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Systems Analyst Role?

answer

- Identifying how technology can improve business processes - Designing the new business processes - Designing the information system - Ensuring that the system conforms to information systems standards -Deal with various IS issues faced by the system. Make use of existing system or implement new system.

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Business Analyst Role?

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- Analyzing the key business aspects of the system - Identifying how the system will provide business value - Designing the new business processes and policies -Perfect knowledge of business. Business-related issues of the system. Responsible for improving the existing business processes and also creating new business policies and processes that will add more value.

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Requirement Analyst Role?

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Responsible for gathering maximum information from stakeholders during the requirement gathering of SDLC. Take all information to develop a new system perfectly.

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Infrastructure Analyst and Software Architects Role?

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- Ensuring the system conforms to infrastructure standards - Identifying infrastructure changes needed to support the system -Responsible for technical issues with the interaction of the system with company's technical infrastructure.

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Change Management Analyst Role?

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Take care of the changes caused due to change in system. Analyst are responsible for issues related to people and management involved in the system implementation. Responsible for queries and training the end user about the new system.

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Project Manager Role?

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Responsible for handling the team involved in a specific project. Has to make sure that the project is delivered on time within the budget. Ensure project meets client's expectations in all ways.

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What are Phases?

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Phases are broad groupings of tasks

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What are Steps?

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Steps are tasks (work to be performed)

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What are Techniques?

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Techniques are ways to carry out tasks

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What are Deliverables?

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Deliverables are the understanding (or materials) produced during task accomplishment

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Compare and contrast phases, steps, techniques, and deliverables.

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Each phase is itself composed of a series of steps, which rely upon techniques that produce deliverables (specific documents and files that provide understanding about the project).

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Give an example of Phases, Steps, Techniques, Deliverables?

answer

When you apply for admission to a university, there are several phases that all students go through: information gathering, applying, and accepting. Each of these phases has steps—information gathering includes steps like searching for schools, requesting information, and reading brochures. Students then use techniques (e.g., Internet searching) that can be applied to steps (e.g., requesting information) to create deliverables (e.g., evaluations of different aspects of universities).

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What is the Planning phase of SDLC?

answer

Justifying system; setting strategy

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What is the Analysis phase of SDLC?

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Developing logical specifications

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What is the Design phase of SDLC?

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Developing physical specifications

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What is the Implementation phase of SDLC?

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Constructing (or installing), testing, converting, training, and providing support for system

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What are the steps and deliverables in the Planning phase?

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Project Initiation: Identification of the system business value Project Management: Work, staffing, controls, and procedures defined Deliverables: System request, Problem statement, Business case scenario, Feasibility analysis Project plan

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What are the steps in the Analysis phase?

answer

Analysis Strategy: Developed to guide the project team's efforts. Such a strategy usually includes an analysis of the current system (as-is system) and its problems, and then ways to design a new system (to-be system). Requirements Gathering: The analysis of this information—in conjunction with input from project sponsor and many other people—leads to the development of a concept for a new system. The system concept is then used as a basis to develop a set of business analysis models that describes how the business will operate if the new system were developed. System Proposal: The analyses, system concept, and models are combined into a document called the system proposal, which is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision makers.

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What are the steps and deliverable in the Design phase?

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Design Strategy: Determining proper approach for acquiring System architecture: Describing basic hardware, software, and networking User interface: Developing system's overall structure, navigation, inputs, outputs, and screens Database and file specifications: Specifying data storage structures Program Design: Plans and outlines for each program to be written Deliverable: System Specification

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What are the steps and deliverable in the Implementation phase?

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Build system: Writing and testing system Train users: Assuring that end users understand new system's functions and work procedures Convert to new system: Managing transition from old to new Support new system: Monitoring performance of system and need for changes Deliverables: Programs, manuals, training materials, and plans for system support

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Which phase in the SDLC is most important?

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• All systems development projects follow essentially the same fundamental process called the system development life cycle (SDLC). • The planning phase in SDLC is the most important phase because during this phase the project team identifies the business value of the system, conducts a feasibility analysis, and plans the project. • Planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it.

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What does gradual re?nement mean in the context of SDLC?

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• Initially, requirements are only vaguely understood • Understanding is improved during Analysis phase • Further detail is developed during Design • Understanding is fully expressed during Implementation

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Describe the roles of the project sponsor and the approval committee.

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• Project sponsor - represents interests of business area that needs system - submits original system request - works with development team to plan project scope • Approval committee - oversees activities of IS department - identifies and prioritizes systems projects - receives periodic reports on projects' progress and determines if continued work is warranted

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Examples of business needs for a system

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-Improving the end-to-end business workflow that will result in increased efficiency. This will further result in time savings and increased cost reduction. -Maintaining and increasing the organizations position among its competitors. This will increase its market share, sales, and revenues. -Applying the best practices to capture a new business opportunity; this happens by increasing access to available information. -Minimizing the defects in product and streamlining the process of supply chain management.

