A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF 3 METHODOLOGIES FOR COMPARISON

STRUCTURED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN METHOD (SSADM)

Developed by the UK government in 1982; mandatory use for some Civil Service applications; now
mature and widely used
Use supported by many CASE tools (including Select)
Builds on the traditional Systems Development Life Cycle and has clearly defined stages; it thus lends
itself to project management techniques
Provides development staff with detailed guidelines, requiring, for example, the completion of preprinted documents
Data driven ; based on assumption that systems have an underlying data structure that changes little
over time however, later versions of SSADM have placed increasing emphasis on user
Thorough quality assurance: deliverables at every stage reviewed in structured walkthroughs and
signed off by users
Separates the logical view of the system from the physical
Provides 3 main views of the system, the Data Flow Diagram, the Entity Relationship Diagram and the
Entity Life History, which can be cross-checked one against the other.

RAPID APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT (RAD)

The name speaks for itself need for RAD driven by rapidly changing business needs
Can be viewed as an example of the spiral model for systems development. The spiral model
acknowledges the stages that form the SDLC but builds into each stage iteration, prototyping and
extensive user involvement.
Prototyping may be of whole system or part of the system to tease out particular problem areas
Early versions of prototype may be paper-based
Important users are identified and involved in workshops at early stages of development; these are
terms Joint Requirements Planning and Joint Application Design workshops
JAD designed to gather all the project stakeholders together in one forum in order to reach mutually
acceptable decisions; key features of JAD are: that issues are resolved so that the design can move
forward; that the right people (users and those in authority) are present; that there is commitment to the
meeting as a forum for critical decision making; that an executive sponsor and an experienced
facilitator are present.
Design developed using diagramming aids such as Data Flow Diagrams and Entity Relationship
Diagrams
Prioritises functionality that is strictly necessary so that development is achievable in a 90 day life
cycle. The agreed period in which the project or part of the project will be completed is referred to a
time box.

EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL AND HUMAN IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEMS

(ETHICS)

Devised by Enid Mumford and embodies an ethical position

A product of the socio-technical view that for effective information systems there has to be a good fit
between the technology and organisational, social and human factors.
The knowledge fit, the psychological fit, the efficiency fit, the task-structure fit and the ethical fit are
identified
Participation is central to the methodology: this is in terms of structures, how users can participate
(through consultation, representation or consensus), content, which issues fall within the remit of
participation, and the processes required for participation to take place.
Clearly defined steps are prescribed
Explicitly considers issues of job design and job satisfaction
Mumford recommends task variety, job enrichment and job development.

COMPARISON OF THE 3 METHODOLOGIES

METHODOLOGICAL
CHARACTERIS
TIC

SSADM

RAD

PHILOSOPHY

Hard, problems have

clear-cut solutions that
can be solved through
increased automation

DFDs, ERMs and

ELHs

Interviewing,
questionnaires,
observation, analysis of
documents

Modelling techniques
are fundamental to the
methodology

CASE tools helpful but

not essential

Prototyping part of
requirements analysis
In detail:

Feasibility

Investigation

Analysis

Design, logical and

physical

Clearly defined outputs

at each stage

MODEL THE BASIS OF

THE
METHODOLOG
YS VIEW OF
THE WORLD

TECHNIQUES AND
TOOLS

SCOPE

OUTPUTS

Greater recognition of

the need to deal with

subjective views and
need for a consensus.

Reflects the scientific

paradigm
Appropriate for largescale projects and
organisations, though
scaled down version of
methodology has been
designed for small
businesses

ETHICS

significance of the
interaction between the
social and the technical

Assumes a
computerised solution
Appropriate for an
organisation with a
strong team culture
Recognises importance
of shared language
Pragmatic emphasises
speed of delivery and
need to identify
essential requirements
DFDs, ERMs,
functional
decomposition, Action
Diagrams

Verbal or narrative
model showing
interaction of people
and technology and the
processes performed

JAD and prototyping

are central to the
approach
CASE tool important
for rapid development
Modelling techniques
as above

Questionnaires
Interviews
Negotiation between
representatives of
technical and social
points of view

In detail:

Feasibility

Investigation

Analysis

Design, logical and

physical

Prioritisation of
functions

A prototype

Decisions in the public

domain

commercial
most commonly used in
the UK
used by professional
analysts and designers

commercial
extensive user
involvement

Reflects the systems

paradigm
Soft, recognises
plurality of views
Ethical stance, well
being of workers a
priority

People have a right

to control their
own destinies

In detail:

Analysis

Logical design
Also implementation and
review

PRACTICE

Belief in the

Discrepancy analysis to
identify how current
system diverges from
required
Identification and
ranking of sociotechnical solutions
Identification of
changes to
organisational
structures, office layout,
job evaluation and user
training that may be
required
academic
role of user explicitly
addressed

PRODUCT

Set of manuals

Books, Academic
papers

Books, Academic papers