MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 8/E

Raymond McLeod, Jr. and George Schell

Chapter 7
System Life Cycle
Methodologies

7-1
Copyright 2001 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
The Systems Life Cycle (SLC)
 Methodology
– Recommended way of doing something
 An application of the systems approach
to the task of developing and using a
computer-based system
 Often called waterfall approach

7-2
 Phases in the SDLC
1) Planning
2) Analysis
3) Design
4) Implementation
5) Use

7-3
 The System Development Life
Cycle (SDLC)
 SDLC is the phrase that encompasses the planning,
analysis, design, and implementation phases of the system
life cycle
 Who participates
– IS personnel
– User
– Information specialists can consult
 Traditional
– Information specialists working with users.
– A new strategy: Outsourcing

7-4
 Life Cycle Management

 An upward migration
 Executive responsibility
 MIS steering committee
– Functions
» Set policy
» Control the purse strings
» Resolve conflicts

7-5
 Managers of Systems Life Cycles are Arranged in a Hierarchy
Executives
MIS Steering
Committee

Marketing Project leader -Warehouse

location model team
Project leader
Manufacturing Project leader ISDN
MRP 11 team system team

Project leader
Finance Credit approval
system team

Human Project leader

Resources HRIS team
7-6
 Main Advantages of
the Steering Committee
 Total firm support
 Projects will be characterized by good
planning and control
 Establishes policies, provides fiscal control,
and resolves conflicts

Since the steering committee will probably not get

involved with the details of the work, a project
team is usually appointed.
7-7
 Planning Phase

 Benefits
– Define scope of the project

– Spot potential problems

– Arrange tasks in sequence

– Provide basis for control

7-8
 Steps

1. Recognize problem (the trigger)

2. Define problem
3. Set objectives
4. Identify constraints
Recall that objectives, standards,
and constraints are problem-solving
elements.

7-9
 Steps (cont.)

5. Conduct feasibility study (TENLOS)

– Technical
– Economic return
– Noneconomic return
– Legal and ethical
– Operational
– Schedule

7-10
 Steps (cont.)

6. Prepare study project proposal

– Goes to MIS steering committee
7. Approve or disapprove (go/no go)
– Key questions?
1. Will the system accomplish its goals?
2. Is this the best way to go about it?

7-11
 Steps (cont.)

8. Establish a control mechanism

– Think in terms of:
» 1. What
» 2. Who
» 3. When (Person-months versus calendar months)
– PERT and CPM network diagrams

7-12
 The Planning Phase
MIS Steering Comm Manager Systems Analyst
Recognize the
1. problem

Define the
problem
2.
Set system
3. objectives Consult

Identify system
4. constraints

Conduct a
5. feasibility study

Prepare a system
6. study proposal

7. Approve or disapprove the study project

8. Establish a control mechanism

7-13
 Outline of a System Study Proposal
1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
3. System objectives and constraints
4. Possible system alternatives
5. The recommended system study project
5.1 Tasks to be performed
5.2 Human resource requirements
5.3 Schedule of work
5.4 Estimated cost
6. Expected impact of the system
6.1 Impact on the firm’s organization structure
6.2 Impact on the firm’s operations
6.3 Impact on the firms resources
7. General development plan (analysis, design, and implementation
phase) 7-14
8. Summary
 A Project Schedule
Functional System: Marketing
Subsystem: Product
Model: Product Deletion

Time
Subtask Responsibility Estimate
(Person Months)

1. Identify Systems analyst

deletion criteria Product manager 0.75
2. Identify output Systems analyst
information Network specialist 0.25
requirements Product manager
7-15
 Project Schedule (cont.)

3. Identify input data Systems analyst 0.50

requirements DBA
4. Prepare new system Systems analyst 2.00
documentation
5. Design network Network specialist 1.50
6. Design database DBA 0.50
7. Review design Product manager 0.25
Systems analyst
8. Prepare program Programmer 1.00
documentation

7-16
 Project Schedule (cont.)

9. Code program Programmer 1.25

10. Test program Programmer 0.75
Operations staff
11. Approve program Product manager 0.50
VP of marketing
12. Prepare database DBA 2.00
13. Educate users Systems analyst 0.50
14. Cutover to model Operations staff 0.75

7-17
 Analysis Phase

 Steps
1. Announce
» Reasons for project
» Purpose: inform and counteract fear
2. Organize project team
» User(s)
» Specialists
» Define roles

7-18
 Analysis Phase (cont.)
3. Define information needs
» Methods
 Personal interview (the preferred method)
 Observation
 Record search (includes review of existing
documentation)
 Surveys

A project directory can be

maintained as an encompassing set
of documentation to describe the
system 7-19
 Analysis Phase (cont.)

