The Modern Systems Analyst: The Chapter Will Address The Following Questions

The Modern Systems Analyst
Introduction
The chapter will address the following questions:
What is the systems analysts role and responsibilities in the modern business? Why are organizations recruiting computer end-users to partner with the traditional systems analyst? What are the roles of systems analysts and business users in systems problem solving? Where are the career opportunities for systems analysts? Who are the systems analysts customers and partners in systems development?

Introduction
The chapter will address the following questions:
What business trends and drivers are influencing the careers of systems analysts? How can you prepare yourself for a career as a systems or business analyst? What does the future hold for systems analysts?

Who Should Read This Book
What is an Information System?
An information system is an arrangement of people, data, processes, interfaces, networks, and technology that interact for the purpose of supporting and improving both day-to-day operations in a business (sometimes called data processing), as well as supporting the problem solving and decision making needs of management (sometimes called information services). A computer application is computer-based solution to one or more business problems and needs. One or more computer applications are typically contained within an information system.
What is a Computer Application System?

The Systems Analyst - A Key Resource
Many organizations consider information systems and computer applications as essential to their ability to compete or gain competitive advantage. Information has become a management resource equal in importance to property, facilities, employees, and capital. All workers need to participate in the development of these systems and applications not just the computer and information specialists. But one specialist plays a special role in systems and applications development, the systems analyst. A systems analyst(s) facilitates the development of information systems and computer applications.
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The Systems Analyst - A Key Resource
The systems analyst performs systems analysis and design. Systems analysis is the study of a business problem domain for the purpose of recommending improvements and specifying the business requirements for the solution. Systems design is the specification or construction of a technical, computer-based solution for the business requirements identified in a systems analysis. (Note: Increasingly, the design takes the form of a working prototype.).
The Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver Why do businesses need Systems Analysts?
The system analyst bridges the communications gap between those who need the computer and those who understand the technology.
The Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver What is a Systems Analyst?
Systems analysts are people who understand both business and computing. Systems analysts study business problems and opportunities and then transform business and information requirements of the business into the computer-based information systems and computer applications that are implemented by various technical specialists including computer programmers.
A formal definition: A systems analyst facilitates the study of the problems and needs of a business to determine how the business system and information technology can best solve the problem and accomplish improvements for the business. The product of this activity may be improved business processes, improved information systems, or new or improved computer applications frequently all three.
When information technology is used, the systems analyst is responsible for: the efficient capture of data from its business source the flow of that data to the computer the processing and storage of that data by the computer the flow of useful and timely information back to the business and its people Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks).
A systems analyst is a business problem solver. A systems analyst helps the business by solving its problems using system concepts and information technology. A systems analyst sell business management and computer users the services of information technology. A systems analyst sells change.
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The role of systems analyst is changing into two distinct positions or roles, business analyst and application analyst. A business analyst is a systems analyst that specializes in business problem analysis and technology-independent requirements analysis. An application analyst is a systems analyst that specializes in application design and technology-dependent aspects of development. A synonym is system or application architect.
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver What Does A System Analyst Do?
A system analyst is a system-oriented problem solver. System problem solving is the act of studying a problem environment in order to implement corrective solutions that take the form of new or improved systems. Most systems analysts use some variation of a system problem solving approach called a system development life cycle. A systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a systematic and orderly approach to solving system problems.
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The SDLC usually incorporates the following general-purpose problem solving steps: Planning - identify the scope and boundary of the problem, and plan the development strategy and goals. Analysis - study and analyze the problems, causes, and effects. Then, identify and analyze the requirements that must be fulfilled by any successful solution. Design - if necessary, design the solution not all solutions require design. Implementation - implement the solution. Support - analyze the implemented solution, refine the design, and implement improvements to the solution. Different support situations can thread back into the previous steps.
