Accounting information systems 11e romney steinbart chapter 18

C

HAPTER 18

Introduction to Systems
Development and Systems
Analysis

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INTRODUCTION
• Questions to be addressed in this chapter include:
– What are the phases in the systems development
life cycle?
– Who are the individuals involved in systems
development?
– What techniques are used to plan the
development of a system?
– How do you determine whether a particular
system is feasible?
– How do people respond to systems changes, and
how can dysfunctional behavior be minimized?

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INTRODUCTION
• As the environment, technology, and competition change, an
information system must continually undergo changes.
• These changes range from minor adjustments to major
overhauls.
• Occasionally, the old system is scrapped and replaced.

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INTRODUCTION
• Companies change their systems for a variety of
reasons:
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To respond to changes in user needs or business needs.
To take advantage of or respond to technology changes.
To accommodate improvements in their business process.
To gain a competitive advantage and/or lower costs.
To increase productivity.
To accommodate growth.
To accommodate downsizing or distribute decision making
To integrate incompatible systems.
To replace a system that is aged and unstable.

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INTRODUCTION
• Developing quality, error-free software is difficult,
expensive, and time-consuming.
• Projects tend to deliver less than expected and consume

more time and money.
• A KPMG survey found that 35% of all major information
systems projects were classified as runaways—
hopelessly incomplete and over budget.
– Major cause of runaways: Skimping on systems
development processes.

• Omitting basic systems development steps becomes
tempting but may lead to disaster as developers create
well-structured systems that fail to meet user needs or
solve business problems.
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INTRODUCTION
• This chapter discusses five topics:

– Systems development life cycle
– Planning activities during the systems
development life cycle
– Feasibility analysis
– Behavioral aspects of change
– Systems analysis

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• Whether systems changes are major or minor, most companies
go through a systems development life cycle.
• In this section, we discuss the steps in the cycle and the people
involved.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

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–
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–
–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design
Physical design
Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

–
–
–
–
–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design
Physical design

Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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Romney/Steinbart

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• As organizations grow and change, they may
need more or better information.
• Systems analysis is the first step. It includes:
– Initial investigation
 Involves gathering the information needed
to buy or develop a new system and
determining whether it is a priority.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• As organizations grow and change, they may
need more or better information.
• Systems analysis is the first step. It includes:
– Initial investigation
– Systems survey
 If the system is a priority, survey the
existing system to define the nature and
scope of the project and identify the
strengths and weaknesses of the system.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• As organizations grow and change, they may
need more or better information.
• Systems analysis is the first step. It includes:
– Initial investigation
– Systems survey
– Feasibility study
 Involves an in-depth study of the proposed
system to determine whether it’s feasible.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• As organizations grow and change, they may
need more or better information.
• Systems analysis is the first step. It includes:
–
–
–
–

Initial investigation
Systems survey
Feasibility study
Determination of information needs and system
requirements
 Involves finding out and documenting what
users and management need.
 This is the most important aspect of
systems analysis.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• As organizations grow and change, they may
need more or better information.
• Systems analysis is the first step. It includes:
–
–
–
–

Initial investigation
Systems survey
 Involves preparation of a report
Feasibility study summarizing the systems analysis work.
report is submitted
to the
information
Determination ofThis
information
needs and
system
systems steering committee.
requirements
– Delivery of systems requirements

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

–
–
–
–
–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design
Physical design
Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• In the conceptual design phase, the company
decides how to meet user needs.
• Tasks in this phase include:
– Identify and evaluate design alternatives
 Possibilities include:
 Buying software
 Developing in-house
 Outsourcing

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• In the conceptual design phase, the company
decides how to meet user needs.
• Tasks in this phase include:
– Identify and evaluate design alternatives
– Develop design specifications
 Involves writing up details of what the system is to

accomplish and how it is to be controlled and
developed.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• In the conceptual design phase, the company
decides how to meet user needs.
• Tasks in this phase include:
– Identify and evaluate design alternatives
– Develop design specifications
– Deliver conceptual design requirements
 These requirements will be forwarded to the
information systems steering committee.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

–
–
–
–
–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design
Physical design
Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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Romney/Steinbart

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• In the physical design phase, the broad, useroriented requirements of the conceptual design
are translated into detailed specifications that
can be used by programmers to code the
programs.

• Tasks include:
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Design outputs, database, and inputs
Develop programs
Develop procedures
Design controls
Deliver developed system
• Goes to information systems steering committee

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

–
–
–
–

–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design
Physical design
Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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Romney/Steinbart

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• This is the capstone phase during which everything
comes together.
• Tasks include:
– Develop an implementation and conversion plan.
• Needed because of the complexity and importance of this phase.

– Install any new hardware and software.
– Train personnel.
• New employees may need to be hired and trained or existing
employees relocated.

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Test the system and make any needed modifications.
Complete the documentation.
Convert from the old to the new system.
Deliver operational system.
• Send the final report to the IS steering committee.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• The five stages in the systems development life cycle are:

–
–
–
–
–

Systems analysis
Conceptual design

Physical design
Implementation and conversion
Operation and maintenance

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Romney/Steinbart

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• Once the system is up and running, operations
and monitoring continue.
• Tasks include:
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Fine-tune and do post-implementation review.
Operate the system.
Periodically, review and modify the system.
Do ongoing maintenance.
Deliver improved system.

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SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE
• Eventually, a major modification or system
replacement is necessary, and the systems
development life cycle (SDLC) will start over.
• In addition to the preceding five phases, three
activities are performed throughout the life cycle:
– Planning.
– Managing behavioral reactions to change.
– Assessing ongoing feasibility.

• These three activities will be discussed in this
chapter.
• Additionally, the first phase in the SDLC, systems
analysis, will be discussed in more detail.
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