Instructions

Often, the first step in systems analysis is to evaluate an existing information system. This system may already be automated and in need of an upgrade, or it may be a paper-based system. Your analysis will help you to determine the best course of action.

Once you decide upon a project, you can start planning your course of action. You already know that good plans will help stay on schedule and on budget. It is also important to make sure your project stays within scope. A phenomenon is known as scope creep can derail a project when new features keep getting added, which eventually fall outside the scope of the original project. Clearly defining your system scope and goals will help ensure that you create a system that meets your clients needs, as well as your own needs.

Systems development and software engineering begin with the identification of a business problem. The systems analysts and software engineers then decide how best to solve that problem and eventually attempt to implement their solution.

At this point in your program, you have examined many business systems and likely identified many problems with the potential for improvement through the new system or software development. Pick one real-world business problem, and then write a report that addresses the following components:

• Description of the problem What is going wrong and why are things not as efficient as they could be?
• Stakeholders Whom does the problem affect? To what degree?
• Goal What do you want to be able to accomplish with any improvements you make?
• Proposed solution How specifically will you achieve that goal? What thing will be created to fix the problem?
• Feasibility Is this problem solvable with the proposed solution?

o Time feasibility Can this be solved in a finite time span?

o Economic feasibility Is the solution affordable?

o Technical feasibility Is the solution possible given current technology?

o Legal feasibility Are there any laws or regulations that could hinder the project?

o Operational feasibility Can the solution fit into existing business processes?

• Process Model What software process model would fit best with this project and why?

Be specific when responding to these questions. You are writing a real-world technical report. You are not writing an academic essay. Do not mention theoretical or conceptual information that does not directly relate to your specific project.

Any specific problem is enough*