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Why should the system request be created by a businessperson as opposed to an IS professional?

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-System request is a document which gives a detailed description about the business needs in response to which the new system is getting deployed. -Gives a complete idea about the business value that the new system will add to the business process. - Generally, the system request is created bu the business person because system need or system improvement is predictable in the business unit. -IS professionals do not take part directly in system need or system improvement.

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What are the 5 parts of a System Request?

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-Project Sponsor: Defines the person or group who will serve to be the main point of contact for the entire team. -Business Need: Business need is the main reason behind the deployment of the new system. - Business Requirement: Defines Expected capabilities -Business Value: Identifies the business value of the Information System. -Special Issues: are the information required for system development.

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What are Tangible values?

answer

Business values which can be measured and expressed in terms of quantities. (Ex. Sales, Revenues, Cost Savings)

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What are Intangible values?

answer

Business values that can't be measured or expressed in terms of quantities. (Ex. Customer Satisfaction, Recognize Loopholes, Decision Making Powers).

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What is the purpose of the Feasibility Analysis?

answer

-Determines that the development of the new system is feasible or not, what are the risks involved in the project if it is given a go ahead. -Measured in terms of technical, economical, and organizational feasibility.

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Which are the factors used to determine the size of the project?

answer

Technical feasibility is used to determine the size of the project. Once system requirements are defined, then the project is tested so that the organization comes to know whether the project is feasible or not.

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What are the steps for assessing economic feasibility? Describe each step.

answer

-Cost and Benefits: Identify all costs associated with the project. (Tangible, Intangible, Development, Operational Costs) -Assign Values to Cost and Benefits -Determine Cash Flows: Cost and Benefits are calculated and added over a range of period such as three to five years. -Determine the NPV: This is the difference between the total present benefits and total present costs. It is important to calculate as it gives the scope of improvement. -Determine the ROI: ROI= (Total Benefits-Total Costs)/(Total Costs) -Determine Break Even Point: When the cost incurred during the project is recaptured.

question

List two intangible bene?ts. Describe how these bene?ts can be quanti?ed.

answer

-NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM- -New system allowed customers to view more products at a time, easy payment methods, customer satisfaction increased. -Enabled customers to chat online with associates. -TWO BENEFITS QUANTIFIED- -Reduced response time: If a company has 50 customers @ $10 per customer, $500 Revenue, reduction in response time increased to 80 customers, $800 revenue, $300 Increase. -Improved customer satisfaction: Company losses customers at 10% over 12 months. Increased customer satisfaction reduces it by 5%. Revenue for a longer time.

question

List two tangible bene?ts and two operational costs for a system. How would you determine the values that should be assigned to each item?

answer

Example: Revenue or increased sales comes under the tangible costs. Cost savings is also a tangible benefit. Example: One is the cost occurring for the maintenance of the new hardware, and the other one is the cost for the new employees. Determining Values: The salaries and other benefits for the new employees can be determined.

question

What is stakeholder analysis? Discuss three stakeholders that would be relevant for most projects.

answer

Champion: is a person which is mainly responsible for the initiation of the project. Organization Management: Responsible for the management of the project. Provide funds for the system and then promote the system for the user(s). System Users: Make decisions that control the project. Determine feasibility. Perform hands on activities on the system.

question

Car dealers have realized how pro?table it can be to sell automobiles by using the Web. Pretend that you work for a local car dealership that is part of a large chain such as CarMax. Create a system request that you might use to develop a Web-based sales system. Remember to list special issues that are relevant to the project.

answer

System Request: Document that gives a detailed description about the business needs in response to which the new system is getting deployed. -Project Sponsor: Sales Manager, Team Leader -Business Need: Increased Sales, market share, global presence, international opportunities. -Business Requirements: Provide web-based access to cars inventory. Capability to provide more details to the customer about a particular model, provide pictures and other details to customers. -Business Values: Increase sales by 3%, increase market share by 1%, increase customer base up to 200 mile radius of dealership. -Special Issues: Need a team who will keep the website updated, and take customer queries, increase cost of implementing the system and training the sales team.

question

Tangible Costs

answer

Includes revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales.

question

Intangible Costs

answer

Are base on intuition and belief rather than "hard numbers."

question

How do projects begin?

answer

-Business needs should drive projects. -Project sponsor recognizes business need for new system and desires to see it implemented. - Business needs determine the system's functionality (what it will do). - The project's business value should be clear.

