Chapter 5

System Analysis
Learning Outcome:
• Determining requirement
• Learn how to gather requirement using
various of fact-finding techniques:
Interview, documentation review,
questionnaire, research, prototyping, JAD
 Introduction
• The system development process
transforms existing (as is) system into the
proposed (to be) system.
• Requirements determination
– Changes can be made easily in this stage
– Most (>50%) system failures are due to
problems with requirements
 Requirement Determination
• Purpose:
–To convert high level business
requirements (from the system
request) into detailed
requirements that can be used as
inputs for creating models.
 What is a requirement?
• A statement of what the system must do or
a characteristic it must have.
• Also define the scope of the system
• Will later evolve into a technical
description of how the system will be
implemented.
• Types:
1. Functional: Relates to a process or data
2. Non-functional: relates to performance or
usability
 Functional Requirements
• What inputs the system should accept
• What outputs the system should produce
• What data the system should store that
other system might use
• What computations the system should
perform
• Examples:
– The system shall provide a PDF viewer for the
user to read document in the document store.
– The users will access the system using a user
id and password.
 Non-Functional Requirements
• Define the overall qualities or attributes of
the resulting system, restrictions on the
product being developed, and specify
external constraints that the product must
meet.
• Examples:
– User must be authenticated
– The Database must be backed up
– The system shall not allow students to views
examination results of other students
Fact Findings (Fact
Gathering)
Techniques
 Fact Gathering in System Development
• Process is used to:
– Uncover all requirements (those uncovered
late in the process are more difficult to
incorporate)
– Build support and trust among user.
• Which techniques(s) to use?
– Interviews, questionnaires, document reviews,
observation, JAD
• What to gather?
– Business rules, processes, locations of work,
activities of users, and system interfaces with
other systems.
Interviews
• Most popular technique – if you need to
know something, just ask
• Process:
– Select people to interview & create a schedule
– Design interview questions (Open-ended, closed-
ended question, probing types of questions)
– Prepare for the interview
– Conduct the interview
– Follow up after the interview
 Question Types
• Closed-ended • Open-Ended
Questions Questions
– How many – What do you think
telephone orders is missing from the
are received per monthly sales
day? report?
– How do customers – What are some of
place orders? the improvements
you would like to
• Probing Questions see in a new
system?
– Why?
– Can you give me an
example?
Advantages of Interviews
• Overcome Resistance. Provides an
opportunity to meet and overcome user
resistance. It gets cooperation of people
involved.
• Body language. Interviews allow the analyst
to observe the tone of the responses and
body language which convey great deal of
information.
• Clarify Facts. Face-to-face interview allows
the interviewer to verify and clarify the
confusing facts.
• Build Rapport. Opportunity to develop
rapport with users and to seek cooperation.
Disadvantages of Interviews
• Costly and Time-consuming. An interview
requires the dedicated time of both the
interviewer and the interviewee for the
duration of the interview.
• Require Skill. Certain amount of skill is
required on the part of the interviewer and
interviewing is an art not readily acquired.
• Require Personal Contacts. Personal
contacts are important in getting the
cooperation of the people involved.
Questionnaires
• A set of written questions used to obtain
information from individual
• May be based or electronic (E.g.: Web
Based)
• Common Uses:
– Large number of people
– Need both information and opinions
– When designing for use outside the
organization (customers, vendors, etc.)
• Typical response rates: <50% (paper);
<30% (Web)
Questionnaires Steps
• Select the participants
– Identify the population
– Use representative samples for large populations
• Design the questionnaire
– Careful question selection
– Remove ambiguities
• Questionnaire follow-up
– Send results to participants
– Send thank-you message
Advantages of Questionnaires
• Recipient Can Answer at Convenience. The
recipients can answer questionnaires at their
convenience; it isn’t necessary to set aside a
significant block of time as one must do for an
interview.
• Respondent Given Time. The respondent is given
time to assemble the required information.
• Information from Large Group. Questionnaires may
be used where the respondents are relatively many
and geographically dispersed.
Disadvantages of Questionnaires
• Difficult to Design. Difficult to formulate or
design the questions so that no
misinterpretation is possible and no bias
is possible in the replies.
• Cannot Clarify Question. One cannot
clarify the question as you can in an
interview.
• Not all the Forms Will be Returned. Many
people object to filling in forms while
others delay completing them until they
are eventually forgotten.
Observation - Meaning
• Objectives
– An analyst would watch who interrelates with whom in
a dept and procedures.
• Arrangement
– Make arrangements and make everyone aware of the
purpose of your visit.
• Check validity of information gathered in other
ways
• Try not to interrupt or influence workers
Advantages of Observation
• Cross-check and Verify. Provides the opportunity for the
analyst to cross-check and verify information given in an
interview.
• Acquire Know-how. Personal observation helps you
acquire the know-how you will need for implementation.
• Better Acceptance. You also become better acquainted
with the operating personnel who will be implementing
the new or changed system.
• Environmental Conditions. Allows the analyst to
observe environmental conditions (such as dirt, space
and noise) which may affect implementation.
Disadvantages of Observation
• Time Consuming
– Time factor will often prevent the analyst from
making as thorough an investigation.
• Need Prior Understanding of Procedure
– It needs the observer to have an understanding
of the procedures involved for effective
observation.
• Need Power of Concentration
– Good observation is very difficult to develop.
Much depends on power of concentration.
Analysis of Existing Documents
• The analyst will collect a number of
documents used in the current
system.
• Make copies or samples of relevant
documents.
• Examples : reports, organisation
charts, procedures, manuals etc.
• Make analysis of the documents.
Advantages of Document Review
• Detailed Description of Procedures.
Provide additional perspectives to the
answers not clearly described through
interviewing or questionnaires.
• Better Understanding of Procedures.
Enable one to understand the system’s
operating procedures and documents.
• Guide to Current Practice. Close study of
the forms give the best guide to current
practice.
Disadvantages of Documents
Review
• Documents Not Up To Date. Sometimes
system documentation is not up to date.
• Documented Procedures Modified. Some
documented procedures might have been
modified or eliminated.
• Current Practice Not Following Documents.
The current practice may not use the original
forms or documents.
• Need Careful Selection of Documents. To be
fruitful it requires careful selection of
documents/records to be studied.
 Joint Application Development (JAD)
• Forum: JAD is a workshop for users in
exploring requirements, issues and problems.
Usually in a specially prepared room.
• Purpose: Allows IT personnel to work with
users as a group to learn about their
requirements through discussion. Reduced
problems in group setting.
• Participants: Headed by a project leader who
has various skills e.g. organisational,
interpersonal, technical.
• Documentation: Users may need to bring
documents or user manual.
 Joint Application Development
(JAD)
Advantages
– The joint collaboration between the company and clients lowers all
risks
– JAD reduces costs and time needed for project development
– Well-defined requirements improve system quality
– Due to the close communication, progress is faster
– Work faster and deliver on time

Disadvantages
– Different opinions within the team make it difficult to align goals
and maintain focus
– Depending on the size of the project, JAD may require significant
time commitment
End of Chapter 4