the original SDLC method, the Waterfall model. Other SDLC models
include rapid application development (RAD), joint application development (JAD),
the fountain model, the spiral model, build and fix, and synchronize-and-stabilize.
Another common model today is called Agile software development.

Frequently, several models are combined into a hybrid methodology. Many of these
models are shared with the development of software, such as waterfall or agile.
Numerous model frameworks can be adapted to fit into the development of software.

In SDLC, documentation is crucial, regardless of the type of model chosen for any
application, and is usually done in parallel with the development process. Some
methods work better for specific kinds of projects, but in the final analysis, the most
crucial factor for the success of a project may be how closely the particular plan was
followed.

Steps in SDLC
SDLC can be made up of multiple steps. There is no concrete set number of steps
involved. Around seven or eight steps appear commonly; however, there can be
anywhere from five upwards to 12. Typically, the more steps defined in an SDLC
model, the more granular the stages are.

In general, an SDLC methodology follows these following steps:

1. Analysis: The existing system is evaluated. Deficiencies are identified. This

can be done by interviewing users of the system and consulting with
support personnel.

2. Plan and requirements: The new system requirements are defined. In

particular, the deficiencies in the existing system must be addressed with
specific proposals for improvement. Other factors defined include needed
features, functions and capabilities.
 3. Design: The proposed system is designed. Plans are laid out concerning the
physical construction, hardware, operating systems, programming,
communications and security issues.

4. Development: The new system is developed. The new components and

programs must be obtained and installed. Users of the system must be
trained in its use.

5. Testing: All aspects of performance must be tested. If necessary,

adjustments must be made at this stage. Tests performed by quality
assurance (QA) teams may include systems integration and system testing.

6. Deployment: The system is incorporated in a production environment. This

can be done in various ways. The new system can be phased in, according
to application or location, and the old system gradually replaced. In some
cases, it may be more cost-effective to shut down the old system and
implement the new system all at once.

7. Upkeep and maintenance: This step involves changing and updating the
system once it is in place. Hardware or software may need to be upgraded,
replaced or changed in some way to better fit the needs of the end-users
continuously. Users of the system should be kept up-to-date concerning the
latest modifications and procedures.

Other steps which may appear include project initiation, functional specifications,
detailed specifications, evaluation, end-of-life and other steps that can be created by
splitting previous steps apart further.

 Advantages and disadvantages of SDLC

Benefits of abiding by a clearly defined SDLC model include:

 Having a clear view of an entire project, workers involved, estimated costs

and timelines.

 Gives project managers a projected base cost of the project.

  Goals and standards are clearly defined.

 Developers can move back a step if something does not go as expected.

Disadvantages, however, can include:

 Due to assumptions made at the beginning of a project, if an unexpected

circumstance complicates the development of a system, then it may
stockpile into more complications down the road. As an example, if newly
installed hardware does not work correctly, then it may increase the time a
system is in development, increasing the cost.

 Some methods are not flexible.

 It can be complicated to estimate the overall cost at the beginning of a

project.

 Testing at the end of development may slow down some development

teams.
Difference between Structured and Object-Oriented Analysis
Analysis simple means to study or examine the structure of something,
elements, and system requirements in detail, and methodical way. Structured
analysis and Object-oriented analysis both are important for software
development and are analysis techniques used in software engineering. But
both are different from each other. 
1. Structured Analysis : 
Structured analysis is a method of development that allows and gives
permission to the analyst to understand and know about the system and all of
its activities in a logical way. It is simply a graphic that is used to specify the
presentation of the application. 
Example – 
2. Object-Oriented Analysis : 
Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA) is a technical approach generally used for
analyzing and application designing, system designing, or even business
designing just by applying object-oriented programming even with the use of
visual modeling throughout the process of development to just simply guide the
stakeholder communication and quality of the product. it is actually a process of
discovery where a team of developers understands and models all the
requirements of the system. 
Example – 
 
Difference Between Structured and Object-oriented analysis : 
Structured Analysis Object-Oriented Analysis
The main focus is on the process and The main focus is on data structure and real-
procedures of the system. world objects that are important.
It uses System Development Life Cycle
(SDLC) methodology for different
purposes like planning, analyzing,
designing, implementing, and supporting It uses Incremental or Iterative methodology
an information system. to refine and extend our design.
It is suitable for well-defined projects with It is suitable for large projects with changing
stable user requirements. user requirements.
Risk while using this analysis technique is Risk while using this analysis technique is
high and reusability is also low. low and reusability is also high.
Structuring requirements include DFDs Requirement engineering includes the Use
(Data Flow Diagram), Structured Analysis, case model (find Use cases, Flow of events,
ER (Entity Relationship) diagram, CFD Activity Diagram), the Object model (find
(Control Flow Diagram), Data Dictionary, Classes and class relations, Object interaction,
Decision table/tree, and the State transition Object to ER mapping), Statechart Diagram,
diagram. and deployment diagram.
This technique is old and is not preferred
usually. This technique is new and is mostly preferred.
 

Structured Approach Vs. Object-Oriented Approach

The following table explains how the object-oriented approach differs from the traditional
structured approach −

Structured Approach Object Oriented Approach

It works with Top-down approach. It works with Bottom-up approach.

Program is divided into number of submodules or Program is organized by having number of

functions. classes and objects.

Function call is used. Message passing is used.

Software reuse is not possible. Reusability is possible.

Structured design programming usually left until Object oriented design programming done
end phases. concurrently with other phases.

Structured Design is more suitable for offshoring. It is suitable for in-house development.

It shows clear transition from design to Not so clear transition from design to
implementation. implementation.

It is suitable for real time system, embedded It is suitable for most business applications,
system and projects where objects are not the game development projects, which are expected
most useful level of abstraction. to customize or extended.

DFD & E-R diagram model the data. Class diagram, sequence diagram, state chart
diagram, and use cases all contribute.

In this, projects can be managed easily due to In this approach, projects can be difficult to
clearly identifiable phases. manage due to uncertain transitions between
phase.