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Complete and Package the Systems Analysis Documentation

19 January, 2016 - 12:35

To complete the systems analysis, the project team must collect the products of the analysis and organize these products into the documentation required for subsequent development steps. Let’s talk about how each piece is packaged.

Table 6.9 Physical Requirements Used in Systems Selection
Data requirements Operations requirements Management requirements
  • Database size, growth, activity, access requirements, and update frequency
  • Event volume and expected growth, and sources (internal, external)
  • Peripherals, such as printers, scanners, or PCs
  • Communications (LANs, Internet, security requirements)
  • Backup and security
  • Output distribution, uses, media, and formats
  • Processing approaches (distributed, centralized)
  • Reliability (e.g., mean time between failure)
  • Response time requirements
 

The first analysis deliverable is the logical specification. This is used in systems selection to choose the appropriate software to be acquired from external sources. Or, if the software is developed in-house, it is used in structured systems design to design the software.

The second analysis deliverable is the physical requirements specification. These requirements are used in systems selection to acquire computer equipment for the new system. Table 6.9 summarizes typical physical requirements.

In addition to the physical requirements related to hardware, the physical requirements should include functional layouts of inquiry screens and reports. At this point, sample reports and screens are called functional layouts because they show the information elements that are needed without getting into all the details of the screen or report design.

Another deliverable, implicit at the conclusion of each systems development step, is the budget and schedule document.

  • The budget, estimated during the cost/benefit analysis, specifies the expected costs to complete the systems development.
  • Schedules control systems development efforts by setting limits on the time to be spent on development activities and by coordinating those activities.

The final step in completing and packaging the systems analysis documentation is to obtain approvals. As discussed earlier, signoffs may be obtained from users, information services, management, and internal audit. In addition, the controller may sign off to indicate that the cost/benefit analysis is reasonable.