Systems Analysis and Design Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering Modules 12, 13, and 14 for Systems Analysis and Design (SAD), including project specification, requirements determination, business process improvement approaches, problem identification frameworks, candidate solutions, and feasibility assessments.

Preliminary Investigation

The initial step in the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) conducted by a systems analyst to evaluate the current system, identify problems, determine project feasibility, and recommend whether to proceed.

Purpose of a Project

A clear statement that explains why a project is being undertaken, identifying the specific problem or opportunity to be addressed and guiding all decision-making.

Project Scope

The defined boundaries of a project that specify exactly what work, objectives, resources, and deliverables are included and excluded.

Scope Creep

The uncontrolled addition of extra tasks or features to a project beyond its original boundaries, leading to delay and budget overruns.

Data Gathering

The process of collecting information about an existing system and user requirements using methods such as interviews, questionnaires, observation, document analysis, and research.

Interview (Data Gathering)

A face-to-face data collection method in which an analyst asks users direct and follow-up questions to obtain rich, detailed information.

Questionnaire

A data collection method in which users answer written questions, enabling efficient, low-cost information gathering from many respondents.

Observation (Data Gathering)

A data collection method in which an analyst directly watches users perform daily operational tasks to reveal actual workflow and hidden issues.

Document Analysis

A data collection method involving the review of existing forms, reports, registers, receipts, and invoices to understand current organizational procedures.

Research (Data Gathering)

Gathering background information and industry best practices from books, internet resources, company archives, and past projects.

High-Level Investigation (Level 1)

The broadest level of preliminary investigation that provides a general system overview, identifying major issues, primary processes, main users, and core requirements.

Detailed Investigation (Level 2)

An in-depth investigation level focusing on detailed workflows, data flows, user responsibilities, and specific causes of operational problems.

Full Systems Analysis (Level 3)

A comprehensive analysis stage conducted when an organization plans to build a totally new system or undertake major system modifications.

Business Process Automation (BPA)

Applying technology to execute existing manual tasks faster and with fewer errors without significantly altering the underlying business process.

Business Process Improvement (BPI)

Making incremental changes to an existing process to optimize efficiency, quality, speed, or cost without completely redesigning it.

Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)

The radical redesign and complete transformation of existing business processes from scratch to achieve dramatic performance gains.

PIECES Framework

A diagnostic framework used to categorize and analyze problems in an information system under Performance, Information, Economics, Control, Efficiency, and Services.

Problem Analysis

The detailed study of a known issue to establish what is occurring, where it happens, who is affected, when it occurs, and its overall organizational impact.

Root Cause Analysis

An analytical technique used to uncover the underlying fundamental reason a problem exists rather than merely addressing surface symptoms.

Duration Analysis

An analysis technique that measures the time taken by each step in a business process to locate bottlenecks and reduce total processing duration.

Activity-Based Costing (ABC)

A costing methodology that assigns specific expenses to each individual activity performed within a business process.

Informal Benchmarking

The process of comparing an organization's systems, processes, or performance metrics with those of high-performing peers or industry standards.

Internal Benchmarking

A benchmarking practice where processes or operational units within the same organization are evaluated against one another.

External Benchmarking

A benchmarking practice comparing an organization's performance or systems against an independent outside organization.

Best-Practice Benchmarking

Studying peer organizations that demonstrate exceptional excellence in a specific operation to adopt their methods.

Innovative Technology

Modern or advanced technologies—such as AI, cloud computing, IoT, mobile apps, biometrics, and robotics—that deliver enhanced efficiency over conventional methods.

Outcome Analysis

An innovation technique that analyzes the final deliverables or outcomes of a process to evaluate if technology can improve product or service quality.

Technology Analysis

The practice of continuously monitoring emerging software and hardware solutions to evaluate if they can replace legacy systems.

Activity Elimination

A process-simplification strategy that identifies and removes steps that add no value, such as redundant approvals or duplicate data entry.

Candidate Solution

A potential technical or organizational system proposal developed to address an identified business problem.

Technical Feasibility

The assessment of whether an organization possesses or can acquire the hardware, software, network capacity, and technical expertise needed to support a system.

Economic Feasibility

The assessment of whether a project is financially practical, within budget, and capable of generating benefits that exceed costs.

Operational Feasibility

The assessment of how well a proposed system will fit into daily operations and whether managers and end users will adopt it.

Schedule Feasibility

The assessment of whether a project can be completed within required deadlines and timeframe constraints.

Project Feasibility Assessment

A formal evaluation conducted prior to system development to verify if a project is achievable, cost-effective, and aligned with organizational objectives.

Request for Information (RFI)

An exploratory document sent to suppliers early in planning to gather market information regarding available products, technologies, and services without pricing or purchasing commitments.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

A formal procurement document sent to suppliers after requirements are specified, requesting complete proposals including technical plans, timelines, support services, and pricing.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A metric evaluating financial gain relative to cost, calculated using $\text{ROI} = \frac{\text{Benefits} - \text{Costs}}{\text{Costs}} \times 100\%$ or $\text{ROI} = \frac{\text{Net Benefit}}{\text{Total Cost}} \times 100\%$.

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

A quantitative technique comparing total implementation and maintenance costs of a project against its expected quantitative and qualitative benefits.

Development Costs

One-time upfront capital costs incurred during system creation, including hardware purchases, software development, installation, testing, and initial staff training.

Operational Costs

Recurring expenses required to keep a system running post-implementation, such as licensing fees, technical support, maintenance, utility costs, and backups.

Tangible Costs and Benefits

Project expenses and financial returns that can be directly measured and quantified in monetary terms, such as hardware costs or reduced labor spending.

Intangible Costs and Benefits

Project impacts that are difficult to assign a direct financial monetary value to, such as customer satisfaction, brand reputation, or user resistance.

Cash Flow

The tracking of funds moving into a project as financial benefits (cash inflows) and out of a project as expenses (cash outflows) across time.

Net Present Value (NPV)

The calculated difference between discounted future financial benefits and current costs, expressed as $\text{NPV} = \text{Present Value of Benefits} - \text{Present Value of Costs}$.

Break-Even Point

The time threshold at which accumulated project benefits equal accumulated project costs, marking the transition into positive financial profit.