This is a case study related to systems analysis and design. You will need to analyze the case study using the SDLC$,$ and present your findings in the single post discussion forum.$($LO$1$ & LO$2)$

Instructions:

Your task will be to deconstruct the case study using all six stages of SDLC:

Planning Phase: Establish the goals and objectives for an inventory management system, and assess its feasibility as a project.

Analysis Phase: Gather and evaluate requirements for an inventory management system and establish its scope.

Design Phase: Develop a detailed design for an inventory management system, taking into account data structures, user interfaces, and system architecture.

Implementation Phase: Develop, test, and deploy an inventory management system within ABC Company environment.

Maintenance Phase: Monitor and administer the inventory management system as it evolves, making any required updates or adjustments as they occur.

Your goal is to present an analysis of ABC Company case study that highlights your findings from each phase of SDLC and highlights both potential benefits and challenges of incorporating computerized inventory management system in ABC Company.

You will present your findings to the class by using Panopto Video Capture tool and uploading them in single post discussion forum.

Completing this activity will provide an opportunity to put the concepts of systems analysis and design presented in Chapter $1$ of your textbook to real world case studies, thus reinforcing your understanding and preparing you for further exploration within this course.

Your Case Study:

ABC Company Case Study: ABC Company is a mid$-$sized organization that specializes in producing high$-$quality components for the automotive industry. Their products are distributed nationwide to various automotive assembly plants. ABC operates out of three separate locations: their head office in City X and two manufacturing plants located in Cities Y and Z respectively.

ABC Company currently uses a manual inventory management system composed of paperwork and spreadsheets. Each manufacturing plant features an inventory control department where staff manually keeps track of incoming materials, production progress, and outgoing finished goods; then this information is manually aggregated at head office monthly.

ABC Company has experienced problems effectively managing their inventory. There have been instances of excess raw material purchase, stock outs of key components, missed production schedules and inaccurate inventory data which has resulted in financial losses and diminished customer service.

Top management has recognized the need for a computerized inventory management system to streamline operations, reduce errors, and make timely decisions.

Since your company lacks experience with such a system, as a systems analyst you will be responsible for examining it through the Systems Development Life Cycle $($SDLC$)$ and offering up an appropriate solution.

Here are the points to keep in mind:

Inventory: ABC company must keep an inventory that includes raw materials, work$-$in$-$progress items and completed goods.

Multiple Locations: To be effective, the system should have the capacity of tracking inventory across various locations $($City Y and Z$)$ before consolidating data at head office $($City X$).$

Demand Forecasting: Your system should assist in accurately anticipating demand so as to avoid either overstocking or understocking situations.

Reporting: To assist management in making informed decisions, the system should produce accurate and timely reports to aid them.

Integration: Any new system must integrate seamlessly with other existing systems like order processing and accounting.

User$-$Friendliness: Because employees may be unfamiliar with computerized systems, any new system must be intuitive and require minimal training for its operation.

Your task is to examine this scenario and propose a solution using SDLC phases. How can you help ABC Company transition to an inventory management system with computerized capabilities? What will be its potential challenges and benefits?