MIS CHAPTER 10 BUILDING SUCCESSFUL INFORMATION SYSTEMS Hossein BIDGOLI

MIS CHAPTER 10 BUILDING SUCCESSFUL INFORMATION SYSTEMS Hossein BIDGOLI MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 1

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems learning outcomes LO1 Describe the systems development life cycle (SDLC) systems. as a method for developing information LO2 Explain the tasks involved in the planning phase. LO3 Explain the tasks involved in the requirements- gathering and analysis phase. LO4 Explain the tasks involved in the design phase. LO5 Explain the tasks involved in the implementation MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning phase. 2

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s (cont’d.) LO6 Explain the tasks involved in the maintenance phase. LO7 Describe new trends in systems analysis and design, including service-oriented architecture, rapid application development, extreme programming, and agile methodology. MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 3

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Systems Development Life Cycle: An Overview System failure can happen for several reasons: – – – – – Missed deadlines Users’ needs that weren’t met Dissatisfied customers Lack of support from top management Going over budget, and so forth MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 4

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Systems Development Life Cycle: An Overview (cont’d.) Systems development life cycle (SDLC) – Also known as the “waterfall model” – Series of well-defined phases performed in sequence that serve as a framework for developing a system or project – Each phase’s output (results) becomes the input for the next phase MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 5

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Systems Development Life Cycle: An Overview (cont’d.) Systems planning – Evaluating all potential systems that need to be implemented – Preliminary analysis of requirements Feasibility study – Conducted for each system – Organization decides which ones are a priority Information system projects – Often an extension of existing systems or involve replacing an old technology with a new one MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 6

Exhibit 10.1 MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning Phases of the SDLC 7

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 1: Planning One of the most crucial phases of the SDLC model Systems designer must understand and define the problem the organization faces – Problem can be identified internally or externally Analyst or team of analysts assesses the current and future needs of organization or a specific group of users MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 8

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 1: Planning (cont’d.) Questions: – Why is this information system being developed? – Who are the system’s current and future users? – Is the system new or an upgrade or extension of an existing system? – Which functional areas (departments) will be using the system? MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 9

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 1: Planning (cont’d.) Analysts must examine: – Organization’s strategic goals – How the proposed system can support these goals – Which factors are critical to the proposed system’s success – Criteria for evaluating the proposed system’s performance MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 10

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 1: Planning (cont’d.) Make sure users understand the four Ws: – – – – Why Who When What End result of this phase should give users and top management a clear view of: – What the problem is – How the information system will solve the problem MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 11

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 1: Planning (cont’d.) Example: ABC Furniture is planning for an information system to solve the problem of inaccurate inventory forecasts – – – – Why Who When What MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 12

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Formation of the Task Force Consisting of representatives from different departments, systems analysts, technical advisors, and top management Team collects user feedback and tries to get users involved from the beginning Internal users – Employees who will use the system regularly External users – Include customers, contractors, suppliers, and other business partners MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 13

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Formation of the Task Force (cont’d.) Joint application design (JAD) – Collective activity involving users and top management IT professionals – Centers on a structured workshop – Results in a final document containing definitions for data elements, workflows, screens, reports, and general system specifications MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 14

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Feasibility Study Feasibility – Measure of how beneficial or practical an information system will be to an organization – Should be measured continuously throughout the SDLC process Usually has five major dimensions: – Economic, technical, operational, schedule, and legal MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 15

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Economic Feasibility Assesses a system’s costs and benefits Team tallies tangible development and operating costs for the system and compares them with expected financial benefits of the system Keep in mind that an information system project that’s feasible at the outset could become unfeasible later MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 16

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Economic Feasibility (cont’d.) Tangible benefits – Quantified in terms of monthly or annual savings Intangible benefits – Difficult to quantify in terms of dollar amounts – If they aren’t at least identified, many information system projects can’t be justified Cost-effectiveness analysis – Based on the concept that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar one year from now MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 17

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Economic Feasibility (cont’d.) Most common analysis methods – Payback, net present value (NPV) – Return on investment (ROI) – Internal rate of return (IRR) Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) report – Used to sell the system to top management MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 18

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Technical Feasibility Concerned with technology to be used in the system Team needs to assess whether technology to support the new system is available or feasible to implement Lack of technical feasibility – Can also stem from an organization lacking the expertise, time, or personnel to implement the new system MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 19

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Operational Feasibility Measure of: – How well the proposed solution will work in the organization – How internal and external customers will react to it “Is the information system worth implementing?” MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 20

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Schedule Feasibility Whether the new system can be completed on time If the new system can’t be delivered in time – Loss of customers could force the organization out of business Problem of going over schedule – Common in the information systems field MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 21

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Legal Feasibility Concerned with legal issues Typically addresses these questions: – Will the system violate any legal issues in the country where it will be used? – Are there any political repercussions of using the system? – Is there any conflict between the proposed system and legal requirements? For example, does the system take the Information Privacy Act into account? MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 22

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 2: Requirements Gathering and Analysis Requirements-gathering and analysis phase – Analysts define the problem and generate alternatives for solving First step – Gathering requirements – Interviews, surveys, observations, JAD approach, etc. Team uses this information to determine: – What the new system should do (process analysis) – What data is needed for this process to be performed (data analysis) MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 23

