Systems Analysis and Design - Planning Phase

Vocabulary flashcards for the planning phase of systems analysis and design.

Planning Phase

The phase in systems development life cycle involving project initiation, feasibility/risk study, and scheduling/management.

System Request

A document that describes the reasons for and the value added from building a new system.

Project Sponsor

The primary point of contact for the project; believes in the system and has authority to move it forward.

Business Need

The reason prompting the project.

Business Requirements

What the system will do.

Business Value

How the organization will benefit from the project.

Special Issues

Anything else that should be considered for the project.

Feasibility Analysis

An assessment of the project's technical, economic, and organizational feasibility.

Technical Feasibility

Can we build it? Assesses risks related to familiarity with the business area, technology, project size and compatibility.

Economic Feasibility

Should we build it? Involves cost-benefit analysis, determining cash flow, NPV, ROI and break-even point.

Organizational Feasibility

Will they use it? Assesses Stakeholders and if the project is strategically aligned with the business

Tangible Value

Can be quantified and measured directly (e.g. 2 percent reduction in operating costs).

Intangible Value

Adds value & saves time, but we may not be able to quantify or measure its benefits (e.g. improved customer service).

Business Process Automation (BPA)

Using IT to do some of the work leaving the basic way in which the organization operates unchanged.

Business Process Improvement (BPI)

Making moderate changes to the way in which the organization operates to take advantage of new opportunities offered by technology.

Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

Changing the fundamental way in which the organization operates, making major changes to take advantage of new ideas and new technology.

Project Management

The process of planning and controlling system development within a specified time at a minimum cost with the right functionality

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A hierarchy of tasks to identify duration, current status and task dependencies

Gantt Chart

A horizontal bar chart that shows the WBS

Network Diagrams

PERT and CPM

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

A graphical model of a project’s schedule, showing the sequence of tasks, also identifying those tasks which can be performed in parallel, and the critical path of tasks

Critical Path

Shows all of the tasks that must be completed on schedule for the project as a whole to finish on schedule

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Allows the identification of the critical path in the network, the longest path from project inception to completion

Scope Creep

Results from adding new requirements to the project and can have a deleterious effect on the schedule