question

Project Sponsor

answer

The project sponsor is a key person who identifies business value to be gained from using information technology.

question

Approval Committee and System Requests

answer

The approval committee reviews system requests from groups throughout the organization and selects projects for the benefit of the business.

question

What is a System Request?

answer

-A document describing business reasons for project and system's expected value. - Lists project's key elements - Project sponsor - Business need - Business requirements - Business value - Special issues or constraints

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System Request Examples

answer

-Project sponsor - VP of Marketing - Business need - Reach new customers and improve service to existing customers - Business requirements - Provide web-based shopping capability - Business value - $750,000 in new customer sales; $1.8M in existing customer sales - Special issues or constraints -System must be operational by holiday shopping season

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Preliminary Project acceptance

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- System request is reviewed by approval committee - Based on information provided, project merits are assessed. - Worthy projects are accepted and undergo additional investigation - the feasibility analysis.

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Feasibility Analysis

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- Detailed business case for the project - Technical feasibility - Economic feasibility - Organizational feasibility - Compiled into a feasibility study - Feasibility is reassessed throughout the project

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Technical Feasibility

answer

Can We Build It? Users' and analysts' familiarity with the business application area Familiarity with technology Have we used it before? How new is it? Project size Number of people, time, and features Compatibility with existing systems

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Economic Feasibility

answer

Should We Build It? Identify costs and benefits Assign values to costs and benefits Determine cash flow Assess financial viability Net present value (NPV) Return on investment (ROI) Break even point (BEP)

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Organizational Feasibility

answer

If we build it, will they come? Strategic alignment How well do the project goals align with business objectives? Stakeholder analysis Project champion(s) Organizational management System users

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Project Management

answer

is the process of planning and controlling the development of a system within a specified timeframe at a minimum cost with the right functionality.

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Project Manager

answer

has the primary responsibility for managing the hundreds of tasks and roles that need to be carefully coordinated.

question

Four key steps in Managing Projects

answer

Identifying project size Creating and managing the workplan Staffing the project Coordinating project activitie

question

Project Managers Balancing Act

answer

Project Management involves making trade-offs, Modifying one element requires adjusting the others.

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Project estimation

answer

The process of assigning projected values for time and effort Sources of estimates Methodology in use Actual previous projects Experienced developers Estimates begin as a range and become more specific as the project progresses

question

Function Appraoch

answer

-Estimate system size (function points and lines of code) -Estimate effort required (persons-months) -Estimate time required (months)

question

TUFP

answer

Total Un-adjusted function points.

question

Gantt Chart

answer

Bar chart format Useful to monitor project status at any point in time

question

Waterfall Development Sequence

answer

Phases: Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, System. -With a waterfall development, analyst and users proceed sequentially from one phase to the next. The key deliverables for each phase are typically voluminous (often, hundreds of pages) and are presented.

question

Waterfall Development Sequence Advantage/Disadvantage

answer

-Advantages: Identifying requirements long before programming begins and limiting changes to the requirements as the project proceeds. -Disadvantages: Design must be completely specified before programming begins, a long time elapses between the completion of the system proposal in analysis and the delivery of the system, and testing is treated almost as an afterthought in the implementation phase. Deliverables are often a poor communication mechanism, so important requirements may be overlooked in the volumes of documentation. This network requires going to the initial phase and making needed changes through each of the subsequent phases in turn.

question

Iterative (Phased) Development Sequence (Parallel Diagram)

answer

-Divide areas into subgroups. Be faster due to splitting in groups. Methodologies evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development. Instead of doing a general design in a sequence, a general design for the whole system is performed. The project is divided into a series of subprojects that can be designed and implemented in parallel. Once each sub is complete, the final integration of all pieces and the system is delivered. -Getting feedback on a system while releasing phases. Do not do it all in one chuck, carve off bits, and get sections done. Document changes that you have to make. Baseline, listen to feedback for next build. You can't apply this to ALL systems. Supporting small functions of the business. Water fall each small function. Build small pieces first. Reducing the risk of getting functionality wrong. The boss sees production.

question

Iterative (Phased) Development Sequence (Parallel Diagram) Advantages

answer

Advantage: Reduces the time required to deliver the system, so changes in the business environment are less likely to produce the need for rework.

question

Throwaway Prototyping Sequence

answer

-Processing, different screens, simulation. To show the user that it's a system that matches their workflow. --Includes development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system. Not designed to be a workable system, only enough detail to enable the user to understand the issues under consideration. Mock systems. Not real commands. May take longer to develop the final system than prototyping because prototypes do not become the final system.