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Obsolete solution Planning Problem to be solved
Related problem to be solved Support Analysis
Implementation error to be fixed Implemented solution Implementation Acceptable solution
New solution to same problem Problem analysis and Solution requirements
Design
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System analysts are responsible for other aspects of a system including: PEOPLE, including managers, users, and other developers and including the organizational behaviors and politics that occur when people interact with one another. DATA, including capture, validation, organization, storage, and usage. PROCESSES, both automated and manual, that combine to process data and produce information. INTERFACES, both to other systems and applications, as well to the actual users (e.g., reports and display screens). NETWORKS, which effectively distribute data, processes, and information to the people.
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver Where Do System Analysts Work?
Systems analysts can be found in most businesses; however, the organization of information services in many businesses is in turmoil as those businesses reorganize to improve service, quality, and value.
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The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business. Information services are centralized for the entire organization or a specific line of business.
Information Services reports directly to chief executive officer, or the chief executive for a line of business. The highest ranking information officer is a vice president, sometimes called a chief information officer (CIO).
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The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business. Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers:
Systems and Applications Development. Most systems analysts work here, along with most programmers. The systems analysts and programmers are organized into permanent teams that support the information systems and applications for specific business functions. The Systems and Applications Development unit may include a development center. A development center establishes and enforces the methods, tools, techniques, and quality of all development projects.
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The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business. Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers: (continued)
Data Administration This center manages the data and information resource in the organization. Data Administration usually employ several systems analystlike specialists called data analysts who analyze database requirements and design and construct the corresponding databases.
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Telecommunications This center designs, constructs, and manages the computer networks that have become integral to most businesses. Network analysts perform many of the same tasks as applied to designing local and wide area networks that will ultimately be used by systems and applications.
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End-User Computing This center supports the growing base of personal computers and local area networks in end user community. They provide installation services, training, and help desk services (call-in help for various PC related problems). In mature businesses, they also provide standards and consulting to end users who develop their own systems with PC power tools such as spreadsheets and PC database management systems. In this latter role, they employ analyst-like end user computing consultants.
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Computer Operations This center runs all of the shared computers including mainframes, minicomputers, and non-departmental servers. This unit rarely employs systems analysts.
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Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Line of Business Chief Executive VP of Information Services or Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Manager Systems Development
Data Administrator
Telecommunications Administrator
Manager End User Computing
Manager. Computer Operations
Manager Development Center
Database Administrators
Network Analysts
End User Consultants
System Programmers
Manager Financial Systems
Data Analysts
Network Managers
End User Trainers
Capacity Analyst
Manager Marketing Systems
Database Analysts
Network Technicians
Computer Operators
Manager Manufacturing Systems Systems Analysts
Application Programmers
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Modern Information Services in a Business Dramatic reorganization trend in medium-to-large information services units that is highly decentralized with a focus on empowerment and dynamic teams . Result is a federation of information systems centers that report directly to their functional business units (or groups of business units).
Each of these centers is empowered to set priorities and make decisions on behalf of their constituent management and users.
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Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Line of Business Chief Executive indicates dynamic assignments to teams as needed
Chief Information Officer (CIO) (for central information services)
Vice President Finance
Vice President Marketing
Vice President Manufacturing
Information Strategy Planning Team
Information Technology Competency Centers
Departmental Computing Coordination
coordinate
advise
evaluate
Information Technology Architecture Team
Project Managers
Manager Financial Information Services
Data Administrator Cross-Functional Systems & Applications Development Teams Telecommunications Administrator
Database Specialists
Network Manager
Network Manager
Network Manager
Network Specialists
Analyst/ Programmers Team
Application Technology Specialists
Other Technical Specialists
