Systems Analysis & Design
5 Edition
th
Chapter 3
Requirements Modeling
Phase Description
Systems analysis is the second of
five phases in the systems
development life cycle (SDLC)
Uses requirements modeling and
enterprise modeling to represent
the new system
Before proceeding to the next
phase, systems design, you will
consider system development
strategies
2
Chapter Objectives
Describe systems analysis phase
activities and the end product of the
systems analysis phase
Understand joint application
development (JAD) and rapid
application development (RAD)
Explain how systems analysts use a
functional decomposition diagram
(FDD)
Describe the Unified Modeling
Language (UML) and explain use case
diagrams and sequence diagrams
3
Chapter Objectives
List and describe system
requirements, including outputs,
inputs, processes, performance, and
controls
Explain the importance of scalability
in system design
Use fact-finding techniques,
including interviews, documentation
review, observation, questionnaires,
sampling, and research
4
Chapter Objectives
Define total cost of ownership
(TCO) and explain the concept
Conduct a successful interview
Develop effective documentation
methods to use during systems
development
Introduction
This chapter describes requirements
modeling techniques and team-based
methods that systems analysts use to
visualize and document new systems
The chapter then discusses system
requirements and fact-finding
techniques, which include
interviewing, documentation review,
observation, surveys and
questionnaires, sampling, and
research
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Systems Analysis Phase
Overview
Uses models and
other
documentation
tools to visualize
and describe the
proposed system
The deliverable
is a system
requirements
document
Figure 3-2
Systems Analysis Phase
Overview
Systems Analysis Skills
Analytical skills
Interpersonal skills
Team-Oriented Methods and
Techniques
Joint application development (JAD)
Rapid application development
(RAD)
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Joint Application Development
User Involvement
Users have a vital stake in an
information system and they should
participate fully
Successful systems must be useroriented and users need to be
involved
Joint Application Development
JAD Participants and Roles
Figure 3-4
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Joint Application Development
Figure 3-5
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Joint Application Development
JAD Advantages and Disadvantages
More expensive and can be cumbersome
Allows key users to participate effectively
When properly used, JAD can result in a
more accurate statement of system
requirements, a better understanding of
common goals, and a stronger
commitment to the success of the new
system.
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Rapid Application Development
Is a team-based technique that
speeds up information systems
development and produces a
functioning information system
Relies heavily on prototyping and
user involvement
Project team uses CASE tools to
build the prototypes and create a
continuous stream of
documentation
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Rapid Application Development
RAD Phases and Activities
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Figure 3-7
Rapid Application Development
RAD Objectives
To cut development time and expense
by involving the users in every phase
of systems development
Successful RAD team must have IT
resources, skills, and management
support
Helps a development team design a
system that requires a highly
interactive or complex user interface
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Rapid Application Development
RAD Advantages and Disadvantages
Systems can be developed more
quickly with significant cost savings
RAD stresses the mechanics of the
system itself and does not emphasize
the companys strategic business
needs
Might allow less time to develop
quality, consistency, and design
standards
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Modeling Tools and Techniques
CASE Tools
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Figure 3-8
Modeling Tools and Techniques
Functional Decomposition
Diagrams
A top-down representation of
business functions and processes
Also called structure charts
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Modeling Tools and Techniques
Functional Decomposition
Diagrams
Figure 3-9
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Modeling Tools and Techniques
Unified Modeling Language
A widely used method of visualizing
and documenting software systems
design
provides various graphical tools and
techniques, such as use case
diagrams and sequence diagrams
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Modeling Tools and Techniques
Unified Modeling Language
Figure 310
21
Modeling Tools and Techniques
Unified Modeling Language
Figure 311
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Modeling Tools and Techniques
Unified Modeling Language
Sequence Diagram
Figure 313
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System Requirements Checklist
System requirement
Five general categories
Outputs
Inputs
Processes
Performance
Controls
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Future Growth, Costs, and
Benefits
Scalability
A scalable system offers a better
return on the initial investment
To evaluate, you need information
about projected future volume for
all outputs, inputs, and processes
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Future Growth, Costs, and
Benefits
Total Cost of Ownership
In addition to direct costs, systems
developers must identify and
document indirect expenses that
contribute to the total cost of
ownership (TCO)
Microsoft has developed a method
for measuring total costs and
benefits, called Rapid Economic
Justification (REJ)
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Fact-Finding
Overview
Although software can help you to
gather and analyze facts, no
program actually performs factfinding for you
The first step is to identify the
information you need
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Fact-Finding
Who, What, Where, When, How,
and Why?
