The Implementation Phase

28 th March 2022
th
19 March, 2024
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 1
 Lesson Objectives
•The student should be able to;
•Identify the major activities performed during the
implementation phase of a system development
project

•Describe how to conduct each of the activities

identified above.

•Differentiate between the various testing types.

•Differentiate between the various system conversion

types
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 2
 The Implementation Phase
During implementation;
• Physical design specifications are turned into working
computer codes.
• The code is tested until most of the errors have been
detected and corrected
• The system is installed on user machines
• Documentation about the new system is provided for
the information systems personnel who will maintain
the system
• Training is conducted for the system’s users.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 The Implementation Phase
The six major activities the development team are
concerned with in this phase are;
1. Coding Activities that lead to the
2. Testing system going into operation
3. Installation
4. Documentation
5. Training Activities that are necessary
6. Support for users for successful system
operation

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 5

Coding

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Coding
• During coding, the programmer converts the system’s
design specifications into computer codes that makes up
the system.
• In other words the whole requirements will be converted
to the computer instructions.
• During coding, programmers write the programs that
make up the system.

• The programmer must choose a programming language

that is suitable for the type of application been
developed - C++, java, VB.net, Python etc.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 Coding Deliverables
• Code
oThe instructions that make up the programs

• Program documentation
oProgram documentation includes hard-copy or
electronic manuals that enable users, program
developers, and operators to interact successful with
programs that make up a system.

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 8

Testing

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Testing 9

• Testing deals with checking of the system solutions that

have been developed to ensure it meet the original
requirements.
• During this period bugs and system faults are found,
corrected, and refined.
• The purpose of testing is confirming that the system
satisfies requirements.
• Pay attention to the systems response time, response to
extreme data values, response to no input, response to
heavy volumes of input.
• You must test anything (within resource constraints) that
could go wrong or be wrong with a system.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 Types of Test
Tests can be done with or without executing the code;
and they may be manual or automated

Manual Automated
o Inspections o Unit testing
o Walkthrough o Integration testing
o Desk Checking o System testing

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes 10
 Unit Testing 11

• In unit testing, each module is tested alone in

an attempt to discover any errors that may exist
in the module’s code.

• A module is a section of code that performs a

single system’s function.

• Consider the TaTU Information System.

ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 Integration Testing 12

• Because modules coexist and work with other

modules in programs and systems, they must be
tested together in larger groups.
• Combining modules and testing them is called
integration testing.

• In other words, Integrated testing is the process of

bringing together all of the modules that a program
comprises for purposes of testing.

• Consider the TaTU Information System.

ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 System Testing 13

• This is the bringing together for testing purposes all the

programs that a system comprises.

• Programs are typically integrated in a top-down,

incremental fashion.

• System testing is intended to demonstrate whether a

system meets its objectives.

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Acceptance Testing
•Acceptance testing involves testing the system in the
environment where it will eventually be used.

•The process involves actual users testing a completed

information system to determine whether the system
meets their requirements.

•The most complete acceptance testing will include;

• alpha testing
• beta testing

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Acceptance Testing
•alpha testing
• testing of a completed information system using
simulated data usually before the system is
released to the real users.

•beta testing
• testing of a completed information system by real
users using real data in the real environment.

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Alpha testing:
•User testing of a completed information system using
simulated data.
oRecovery testing. Forces the software (or environment) to fail
in order to verify that recovery is properly performed.
oSecurity testing. Verifies that protection mechanisms built into
the system will protect it from improper penetration.
oStress testing. Tries to break the system under different stress
situations.
oFor example, what happens under extreme online transaction loads
or with a large number of concurrent users.
oPerformance testing. Determines how the system performs on
different environments in which it may be used
oExample different hardware configurations, networks, operating
systems
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes
 Testing Deliverables 17

• Test scenarios (test plan)

• Test data (real or simulated)
• Results of program and system testing

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 End
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ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes 18
 19

Installation

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Installation
• Installation is the process during which the current
system is replaced by the new system.
• The new system becomes a part of the organisation’s
daily activities after installation

•Installation includes:
• Installing the system (hardware and software) at
central and user sites.
• Converting existing data, software, documentation,
and work procedures to those consistent with the
new system.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 20
 Conversion
•Conversion is the process of changing from the old
system to the new system. The data from the old system
needs to be converted to operate in the new format of
the new system.