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Modern Information Services in a Business Decentralized information services can, however, lead to information anarchy and systems that do not interoperate to the benefit of the business as a whole. There will always be systems and applications that support more than one business function perhaps the entire enterprise.
These are called cross-functional applications.
There still exists a need for a central Information Services unit.
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Modern Information Services in a Business The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
Information Strategy Planning The information strategy planning team establishes direction and priorities for aligning information services for the entire business with the corporate mission, vision, and goals. Experienced systems analysts often play key roles in development.
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Modern Information Services in a Business The central Information Services unit is responsible for: (continued)
Information Technology Architecture An information technology architecture team establishes and maintains a blueprint for which technologies will be approved for the entire business, including the decentralized information services centers.
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Information Technology Competency Centers The centers provide a pool of technology specific specialists which are provided to both centralized and decentralized units for project work. Each expert contributes their expertise to any project to which they are assigned, for both centralized and decentralized projects.
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Cross Functional Systems and Applications Development This center develops and supports the shared information systems and cross-functional applications for the business. This center employs experienced systems analysts. As projects are started and completed, both systems analysts and technical specialists are assigned to and released from project teams.
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Departmental Computing Coordination This unit provides both consulting services and quality management services to the decentralized information and computing centers. Experienced systems analysts may be employed here to help establish standards and guidelines, and to provide training and consultation to departmental projects.
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Outsourcing in the Modern Business Outsourcing is the act of contracting a service or function to an external third party. Typically, the business must retain enough of a central Information Services unit to monitor and manage the outsourcing agreement. Some mission critical information services functions and projects may not be outsourced.
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Outsourcing in the Modern Business As many as fifty percent of medium-to-large businesses have already outsourced some or all of the their information services. Why?
The initial business driver was cost reduction.
The Gartner Group predicts that 70% or more of businesses will be outsourcing information services by the year 2000. Many systems analysts (and other computer professionals) can expect to be absorbed by outsourcing. Outsourcers must retain a high quality, technically competent work force of information technology managers and specialists including systems analysts.
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Consulting Management and systems consulting firms build information systems and applications for other organizations. The systems analysts employed by management consulting firms are usually called management consultants or systems consultants.
They are loaned (for a fee) to the client for engagements (a consulting term that means project) that result in a new system for the client. Once the engagement is completed, they are reassigned to a new engagement, frequently for a new business client.
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Consulting (continued) A variation on consulting firms is systems integration. System integration involves helping organizations integrating systems and applications that dont work together properly, or that run on very different technical platforms from different computer manufacturers.
Systems analysts that specialize in systems integration are frequently called systems engineers or systems integrators.
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Application Software Solution Providers Application software solution providers are in the business of building information systems and application software packages for resale to other businesses. Many businesses have a policy of not building any system they can purchase. Software packages are typically written to the greatest common denominator of their intended market that is, they are designed to meet general requirements and offer limited customizability.
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Application Software Solution Providers Software and solutions vendors usually hire two types of systems analyst.
Software engineers, are responsible for designing (and programming) the package itself. Sales engineers, are responsible for helping customers that purchase the package to integrate it into their business operations.
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Customers, Partners and Expectations
Customers Users and Management
What is a user? A user is a person, or group of persons, for whom the systems analyst builds and maintains business information systems and computer applications. A common system is client. There are at least two specific user/customer groups: system users and system owners.
System users are those individuals who either have direct contact with an information system or application or they use information generated by a system. System owners provide sponsorship of information systems and computer applications. In other words, they pay to have the systems and applications developed and maintained.
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Customers Users and Management

