Enterprise Level Business System Analysis

Enterprise Level Business System Analysis

When performing an Enterprise Level Business System Analysis, the system analyst must address numerous areas. Analysts tend to make many errors in the early stages of the System Development Life Cycle (SLDC). However, by doing if careful planning in the early stages, it would eliminate problems later for the system analyst. This paper will described the information gathering methods; mapping methods used in analysis and documenting activities, and photo typing tools used in confirming requirements. The first stage in the SLDC is the information-gathering methods.

Information-Gathering Methods

Gathering information can be quite time consuming, and there is no standard operating procedure to gathering information because each system is unique. However, there are certain techniques a system analyst will use when gathering the information. They may use all of the information-gathering methods, or some of them, depending on the system requirements. Information-gathering methods include; document review, observations, interviews, focus groups, surveys/questionnaire, and Joint Application Design (JAD). Listed below are the information-gathering methods:

Document Review

This is a written document of both the current and historical data associate with the system. It is a good practice to look at the past and present performance on the system; it has little influence on the daily business activities. This process can take time to complete, with the known fact of not every activity is documented.

Observation

This method is the observation of both the users and the system. This is one of the more reliable methods in the information gathering because it allows the analyst to actively sit and watch how the system and users react to each other.

Interviews

This is a face-to-face technique, and is used to capture data from the employee as they may see it. This type of method takes longer and is time consuming. The questions asked are clear and concise to eliminate any misunderstanding by the system user.

Focus Groups

Focus Groups are a valuable method when it comes to information gathering. The participant within the focus groups is selected by the interaction with the system. Some of the participant in the focus groups has vital input about the system because they can give you an eyes view on how the systems work. The issue that are associated with system and they can give input on how the new system is developed. According to Grønkjær, Curtis, de Crespigny, and Delmar (2011), "Focus groups are well established as a legitimate data collection method within the qualitative research tradition" (p. 16).

Surveys/ Questionnaires

"Effectively written and analyzed questions can make requirements gathering a streamlined process", (Brugger, 2010). When putting together a survey or questionnaire, there are two types of questions to consider, one is the open-ended and the other is the closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow the participant to add any information they deemed necessary to the question being asked. Closed-ended questions are quick and constricted. It gives the participant limited amount of time to answer or elaborate. It consist of true and false, multiple choices, rating response scale, and ranking items from highest to lowest in relevance to the job.

Joint Application and Design (JAD)

JAD consist of a facilitator, transcriber to record the meeting and the main leaders, such as the stakeholders, project managers and management team all working together. This technique is time consuming but necessary. By holding JAD sessions it will reduces and/or eliminate problems associated with the new systems requirements.

Mapping Methods Used in Analysis and Documenting Activities

The mapping method used in analysis activities involves the visual display of flowcharts