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ASSIGNMENT NO: 1
ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
(CSE 302)

Submitted by:
Vinay Girdhar

RE1802B32
Reg. no: 10802492

B.Tech-M.Tech [CSE]

ANS1)

An information system (IS) - or application landscape is any combination of information

technology and people's activities using that technology to support operations, management, and
decision-making .An Information system act as a strategic weapon because based on the
information we have, we do work on our project taking care of our boundaries. In a very broad
sense, the term information system is frequently used to refer to the interaction between
people, algorithmic processes, data and technology. In this sense, the term is used to refer not
only to the information and communication technology (ICT) an organization uses, but also to
the way in which people interact with this technology in support of business processes. As such,
information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems on the
other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent and are
processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-
formal language which supports human decision making and action. Information systems are the
primary focus of study for the information systems discipline and for organizational informatics.
s such, information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems
on the other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent
and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a
semi-formal language which supports human decision making and action. Information systems
are the primary focus of study for the information systems discipline and for organizational
informatics. Some make a clear distinction between information systems, and computer systems
ICT, and business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in
that an information system is typically seen as having an ICT component. Information systems
are also different from business processes. Information systems help to control the performance
of business processes. We can plan our project in better manner. If we do not have the
information it is difficult for us to made strategy for it.

ANS2)

System analysis approach is very important part of our any project. A system analysis approach
is presented for the development of a criteria and indicators (C&I) set from these guidelines and
the theoretical evaluation of SFM. Within a Delphi survey an expert panel consisting of
representatives of science, administration, forest enterprises and non-governmental organizations
evaluated the C&I set with regard to validity, practicality, relevance and importance of the
indicators. Possible threshold values for the quantitative indicators and the relative importance of
the indicators had been derived from expert opinions. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) was adopted
to structure the assessment of SFM. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is proposed to
evaluate the overall cumulative importance of all indicators within the assessment model for
SFM by integrating linkages and feedbacks into the decision system.

The theoretical framework will be evaluated through its practical use in several case studies.
Findings from these case studies will feed back into the model development and improvement
process. Forest managers might use the evaluation model as in integrated part of an ecosystem-
management decision-support system to improve decision-making based on a better
understanding of the effects of SFM techniques at strategic and tactical planning levels.

Various utilities of different system analysis approaches are:

 Interdependence of objects and their attributes - independent elements can never

constitute a system
 Holism - emergent properties not possible to detect by analysis should be possible to
define by a holistic approach
 Goal seeking - systemic interaction must result in some goal or final state
 Inputs and Outputs - in a closed system inputs are determined once and constant; in
an open system additional inputs are admitted from the environment
 Transformation of inputs into outputs - this is the process by which the goals are obtained
 Entropy - the amount of disorder or randomness present in any system
 Regulation - a method of feedback is necessary for the system to operate predictably
 Hierarchy - complex wholes are made up of smaller subsystems
 Differentiation - specialized units perform specialized functions
 Equifinality - alternative ways of attaining the same objectives (convergence)
 Multifinality - attaining alternative objectives from the same inputs (divergence)
ANS3)

A systems analyst researches problems, plans solutions, recommends software and systems, and
coordinates development to meet business or other requirements. They will be familiar with
multiple approaches to problem-solving. Analysts are often familiar with a variety of
programming languages, operating systems, and computer hardware platforms. Because they
often write user requests into technical specifications, the systems analysts are
the liaisons between vendors and information technology professionals.[1] They may be
responsible for developing cost analysis, design considerations, and implementation time-lines.

Role of System Analyst differs from organization to organization. Most common responsibilities
of System Analyst are following:

1) System analysis

It includes system's study in order to get facts about business activity. It is about getting
information and determining requirements. Here the responsibility includes only requirement
determination, not the design of the system.

2) System analysis and design:

Here apart from the analysis work, Analyst is also responsible for the designing of the new
system/application.

3) Systems analysis, design, and programming:

Here Analyst is also required to perform as a programmer, where he actually writes the code to
implement the design of the proposed application.

Due to the various responsibilities that a system analyst requires to handle, he has to be
multifaceted person with varied skills required at various stages of the life cycle. In addition to
the technical know-how of the information system development a system analyst should also
have the following knowledge.

• Business knowledge: As the analyst might have to develop any kind of a business system,
he should be familiar with the general functioning of all kind of businesses.
 • Interpersonal skills: Such skills are required at various stages of development process for
interacting with the users and extracting the requirements out of them
• Problem solving skills: A system analyst should have enough problem solving skills for
defining the alternate solutions to the system and also for the problems occurring at the
various stages of the development process.