•Four different approaches to change over to a new

system.
• Direct
• Parallel
• Single location
• Phased
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 21
 Direct Run/Changeover
• This strategy requires changing over from the old
information system to a new one by turning off the old
system when the new one is turned on.

• It is risky and costly, especially if serious problems with

the new system are found.

• There is no other system to fall back on if difficulties

arise with the new system.

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes 22
 Parallel Run/Changeover
• This strategy requires running the old information system
and the new one at the same time until management
decides the old system can be turned off.
• It is the safest conversion approach because the old
system can still be used as a backup in the event of
errors.
• Failure of the computerised system at the early stage
does not affect the organisation’s working because
the manual system continues to work, as it used to do.
However;
• The operational work is doubled, and so, additional
staff may be required to run the two systems.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 23
 Pilot (Single Location) Changeover
• In this strategy, the new information system is initially
run at one site/location and using the experience to
decide if and how the new system should be deployed
throughout the organization.

• When the pilot version is complete and working

smoothly, it is installed throughout the rest of the
organisation, either simultaneously or in stages.

• The results of running the new system at a single site are

compared with the old system results.

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Lecture Notes 24
 Phased Changeover
• This strategy involves incrementally changing the old
information system to the new one, starting with one or
a few functional components and then gradually
extending the installation to cover the whole new
system.

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Lecture Notes 25
 Deliverables
• User guides
oUser guides provide information on how to use the new
system
• User training plan
oStrategy for training users so they can quickly learn the new
system.
• Installation and conversion plan
oThe installation plan lays out a strategy for moving from the
old system to the new.
• Hardware and software installation schedule
• Data conversion plan
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Lecture Notes 26
 27

Documentation

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Documentation
• Documentation is the information that describes a
system to its users and development team.

1. System documentation
2. User documentation

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Lecture Notes 28
 Documentation
•User documentation
•These are written or other visual information about
how an application system works and how to use it.

•User documentations include;

▪ Reference guide
▪ User’s guide
▪ Release description
▪ System administrator’s guide
▪ Acceptance signoff
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 29
 Documentation
•System documentation

o Captures detailed information about a system’s

design specifications, coding, its internal workings
(data dictionary), and its functionality.

o This helps to understand the system and permit

changes to be made in the existing system to satisfy
new user needs when the need arises in future.

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Lecture Notes 30
 31

Training and Support

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes
 Training and Support
• These involves providing ongoing educational and
problem-solving assistance to information system users.

• Training and support help people adequately use

computer systems to do their primary work.

• Without proper training and the opportunity to ask

questions and gain assistance/consultation when
needed, users will misuse, underuse, or not use the
information system you develop.
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 32
 Areas of Training and Support
•Areas training may be useful include the following:
• Use of the system (e.g., how to enter a class registration
request)
• General computer concepts (e.g., computer files and
how to copy them)
• Information system concepts (e.g., batch processing)
• Organizational concepts (e.g., FIFO inventory
accounting)
• System management (e.g., how to request changes to
a system)
• System installation (e.g., how to reconcile current and
new systems during phased installation)
ICT172: Principles to Programming
Lecture Notes 33
 Methods of Training
• Formal courses - several people taught at the same
time
• Resident expert
• E-learning/distance learning
• Blended learning (combination of instructor-led training
and e-learning)
• External sources
• such as vendors

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes 34
 End of Lecture 8

ICT172: Principles to Programming

Lecture Notes 35