7. List and describe five techniques used in requirements collection.
Systems analysts use a variety of techniques for collecting system requirements, including the following (Hoffer et al., 2011):
•Interviews—Analysts interview people informed about the operation and issues of the current or proposed system.
•Questionnaires—Analysts design and administer surveys to gather opinions from people informed about the operation and issues of the current or proposed system.
•Observations—Analysts observe workers at selected times to see how data are handled and what information people need to do their jobs.
•Document Analysis-Analysts study business documents to discover issues, policies, and rules as well as concrete examples of the use of data and information in the organization.
•Joint Application Design—Joint application design (JAD) is a group meeting–based process for requirements collection. During this meeting, the users jointly define and agree on system requirements or designs. This process can result in dramatic reductions in the length of time needed to collect requirements or specify designs.
Week 12/ Chapters 8 & 9 17
5. Define a proxy variable and give an example.
A proxy variable is an alternative measurement of outcomes, used when it is difficult to determine and measure direct effects. Proxy variables can be used to measure changes in terms of their perceived value to the organization. For example, if mundane administrative tasks are seen as a low value (perhaps a 1 on a 5-point scale) but direct contact with customers is seen as a high value (a rating of 5), you can use these perceptions to indicate how new systems will add value to the organization.
In this example, you can show that a new system will allow personnel to have more contact with customers while at the same time reducing the administrative workload. Senior managers can quickly see that individual workload is being shifted from low-value to high-value activities.
6.What are the five phases of the systems development life cycle (SDLC)?
The SDLC has five primary phases:
1.Systems planning and selection
2.Systems analysis
3.Systems design
4.Systems implementation and operation
5.Systems maintenance
Review
Questions