SOT203B

Systems Analysis & Design

Lecture 1

Introduction
 Systems Analysis & Design 2

Lecturer

Welcome…
Prof. Gamel Wiredu
Dept. of Information Systems & Innovation
School of Technology

E-mail: gwiredu@gimpa.edu.gh

G. Wiredu . SOT203B_L1: Introduction Sep 26, 2023

 Systems Analysis & Design 3

Topics to be covered
Introduction
Requirements
Use Case Analysis
Process Analysis
Structural Analysis
Data Analysis
Behavioural Analysis
Architectural Design
User Interface Design
Implementation

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 Systems Analysis & Design 4

Why are we here…?

By the end of this course, we should be able to:
describe different approaches to systems analysis and design
define and describe the phases of the systems development life cycle
apply the phases of the SDLC to a real-world IT problem
describe the systems planning, systems analysis, systems design, systems
implementation, and systems operation and support phases of the SDLC
model system and end-user behaviours using UML
contextualise systems analysis and design in the Ghanaian/African
context

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Assessment Areas
Knowledge: recall and understanding of concepts, definitions, and
concepts
Techniques and skills: computation, manipulation of computational
symbols, application of rules
Comprehension: ability to understand socio-technical problems, to
translate understanding to the design socio-technical systems to address
problems
Analysis: to analyze, and design socio-technical systems within the
broader context of the co-evolution of technology and society
Application of appropriate concepts and practical ideas to familiar and
unfamiliar business contexts

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Support materials
All to be obtained from the library or internet
Textbooks
 available from library or bookshop
Academic journal articles
Other non-academic periodicals
 Magazines
 Newsletters, etc
Online

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How to obtain a good learning experience and grade

In general….
Attend all lectures and lab sessions, and pay attention
Think theoretically, practically, independently and originally
 Collaborate when necessary
Read more broadly, pay attention to details
Seek clarification from your lecturer and/or others
Discuss issues with friends and mates

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How to obtain a good learning experience and grade

In particular…
Think through every idea before arguing for or against it
 Avoid quick-fixes to problems
 Avoid corner-cutting
Avoid grammatical and typographical errors in your submissions
 Proof-read your work before submitting
Have and operate a GIMPA e-mail account (important!)

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Time management
Avoid lateness to lectures and labs
 But better late than never

Prepare for lectures and labs by reading given materials

Gain greater understanding of lectures by reading after lectures and labs

Submit your assignments in time

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Plagiarism
Do not plagiarise!
 Considered as academic theft
 Very severe penalties that can last one’s life time
 Destroys hard-won reputations that may never be restored

Be very careful when paraphrasing other people’s works and

acknowledge them

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Classroom etiquette
Each of us must endeavour to make the classroom a conducive teaching
and learning environment for his or her colleague
No food and/or beverages consumption in class
No ringing of phones
No receiving of phone calls
 Set your phones to silent mode
Refrain from walking in and/or out of class during lectures
 … as much as possible

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Structure

3 hours of lectures per week

10 sessions of lectures

Parts of some lecture periods will be used for

discussions

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 Introduction 13

Learning outcomes
Specifically, this lecture should enable you to:
describe the role played by the system analyst in MIS development
describe the preliminary considerations for MIS development projects
describe and apply alternative MIS development methodologies in
various situations
perform feasibility analysis for a new system

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Outline

• The Systems Analyst

• Preliminaries
• Methodologies

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 The System Analyst 15

Must understand how to design and apply IT to solve business problems

Identifies opportunities for improvement and value creation
Designs MIS for implementation
Works with technical and business experts
Creates value not just to build the best or most wonderful system
Thinks and does things which challenge and improve prevailing ways of
thinking and working

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Critical skills
Technological
 For applying computational issues and trends to system analysis and design
 For understanding the existing socio-technical issues in a particular environment
Business
 For understanding how IT can be applied to deliver real business value
Analytical
 For breaking down a business into levels, functions, processes, structures, and
procedures

