System Design and Analysis Chapter 6 - Determining System Requirements Key terms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Business process reengineering(BPR) Closed-ended questions Disruptive technologies Informal system Joint Application Design (JAD) JAD session leader 7. Key business processes 8. Nominal Group Technique (NGT) 9. Open-ended-questions 10. Prototyping 11. Scribe 12. Formal system

Match each of the key terms above with the definition that best fits it Open-ended questions Questions in interviews that ask those responding to choose from among a set of specified responses Disruptive technologies Technologies that enable the breaking of long-held business rules that inhibit organization from making radical business changes Nominal Group Technique (NGT) A facilitated process that supports idea generation by groups. At the beginning of the process, group members work alone to generate ideas, which are then pooled under the guidance of a trained facilitator Key business processes The structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market Prototyping An iterative process in which requirements are converted to a working system that is continually revised through organized user collaboration Formal system The official way a system works as described in organizational documentation Business process reengineering(BPR) The search for, and implementation of, radical change in business processes to achieve breakthrough improvements in products and services Informal system The way a system actually works JAD session leader The person who makes detailed notes of the happenings at a JAD session. Scribe

Questions in interviews that have no pre-specified answers Closed-ended questions The trained individual who plans and leads JAD sessions Joint Application Design (JAD) A structured process in which users, managers, and analysts work together for several days in a series of meetings to clarify or review requirements Review Questions
1. Describe systems analysis and the major activities that occur during this phase of the

systems development life cycle. Systems analysis is the part of the systems development life cycle in which you determine how the current information system functions and assess what users would like to see in a new system. The three primary systems analysis activities or subphases in analysis are as follows: 1. Requirements determination 2. Requirements structuring 3. Alternative generation and choice or selection During systems analysis, determine how the current information system functions and assess what users would like to see in a new system.
2. Describe four traditional techniques for collecting information during analysis. When

might one be better than another? Traditional techniques for collecting requirements include interviewing and listening, administering questionnaires, observing users, and analyzing procedures and other documents. The four traditional techniques for collecting information during analysis are as follows: 1. Interviewing and listening- Involves talking with users individually or as a group to discover their views about the current and target systems; it also involves carefully preparing an interview outline and guide before conducting the interview. Interviews are best done when only a few people are involved, when you need openended questions or the questions vary from individual to individual, or when a more personal method is needed. Interviewing and listening involves speaking with users individually or as a group to discover their views about the current and target systems; it also involves carefully preparing an interview outline and guide before conducting the interview. Interviews are best done when only a few people are involved, when you use open-

ended questions or the questions vary from individual to individual, or when a more personal method is needed. 2. Administering questionnaires- Involves designing a questionnaire and determining who should respond to it; this method is typically used when there are too many key users to interview individually. Questionnaires are best when many people are involved, each person is to answer roughly the same questions, and people are remote or do not need personal care. Administering questionnaires involves designing a questionnaire and determining who should respond to it; this method is typically used when there are too many key users to interview individually. Questionnaires are best when many people are involved, each person is to answer roughly the same questions, and people are remote or do not need personal care. 3. Directly observing users- involves watching how people work in order to uncover information users may not be consciously aware of. Direct observation is best when detailed or complicated procedures must be documented, when you do not want people to know they are giving you information you need, when only a few people are involved, and observational data are representative of all situations. Directly observing users involves watching how people work in order to uncover information. Direct observation is best when detailed or complicated procedures must be documented, when you do not want people to know they are giving you information you need, when only a few people are involved, and observational data are representative of all situations. 4. Analyzing procedures and other documents- involves identifying and collecting written procedures, forms, reports, and other relevant documents in order to better identify data and processes that would be part of the current and target systems. Analyzing documents is the best technique when documents are complete and unbiased, when other forms of requirements determination are too obtrusive, and when history must be studied and people do not have firsthand data about history. Analyzing procedures and other documents involves identifying and collecting written procedures, forms, reports, and other relevant documents in order to better identify data and processes that would be part of the current and target systems. Analyzing documents is the best technique when documents are complete and unbiased, when other forms of requirements determination are too obtrusive, and when history must be studied and people do not have firsthand data about history. Interviews provide large amounts of rich, detailed information, but they are expensive to conduct in terms of the time they demand. Questionnaires, on the other hand, can reach many people at once, making them relatively less costly than

interviews, but the collected data is not as rich or as plentiful as is the case with interviews. Both techniques involve careful planning and execution to be successful. Deciding which technique to use depends on several factors, such as the size and complexity of the information system under study, the size and complexity of the organization in which the system resides, available funding, and the expertise and preferences of the analysts.
3. What is JAD? How is it better than traditional information-gathering techniques? What are

its weaknesses? Joint Application Design or JAD is a structured process in which users, managers, and analysts work together for several days in a series of intensive meetings to specify or review system requirements. Its better than traditional techniques because you have all key personnel in one place at one time, saving everyone time and resulting in high levels of system ownership as more people have more of a role in the development process. Weaknesses include the level of commitment necessary to make the JAD work, the high degree of required planning, and the typical lack of computer support. JAD is better than traditional techniques because you have all key personnel in one place at one time, saving everyone time and resulting in high levels of system ownership as more people have more of a role in the development process. Weaknesses include the level of commitment necessary to make the JAD work, the high degree of required planning, and the typical lack of computer support.
4. How has computing been used to support requirements determination?