question

BPM (Business Process Management) Definition

answer

Is a Methodology used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes. Can be applied to internal organizational processes and processes spanning multiple business partners.

question

BPM (Business Process Management) Concept

answer

BPM generally follows a continuous cycle of systematically creating, assessing, and altering business processes. Business analysts, with their in-depth business knowledge, play a particularly important role in business process management by: • de?ning and mapping the steps in a business process, • creating ways to improve on steps in the process that add value, • ?nding ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that don't add value, • creating or adjusting electronic work?ows to match the improved process maps

question

How to decide on which method?

answer

Clarity of user requirements, familiarity with technology, systems complexity, system reliability, short time schedules, schedule visibility.

question

Scrum

answer

-Product owner: End user, marketing department, finance department, etc. ' -Scrum Master: acts as the liaison between the product owner and the team. Does not manage team. -Team Member: In the scrum methodology, the team is responsible for completing the work. Example, software engineer, architects, programmers, analyst, QA experts, testers, and UI designers. -Sprint: projects are divided in small features to be developed and tested in specific time-frame. Features should get developed and tested in small time-frames. Should be 2-4 weeks.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with iterative development?

answer

-Project is divided into a number of versions which are then sequentially performed. -Mini Waterfall Development for each Sequence. -First Version implemented and its results are used as feedback to the next version in the process. -DISADVANTAGES: -Repetition of work until the desired versions are completed -User has to work with systems that are incomplete.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with waterfall development.

answer

-Each phase is sequential, no overlap between phases. -After first phase, documentation is forwarded to the next phase -Difficult to move backward DISADVANTAGES: -Poor communication mechanism. Leads to ignore in the requirement documentation. -Expensive implementation program is required if the requirement is missed by user. -If not carefully designed, deadlines are not met on time.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with parallel development.

answer

-Variant of waterfall (several waterfalls at once) -Reduces time and effort. -Sub projects integrated once complete. -DISADVANTAGES -If subprojects arent independent, changes in one may affect another. -Combining a sub-project is challenging.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with system prototyping.

answer

-Planning, Analysis, Design is executed concurrently and results is delivered to the user. -Once developed, seeks for user feedback. -Based on feedback, phases are reanalyzed, redesigned, and re-implemented with added features for 2nd prototype -Repeats until it meets the user requirements. -DISADVANTAGES -Does not have a careful, methodical analysis in advanced to make correct design and implementation decisions. -Inadequate understanding of the system requirement because of the limited fundamental design.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with throwaway prototyping.

answer

-Requirements of the information are gathered from the user analysis phase. -Technical issues, such as requirements, may not be understood. -Uses design prototype to solve user suggested issues before the application is built. -Design prototype is a model of the system, and its not a working system -Enters into the design and implementation phase after resolving the issues -Design prototype is thrown away after it enters into design and implementation. -DISADVANTAGES -It takes longer time to complete the system -Focuses on development of the alternatives for the design of system so less focus on the development of actual system.

question

Describe the major elements and issues with agile development.

answer

-Used to Streamline the SDLC -Used for Face-to-Face communication -Involves the simple and iterative application development in which every iteration includes planning, requirement analysis, testing, coding, design, and documentation -DISADVANTAGES -Complex nature and technologies are not so reliable -Schedule visibility is not up to mark. -It is dependent on the cohesive, stable experience of the team -Works well with small projects but the success gets reduced in large projects.

question

Compare and contrast extreme programming and throwaway prototyping.

answer

Extreme Programming -Uses continuous testing and gives importance to teamwork and customer satisfaction -Each code tested carefully -Development team small -Simplicity, feedback, and courage are important -Developers communicate with programmers an d customers to keep the design clean and simple Throwaway Prototyping -Developed for experimentation in the design phase -Analysis phase is used to collect the information of the requirements by the system, and then these requirements are studied and analyzed. -Makes system reliable and improves quality -Prototype is not for work; only contains the detail related to the issue and not a final system XP is modified depending on the requirement and technology produces a good result shortly but throwaway is used to clear technical issues and discarded after clarifying the issues.

question

What is the difference between a methodology and a work plan? How are the two terms related?

answer

METHODOLOGY -Are a standard form of the steps and sequences required for the completion of the project -Selecting a methodology is the basic of any system design process WORK PLAN -Contains steps, tasks, and deliverables needed for the specific project -Methodology develops the basis for the work plan. RELATION -Focus on one of the design deliverables -Methodologies are a form of the steps and sequences to implement the software development life cycle. -Based on the existing methodology, the work plan of the project is developed. -The work plan has steps, tasks, and deliverables which are needed by specific projects that have to be finished. Hence, both are related to each other because both focus to develop a project

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