SALFORD BUSINES SCHOOL

ASSESSMENT

TITLE: SYSTEM ANALYSIS & DESIGN

Academic year: 2009-2010
M.Sc in MANAGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
By
Venkata Kirankumar Polinati
Student ID: @00251223

UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF

Module: RESEARCH METHODS (CRN 23537)
Module Tutor: prof.Polly Soberperez

ABSTRACT:
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The process to improve the information systems has significantly changed over past few years.
Often Information systems are considered as the acceptance and performance during their
implementation. In today’s dynamics market conditions the business organizations has to
revamp their business practices to capture their desired market to compete with their
competitors to survive in this tough competitive business world. To gain the edge over business
the organizations has to consider the choice of developing the well fitted Information systems to
boost their business operations accuracy and speedy nature to reach market ahead of their
business rivals. And the technological changes in IT domain help to organizations to choose
their desired technical applications to fit into their business organizations needs and wants. The
complexity of technology depends upon the size of the business organization. Apart from
choosing the technology the organizations are more concerned about the development of desired
technological application, it raises the questions about the credibility of chosen application
development procedures and tactics. Conducting a research helps in determining the
organizations current performance using the System Analysis and Design. System development
life cycle is the present tool and approach of the System analysis and design which has been
adopted in the present corporate world of information systems. This evaluation of literature
suggests the measures that are to be applied during the system installation and implementation
in any organization. This proposal presents various research methods to further continue the
research on the System Analysis and Design. The adopted research method in this proposal is
the qualitative research which helps to get the realistic data and observations by considering a
case study. It also focuses on the present ethical issues involving in the information systems.
This research proposal made me think to use my academic learning’s to find out the new insights
into the subjects, mainly IT management and Key Issues In Systems Development and gaining
the knowledge about the role of research methods in the field of Information Systems.

AIM OF THE RESEARCH:

Aim of this proposal is to assess the significance of System Analysis and Design in the
Information Systems in any organization.

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:
• To study the importance of system analysis and design in enhancing the information systems
• To observe the role of system development life cycle in any organization
• To focus on the research methods and their impact in the research of system analysis and
design
• To focus on the ethical issues pertaining to information systems

INTRODUCATION:
System analysis and design in the core concept of the Information Systems discipline. Over
decades of development of the system with the given requirements depends on the successful
approach to the system analysis. In this competitive world, the drastic changes in the technology
it was made mandatory for many of the organizations to analyze their system that is going to be
developed. System analysis plays a key role in the informatics systems of any business or
organization. Though system analysis and design is the important aspect of the information
system (IS), IS gives a little attention towards the research in SA&D approach. The relative lack
of research in System Analysis and Design gave more astonishing and widely accepted believes.
This states that the oversight, errors, and many more difficulties in determining the requirements
for IS are the basic reason for the failure of its projects (S. Alter & G. J. Browne, 2005).
The importance for SA&D in IS influence to identify and explain the different issues involved in
the research methodology which is considered to be the most vital part in the research. This sort
of identification and explanation of the research methodology will motivate the other researches
and publication in SA&D domain. It has been observed that the definition and description SA&D
are very much restrictive which does not give the total scope of SA&D activities. It suggested
that the information system analysis should be done when the commercial software is attained
and configured, or IS procedures are modified without any alteration in the software, or when
there is a modification in the existing software, and in many situations. Thus SA&D can also be

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considered as the indentifying and analyzing requirement for the served business system apart
from the business processes or any work systems or any sort of human activity. IS design process
not only involves the technical facets of developing the software architecture and stipulations but
also includes human involvement to carry out dispensation activities that are included in the IS
as well as the work which is not computerized (S. Alter & G. J. Browne, 2005).

LITERATURE REVIEW:
System analysis and design are the fundamental activities carried out in a software development.
Conventionally, they are performed by several practitioners who collect the specific
requirements of systems which have to be given to the group of development. System analysis is
a segment of development cycle for any system. System analysis encompasses the process of
examining the present and new systems, understanding and analysis are the requirements of
users. The system design occurs after the examination and then analysis of the system. It entails
the planning of new systems i.e. how it must be completed. System analysis and design is a vital
and crucial segment of system life cycle since it deals with the examining of a system to the
analysis of the system, structured design of the system, execution or implementation of the
system and finally safeguarding or maintaining the system. Any mistakes, errors, unidentified or
unsolved problems during the analysis stage will lead to complications which may result in the
system failure. Information systems and system analysis are considered as the general systems
theory emphasizing a close relation with all the segments of systems. Moreover, the analysts
focus on both the components equally (Dennis, Wixom and Roth, 2006).