Figure 315
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Fact-Finding
The Zachman Framework
A model that asks the traditional
fact-finding questions in a systems
development context
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Fact-Finding
Figure 316
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Interviews
Systems analysts spend a great
deal of time talking with people
Much of that time is spent
conducting interviews
Consists of 7 steps
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Interview
Step 1: Determine the People to
Interview
Informal structures
Step 2: Establish Objectives
Determine the general areas to be
discussed
List the facts you want to gather
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Interviews
Step 3: Develop Interview
Questions
Creating a standard list of interview
questions helps to keep you on track
and avoid unnecessary tangents
Avoid leading questions
Open-ended questions
Closed-ended questions
Range-of-response questions
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Interviews
Step 4: Prepare for the Interview
Careful preparation is essential
because an important meeting and
not just a casual chat
Limit the interview to no more than
one hour
Send a list of topics
Ask the interviewee to have
samples available
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Interviews
Figure 318
35
Interviews
Figure 319
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Interviews
Step 5: Conduct the Interview
Develop a specific plan for the meeting
Begin with good introduction
Use engaged listening
Allow the person enough time to think
about the question
Summarize main points
After interview, summarize the session
and seek a confirmation
37
Interviews
Step 6: Document the Interview
During the interview, note taking
should be kept to a minimum
After the interview, record the
information quickly
After the interview, send memo
expressing appreciation, including
the main points discussed so the
interviewee has a written summary
and can offer additions or
corrections
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Interviews
Step 7: Evaluate the Interview
In addition to recording the facts
obtained in an interview, try to
identify any possible biases
Unsuccessful Interviews
No matter how well you prepare for
interviews, some are not successful
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Document Review
Observation
Seeing the system in action gives
you additional perspective and a
better understanding of the system
procedures
Plan you observations in advance
Hawthorne Effect
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Questionnaires and Surveys
Keep the questionnaire brief and
user-friendly
Provide clear instructions that will
answer all anticipated questions
Arrange the questions in a logical
order, going from simple to more
complex topics
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Questionnaires and Surveys
Phrase questions to avoid
misunderstandings; use simple
terms and wording
Try not to lead the response or use
questions that give clues to
expected answers
Limit the use of open-ended
questions that are difficult to
tabulate
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Questionnaires and Surveys
Limit the use of questions that can
raise concerns about job security or
other negative issues
Include a section at the end of the
questionnaire for general comments
Test the questionnaire whenever
possible on a small test group before
finalizing it and distributing to a
large group
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Sampling
Systematic sample
Stratified sample
Random sample
Main objective of a sample is to
ensure that it represents the overall
population accurately
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Research
Newsgroups
Site visit
Figure 323
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Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Interviews versus Questionnaires
When you seek input from a large group
questionnaire is a very useful tool
If you require detailed information from
only a few people, then you probably
should interview each person
Interview is more familiar and personal
Questionnaire gives many people the
opportunity to provide input and
suggestions
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Documentation
The Need for Recording the Facts
Record information as soon as you
obtain it
Use the simplest recording method
Record your findings in such a way
that they can be understood by
someone else
Organize your documentation
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Documentation
Software Tools
CASE tools
Word
processing
Spreadsheets
Databases
Figure 324
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Documentation
Software Tools
Presentation graphics
Personal information managers
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Preview of Enterprise Modeling
At the conclusion of requirements
modeling, systems developers
should have clear understanding
of business processes and system
requirements
The next step is to model the
logical design of the system
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Chapter Summary
The systems analysis phase
includes three activities
The main objective is to
understand the proposed project
and build a solid foundation for the
systems design phase
The fact-finding process includes
interviewing, document review,
observation, questionnaires,
sampling, and research.
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Chapter Summary
Systems analysts should carefully
record and document factual
information as it is collected, and
various software tools can help an
analyst visualize and describe an
information system
Chapter 3 Complete
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