The Modern Systems Analyst: The Chapter Will Address The Following Questions

The Modern Systems Analyst
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 1998

2
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 4ed
by J. L. Whitten & L. D. Bentley
Introduction
The chapter will address the following questions:
What business trends and drivers are influencing the careers of
systems analysts?
How can you prepare yourself for a career as a systems or business
analyst?
What does the future hold for systems analysts?

3
Who Should Read This Book
What is an Information System?
An information system is an arrangement of people, data,
processes, interfaces, networks, and technology that interact for the
purpose of supporting and improving both day-to-day operations in
a business (sometimes called data processing), as well as
supporting the problem solving and decision making needs of
management (sometimes called information services).
What is a Computer Application System?
A computer application is computer-based solution to one or
more business problems and needs. One or more computer
applications are typically contained within an information system.

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Who Should Read This Book
The Systems Analyst - A Key Resource
The systems analyst performs systems analysis and design.
Systems analysis is the study of a business problem domain for
the purpose of recommending improvements and specifying the
business requirements for the solution.
Systems design is the specification or construction of a
technical, computer-based solution for the business
requirements identified in a systems analysis. (Note:
Increasingly, the design takes the form of a working
prototype.).

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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What is a Systems Analyst?
A formal definition:
A systems analyst facilitates the study of the problems and
needs of a business to determine how the business system and
information technology can best solve the problem and
accomplish improvements for the business. The product of this
activity may be improved business processes, improved
information systems, or new or improved computer
applications frequently all three.

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A systems analyst is a business problem solver.
A systems analyst helps the business by solving its problems
using system concepts and information technology.
A systems analyst sell business management and computer users
the services of information technology.
A systems analyst sells change.

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The role of systems analyst is changing into two distinct positions
or roles, business analyst and application analyst.
A business analyst is a systems analyst that specializes in
business problem analysis and technology-independent
requirements analysis.
An application analyst is a systems analyst that specializes in
application design and technology-dependent aspects of
development. A synonym is system or application architect.

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What Does A System Analyst Do?
A system analyst is a system-oriented problem solver.
System problem solving is the act of studying a problem
environment in order to implement corrective solutions that
take the form of new or improved systems.
Most systems analysts use some variation of a system problem
solving approach called a system development life cycle.
A systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a systematic and
orderly approach to solving system problems.

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The SDLC usually incorporates the following general-purpose
problem solving steps:
Planning - identify the scope and boundary of the problem,
and plan the development strategy and goals.
Analysis - study and analyze the problems, causes, and effects.
Then, identify and analyze the requirements that must be
fulfilled by any successful solution.
Design - if necessary, design the solution not all solutions
require design.
Implementation - implement the solution.
Support - analyze the implemented solution, refine the design,
and implement improvements to the solution. Different support
situations can thread back into the previous steps.

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Planning
Analysis
Design
Support
Problem to be solved
Problem analysis
and
Solution requirements
Acceptable
solution
Obsolete solution
Implemen-
tation
Implemented
solution
Related problem to be solved
New solution
to same problem
Implementation
error
to be fixed

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System analysts are responsible for other aspects of a system
including:
PEOPLE, including managers, users, and other developers
and including the organizational behaviors and politics that
occur when people interact with one another.
DATA, including capture, validation, organization, storage, and
usage.
PROCESSES, both automated and manual, that combine to
process data and produce information.
INTERFACES, both to other systems and applications, as well
to the actual users (e.g., reports and display screens).
NETWORKS, which effectively distribute data, processes, and
information to the people.

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Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business.
Information services are centralized for the entire organization
or a specific line of business.
Information Services reports directly to chief executive officer, or
the chief executive for a line of business.
The highest ranking information officer is a vice president,
sometimes called a chief information officer (CIO).

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The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business.
Information Services is organized according to the following
functions or centers:
Systems and Applications Development.
Most systems analysts work here, along with most
programmers.
The systems analysts and programmers are organized into
permanent teams that support the information systems and
applications for specific business functions.
The Systems and Applications Development unit may include
a development center.
A development center establishes and enforces the methods,
tools, techniques, and quality of all development projects.