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 2: Requirements Gathering and Analysis (cont’d.) Two major approaches for analysis and design of information systems: – Structured systems analysis and design (SSAD) approach – Object-oriented approach Use different tools for creating analysis models Models created during the analysis phase constitute the design specifications MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 24

Table 10.1 MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning Examples of Tools Used in SSAD Analysis Models 25

Exhibit 10.2 A Data Flow Diagram for ABC’s Inventory Management System MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 26

Exhibit 10.3 A Context Diagram for ABC’s Inventory Management System MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 27

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 3: Design Design phase – Analysts choose the solution that’s the most realistic and offers the highest payoff for the organization Output of this phase – Document with exact specifications for implementing the system – Includes files and databases, forms and reports, documentation, procedures, hardware and software, networking components, and general system specifications MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 28

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 3: Design (cont’d.) Design consists of three parts: – Conceptual design – Logical design – Physical design MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 29

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Computer-Aided Systems Engineering Computer-aided systems engineering (CASE) tools – Automate parts of the application development process Benefits Capabilities Products: – CA Technologies ERwin Process Modeler, Oracle Designer, and Visible System Visible Analyst MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 30

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (cont’d.) Outputs: – Specifications documents – Documentation of the analysis, including models and explanations – Design specifications with related documentation – Logical and physical design documents based on the conceptual design – Code modules that can be incorporated into the system MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 31

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Prototyping Small-scale version of the system is developed – Large enough to illustrate the system’s benefits – Allows users to offer feedback Prototypes are used for: – – – – Gathering system requirements Helping to determine system requirements Determining a system’s technical feasibility Selling the proposed system to users and management MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 32

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Prototyping (cont’d.) Steps: – – – – Define the initial requirements Develop the prototype Review and evaluate the prototype Revise the prototype Numerous prototyping development tools are available: e.g., spreadsheets Prototyping has advantages and disadvantages MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 33

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 4: Implementation Implementation phase – Solution is transferred from paper to action – Team configures the system and procures components for it Tasks – – – – Acquiring new equipment Hiring new employees Training employees Planning and designing the system’s physical layout MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 34

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 4: Implementation (cont’d.) – – – – Coding Testing Designing security measures and safeguards Creating a disaster recovery plan Options for conversion: – – – – Parallel conversion Phased-in-phased-out conversion Plunge (direct cutover) conversion Pilot conversion MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 35

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Request for Proposal Written document with detailed specifications – Used to request bids for equipment, supplies, or services from vendors Usually prepared during the implementation phase Advantage: – All vendors get the same information and requirements Disadvantage: – Time involved in writing and evaluating proposals MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 36

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Request for Proposal (cont’d.) Free templates available for RFPs Request for information (RFI) – Screening document for gathering vendor information and narrowing the list of potential vendors MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 37

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Implementation Alternatives Insourcing – Organization’s team develops the system internally Self-sourcing – End users develop information systems with little or no formal assistance from the information systems team – Managers are concerned about end users’ lack of adequate systems analysis and design background and loosening of system development standards MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 38

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Implementation Alternatives (cont’d.) Outsourcing – Organization hires an external vendor or consultant who specializes in providing development services – Options: Onshore Nearshore Offshore – Disadvantages of outsourcing: Loss of control Dependency Vulnerability of strategic information MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 39

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Phase 5: Maintenance Information system is operating Enhancements and modifications to the system have been developed and tested Hardware and software components have been added or replaced Team collects performance data and gathers information on whether the system is meeting its objectives – By talking with users, customers, and other people affected by the new system MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 40

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems New Trends in Systems Analysis and Design SDLC model might not be appropriate in these situations: – Lack of specifications – Input-output process can’t be identified completely – Problem is “ad hoc” – Users’ needs change constantly MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 41

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Service-Oriented Architecture SOA focuses on the development, use, and reuse of small, self-contained blocks of codes (called services) to meet the software needs of an organization The fundamental principle behind SOA is that the “blocks of codes” can be reused in a variety of different applications, allowing new business processes to be created from a pool of existing services MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 42

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Rapid Application Development Concentrates on user involvement and continuous interaction between users and designers Combines the planning and analysis phases into one phase Develops a prototype of the system Uses an iterative process – Repeats the design, development, and testing steps as needed, based on feedback from users MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 43

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Extreme Programming Recent method for developing software applications and information system projects Divides a project into smaller functions – Developers can’t go on to the next phase until the current phase is finished “Story” written on index cards Pair programming – Two programmers participate in one development effort at one workstation Major departure from traditional software development MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 44

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Agile Methodology Similar to XP Less emphasis on team coding and more emphasis on limiting the project’s scope Focuses on setting a minimum number of requirements and turning them into a working product Agile Alliance organization – Manifesto contains principles for this methodology MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 45

Chapter 10 Building Successful Information Systems Summary SDLC phases: – Planning, requirements gathering and analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance CASE tools Prototyping RFP Self sourcing and outsourcing New trends in systems development MIS, Chapter 10 2011 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning 46