Life Cycles, Standards and Best Practices - Hsa 315

LIFE CYCLES, STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES

HSA 315

AUGUST 25, 2012

I. Introduction

II. System development life cycle

III. Types and classification of health care information standards and specific organization

IV. Methods of accomplishing the security of information system

V. Best practices for effective IT alignment and strategic planning

VI. Conclusion

VII. References

INTRODUCTION

When you think of health care, what comes in mind? No doubt you think of information system. In this paper I will be discussed the life cycles, standards and best practices for effective IT alignment and strategic plan, the system development life circle, methods of accomplishing the security of information systems.

The System Development Life Cycle

The system development life cycle which is also commonly referred to as the Software development process is a term that is frequently used in software engineering, systems engineering and information systems. It is a term that is used to describe the process, stages, models and methodologies that are involved in coming up with an information system development project. The system development lifecycle as a concept encompasses several different kinds of software development methodologies. These different methodologies are the ones that end up forming the main skeletal framework that will be used in the main planning, and in controlling the development of an information system (Oz E., 2009, 415 -416 ).

Custom Applications and Proprietary Systems

Custom Software applications are also variously referred to as tailor made software or bespoke software. These are software that have been designed and developed for use by a specific group of customer for use within a company or organization as opposed to the use of off the shelf or packaged software which are often designed to meet the general needs of the mass market computer users.

Custom Applications are designed for use by large companies to fill the needs within the organization that packaged software cannot be able to satisfy relating to the company's internal processes. They are usually more expensive to produce as computer programming firms are forced to charge the company that the software is being produced for the full cost of designing and development of the application as opposed to packaged software whose cost can be distributed to the various customers who purchase it and hence resulting in lower purchasing costs.

Proprietary Systems

Proprietary Systems are computer software that have been copyrighted and licensed by the copyright holder. One cannot change or adapt them to suit their own specific needs through reverse engineering, modification or even further distribute the system. The system is wholly reliant upon software and equipment that have been licensed by the copyright holder who often provides the users with support. What the user can use the system to do is usually restricted by both certain blocks designed within the system to prevent certain activities from occurring and the terms and conditions of the license. In a nutshell, proprietary systems only allow people to use them but not change or fully modify them (Rexford K. and Giuliani P, 2004, 358).

The System Development Lifecycle pertaining to the Development of Custom Application and the Selection of Proprietary Systems

In the development of a custom application using the system development lifecycle model, the development of an application is usually dissected into several different subsequent steps. Each individual step is supposed to deliver results that will also act as the input for the subsequent step. This model of the system development lifecycle is commonly known as the waterfall model. Periodic tests can be carried out within each stage to ensure that the step is producing good quality output for use in the next step. In the event that there are any errors in any of the subsequent steps, and the system is not able to solve tasks satisfactorily, it will be necessary for the programmer to go back through the previous phases to the exact phase where the decision that has led to the current problem was made. As such, it can be a very expensive process trying to correct errors in the system.

The system development lifecycle can be outlined into six individual steps, these are;

Phase I - Project Planning and feasibility Study

During this step of the software development lifecycle, the existing system is developed by the developer and its current deficiencies are identified. The deficiencies are can normally be identified by conducting direct interviews with the persons who are in contact with the system on a daily basis and its current support personnel. This information helps the system developer to ascertain as to whether any proprietary system may be deployed or if the system desired will be adequate for the needs of the client. It also helps establish the cost effectiveness of the entire project (Wigand R., 2003).

Phase II - System Analysis or Requirements Definition Step

During this step, the demands for the intended system to be created are defined putting into consideration the perspectives of all the departments that will be involved in its use. During this phase, a requirements engineering assessment is carried out of the area in which the application system to be developed or the proprietary to be purchased, will be introduced for use. The demands that will be made on the new system are seen to evolve through the analysis that is made of the current system and the weak spots that were identified in the process (Wigand R., 2003).

Phase III - Conceptual System Design

In this phase, several conceptual alternatives that satisfy the needs of the intended system are produced. These are then presented to the users for them to choose the best option from among the options provided. The user studies and evaluates the different conceptual models and chooses the one that is most appealing and plausible. By doing this, the system developer avoids the imposition of any preconceived constraints on the proposed new system (Hall J., 2011, 183).