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Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
or
Line of Business Chief Executive
VP of Information Services
or
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Manager
Systems Development
Telecommunications
Administrator
Manager
End User Computing
Data
Administrator
Manager.
Computer Operations
Data
Analysts
Database
Analysts
Database
Administrators
Network
Managers
Network
Technicians
Network
Analysts
End User
Consultants
End User
Trainers
System
Programmers
Capacity
Analyst
Computer
Operators
Manager
Financial
Systems
Manager
Development
Center
Manager
Marketing
Systems
Manager
Manufacturing
Systems
Systems
Analysts
Application
Programmers

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Modern Information Services in a Business
Dramatic reorganization trend in medium-to-large information
services units that is highly decentralized with a focus on
empowerment and dynamic teams .
Result is a federation of information systems centers that
report directly to their functional business units (or groups of
business units).
Each of these centers is empowered to set priorities and make
decisions on behalf of their constituent management and users.

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Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
or
Line of Business Chief Executive
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
(for central information services)
Vice President
Finance
Vice President
Marketing
Vice President
Manufacturing
Manager
Financial
Information
Services
Manager
Financial
Information
Services
Manager
Financial
Information
Services
Network
Manager
Analyst/
Programmers
Team
Network
Manager
Analyst/
Programmers
Team
Network
Manager
Analyst/
Programmers
Team
Information
Strategy
Planning
Team
Information
Technology
Architecture
Team
Cross-Functional
Systems &
Applications
Development Teams
Information
Technology
Competency
Centers
Departmental
Computing
Coordination
Data
Administrator
Telecommuni-
cations
Administrator
Project
Managers
coordinate advise evaluate
Other
Technical
Specialists
Application
Technology
Specialists
Database
Specialists
Network
Specialists
indicates dynamic
assignments
to teams
as needed

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Decentralized information services can, however, lead to
information anarchy and systems that do not interoperate to the
benefit of the business as a whole.
There will always be systems and applications that support
more than one business function perhaps the entire enterprise.
These are called cross-functional applications.
There still exists a need for a central Information Services unit.

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The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
Information Strategy Planning
The information strategy planning team establishes direction
and priorities for aligning information services for the entire
business with the corporate mission, vision, and goals.
Experienced systems analysts often play key roles in
development.

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Outsourcing in the Modern Business
Outsourcing is the act of contracting a service or function to an
external third party.
Typically, the business must retain enough of a central
Information Services unit to monitor and manage the
outsourcing agreement.
Some mission critical information services functions and
projects may not be outsourced.

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Consulting
Management and systems consulting firms build information
systems and applications for other organizations.
The systems analysts employed by management consulting
firms are usually called management consultants or systems
consultants.
They are loaned (for a fee) to the client for engagements (a
consulting term that means project) that result in a new system
for the client.
Once the engagement is completed, they are reassigned to a new
engagement, frequently for a new business client.

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Application Software Solution Providers
Application software solution providers are in the business of
building information systems and application software
packages for resale to other businesses.
Many businesses have a policy of not building any system they
can purchase.
Software packages are typically written to the greatest common
denominator of their intended market that is, they are
designed to meet general requirements and offer limited
customizability.

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Customers, Partners and Expectations
The Roles of Management and Users in Systems
Problem Solving
The roles of management and users in:
Planning
Management must sponsor and fund all projects.
Users must define the domain and boundaries of the problem.
Analysis
As subject matter experts, management and users must analyze the
problem domain for causes, effects, and opportunities; as well as
communicate the requirements to be fulfilled by any successful
solution, regardless of technology chosen.
Design
Users must react to high-level solution designs and participate in
the solutions design.

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The Roles of Management and Users in Systems
Problem Solving
The roles of management and users in:
Implementation
Users participate in system construction and testing. They are the
recipients of training necessary to enable the full user community
to work with the solution.
Support
Users and management should routinely evaluate the working
solution and suggest improvements.

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Partners for the Systems Analyst Information
Technologists and Vendors
It takes more than systems analysts and users to build effective
systems.
In addition to clients, the systems analyst works with a number of
technical peers called information technologists.
The systems analyst's role in the typical project is to act as a
facilitator.
The systems analyst may well be the only individual who sees the
system or application as a whole.
The systems analysts must possess a unique set of skills and
abilities to accomplish the complex task of facilitating systems.

