Lecture 4 - IT and System Analyst

ISIT204 e-Business Principles Lecture #4: IT and System Analyst

Reading Guideline

  • eCommerce: A Stakeholder Approach - Chapter 6 & 7

Introduction to IT Professionals

Who is the IT Professional?

  • Broad category involving various careers within Information Technology.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Design, develop, implement, and maintain hardware, software, networks, and protocols.

  • Specializations:

    • Network admins, systems admins, database admins, software engineers, information architects, data modelers, graphic designers, system analysts, security specialists, and technical support.

  • Dual role as technical expert and business collaborator.

Major Contexts for Web-Enabled E-Commerce

  • Building, hosting, connecting, and securing websites.

Balancing Technology Factors

  • Efficiency vs. Flexibility

    • Automation: Minimizes human intervention.

    • Configurability: User customization options.

  • Modularity vs. Integration

    • Modular: Components operate independently.

    • Integration: Components work closely within a system.

    • Example: WordPress and plugins.

  • Open vs. Closed Systems

    • Open systems enhance information flow; closed systems offer security.

E-Commerce System Development

Building an E-Commerce System

  • Key Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript.

    • HTML: Structure and content of web pages.

      • Example: HTML 5 is the latest standard, released in 2014.

    • CSS: Design and style, controls aesthetics like margins, fonts, colors.

    • JavaScript: Adds interactivity and dynamic behaviors on web pages.

Back-End Development

  • Involves server-side scripting.

  • Languages used:

    • PHP (78.9%), ASP.NET (11.8%), Java (4.0%), Ruby (2.4%).

  • Libraries and Frameworks

    • Provide code collections for common functions.

    • Libraries: Pre-written code.

    • Frameworks: Generic code supporting common functions (e.g., Ruby on Rails, Django).

Hosting a Website

  • Various options:

    • Free hosting (with possible transaction fees).

    • Shared (3-20/month), Virtual Private (25-100/month), Dedicated ($75-250/month), DIY (varies).

  • Web hosting involves selecting a web server and environment (e.g., LAMP stack).

  • Cloud Hosting: Pay-per-use resources; scalable as needed.

Connecting a Website to the Internet

Domain Names and IP Addresses

  • Every website must have an IP address; domain names simplify access.

  • Structure of a domain:

    • Top-Level Domain (TLD), Second-Level Domain, Third-Level Domain.

  • DNS: Hierarchical network for mapping domain names to IP addresses.

  • Types of Top-Level Domains: Country codes, unrestricted, and restricted domains.

Security in Information Systems

Key Security Goals

  1. Confidentiality: Protect sensitive information.

    • Use of encryption and access control.

  2. Integrity: Data must remain consistent and accurate.

    • Issues like SQL injection can affect integrity.

  3. Availability: Information must be accessible when needed.

    • Address risks like DoS attacks.

The System Analyst

Role of the System Analyst

  • Acts as a mediator between business and technology needs.

  • Analyzes current systems and designs solutions for business problems.

  • Focus on understanding stakeholder needs.

Project Scope and Change Management

  • Scope defines the extent of changes needed.

    • E-commerce initiatives can involve major overhauls or minor adjustments.

  • Methodologies: Define best practices for project execution (e.g., SDLC).

    • Waterfall vs. Agile methods.

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

  1. Planning: Identify problems and initiate projects.

  2. Analysis: Gather requirements from stakeholders.

  3. Design: Specify technical aspects and requirements.

  4. Implementation: Transform designs into a physical system.

  5. Maintenance: Ongoing support and assessment of the system.

Key Factors in SDLC

  • Evaluation criteria for project feasibility: size, resources, and technical complexity.

  • Change requests arise post-implementation, requiring careful management to avoid scope creep.

Conclusion

  • Understanding the roles of IT Professionals and System Analysts is crucial for successful e-commerce and project management.

  • Continuous assessment, security management, and clarity in scope are essential throughout the development lifecycle.