When you start a system analysis is with a purpose to figure out what the business needs, for example, what kind of machine or software you are going to use in that system. Therefore an important step before and during the study of the business case is the importance of the preliminary investigation which typically includes:
- Understand the problem
- Define the project scope
- Perform fact-finding (Analyze organizational chart, conduct interview, observe operations, conduct surveys)
- Evaluate
- Estimate the project (Cost/Time)
- Present results and recommendations.
Steps in a preliminary investigation
As a part of the recommendations to improve, the project manager or the responsible committee needs to analyze not just how complex is going to be the system to improve and resolve problems, but how the human factor will accept those changes. IT departments should consider the impact of those changes in every department as well in other parts of the country and in some circumstances around the world.
According with Edward J. Szewczak (a professor and Chair of the MCIS Department at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and hold a Ph.D. in MIS) during the business case the human factor may be overlook the following categories involved:
- Work environment (physical demands, skill demands, risk demands, time demands)
- Psychosocial environment (social and cultural style).
- Ergonomic environment (hardware design, anthropometrics and biomechanics).
- Enhancing certain desirable human values at work by enhancing safety, increasing comfort level of using technology, decreasing stress.
Last month in my job I collaborated updating a new system that will help to keep updated the LDS Church public affairs directors around the world. The system was created quickly by the ICS department but we faced some problems in collecting the information for the system. The work environment was not the perfect one. The time demanded was so much. The deadline for the project was a short time so there was not time for the article’s approvals either for another approvals procedure from different church department (for example for the use of video and pictures) Another situation to consider is that computer skill might affect user around the world searching information in the system. Another thing to resolve is the language and some articles need might not help in some countries.
As a result what I learn from this experience is that preliminary investigation has important role because it helps to realize the appropriate time to develop the system and evaluate some problems or risks then those can be avoided or resolved in appropriated time and manners. I think that system analysis design is a difficult tasks because there is not perfect system for everybody, there is so many interest involved and in some case tent to be very highly political.
Bibliography
Rosenblant, S. C. (2008). Systems Analysis and Design . Boston: Thomson.
Szewczak, E. J. (2002). Human Factors in Information Systems. Hershey PA 17033-1117: IRM Press.