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Systems
analyst
Steering committee
User 1
User 2
User N
Management/ system
owner
Database
administrator
I nterface
design expert
Network
administrator
Applications
programmers
I nformation
technology
vendors

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Preparing For a Career as a Systems Analyst
Working Knowledge of Information Technology
The systems analyst is an agent of change.
The systems analyst is responsible for showing end-users and
management how new technologies can benefit their business and
its operations.
The systems analyst must be aware of both existing and emerging
information technologies and techniques.

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Computer Programming Experience and Expertise
A systems analyst must know how to program because they are the
principle link between business users and computer programmers.
It is wrong to assume that a good programmer will become a good
analyst or that a bad programmer could not become a good analyst.
Most systems analysts need to be proficient in one or more high-
level programming languages.

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Computer Programming Experience and Expertise
Historically, the language of choice has been COBOL for business
applications, but many organizations are shifting to visual
programming languages or to object-oriented programming
languages .
The reasons for the shift are as follows:
The transition to graphical user interfaces.
The desire to downsize applications from the mainframe to
networks of PCs.
The pressures to improve productivity in applications development
through rapid, iterative prototyping and the reuse of programming
modules called objects and components.
Visual and object-oriented programming requires a completely
different style of program design, construction, and testing.

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General Business Knowledge
The systems analysts are expected to immerse themselves in the
business and be able to specify and defend technical solutions that
address the bottom-line value returned to the business.
Systems analysts should be able to communicate with business
experts to gain knowledge of problems and needs.
It is not uncommon for systems analysts to develop so much
expertise over time they move out of information systems and into
the user community.

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Problem-Solving Skills
The systems analyst must have the ability to take a large business
problem, break that problem down into its component parts,
analyze the various aspects of the problem, and then assemble an
improved system to solve the problem.
The systems analyst must learn to analyze problems in terms of
causes and effects rather than in terms of simple remedies.
The systems analyst must be well organized.
System analysts must be able to creatively define alternative
solutions to problems and needs.

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Interpersonal Communications Skills
The systems analyst must be able to communicate effectively, both
orally and in writing.
The systems analyst should have a good command of the English
language.
Almost without exception, communications skills, not technical
skills, prove to be the single biggest factor in career success or
failure.

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Interpersonal Relations Skills
Systems work is people-oriented and systems analysts must be
extroverted or people-oriented.
Interpersonal skills help systems analysts work effectively with
people.
Interpersonal skills are also important because of the political
nature of the systems analyst's job.
The systems analyst's first responsibility is to the business, its
management, and its workers.
The systems analyst must mediate problems between team
problems and achieve benefits for the business as a whole.

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Flexibility and Adaptability
No two systems development projects encountered by a systems
analyst are identical.
There is no single, magical approach or solution applicable to
systems development.
Successful systems analysts learn to be flexible and adapt to
special challenges or situations presented by specific systems
development projects.
The systems analyst must be able to recognize when variations
upon (or single-instance exceptions to) development standards are
necessary and beneficial to a particular project.
The systems analyst must be aware of the implications of not
following the standards.

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Character and Ethics
The nature of the systems analyst's job requires a strong character
and sense of ethics.
Ethics is a personal character trait in which an individual(s)
understands the difference between right and wrong and acts
accordingly.
Systems analysts must be very careful not to share their
organizations sensitive and secret information with others, either
within or outside the organization.
Systems analysts must be very careful not to tell sensitive and
private data and information about customers, suppliers,
employees with the wrong people.

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Systems Analysis and Design Skills
All systems analysts need thorough and ongoing training in
systems analysis and design.
Systems analysis and design skills can be conveniently factored
into three subsets:
concepts and principles
tools
techniques

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The Next Generation
Career Prospects
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities for
systems analysts are expected to increase much faster than the
average for all professions; even more than for programmers.
Depending on the economy, businesses will need between 173,000
and 264,000 new systems analysts by the year 2000 an increase
of 24 to 37 percent since 1988.
Systems analyst is ranked as the 12th fastest-growing occupation
between now and the year 2000.

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The Next Generation
Career Prospects
Does a position as a systems analyst lead to any other careers?
Some analysts leave the information systems field and actually
join the user community.
Some analysts become project managers, information systems
managers, or move into technical specialties (such as database,
telecommunications, microcomputers, and so forth).
The opportunities are virtually limitless.

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