MBI 630: Class 7 Requirements Statement and Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy 11/20/2018

Requirements Statement Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy Class 7: Requirements Statement and Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy Requirements Statement Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy Broadway Entertainment Co. Inc., Case Group Discussion (Handout) Prepare for Presentation of Business Requirements Statement (if time allows)

Business Requirements Statement A consolidation of all system models, discovery prototypes, and supporting documentation is sometimes called a requirements statement. All elements of the requirements statement are stored in the repository, but most systems analysts find it useful to keep a printed copy of that documentation for reference and reporting Finally, we finished all the diagrams of analysis phases; the analysis phase is now complete – or is it? It was once popular to freeze the business requirements prior to beginning the system design and construction phases. But today’s economy has become increasingly fast paced. Businesses are measured on their ability to adapt to rapidly changing requirements and opportunities. Information systems can be no less responsive. No, the analysis phase does not end with a bang. It quietly and efficiently transitions into the design phases. As new business requirements come up, they will be acknowledged and documented in the system models and repository. But they will also be carefully assessed to determine their impact on scope, schedule, and budget. System owners, when promptly supplied with new information, will ultimately decide whether the new requirements are mandatory, desirable, or optional; and then make the decision on their inclusion.

Sample Outline for a Presentation/Written Report Introduction (Executive Summary) Background (Problem Statements) System Description (Requirements and alternative strategies to design/implement the requirements) Feasibility Study Proposed design phase plan and schedule Appendix (Diagrams) The abstract or executive summary is a one- or two-page summary of the entire report. The introduction should include four components: purpose of the report, statement of the problem, scope of the project, and a narrative explanation of the contents of the report. The bulk of the report will be in the facts section. This section should be named to describe the type of factual data to be presented (e.g., “Background,” “Analysis of Alternative Solutions,” or “Proposed design phase plan”).

Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy Generate a comprehensive set of alternative design strategies -- Candidate Systems Matrix Select the one design strategy that is most likely to result in the desired information system – Feasibility Matrix Best to generate three alternatives Low-end Provides most required functionality users demand with a system that is minimally different from the current system High-end Solves problem in question and provides many extra features users desire Midrange Compromise of features of high-end alternative with frugality of low-end alternative Sources of Software Hardware manufacturers Packaged software producers Custom software producers Enterprise solution software Application Service Providers In-house development