L4 Systems Development

Lecture 2
Determining Requirements
– Systems Analysis and Design
Systems Analysis and Design
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Modelling a System
• The Difference in Models (DFD L0- DFD Physical - DFD Logical )
• Systems Analysis Skills
• Analytical skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Team-Oriented Methods and Techniques
• Rapid application development (RAD)
• Agile methods

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Step 1-Context Diagram
• A context Diagram is a top-level view of an information system.
• The context diagram shows the overall business process as just one
process (i.e., the system itself) and shows the data flows to and from
external entities.
• Data stores usually are not included on the context diagram, unless
they are “owned” by systems or processes other than the one being
documented.
Step 1 –Context Diagram
• Example
Step 2- DFD Level 0
• The level 0 diagram shows all the processes at the first level of
numbering (i.e., processes numbered 1 through 3), the data stores, external
entities, and data flows among them.
• The purpose of the level 0 DFD is to show all the major high-level
processes of the system and how they are interrelated. All process
models have one and only one level 0 DFD.
• Another key principle in creating sets of DFDs is balancing. Balancing
means ensuring that all information presented in a DFD at one level is
accurately represented in the next-level DFD.
Example DFD L0
Step 3 -
• In the same way that the context diagram deliberately hides some of
the system’s complexity, so, too, does the level 0 DFD. The level 0 DFD
shows only how the major high-level processes in the system
interact.

• Each process on the level 0 DFD can be decomposed into a more

explicit DFD, called a level 1 diagram, or level 1 DFD, which shows
how it operates in greater detail.
Step Three- Level 1
• Example
Changing these models into Systems.
• Software
• Hardware
• Database
• Leveling: Expanding or decomposing of DFDs into levels to show more
detailed views of the system, it includes separating processes into sub
processes
System - Context Diagram

A
a 0
Entity A b
G
System Entity B
B

Process B (Level 2 Diagram)

System (Level 1 Diagram) 1
E
Process A 2.1 D2 Data Store B
D1 Data Store A
Process C
a C D b
1 G
Entity A A Entity B
Process A

D D2 Data Store B
2 E
Process B b
Entity B
G
• Balancing : for ensuring that the input and output data flows of the
parent DFDs are maintained on the child DFDs

System - Context Diagram

A
a 0
Entity A b
G
System Entity B
B

Process B (Level 2 Diagram)

System (Level 1 Diagram) 1
E
Process A 2.1 D2 Data Store B
D1 Data Store A
Process C
a C D b
1 G
Entity A A Entity B
Process A

D D2 Data Store B
2 E
Process B b
Entity B
G
 Library Info System - Context Diagram

a Membership Info 0
Student
Library Info System

Membership Confirmation

Library Info System (Level 1 Diagram)

Membership Info Member Details

a 1 D1 Members
Student
Issue
Membership
Membership Confirmation
Issue Membership (Level 2 Diagram)

a Membership Info
1.1 Member Details
Student D1 Members
Record
Member
Details

Membership Confirmation Valid Member Details

1.2
Send Membership
Confirmation
Rapid Application Development
• Is a team-based technique that speeds up information systems
development and produces a functioning information system
• Relies heavily on prototyping and user involvement
• Interactive process continues until the system is completely
developed and users are satisfied

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Rapid Application Development
• RAD Phases and Activities

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Rapid Application Development
• RAD Objectives
• To cut development time and expense by involving the users in every phase
of systems development
• Successful RAD team must have IT resources, skills, and management
support
• Helps a development team design a system that requires a highly interactive
or complex user interface

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Rapid Application Development
• RAD Advantages and Disadvantages
• Systems can be developed more quickly with significant cost savings
• RAD stresses the mechanics of the system itself and does not emphasise the
company’s strategic business needs
• Might allow less time to develop quality, consistency, and design standards

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Agile Methods
• Attempt to develop a system incrementally
• Modelling & management tools available
• Some agile developers prefer not to use CASE tools at
all, and rely instead on whiteboard displays and
arrangements of movable sticky notes

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Agile Methods
• Scrum is a rugby term (iterative, incremental software
development framework)
• Scrum sessions have specific guidelines that
emphasize time blocks, interaction, and team-based
activities that result in deliverable software

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Agile Methods
• Agile Method Advantages and Disadvantages
• Are very flexible and efficient in dealing with change
• Frequent deliverables constantly validate the project and reduce risk
• Team members need a high level of technical and interpersonal skills
• May be subject to significant change in scope

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System Requirements Checklist
• Analysts must produce a Requirements checklist or catalogue :-
• Outputs e.g.
• The Web site must report online volume statistics every four hours, and
hourly during peak periods
• The inventory system must produce a daily report showing the part number,
description, quantity on hand, quantity allocated, quantity available, and unit
cost of all sorted by part number

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System Requirements Checklist
• Inputs
• Manufacturing employees must swipe their ID cards into online data
collection terminals that record labor costs and calculate production
efficiency
• The department head must enter overtime hours on a separate screen

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System Requirements Checklist
• Processes
• The student records system must calculate the module average at the end of
each semester
• As the final step in year-end processing, the payroll system must update
employee salaries, bonuses, and benefits and produce tax data required by
the HM Revenue & Customs

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System Requirements Checklist
• Performance
• The system must support 25 users online simultaneously
• Response time must not exceed four seconds

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System Requirements Checklist
• Controls
• The system must provide logon security at the operating system level and at
the application level
• An employee record must be added, changed, or deleted only by a member
of the human resources department

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Future Growth, Costs, and Benefits
• Scalability
• A scalable system offers a better return on the initial investment
• To evaluate scalability, you need information about projected future volume
for all outputs, inputs, and processes

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Future Growth, Costs, and Benefits
• Total Cost of Ownership
– Total cost of ownership
(TCO) is especially
important if the
development team is
evaluating several
alternatives
– One problem is that cost
estimates tend to
understate indirect costs
– Rapid Economic
Justification (REJ)

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Documentation
• Software Tools
• CASE Tools
• Productivity Software
• Word processing, spreadsheets,
database management, presentation
graphics, and collaborative software
programs
• Histogram

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Summary
• The systems analysis phase includes three activities:
- requirements modeling,
- data and process modeling
- consideration of development strategies
• The main objective is to
- understand the proposed project
- ensure that it will support business requirements
- build a solid foundation for the systems design phase

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