Having a standardized system development process is important to an organization because with

out it many of major works might get affected like:

 Plan a system flow from the ground up.

 Interact with customers to learn and document requirements that are then used to produce
business requirements documents.
 Write technical requirements from the business requirements document; this is a critical
phase.
 Interact with designers to understand software limitations.
 Help programmers during system development, ex: provide use cases, flowcharts or
even Database design.
 Perform system testing.
 Deploy the completed system.
 Document requirements or contribute to user manuals.
 Whenever a development process is conducted, the system analyst is responsible for
designing components and providing that information to the developer.

ANS4)

Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the
existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment,
the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest
term, the two criteria to judge feasibility are cost required and value to be attained.

There are following needs of having three stages of feasibility study:

• List in detail all the things you need to make the business work;
• Identify logistical and other business-related problems and solutions;
• Develop marketing strategies to convince a bank or investor that your business is worth
considering as an investment; and
• Serve as a solid foundation for developing your business plan.
Even if you have a great business idea you still have to find a cost-effective way to market and
sell your products and services. This is especially important for store-front retail businesses
where location could make or break your business.

For example, most commercial space leases place restrictions on businesses that can have a
dramatic impact on income. A lease may limit business hours/days, parking spaces, restrict the
product or service you can offer, and in some cases, even limit the number of customers a
business can receive each day.

Economic analysis is the most frequently used method for evaluating the effectiveness of a new
system. More commonly known as cost/benefit analysis, the procedure is to determine the
benefits and savings that are expected from a candidate system and compare them with costs. If
benefits outweigh costs, then the decision is made to design and implement the system. An
entrepreneur must accurately weigh the cost versus benefits before taking an action.
Cost-based study: It is important to identify cost and benefit factors, which can be categorized as
follows: 1. Development costs; and 2. Operating costs. This is an analysis of the costs to be
incurred in the system and the benefits derivable out of the system.
Time-based study: This is an analysis of the time required to achieve a return on investments.
The future value of a project is also a factor.
The step which considered to be the most important in feasibility study is Economic analysis.
More commonly known as cost/benefit analysis, the procedure is to determine the benefits and
savings that are expected from a candidate system and compare them with costs. If benefits
outweigh costs, then the decision is made to design and implement the system. An entrepreneur
must accurately weigh the cost versus benefits before taking an action.
Cost-based study: It is important to identify cost and benefit factors, which can be categorized as
follows: 1. Development costs; and 2. Operating costs. This is an analysis of the costs to be
incurred in the system and the benefits derivable out of the system.
Time-based study: This is an analysis of the time required to achieve a return on investments.
The future value of a project is also a factor.

ANS5)

There are three main fact finding techniques that are used by analysts to investigate
requirements. Here we describe each of them in the order that they might be applied in a system
development project, and for each one we explain the kind of information that you would expect
to gain from its use, its advantages and disadvantages, and the situations in which it is
appropriate to use it.
1. Background Reading
If an analyst is employed within the organization that is the subject of the fact gathering exercise,
then it is likely that he or she will already have a good understanding of the organization and its
business objectives. If, however, he or she is going in as an outside consultant, then one of the
first tasks is to try to gain an understanding of the organization. Background reading or research
is part of that process. The kind of documents that are suitable sources of information include the
following Although reading company reports may provide the analyst with information about the
organization's mission, and so possibly some indication of future requirements, this technique
mainly provides information about the current system.

• Company reports
• organization charts,
• policy manuals,
• job descriptions,
• reports and
• documentation of existing
systems.

2.Interviewing

Interviewing is probably the most widely used fact finding technique; it is also the
one that requires the most skill and sensitivity. Because of this, we have included a
set of guidelines on interviewing that includes some suggestions about etiquette

Conducting an interview requires good planning, good interpersonal skills and an

alert and responsive frame of mind. These guidelines cover the points you should
bear in mind when planning and conducting an interview

Advantages and disadvantages

+ Personal contact allows the analyst to be responsive and adapt to what the user says.
Because of this, interviews produce high quality informationus
+ The analyst can probe in greater depth about the person's work than can be achieve with
other methods.
+ If the interviewee has nothing to say, the interview can be terminate

- Interviews are time-consuming and can be the most costly form of fact gathering
- Interview results require the analyst to work on them after the interview: the transcription of
tape recordings or writing up of notes.
- Interviews can be subject to bias if the interviewer has a closed mind about th problem.
- If different interviewees provide conflicting information, it can be difficult to resolve later