A manager can also be one of the end users of a system. Two types of system users: Traditionally, most system users were internal users, that is employees of the business for which a system or application is designed. Todays user community includes external users as businesses seek to make their information systems and applications interoperate with other businesses and the consumer. Information technology managers and system analysts are making a demonstrated attempt to get closer to their customers by forming a partnership.
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The Roles of Management and Users in Systems Problem Solving
The roles of management and users in: Planning

Management must sponsor and fund all projects. Users must define the domain and boundaries of the problem.
Analysis
As subject matter experts, management and users must analyze the problem domain for causes, effects, and opportunities; as well as communicate the requirements to be fulfilled by any successful solution, regardless of technology chosen.
Design
Users must react to high-level solution designs and participate in the solutions design.
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The Roles of Management and Users in Systems Problem Solving
The roles of management and users in: Implementation

Users participate in system construction and testing. They are the recipients of training necessary to enable the full user community to work with the solution.
Support
Users and management should routinely evaluate the working solution and suggest improvements.
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Modern Business Trends and Implications for the System Analyst
Systems analysts must keep up with rapidly changing technologies, but todays priorities are rapidly shifting from technology-driven solutions to business-driven solutions. Total Quality Management (TQM) One of the majors business trends of the 1990s is Total Quality Management.
Total Quality Management or TQM is a comprehensive approach to facilitating quality improvements and management within a business. TQM commitments require every business function, including information services, identify quality indicators, measure quality, and make appropriate changes to improve quality.
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Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM impacts systems analysts on at least two fronts.
First, the very nature of systems analysis encourages analysts to look for business quality problems. The two most important questions in the analysts repertoire are why and why not. Second, systems analysis and design provides the specifications for the #1 quality problem in modern information systems buggy software. Incomplete and inconsistent specifications from analysts are a significant contributor to poor software quality.
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Business Process Redesign (BPR) Total quality management has forced many businesses to radically rethink and redesign their fundamental business processes. Business process redesign is the study, analysis, and redesign of fundamental business processes to reduce costs and improve value added to the business.
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Business Process Redesign (BPR) A BPR project begins with identification of a value chain, a combination of processes that should result in some value to the business.
The business processes are documented and analyzed in excruciating detail. The business processes are subsequently streamlined for maximum efficiency. The new business processes are analyzed for opportunities for further improvement through information technology.
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Business Process Redesign (BPR) Systems analysts figure prominently in BPR because:
Systems analysts are often included in BPR projects because their system perspective is valued. The skill competencies for BPR and systems analysis and design are somewhat similar. A typical BPR project identifies several opportunities for new and revised computer applications (which systems analysts facilitate).
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Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Another TQM related trend is continuous process improvement.
Continuous process improvement is the continuous monitoring of business processes to affect small but measurable improvements to cost reduction and value added.
In a sense, CPI is the opposite of BPR.

BPR is intended to implement dramatic change. CPI implements a continuous series of smaller changes.
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Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Continuous improvement contributes to both cost reductions, improved efficiencies, and increased value and profit. Systems analysts may be called upon to participate in continuous process improvement initiatives for any business process, including the design and implementation of improvements to associated computer applications.
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Globalization of the Economy Competition became global with emerging industrial nations offer lower cost or higher quality alternatives to many products. Most businesses have been forced to reorganize to compete globally.
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Globalization of the Economy Systems analysts are affected by the following:

Information systems and computer applications must be internationalized. They must support multiple languages, currency exchange rates, international trade regulations, accepted business practices (which differ in different countries), and so forth. Most information systems ultimately require information consolidation for the purpose of performance analysis and decision making. Such consolidation is complicated by the aforementioned language barriers, currency exchange rates, transborder information regulations, and the like.
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Globalization of the Economy Systems analysts are affected by the following: (continued)
Systems development itself is complicated by the need for systems analysts who can communicate, orally and in writing, with management and users that speak different languages, dialects, and slang. Outsourcing of the programming effort of a development project to foreign countries. Many businesses have discovered that other countries offer competent contract programming services at a fraction of the cost of traditional programmers. Requires systems analyst to provide extraordinarily complete, consistent, and precise specifications to outsourcers.
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Empowerment Many organizations, in order to save costs and be more efficient, have had to downsize their workforce. As a result the organization has become flatter due to the elimination of management levels. Given fewer managers and the same amount of work (or more), remaining managers have been forced to empower their employees.
Empowerment is the business trend of driving the authority to make decisions downstream to non-managers and teams.
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Empowerment Individuals and teams are allowed to make decisions that would have normally required considerable bureaucratic approval. To succeed, managers must facilitate the process. The team must be held accountable for the decisions they make.
This is accomplished through a compensation approach that puts some percentage of everyones salary at risk, meaning dependent on the team or organizations performance.
Systems analysts can expect greater degrees of empowerment in their assignments.
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Partners for the Systems Analyst Information Technologists and Vendors
It takes more than systems analysts and users to build effective systems. In addition to clients, the systems analyst works with a number of technical peers called information technologists. The systems analyst's role in the typical project is to act as a facilitator. The systems analyst may well be the only individual who sees the system or application as a whole. The systems analysts must possess a unique set of skills and abilities to accomplish the complex task of facilitating systems.
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Steering committee User 1 I nformation technology vendors
User 2 Systems analyst
Applications programmers
User N
Network administrator
M anagement/ system owner
Database administrator
I nterface design expert
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Preparing For a Career as a Systems Analyst
Working Knowledge of Information Technology

