1. Systems & Systems Analysis
Yale Braunstein
School of Information Management & Systems UC Berkeley

2. Working Definition of “System”
A system is a network of inter-related procedures joined together to perform an activity or accomplish an objective
(Note that the level of technology is NOT specified—there are low-tech systems as well as high tech systems)
(Also note that the “breadth” of the system is not specified. More on this later.)

3. So, what is a “procedure” ?
A procedure is the precise series of instructions that that explain:
What is to be done
Who will do it
When it will be done
How …
(Note the parallels to programming terminology)

4. Types of Systems
Open system: does not provide for its own control
Closed system: automatically controls or modifies it own operations
A recurring thought: It is important to look at how the system handles exceptions.

5. Functions of the Systems Analyst
Forms design & control
Procedure writing & procedure manual control
Records management
Report control
Office & workplace layout
Work simplification studies
(This is not an exhaustive list.)

6. SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES

7. What Is a Methodology? A formalized approach or series of steps
Examples
Process-Centered
Data-Centered
Object-Oriented

8. Waterfall Development Method
IS 208
28-Aug-18
Waterfall Development Method
Intro: Systems & Systems Analysis

9. More detail Define problem Outline system study
Obtain background information & understand interactions
Understand existing “system”
Define system requirements
Design new system / generate alternatives
Design system controls
Prepare cost comparisons
Sell system to management
Provide for implementation, follow-up, evaluation

10. Pros and Cons of the Waterfall Method
Identifies systems
requirements long
before programming
begins
Design must be
specified on paper
before programming
begins
Long time between
system proposal and
delivery of new
system

11. Alternatives to the SDLC
Parallel Development
Rapid Application Development (RAD)
Phased Development
Prototyping
Spiral Development
Packaged Systems

12. Parallel Development Method
IS 208
28-Aug-18
Parallel Development Method
Intro: Systems & Systems Analysis

13. Pros and Cons of Parallel Development
Reduces Scheduled
Time
Still Uses Paper
Documents
Less Chance of
Rework
Sub-projects May Be
Difficult to Integrate

14. Rapid Application Development
CASE tools
JAD sessions
Fourth generation/visualization programming languages
Code generators

15. Three RAD Categories Phased development A series of versions
Prototyping
System prototyping
Throw-away prototyping
Design prototyping

16. How Prototyping Works

17. Throwaway Prototyping

18. Criteria for Selecting the Appropriate Methodology
Clear user requirements
Familiar technology
Complexity
Reliability
Time schedule
Schedule visibility

19. How broad should the analysis be? What is the system being studied?
Look at one or more of five levels:
Entire firm, organization
One division
Departmental interaction
Functional areas within a department
A specific problem area within a function

20. The “sub-optimization” problem
Sub-optimal: what is best from the narrow point-of-view may not be best when other functions, divisions, etc., are taken into consideration.
Similar to “externalities” in economics
Examples:
Freight & passenger service using same routes
Internal & external networks
Carriers & content providers
“Sub-optimal” is different from “non-optimal”

21. “Black-box” models
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
External Environment

22. Sources
Text, Chapter 1
“History of Project Management”