PAPER NO.8: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
This paper is intended to equip the candidate with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable him/her analyse and design information systems.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
A candidate who passes this paper should be able to:
- Assess the need for an information system in an organisation
- Use conventional methodologies in systems analysis and design
- Apply the activities of the system analyst and systems designer
- Identify the applicable standards in systems analysis and design
- Implement information systems
CONTENT
Introduction to systems analysis and design
- Elements of information systems
- Systems theory
- Types of information systems
- Personnel involved in systems analysis and design
- Systems analysis and design concepts
Systems thinking
- Hard systems thinking
- Hard systems methodology
- Soft systems thinking
- Soft systems methodology
- Applications of soft and hard systems
Systems development life cycle (SDLC)
- Definition of systems development life cycle
- Phases of SDLC
- Advantages and disadvantages of SDLC
Requirements elicitation
- Stakeholder analysis
- Need for requirements gathering
- Process for requirements gathering
- Requirements gathering tools and techniques
- Gap analysis
- Prioritisation of requirements
Systems analysis
- Information systems project initiation
- Feasibility and risk analysis
- Stages in system analysis
- Tools and techniques in system analysis
- System analysis report
- Using software tool to assist in systems analysis
Systems design
- System design approaches
- Logical and physical design
- Modelling techniques
- User interface design
- Case tools
- Designing test cases
- Writing and documenting design specification
- Using software tools to assist in systems design
SAD approaches and methodologies
- Structured system analysis and design methodology (SSADM)
- Object-oriented design methodologies
- Rapid application development (RAD)
- Joint application development (JAD)
- Alternative software analysis and design approaches
- Strengths and limitations of the approaches and methodologies
Systems implementation
- Assessing the platform for the system to be implemented
- User training
- Data conversion methods
- System changeover
Systems analysis and design standards
- Roles and examples of standards in SAD projects
- Components and development of documentation in a systems project
- Challenges in meeting standards in SAD projects
Systems analysis and design environment
- Security requirements, precautions and procedures in SAD
- System maintenance
- Integration problems
Emerging issues and trends