Information Systems/Systems Development

< Information Systems

This lesson covers system development.

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the systems development portion of CLEP Information Systems include:^[1]

Software development (prototyping, SDLC, RAD, CASE, JAD, Agile)
Systems development (feasibility, process, systems analysis, systems design, end-user development, project management)
System implementation (testing, training, data conversion, system conversion, system maintenance, post-implementation activities, post-implementation review, documentation)
Information processing methods (batch, real-time, transaction)
User interface design (GUI, multimedia)
Standards (development, purpose, proprietary, open source)

Readings

Multimedia

Watch Youtube: CIS 121 - System Development Life Cycle
Watch Youtube: What Is Systems Development Life Cycle?
Watch Youtube: Software Development Life Cycle.
Watch YouTube: Introduction To Agile.
Watch YouTube: Business Analysis and System Development
Watch YouTube: System Implementation
Watch YouTube: Transaction Processing System
Watch YouTube: Batch vs. Realtime processing
Watch YouTube: A brief history of user interface.

Activities

Review Wikipedia: Systems development life cycle and Wikipedia: Waterfall model. Compare and contrast the two methodologies. For historical reference, see University of North Florida: Software Development Life Cycle as an example of assignments from this perspective.
Review Wikipedia: Systems development life cycle and Wikipedia: Agile software development. Compare and contrast the two methodologies.
Review Wikipedia: Processing modes and the different types of computer processing. Consider your bank or credit card account. Is your current balance immediately available, suggesting real-time processing, or is it updated daily, suggesting batch processing?
Read the article ConceptDraw: Graphic User Interface. Then identify different features of a GUI, including windows, title bars, buttons, menus, icons, content areas, scroll bars, status bars, etc.
Review Wikipedia: Diagramming software. Select a diagramming program and create a diagram, flowchart, or mind map for systems development.
Review the lesson summary, key terms, review questions, and assessments below.

Lesson Summary

Software Development

Software development is the process of computer programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications and frameworks involved in a software release life cycle and resulting in a software product.^[2]
Software prototyping is the activity of creating prototypes of software applications, i.e., incomplete versions of the software program being developed.^[3]
The systems development life cycle (SDLC), also referred to as the application development life cycle, is a term used in systems engineering, information systems and software engineering to describe a process for planning, creating, testing, deploying and maintaining an information system.^[4]
Rapid application development (RAD) is an alternative to the conventional waterfall model of software development which puts less emphasis on planning tasks and more emphasis on development through the use of prototypes addition to or even sometimes in place of design specifications.^[5]
Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) is the domain of software tools used to design and implement software that is high-quality, defect-free, and maintainable.^[6]
Joint application design (JAD) is a process used to collect business requirements while developing new information systems for a company which includes approaches for enhancing user participation, expediting development, and improving the quality of specifications.^[7]
Agile software development is a group of software development methods in which requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change.^[8]

System Development

Before any system planning is done, a feasibility study should be conducted to determine if creating a new or improved system is a viable solution. This will help to determine the costs, benefits, resource requirements, and specific user needs required for completion.^[9]
The goal of system analysis is to determine where the problem is, in an attempt to fix the system. This step involves breaking down the system in different pieces to analyze the situation, analyzing project goals, breaking down what needs to be created and attempting to engage users so that definite requirements can be defined.^[10]
In systems design, the design functions and operations are described in detail, including screen layouts, business rules, process diagrams and other documentation. The design stage takes as its initial input the requirements identified in the approved requirements document. For each requirement, a set of one or more design elements will be produced as a result of interviews, workshops, and/or prototype efforts. Design elements describe the desired system features in detail, and generally include functional hierarchy diagrams, screen layout diagrams, tables of business rules, business process diagrams, pseudo-code, and a complete entity-relationship diagram with a full data dictionary. These design elements are intended to describe the system in sufficient detail, such that skilled developers and engineers may develop and deliver the system with minimal additional input design.^[11]
Project management is the discipline of carefully projecting or planning, organizing, motivating and controlling resources to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria. Project management processes include initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.^[12]

System Implementation

New systems are tested in a variety of ways and at various levels to provide information on the functionality and performance of the product or service that is to be utilized. ^[13] ^[14]
After the system is tested, operational and production training is provided to users who will be maintaining the system and those using the system for production.^[15]
Data conversion and system conversion translates data and systems from one format to another, which can be completed in increments or all at once, allows users to access and process information and data all under the implemented system.^[16]
After a system is fully implemented, system maintenance and post-implementation activity are required for upkeep and enhancements, post-implementation review to analyze and evaluate the system's performance and assess any potential changes and enhancements to improve functionality.^[17] ^[18]
Documentation is taken throughout the whole implementation process-- pre-implementation, during implementation, and post-implementation-- to record, measure, and audit the system's effectiveness and functionality.^[19]

Information Processing

Transaction processing is a style of computing that divides work into individual, indivisible operations, called transactions.^[20]
Batch processing is execution of a series of programs (jobs) on a computer without manual intervention. Several transactions, called a batch are collected and processed at the same time. The results of each transaction are not immediately available when the transaction is being entered; there is a time delay.^[21]
Real time systems attempt to guarantee an appropriate response to a stimulus or request quickly enough to affect the conditions that caused the stimulus. Each transaction in real-time processing is unique; it is not part of a group of transactions.^[22]

Graphical user interface

The goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction as simple and efficient as possible. ^[23]