The systems analyst is an agent of change. The systems analyst is responsible for showing end-users and management how new technologies can benefit their business and its operations. The systems analyst must be aware of both existing and emerging information technologies and techniques.
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Computer Programming Experience and Expertise
A systems analyst must know how to program because they are the principle link between business users and computer programmers. It is wrong to assume that a good programmer will become a good analyst or that a bad programmer could not become a good analyst. Most systems analysts need to be proficient in one or more highlevel programming languages.
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Computer Programming Experience and Expertise
Historically, the language of choice has been COBOL for business applications, but many organizations are shifting to visual programming languages or to object-oriented programming languages . The reasons for the shift are as follows:
The transition to graphical user interfaces. The desire to downsize applications from the mainframe to networks of PCs. The pressures to improve productivity in applications development through rapid, iterative prototyping and the reuse of programming modules called objects and components.
Visual and object-oriented programming requires a completely different style of program design, construction, and testing.
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General Business Knowledge
The systems analysts are expected to immerse themselves in the business and be able to specify and defend technical solutions that address the bottom-line value returned to the business. Systems analysts should be able to communicate with business experts to gain knowledge of problems and needs. It is not uncommon for systems analysts to develop so much expertise over time they move out of information systems and into the user community.
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Problem-Solving Skills
The systems analyst must have the ability to take a large business problem, break that problem down into its component parts, analyze the various aspects of the problem, and then assemble an improved system to solve the problem. The systems analyst must learn to analyze problems in terms of causes and effects rather than in terms of simple remedies. The systems analyst must be well organized. System analysts must be able to creatively define alternative solutions to problems and needs.
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Interpersonal Communications Skills
The systems analyst must be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. The systems analyst should have a good command of the English language. Almost without exception, communications skills, not technical skills, prove to be the single biggest factor in career success or failure.
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Interpersonal Relations Skills
Systems work is people-oriented and systems analysts must be extroverted or people-oriented. Interpersonal skills help systems analysts work effectively with people. Interpersonal skills are also important because of the political nature of the systems analyst's job. The systems analyst's first responsibility is to the business, its management, and its workers. The systems analyst must mediate problems between team problems and achieve benefits for the business as a whole.
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Interpersonal Relations Skills
Systems analysts work in teams composed of IS professionals, end-users, and management. Being able to cooperate, to comprise, and to function as part of a team, is critical for success in most projects. Because development teams include people with dramatically different levels of education and experience, group dynamics is an important skill to develop.
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Flexibility and Adaptability
No two systems development projects encountered by a systems analyst are identical. There is no single, magical approach or solution applicable to systems development. Successful systems analysts learn to be flexible and adapt to special challenges or situations presented by specific systems development projects. The systems analyst must be able to recognize when variations upon (or single-instance exceptions to) development standards are necessary and beneficial to a particular project. The systems analyst must be aware of the implications of not following the standards.
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Character and Ethics
The nature of the systems analyst's job requires a strong character and sense of ethics. Ethics is a personal character trait in which an individual(s) understands the difference between right and wrong and acts accordingly. Systems analysts must be very careful not to share their organizations sensitive and secret information with others, either within or outside the organization. Systems analysts must be very careful not to tell sensitive and private data and information about customers, suppliers, employees with the wrong people.
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Character and Ethics
Systems analysts must not take (or sell) designs and programs they developed to another company. Systems analysts have a moral obligation to set a good example for end-users and management, especially in the area of software copyrights.
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Systems Analysis and Design Skills
All systems analysts need thorough and ongoing training in systems analysis and design. Systems analysis and design skills can be conveniently factored into three subsets: concepts and principles tools techniques
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The Next Generation
Career Prospects
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities for systems analysts are expected to increase much faster than the average for all professions; even more than for programmers. Depending on the economy, businesses will need between 173,000 and 264,000 new systems analysts by the year 2000 an increase of 24 to 37 percent since 1988. Systems analyst is ranked as the 12th fastest-growing occupation between now and the year 2000.
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The Next Generation
Career Prospects
Does a position as a systems analyst lead to any other careers? Some analysts leave the information systems field and actually join the user community. Some analysts become project managers, information systems managers, or move into technical specialties (such as database, telecommunications, microcomputers, and so forth). The opportunities are virtually limitless.
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The Next Generation
Predictions
A greater percentage of tomorrow's systems analysts will not work in the information systems department, but work directly for their end-users. A greater percentage of systems analysts will come from noncomputing backgrounds. Today's business and non-computing graduates are becoming more computer literate.
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Summary

Introduction Who Should Read This Book The Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver Customers, Partners and Expectations Preparing For a Career as a Systems Analyst The Next Generation
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The Modern Systems Analyst: The Chapter Will Address The Following Questions

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The chapter will address the following questions: