Selecting the best development strategy is an important decision that requires companies to consider multiple factors. The systems analyst has an important role to play in this decision-making process. In particular, analyzing the costs and benefits of each development alternative is a key to providing objective data to management. A cost-benefit checklist can help guide this analysis.

The evaluation and selection of alternatives is not a simple process. The objective is to obtain the product with the lowest TCO, but actual cost and performance can be difficult to forecast. When selecting hardware and software, systems analysts often work as an evaluation and selection team. A group of people involved in selecting hardware and software. The group includes systems analysts and users. A team approach ensures that critical factors are not overlooked and that a sound choice is made. A team approach ensures that critical factors are not overlooked and that a sound choice is made. The evaluation and selection team also must include users, who will participate in the selection process and feel a sense of ownership in the new system.

Evaluate and select who would be on the team to eliminate system alternatives that will not meet requirements, rank the alternatives that are feasible, and present the viable alternatives to management for a final decision. The process begins with a careful study of the costs and benefits of each alternative, as explained in the following section.