4. Define system performance criteria

5. Prepare design proposal
(Compare to system study proposal)
6. Approve or disapprove the design
project

7-20
 The Analysis Phase
MIS Steering
Committee Manager Systems Analyst

1. Announce the system study

2. Organize the project team

3. Define information needs

4. Define system performance criteria

Prepare
5. design
proposal

7-21
6. Approve or disapprove the design project
 Outline of a Design Proposal
1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
3. Problem definition
4. System objectives and constraints
5. Performance criteria
6. Possible system alternatives
7. The recommended design project
7.1 Tasks to be performed
7.2 Human resource requirements
7.3 Schedule of work
7.4 Estimated cost
8. Expected impact of the system
8.1 Impact on the firm’s organization structure
8.2 Impact on the firm’s operations
8.3 Impact on the firms resources
9. General development plan (analysis, design, and implementation)
10. Summary
7-22
MIS Steering Committee Manager Systems Analyst

Prepare the
1. detailed
design
system

The Design Phase 2. Identify

alternate
system
configurations

3. Evaluate
system
configurations

4. Select the
best
configuration

5. Prepare the
implementation
proposal

Approve or disapprove the system

6. implementation 7-23
 Design Phase

1. Prepare detailed design

– Structured design (top down)
» System level
» Subsystem level
– Documentation tools
2. Identify alternate system configurations
– Refine to a manageable set

7-24
Popular Documentation Tools
Data Modeling Entity-relationship diagram
Data dictionary
Screen/printer layout form

Process Modeling System flowchart

Program flowchart
Data flow diagram
Structured English

Object Modeling Object relationship model

Class specification

7-25
 Data Flow Diagram of Four Data Processing Subsystems
Sales orders
Customers
Rejected sales Accepted orders
1.1
order notices
Order
Entry

Order log Filled items 1.2

Payments removals file Inventory
Statements

by
customers
Invoices

Inventory Purchasing
1.3 ledger data
1.4 Billed orders data
Billing 2
Accounts
Receivable Received items
Receivables ledger data
3 2
7-26
3
 Data Flow Diagram of Order Entry System
Sales orders Edit rejects
Sales order
Customer edit rejects

1.1.1
Edit Edited orders
Rejected order
sales order Customer
data
notices credit file

1.1.2
Compute Credit data
Accepted 1.1.3 Edited and checked orders credit
orders Log in check
1.2 orders
Credit rejects Sales order
credit rejects

Order data

1.1.4
Completed orders Mark Date filled
1.3 filled Order log
orders 7-27
 Hardware Choices Make Possible
Multiple System Configurations
System Elements Alternatives
•CRT terminal
Input •Hardcopy terminal
•OCR
•Magnetic tape
Order log •DASD
•Magnetic tape
Customer credit file •DASD
•Magnetic tape
Rejected orders file •DASD
•Magnetic tape
Accepted orders file •DASD
•Magnetic tape
Completed orders file •DASD
•Printer
Rejected orders notice •CRT terminal
•Hardcopy terminal
•Batch

Processing •Online

7-28
 Alternatives Selected for Detailed Study
Alternative Order Customer Accepted & Completed Rejected
Input Log Credit File Rejected Orders File Orders
Orders File Notice

1. Scanner Magnetic
tape
Magnetic
tape
Magnetic
tape
Magnetic
tape
Printer

2. Keyboard Magnetic Magnetic Magnetic Magnetic Printer

terminal tape tape tape tape

3. Keyboard Magnetic Magnetic Magnetic Magnetic

tape
Hardcopy
terminal
terminal tape tape tape

7-29
 Design Phase (cont.)

3. Evaluate configurations
4. Select best configuration
5. Prepare implementation proposal
6. Approve or disapprove the system
implementation

7-30
Outline of an Implementation Proposal
1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
3. Problem definition
4. System objectives and constraints
5. Performance criteria
6. System design
6.1 Summary description
6.2 Equipment configuration
7. The recommended implementation project
7.1 Tasks to be performed
7.2 Human resource requirements
7.3 Schedule of work
7.4 Estimated cost
8. Expected impact of the system
8.1 Impact on the firm’s organization structure
8.2 Impact on the firm’s operations
8.3 Impact on the firms resources
9. General implementation plan
7-31
10. Summary
 Implementation Phase

 Acquire and integrate the physical and

conceptual resources to produce a
working system

7-32
Steps for the Implementation Phase
1. Plan implementation
2. Announce
3. Obtain hardware resources
RFP / Written Proposals
4. Obtain software resources
"Make or buy"
5. Prepare database
6. Prepare physical facilities
7. Educate participants and users
8. Prepare cutover proposal
9. Approve or disapprove cutover to new systsem
10. Cutover to new system

7-33
 The Implementation Phase
MIS Steering Committee Manager Information Specialists

1. Plan the implementation

2. Announce the implementation

3 Obtain the
hardware resources
4 Obtain the software
resources
5 Prepare the database
Control Control
6 Prepare the
physical facilities
7 Educate the
participants and users

8. Cutover the new system

7-34
 Outline of a Request for Proposal
1. Letter of transmittal
2. System objective and applicable constraints
3. System design
3.1 Summary description
3.2 Performance criteria
3.3 Equipment configuration
3.4 Summary system documentation
3.5 Estimated transaction volume
3.6 Estimated file size
4. Installation schedule