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Critical skills
Managerial
 For managing people, technology, pressures, and risks
Interpersonal
 For communicating effectively with various parties using appropriate modes
Ethical
 For dealing fairly, honestly, and truthfully with people

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Outline

• The System Analyst

• Preliminaries
• Methodologies

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 Preliminaries 19

Identification & Initiation Factors

Business need
 Supporting a new marketing campaign
 Reaching out to a new customer segment
 Improving SCM and CRM
 BPA, BPM, BPR, etc
Business pain
 Losses
 Defects
 Weaknesses, etc

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Elements of Systems Request

Project sponsor
 The person who initiates the project and serves as the primary contact on the
business side
Business requirements
 The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide
Emerging technologies

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Elements of Systems Request

Business value
 The benefits that the system will create for the organization
Special issues or constraints
 Issues that pertain to the approval committee’s decision
Full-time equivalent
 No. of full-time workers, based on time involvement (not on persons)

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Feasibility
Helps the organisation to determine whether to proceed with the
proposed project
Three main areas
 Technical

Applications, infrastructure, machinery, technical skills, etc
 Economic

Cost, competitiveness, innovation, growth, differentiation, etc
 Organisational

Culture, knowledge, performance, efficiency, learning, etc

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Technical feasibility
Availability of technology and access
The extent to which an MIS can be successfully acquired and installed
by the IT department/group
Familiarity with the software application on the part of analysts and
users
Experience with the underlying infrastructure
Project size (no. of people, length of time, features, etc)
Compatibility and integration

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Economic feasibility
Identify costs and benefits
 Development – salaries, fees, installation, equipment, conversion
 Operational – upgrades, licencing, storage, training, communications
 Tangible – sales, staff, inventory, IT, supplies
 Intangible – market share, brand, quality, service, relations
Assign values to costs and benefits
Determine cash flow
Assess economic value
 RoI, break-even point, NPV, etc

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Organisational feasibility
Strategic alignment of project with business goals
Stakeholder analysis
Sponsorship and championship
Management support
System users (internal and external)
Value

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Socio-Technical Approach
Primarily IS are social systems which rely more or less on IT
 … even though they lead to the development and implementation of an IT-based
system
IS development is an intervention in an organization or society
 to improve people’s work performance
 not an isolated technical entity
IS development includes a mixture of practical, ethical and theoretical
concerns

G. Wiredu . SOT705B_L2: Philosophy Sep 26, 2023

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Socio-Technical Approach
Attention shifts to social dynamics and human needs throughout the
development process
Workers should have a share of the benefits of technical change
Possible redistribution or decentralization of power
IS development and use is non-deterministic (a process of interpersonal
dialogue)
Includes subjective interpretation of reality and experiences

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Socio-Technical Approach
The end-user is not only a contributor of information
They should be included as designers as much as possible
 Co-creation in design, development and implementation
 Open innovation
They should be active and incremental learners
The analyst benefits
 by becoming more creative
 in development systems that are not only technically good but useful to users

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Socio-Technical Approach
Participants
Requisitors
Managers
Sponsors
Users
Customers
Non-users in society who may be affected remotely, etc
Quite difficult to operationalise

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Outline

• The System Analyst

• Preliminaries
• Methodologies

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Life Cycle – General

Planning
Analysis
Design
Implementation

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Life Cycle – Specific

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Waterfall

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Iterative

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Spiral

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Prototying

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Agile

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 Further Reading 38

Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H. & Roth, R. M. (2018). Systems Analysis and

Design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. [Chapter 1]
Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H. & Tegarden, D. (2015). System Analysis and
Design: An Object-Oriented Approach with UML. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons. [Chapter 4]
Ciriello, R. F. (2018). Digital Innovation. Business Information Systems
Engineering, 60(6), 563-569.

G. Wiredu . SOT203B_L1: Introduction Sep 26, 2023