System Life Cycle and Project Selection

A set of flashcards covering project selection objectives, information gathering strategies, committee types, and feasibility testing methods in systems analysis.

Project Selection

The process of determining whether a request is valid and feasible before deciding to do nothing, improve or modify an existing system, or build a new one.

User’s Request Form

A document used to initiate projects that specifies the requester's identity, nature of work, problem definition, job objectives, and expected benefits.

Data Analysis Approach

A strategy for determining information requirements that asks the user what information is currently received and what other information is required based on existing reports.

Decision Analysis Method

An approach where information needs are clearly linked to decision-making and organizational objectives.

Prototyping

Used when the user cannot establish information needs accurately before the system is built, allowing focus on real-life systems that can be adjusted.

Iterative Discovery Approach

A process involving capturing initial information requirements, building a system to meet them, and adjusting based on user experience and additional requests.

Steering Committee

A group typically consisting of $7$ to $10$ members from upper management, departmental managers, technical managers, and the IS group that supervises project proposal reviews.

Information System Committee Method

A method where requests for service and development are submitted directly to a review committee within the information systems department, often used for routine maintenance.

User-Group Committee Method

A selection method where the responsibility for project decisions is delegated to the user department, which may hire its own analysts and designers.

Preliminary Investigation

A study carried out by systems analysts to clarify the project request, determine project size, assess costs and benefits, and determine feasibility.

Operational Feasibility

A feasibility test that asks if the system will work when it is developed and installed, focusing on management support and user acceptance.

Technical Feasibility

An assessment of whether the necessary technology exists and if the proposed equipment has the capacity to hold data and provide adequate responses to inquiries.

Financial and Economic Feasibility

The estimation of the cost to conduct a full investigation, the cost of hardware and software, and the cost if nothing changes in the system.