7-35
 Outline of Supplier Proposal

1. Letter of transmittal
2. Summary of recommendations
3. Advantages
4. Equipment configuration
5. Equipment specifications
5.1 Performance data
5.2 Prices
6. Satisfaction and performance criteria
7. Delivery schedule

7-36
 Cutover Approaches
Old
Pilot System
Immediate cutover
Pilot Phased cutover
System
Parallel cutover
Immediate
Old System New System

Phased Old System

New System

Old System
Parallel New system
7-37
Time
 Use Phase
1. Use
2. Audit (post implementation review)
» By information specialist(s)
» By internal auditor (a different one from the project
team member)
3. Maintain the system
» Correct errors
» Keep current
» Improve
4. Prepare reengineering proposal
5. Approve or disapprove reengineering
7-38
 The Use Phase
MIS Steering Committee Manager Information Specialists

2 Audit the
1
system
Use the
Control
system
3 Maintain
the
system

4 Prepare
re-
engineering
proposal

Approve or disapprove the

5 reengineering proposal

7-39
 Prototyping

 Type I -- Becomes operational system

 Type II -- Serves as a blueprint

7-40
Development of a Type I Prototype
1. Identify user needs

2. Develop a prototype
N

3. Prototype
acceptable?
Y
4. Use the prototype

7-41
 Identify user
needs

Development Develop a
of a Type II prototype

Prototype Prototype N
acceptable?
Y
Code the
operational system

Test the
operational system

System N
acceptable?
Y
Use the 7-42
operational system
 The Attraction of Prototyping
 Communications between the systems analyst
and user are improved.
 The analyst can do a better job of determining
the user’s needs.
 The user plays a more active role in system
development.
 The information specialists and the user spend
less time and effort in developing the system.
 Implementation is much easier because the
user knows what to expect.
7-43
Potential Pitfalls of Prototyping
 The haste to deliver the prototype may produce
shortcuts in problem definition, alternative evaluation,
and documentation.
 The users may get so exited about the prototype that
they have unrealistic expectations of the operational
system.
 Type I prototypes might not be as efficient as systems
coded in a programming language.
 The computer-human interface provided by certain
prototyping tools may not reflect good design
techniques.

7-44
Applications That Are Good
Prospects for Prototyping
 High risk
 Considerable user interaction
 Large number of users
 A need for quick delivery
 An expected short use phase of the system
 An innovative system
 Unpredictable user behavior

7-45
Rapid Application Development (RAD)
 Information engineering (IE)
 Key ingredients
– Management should be experimenters or early
adapters
– Specialized teams
– Methodologies (RAD life cycle)
– Tools (I-CASE, 4GLs)
 RAD and the SLC are applications of the systems
approach
 Tools are mainly 4th generation languages and
CASE tools
7-46
Strategic overview of the Strategic overview of the
information needed to run functions and goals of
an enterprise as efficiently Information an enterprise
as possible strategy
planning
(ISP) The process needed to
Data model operate the enterprise
Business area
analysis and how they interrelate
Design of (BAA)
records used Design of
by specific procedures for
procedures Rapid application development specific
(RAD) applications
.

Da s
ta it ie
t iv
Ac

Rapid Application Development is an

Integral Part of Information Engineering 7-47
 Business Process Redesign
(BPR)
 Often used to react to systems that can no
longer function adequately in the current
business environment of the firm (legacy
systems fall into this category)
 Three techniques for business process
redesign are
1) reverse engineering
2) restructuring
3) reengineering 7-48
 Reverse Engineering
Reverse Engineering Produces Documentation on Successively
Higher Levels but Leaves the System Unchanged

Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse

Engineering Engineering Engineering Engineering

Planning Analysis Design Implementation

Phase Phase Phase Phase

7-49
 Restructuring

Restructuring Restructuring Restructuring Restructuring

Planning Analysis Design Implementation

Phase Phase Phase Phase

7-50
 Reengineering
Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse
Engineering Engineering Engineering Engineering

Forward Forward Forward Forward

Engineering Engineering Engineering Engineering

Planning Analysis Design Implementation

Phase Phase Phase Phase

7-51
 Selection of BPR Components

 Based upon functional quality

– What the system does
 Based upon technical quality
– How the system does its job
 The relationship between these two
characteristics suggest which BPR
technique would be appropriate

7-52
Selection of BPR Components

Reverse Do Nothing
Good Engineer
Restructure
Functional
Quality
(What?)

Poor Forward Reengineer

Engineer

Poor Good
Technical Quality 7-53
(How?)
SLC, Prototyping, RAD, and BPR in
Perspective
 SLC, prototyping, and RAD are all
methodologies
– Recommended ways of implementing a
computer-based system
 BPR revamps systems that were
implemented with computer technology that
has become obsolete

7-54
 Summary
 System Life Cycle
– Planning
– Analysis
– Design
– Implementation
– Use
 Cycle management responsibility
 Other methodologies
7-55