Information Systems Development

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Information Systems Development

• MBA 820
• Information Technology
• for Decision Making

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Steps of SDLC
1. Project Initiation 5. Implementation 2.
Sys Analysis/Feasibility 6. Operation 3.
Logical Analysis/Design 7. Post-Audit 4.
Acquisition/Develop 8. Maintenance
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Step 1 - Project Initiation

• Are objectives being met by current systems?
• Identify problems and opportunities
• What primary problems might a new system solve?
• What opportunities might a new system provide?

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Systems Analysis/Feasibility

• Investigation of current systems
• Involvement by all users, managers, other
  stakeholders who can provide logical or technical
  overviews of the system
• Assess readiness of the organization

5
Sys Analysis - Data Collection

• Documentation observation
• Review organizational processes
• Procedures
• Interview questionnaires
• Structured interviews
• Define decision making requirements

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Feasibility Studies

• Technical
• Does technology exist to solve problems?
• Economic
• Does the system make financial sense?
• Operational
• Is the project compatible with organization
  (culture, etc)?
• Schedule
• Can the project be completed in a reasonable
  amount of time?

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Deliverable SYSTEMS ANALYSIS Report

• Problems with Existing System
• Documentation of Procedures
• Opportunities/Goals for New System
• Feasibility Analysis

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Step 3- Logical Analysis/Design
Determining information requirements is extremely
critical for the eventual success of the
system. --- What does the system need to do? ---
How will the system accomplish these functions?
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Problems in System Definition

• Myopic views of information needs and systems
• Do managers really know what they need?
• Do they possess organization-wide perspectives?
• Individual interviews defeat cross-functional
  system design
• Joint Application Design (JAD)

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System Design

• Logical Design
• Flowcharting, data flow diagrams
• Physical Design
• Translates logical model into specific technical
  design

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Deliverable SYSTEMS DESIGN Report

• Description of New System (goals, etc)
• Flowcharts/Data Flow Diagrams
• Input/Output Screens
• File/Database Design
• Conversion Procedures
• Outcome Measures
• Competitive advantage? Improved efficiency,
  accuracy, satisfaction?

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Step 4 - Acquisition/Development

• Logical Design --gt Physical Design
• Development
• In-House
• Lease/Purchase

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Develop or Acquire?

• Design in House
• Advantages
• System meets 100 of needs
• Disadvantages
• Personnel costs
• Time delay
• Replicates bad practice

• Lease/Purchase
• Advantages
• S/W availability
• Documentation
• Disadvantages
• Will not meet all needs (80/20 Rule)
• Customization costs
• Ongoing maintenance/ lease costs

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Design/Customization

• Testing
• Training - Dont cut corners!
• Employees as Trainers?

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Step 5 - Implementation

• PLAN!! Dont wait until implementation
• Conversion Strategies
• Direct
• Parallel
• Phases
• Pilot
• Anticipate Resistance
• Ongoing training

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Step 6/7 - Operation/Post-Audit

• Post-audit (after system is operational)
• Compare actual performance to specs
• Feedback from Users
• Mgt by Walking Around
• Satisfaction Surveys
• Development Schedule, Information, Performance

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Step 8 - Maintenance

• Bugs
• New hardware leads to new software
• Changes in management
• New requirements updates
• New releases for acquired software

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Limitations of SDLC

• Costly
• Time consuming
• Inflexible, including frozen requirements
• Sequential stages
• Focus on Documentation

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Prototyping

• Building experimental systems for users to
  evaluate
• Evolutionary Development
• Produce systems quickly for users to evaluate
• Useful for Decision Support Systems

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Advantages Disadvantages

• Advantages
• Iterative approach to design requirements
• Rapid development
• Allows users to change their minds
• Intense end-user involvement --gt increased
  satisfaction

• Disadvantages
• Suited best for small applications
• Essential steps are shortcut

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Trends Favoring End User Development

• Increasingly powerful desktop hardware
• Declining hardware costs
• Increasingly diverse software capabilities
• Increasingly computer literate population

• Backlog of IS projects
• Development speed
• Business orientation
• Small applications
• Control
• Apparent cost savings

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End User Development

• Benefits
• Improved spec design
• User involvement satisfaction
• Reduced application backlog

• Problems
• Uncontrolled systems data
• Lack of quality assurance
• Error rates
• Lack of documentation
• Policies procedures to manage end-user computing

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Outsourcing

• Benefits
• Hardware economies of scale
• Staffing economies of scale
• Specialization
• Tax Benefits

• Problems
• Limited economies of scale
• Staffing
• Lack of business expertise
• Contract problems
• Internal cost reduction opportunities

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Application Service Provider

• An ASP is an agent who assembles functionality
  needed by enterprises, and packages it with
  outsourced development, operation, maintenance,
  and other services
• ASP manages application servers in a centrally
  controlled location rather than on a customers
  site (as with outsourcing)

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Benefits/Risks of ASP Leasing
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Managerial Challenges

• Identifying problems that hinder organizational
  success
• Major risks and uncertainties in systems
  development
• Establishing info requirements
• Creating a felt need and readiness
• Time cost factors are difficult to analyze

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Managerial Challenges

• User Involvement
• Functional managers must participate in the
  development process and should understand all
  phases
• Traditional approaches versus prototyping
• Quality assurance versus schedules
• Planning
• Dont Cut Corners!