Systems Life Cycle: Analysis
The first stage is finding out about the current system. There are many ways to do this and usually more than one method is used:
- Observation
- Characteristics: watching users interact with the system
- Uses: understanding how users interact with the current system
- Advantages: provides first-hand, unbiased information
- Disadvantages: can be time-consuming, may not reveal all issues
- Interviews
- Characteristics: structured or unstructured conversations with users
- Uses: gathering detailed information about user experiences
- Advantages: allows for in-depth exploration of issues
- Disadvantages: may be influenced by interviewee bias, time-consuming
- Questionnaires
- Characteristics: structured surveys with predetermined questions
- Uses: collecting data from a large number of users
- Advantages: allows for quantitative analysis, efficient data collection
- Disadvantages: limited by predetermined questions, may suffer from low response rates
- Examination of existing documents
- Characteristics: reviewing system documentation, user guides, or reports
- Uses: understanding the current system's design and any known issues
- Advantages: provides insights into the system's history, can reveal previously unknown issues
- Disadvantages: may be outdated or incomplete, time-consuming
Identifying Key Aspects of the Current System
- Inputs: data or information entered into the system
- Outputs: data or information generated by the system
- Processing: tasks performed by the system on the inputs to produce the outputs
- Problems: issues that users face with the current system
- User requirements: what users need from the new system
- Information requirements: data or information the new system must process
Hardware and Software Selection
- Identify suitable hardware
- Consider system requirements, compatibility, and cost
- Justify choices based on user needs and system performance
- Identify suitable software
- Consider functionality, compatibility, and ease of use
- Justify choices based on user requirements and system efficiency
Exam Tip
- When justifying hardware and software choices, make sure to link your decisions to the user and information requirements for the new system. This demonstrates your understanding of the analysis stage of the Systems Life Cycle
Worked example
A small company makes toys and then delivers them to shops.
Throughout the day orders are received by the company from its customers. The office workers in the finance department create and store an invoice for each order. They are too busy to be disturbed by their work.
Delivery drivers receive copies of the invoices which they will pass on to their customers. The drivers make a large number of deliveries per day and do not return to the office.
A systems analyst will research the current system and suggest improvements to be made.
For each type of employee identified above, describe the most suitable method of collecting information from them, giving a reason for your choice.
[4]
Office workers:
Observation of the processes taking place [1]
Looking at existing paperwork [1]
Reason:
1 of:
Enables the systems analyst to see the whole system [1]
There are too many workers to interview them all [1]
Questionnaires/interviews would stop them from working on their tasks [1]
Can see how the files are stored/processes undertaken [1]
It allows information to be obtained that cannot be obtained in other ways [1]
enables necessary storage, and computer equipment to be identified [1]
If they are observed, then they may change the way they work [1]
They are too busy to be interviewed [1]
Delivery drivers:
Questionnaires could be handed out [1]
Reason:
1 of:
They can complete them in their own time/at their leisure [1]
Questionnaires tend to be more accurate [1]
The data can be collated more quickly as everyone can complete at the [1]
same time rather than interviewing which is one after the other [1]
Individuals remain anonymous therefore they will be more truthful/reliable [1]
Easier to analyse [1]
