Who is Systems Analyst? A systems analyst is a person who conducts a study, identifies activities and objectives and determines a procedure to achieve the objectives. Designing and implementing systems to suit organizational needs are the functions of the systems analyst He plays a major role in seeing business benefit from computer technology. The analyst is a person with unique skills. He uses these skills to coordinate the efforts of different type of persons in an organisation to achieve business goals. What a Systems Analyst does? A system analyst carries out the following job: The First and perhaps most difficult task of systems analyst is problem definition. Business problems are quite difficult to define. It is also true that problems cannot be solved until they are precisely and clearly defined. Initially a systems analyst does not know how to solve a specific problem. He must consult with managers, users and Continue reading
Systems Management
Feasibility Analysis in System Development Process
Most organizations find it beneficial to use a set of steps, called a system development methodology, to develop and support their information system. Like many processes, the development of information system often follows a life cycle. The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a common methodology for system development in many organizations, featuring various phases that mark the progress of the system analysis and design effort. Read More : System Development Life Cycle Analysis is the third phase of Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). During this phase, the analysis has several sub-phases which can be discussed as given below; The first is requirements determination. In this sub-phase, analysts work with users to determine the expectations of users from the proposed system. This sub-phase usually involves a careful study of current systems, manual or computerized that might be replaced or enhanced as part of this project. Next, the requirements are studied Continue reading
System – Concept, Meaning, Definition and Characteristics
Scholars in various disciplines who are concerned about the tendency toward the fragmentation of knowledge and the increasing complexity of phenomena have sought a unifying approach to knowledge. Luduring von Bertalanlfy, a biologist, developed a general systems thereby that applied to any arrangement of elements such as cells, people, societies or even planets. Norbert Wiener, a mathematician observed that information and communications provides connecting links for unifying fragments or elements, His systems concept of information theory, which shows the parallel between the functioning of human beings and electronic systems, laid the foundation for today’s computer systems. Herbert A. Simon, a political scientist, related the systems concept to the study of organizations by viewing an ongoing system as a processor of information for making decisions. Systems analysis and information systems were founded in general systems theory, which emphasizes a close look at all parts of a system. Too often analysts focus Continue reading
The Focus of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) on the Current Issues in Business
The existing system in the organization is totally reexamined and radically modified for incorporating the latest technology. This process of change for the betterment of the organization is called as Business process reengineering. With Business process being reengineered, the organizations have to change the workflow and business procedures for efficiency in the organization. Latest software are used and accordingly the business procedures are modified, so that documents are worked upon more easily and efficiently. This is called as workflow management. Business process reengineering is a major innovation changing the way organizations conduct their business. Such changes are often necessary for profitability or even survival. BPR is employed when major IT projects such as ERP are undertaken. Reengineering involves changes in structure, organizational culture and processes. Many concepts of BPR changes organizational structure. Team based organization, mass customization, empowerment and telecommuting are some of the examples. The support system in any Continue reading
Management Information System Growth Stages
It is pertinent to realize the importance of growth of MIS in stages in order to encounter increasing complexity of business processes and changing scenario of management. MIS development evolves from EDP systems. The EDP systems have rudimentary technology to handle clerical and supervisory operations in an organisation. This is initiation stage. The advantages of computerization are gradually realized by most of the people in an organisation. This realization leads to proliferation of computer, networking technologies and computer based system applications within an organisation. This is contagious stage. Next stage is typified by planning and control. As demand for computerization increases, a need is realized for cost-benefit analysis. This is imperative to plan for future MIS in a cost effective manner. Next stage of MIS development is integration of subsystems. This comes with realization of interdependence of inflow of data from various sources for valid information. Management plans to leverage Continue reading
Components of an Information System
A system is a set of components (subsystems) that operate together to achieve certain objectives. The objectives of a system are realized in its outputs. An information system is a system that accepts data resources as input and processes them into information products as output. An information system depends on the resources of people (end users and IS specialists), hardware (machines and media), software (programs and procedures), data (data and knowledge basis), and networks (communications media and network support) to perform input, processing, output, storage, and control activities that convert data resources into information products. This information system model highlights the relationships among the components and activities of information systems. It provides a framework that emphasizes four major concepts that can be applied to all types of information systems: People, hardware, software, data, and networks are the five basic resources of information systems. People resources include end users and IS Continue reading