Computing has been used to support requirements determination in the form of CASE tools, group support systems, and prototyping.
5.

How can NGT be used for requirements determination? The Nominal Group Technique is a facilitated process that supports idea generation by groups. NGT encourages individuals to identify and prioritize problems with an existing system or requirements for a new system.

6. How can CASE tools be used to support requirements determination? Which type of CASE

tools are appropriate for use during requirements determination? CASE tools can support requirements determination by supporting JAD and prototyping with diagramming, form and report design, repository access, and prototyping tools. The best-suited CASE tools are upper CASE tools.
7. Describe how prototyping can be used during requirements determination. How is it

better or worse than traditional methods? Prototyping can be used during requirements determination to collect user requirements and present them in the form of a working system prototype. Users can look at, play with,

and compare the prototype to their system requirements. Analysts can then adjust the prototype to better fit what the users have in mind. Prototyping is better than traditional methods where system requirements are not well understood, where few users that are stakeholders are involved, where designs may be complex, where there have been past communication problems, and where the necessary tools are readily available. Prototyping may be worse than traditional methods where formal requirements are not documented, where prototypes become idiosyncratic to the initial user, where issues of data sharing and integration with other systems are ignored, and where SDLC checks are bypassed.
8. When conducting a business process reengineering study, what should you look for when

trying to identify business processes to change? Why? As part of the BPR effort, key business processes should be identified. Key business processes are the structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market. Once these key business processes have been identified, those activities that can be radically improved should be identified. Primary candidates include those activities that are viewed as important, changeable, or dysfunctional. Benefits of BPR include radical improvements in speed, quality, and customer satisfaction.
9. What are disruptive technologies and how do they enable organization to radically

change their business processes? Disruptive technologies enable the breaking of long-held business rules that inhibit organizations from making radical business changes. Disruptive technologies enable companies to apply information technology innovatively. Consider the concept of a virtual university. Is this an acceptable application of a disruptive technology? Group support systems provide unique benefits for group requirements determination by providing everyone the opportunity for equal participation through typing instead of talking, and anonymity allows the shy and those afraid of criticism to participate.
10.

Why is continual user involvement a useful way to discover system requirements? Under what conditions it might be used? Under what conditions might it not be used? As part of the BPR effort, key business processes should be identified. Key business processes are the structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market. Once these key business processes have been identified, activities that can be radically improved should be identified. Primary candidates include activities that are viewed as important, changeable, or dysfunctional. BPR benefits include radical improvements in speed, quality, and customer satisfaction. Describe Agile Usage-Centered Design. Describe the Planning Game. Compare and contrast these two requirements determination techniques.

11.

Disruptive technologies enable the breaking of long-held business rules that inhibit organizations from making radical business changes. Disruptive technologies enable companies to innovatively apply information technology. As a point of discussion, ask students to discuss the concept of a virtual university. Is this an acceptable application of disruptive technology?
12.

What are characteristics that a good systems analyst should have for gathering requirements? This type of analyst must be detail oriented. When gathering business requirements, the analyst must pursue all information related to the business processes. Any information missed can cause problems in the IT design and changes made later are quite expensive to do. The business systems analyst must have good communication skills. When gathering requirements, this person often speaks with stakeholders in different roles around the company. This includes people on manufacturing lines, in accounting offices, and even in the executive suites. Good written and oral skills make this job easier to do. A good analyst will have basic project management skills. In some cases, this person may act as a project manager for the overall project. Even if they are not, they are responsible for coordinating gathering information, building documentation, doing testing, and reporting to stakeholders. Organization and logical thinking are essential. Even though the analyst often works independently in their role, this person must work well within a team. They likely report to a project manager. They need to work with other members of the project team. They may also report to someone in the managerial or executive levels. Being able to work well within a team just makes sense for this role. A business systems analyst must be comfortable in a leadership role. Though that person may not be leading the project team, the analyst must have the ability to delegate tasks and hold others responsible for their part of the project work. If someone is not comfortable in a leadership role, this job can be quite difficult. When creating a project team, choosing a business systems analyst is critical for good requirements gathering and easy implementation into the business. Finding one with the right characteristics will make the project team that much better.

13. Contrast the formal and informal systems while analyzing business procedures, and explain how both are important. Formal Information System is based on the organization represented by the organization chart. The chart is a map of position and their authority relationship, indicated by boxes and connected by straight lines. it is concerned with the pattern of authority, communication and work flow. And, Informal Information System is employee based system design to meet personnel and vocational needs and to help in the solution of workrelated problems. it also funnels information upward through indirect channels. In this way, it is considered to be a useful system because it works within the framework of the business and its stated policies.

In contrast, to the formal system the informal system is the way a system actually works is referred to as and the formal system refers to the official way a system works as described in organizational documentation.