Appropriate situations Interviews are appropriate in most projects. They can provide
information in depth about the existing system and about people's requirements from a new
system

3. Observation

Watching people carrying out their work in a natural setting can provide the analyst
with a better understanding of the job than interviews, in which the interviewee will
often concentrate on the normal aspects of the job and forget the exceptional
situations and interruptions which occur and which the system will need to cope
with. Observation also allows the analyst to see what information people use to
carry out their job. This can tell you about the documents they refer to, whether
they have to get up from their desks to get information, how well the existing
system handles their needs. One of the authors has observed staff using a tele-
sales system where there was no link between the enquiry screens for checking the
availability of stock and the data entry screens for entering an order. These tele-
sales staff kept a pad of scrap paper on the desk and wrote down the product codes
for all the items they had looked up on the enquiry screens so that they could enter
them into the orderprocessing screens. This kind of information does not always
emerge from interviews. People are not good at estimating quantitative data, such
as how long they take to deal with certain tasks, and observation with a stopwatch
can give the analyst plentiful quantitative data, not just about typical times to
perform a task but also about the statistical distribution of those times. In some
cases where information or items are moving through a system and being dealt
with by many people along the way, observation can allow the analyst to follow the
entire process through from start to finish. This type of observation might be used
in an organization where orders are taken over the telephone, passed to a
warehouse for picking, packed and despatched to the customer. The analyst may
want to follow a series of transactions through the system to obtain an overview of
the processes involved. Observation can be an open-ended process in which the
analyst simply sets out to observe what happens and to note it down, or it can be a
closed process in which the analyst wishes to observe specific aspects of the job
and draws up an observation schedule or form on which to record data. This can
include the time it takes to carry out a task, the types of task the person is
performing or factors such as the number of errors they make in using the existing
system as a baseline for usability design.

Advantages and disadvantages

+Observation of people at work provides first hand experience of the way that the
current system operates.

+Data are collected in real time and can have a high level of validity if care is taken
in how the technique is used.

+ Observation can be used to verify information from other sources or to look for
exceptions to the standard procedure.

+ Baseline data about the performance of the existing system and of users can be
collected.

- Most people do not like being observed and are likely to behave differently from
the way in which they would normally behave. This can distort findings and affect
the validity.

- Observation requires a trained and skilled observer for it to be most effective.

- There may be logistical problems for the analyst, for example, if the staff to be
observed work shifts or travel long distances in order to do their job.

- There may also be ethical problems if the person being observed deals with
sensitive private or personal data or directly with members of the public, for
example in a doctor's surgery

ANS6)
Development life cycle for a billing system in shopping mall defines us all the fundamentals
regarding the billings of various products in mall .This decreases the head ache as all the
information, prices etc. to be stored in papers. When we want to see the price of any product we
just check out our database. When any product get sold its bill is to made with all the information
of it in proper format. Birth, growth, maturity, decline—shopping centers are as prone to life
forces as the rest of us. Developers and retailers should plan accordingly.

"Build it and they will come" is a phrase that could have characterized the early development of
planned shopping centers. Since the first ones were built about 50 years ago, shopping centers
have grown in number and changed a great deal, with new and different types ever emerging. In
the process, they have revolutionized the shopping patterns of U.S. consumers. Now they have
been around long enough to observe the growth, maturity, and decline--even the rebirth--of
certain types, allowing the application of the life cycle concept to their development patterns and
providing an opportunity for developers and retailers to plan their strategies in adjusting to the
changing conditions of the shopping center industry.
The life cycle concept as studied by social scientists identifies changes over time in the
characteristics of a phenomenon. The concept has been applied to products and stores; in 1976,
Davidson, Bates, and Bass executed a significant study that identified and defined the concept of
the retail life cycle. Prior to that, a key explanation for retail development was the wheel of
retailing concept postulated by Malcolm McNair (1958). Under McNair's hypothesis, new kinds
of retail merchants enter the marketplace as low-priced, low-margin, and low-esteemed
innovators serving price-conscious consumers. Over a period of time, these retailers upgrade
their stores and their offerings, eventually resulting in a group of high-priced, high-margin
retailers catering to higher income consumers. This upgrading leaves these retailers exposed to
new low-priced, low-margin competitors who begin to turn the wheel again.
But the wheel hypothesis is not the sole explanation for the evolution of low-priced retailers into
higher-priced merchants. Because of the demographic tendency for incomes and the standard of
living in our society to rise, retailers up-grade their merchandise and stores to serve a more
affluent market. In addition, retailers differentiate themselves and avoid direct competition by
adding more services, resulting in imperfect competition.