Key Terms

alpha testing: Simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers' site.^[24]
beta testing: Comes after alpha testing and can be considered a form of external user acceptance testing.^[25]
computer aided design (CAD): The use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design.^[26]
computer-aided software engineering (CASE): The domain of software tools used to design and implement software applications.^[27]
data dictionary: A centralized repository of information about data such as meaning, relationships to other data, origin, usage, and format. ^[28]
data flow diagram: A graphical representation of the "flow" of data through an information system, modeling its process aspects. ^[29]
decision table: A precise yet compact way to model complex rule sets and their corresponding actions which associates conditions with actions to perform.^[30]
implementation phase: The SDLC phase that includes testing, training, equipment replacement, and file conversion.^[31]
information architecture: Development of the process and/or information flow of the system.^[32]
investigation phase: The SDLC phase where existing business problems and/or opportunities are studied.^[33]
joint application design (JAD): A process used to collect business requirements while developing new information systems for a company which includes approaches for enhancing user participation, expediting development, and improving the quality of specifications.^[34]
parallel systems: A process used in testing systems where the old system and the new system are operated simultaneously to verify the new system is working properly.^[35]
rapid application development (RAD): A design approach that emphasizes the necessity of adjusting requirements in reaction to knowledge gained as the project progresses, and based on the use of prototypes in addition to or even sometimes in place of design specifications.^[36]
systems development life cycle (SDLC): A process used by systems engineers and systems developers to plan for, design, build, test, deliver and maintain information systems.^[37]
stepwise refinement: A process used to break problems down into smaller problems.^[38]
systems design: The process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements.^[39]
usability inspection: A set of methods where a tester evaluates a user interface.^[40]

Review Questions

Software prototyping is _____.

Software prototyping is the activity of creating prototypes of software applications, i.e., incomplete versions of the software program being developed.
The systems development life cycle (SDLC), also referred to as the application development life cycle, is _____.

The systems development life cycle (SDLC), also referred to as the application development life cycle, is a term used in systems engineering, information systems and software engineering to describe a process for planning, creating, testing, deploying and maintaining an information system.
Rapid application development (RAD) is _____.

Rapid application development (RAD) is an alternative to the conventional waterfall model of software development which puts less emphasis on planning tasks and more emphasis on development through the use of prototypes addition to or even sometimes in place of design specifications.
Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) is _____.

Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) is the domain of software tools used to design and implement software that is high-quality, defect-free, and maintainable.
Joint application design (JAD) is _____.

Joint application design (JAD) is a process used to collect business requirements while developing new information systems for a company which includes approaches for enhancing user participation, expediting development, and improving the quality of specifications.
Agile software development is _____.

Agile software development is a group of software development methods in which requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change.
A feasibility study should be conducted to determine _____.

A feasibility study should be conducted to determine if creating a new or improved system is a viable solution. This will help to determine the costs, benefits, resource requirements, and specific user needs required for completion.
The goal of system analysis is _____.

The goal of system analysis is to determine where the problem is, in an attempt to fix the system. This step involves breaking down the system in different pieces to analyze the situation, analyzing project goals, breaking down what needs to be created and attempting to engage users so that definite requirements can be defined.
In systems design, _____.

In systems design, the design functions and operations are described in detail, including screen layouts, business rules, process diagrams and other documentation. The design stage takes as its initial input the requirements identified in the approved requirements document. For each requirement, a set of one or more design elements will be produced as a result of interviews, workshops, and/or prototype efforts. Design elements describe the desired system features in detail, and generally include functional hierarchy diagrams, screen layout diagrams, tables of business rules, business process diagrams, pseudo-code, and a complete entity-relationship diagram with a full data dictionary. These design elements are intended to describe the system in sufficient detail, such that skilled developers and engineers may develop and deliver the system with minimal additional input design.
Project management is _____.

Project management is the discipline of carefully projecting or planning, organizing, motivating and controlling resources to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria. Project management processes include initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.
New systems are tested _____.

New systems are tested in a variety of ways and at various levels to provide information on the functionality and performance of the product or service that is to be utilized.
After the system is tested, _____ is provided to users who will be maintaining the system and those using the system for production.

After the system is tested, operational and production training is provided to users who will be maintaining the system and those using the system for production.
Data conversion and system conversion _____.

Data conversion and system conversion translates data and systems from one format to another, which can be completed in increments or all at once, allows users to access and process information and data all under the implemented system.
After a system is fully implemented, system maintenance and post-implementation activity are required for _____.

After a system is fully implemented, system maintenance and post-implementation activity are required for upkeep and enhancements, post-implementation review to analyze and evaluate the system's performance and assess any potential changes and enhancements to improve functionality.
Documentation is created _____.

Documentation is created throughout the whole implementation process-- pre-implementation, during implementation, and post-implementation-- to record, measure, and audit the system's effectiveness and functionality.
Transaction processing is _____.

Transaction processing is a style of computing that divides work into individual, indivisible operations, called transactions.
Batch processing is _____.

Batch processing is execution of a series of programs (jobs) on a computer without manual intervention. Several transactions, called a batch are collected and processed at the same time. The results of each transaction are not immediately available when the transaction is being entered; there is a time delay.
Real time systems _____.

Real time systems attempt to guarantee an appropriate response to a stimulus or request quickly enough to affect the conditions that caused the stimulus. Each transaction in real-time processing is unique; it is not part of a group of transactions.
The goal of user interface design is _____.

The goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction as simple and efficient as possible.

Assessments

Flashcards: Quizlet: Information Systems - Systems Development
Quiz: Quizlet: Information Systems - Systems Development

References

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