System development life cycle

The information system (IS) can support system designing, building the system, business needs
and delivering systems to the users, understanding of this process is known as SDLC (system
development life cycle).System life cycle is a general framework which helps to track and
understand the activities to enhance and maintain the information systems. It also helps to
establish the systems project plan as it provides a list of process and other sub-process required

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to develop a system. SDLC is a combination of several activities. It can be said that these several
activities which are put together are considered as the system development life cycle. In the
terminology, system analysis and design, the system development life cycle is nothing but the
software development life cycle. System analyst in the SDLC is the main person who identifies
opportunities, analyzes the business situation for improvements. System analyst job plays a
major role, and it is the most interesting, challenging, and exciting jobs around. The person
whoever is a system analyst should work with a variety of people and analyze the business
tactics and also learn how they accomplish mission. Especially system analyst will work with
team of programmers, system analysts and other employees (Julia King, 1997).
The importance of the system analyst is a major thing, creating the wonderful systems is not the
system analysts primary object, creating the organization value is important, this is the base for
increasing the profits to the business. If the system analyst is fail to understand the current
business process and situation of the market, then the business will starts back fall. Information
system’s investment is like investment on a machine tool. The aim is not to obtain the tool, it
means there is no scope to improve or modifying in our expectations once we invest on tool.
Enable the organization to improve for the better performance in the work, and then the business
gives more profits to the investors. The development of an information system is similar to
building a house. First the building a house starts with an idea, then this idea will change into
visual that is a simple drawing that is shown to the customer and modify until they agree. Blue
prints were designed based on the drawings to clearly represent the appearance and complete
information of the house. Finally build the house based on blue prints.

Different segments of software development cycle

System Planning: The planning phase is an essential process in order to understand why the
information systems must be built and examining how the team of project would build it. This
phase includes two steps (Dennis, Wixom and Roth, 2006):
• Project Initiation: In the earlier stage of system life cycle, it involves finding about the
available system. Similarly if an organization is considered then the business value of the

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 system is identified i.e. how does it increase revenues or lower the costs? Mainly the ideas
come from the areas of information system in the form of system request. The regions of
information system are accounting department, marketing department etc. In this area of the
problems or limitations of the existing organization or system are determined and then the
probable solutions are recognized. Hence this leads to the feasibility analysis which includes
different aspects for the proposed organization like technical feasibility, economic feasibility
and organizational feasibility. The system request and the feasibility evaluation are given the
approval committee of information systems, which makes a decision whether the project can
be undertaken or not.
• When the project is approved it enters into the project management. During the project
management, the project manager generates a work plan, gathers the projects and places the
appropriate techniques to assist the project team and direct the project with the help of entire
SDLC. Project plan is the deliverable for the project management which describes about the
development of the system to the project team.

System Analysis: The phase of analysis answers the posed questions of whom to use the system,
working of system where and when the system will be used. Through this phase, the
investigation of the present system is done by the project team, recognizes the opportunities to
improve and enhances an idea for the new system. This analysis phase has 3 stages:
• Analysis strategy: It is developed to direct the efforts of the project teams. Such strategy
generally includes the analysis of current system which is called as-is system and its existing
problems. Also many ways to design and develop anew system called as to-be system.
• Further is gathering the requirements. This can be done through questionnaires or interviews.
The analysis of this data which is conjunction with the input data from the project sponsor
and also other people hence this leads to the enhancement of the concept for the new system.
This idea of the system is made used as a foundation to develop some set of analysis models
which describes about the operation of business if a new system were improved. These set of

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 models normally includes the models which represents the information and processes
required to support to the fundamental business process.
• The above analysis, models and systems concepts are gathered together into a document
which is called as the system proposal. This is presented to the sponsor of project and other
main decision makers like the members of the endorsement committee. These decide whether
the project can be moved forward.
The initial deliverable is the system proposal which describes the necessities of the business i.e.
for the new system. As it is the initial step in the designing of the new system, experts argue that
it is appropriate use the terms analysis and initial design. Since many of the organizations use the
terms analysis in these phases (Dennis, Wixom and Roth, 2006).
System design: This phase decides the operation of the system i.e. in terms of software, hardware
and the network infrastructure along with the forms, user interface and reports that must be use;
and also the files, databases, and specific programs that are necessary. However, for the most
part strategic decisions are about the systems which are prepared in the expansion of system
concept at some point in analysis phase. The following steps in the design phase explaining how
the system will be operated.
• Design strategy should be developed in the system. Hence this makes clear that whether the
system will be enhanced by the organizations programmers or it will be offshore to other
organizations or whether the organization will adopt the accessible software package.
• This results to the growth of the fundamental architecture design for the new system which
describes the usage of software, hardware and the network infrastructure. In many cases,
system nay change or add the infrastructure that is previously available in the organization.
The specification for the users to move through the system is interface design i.e. through the
navigation methods like on-screen buttons and the menus. The system can also use the
reports and forms.
• The file and database specifications are improved. These specifications explain the type of
data that will be stored and the place it will be stored.

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• The program design is developed by the analyst team defining the programs that are needed
to write and exact operation of each program.
The above deliverables in the system specification is given to the programming team in order to
implement it. Finally the design phase, project plan and the feasibility phase are revised and
reexamined and an additional decision is made by the approval committee and project sponsor
about the termination of the project or continuation of the project (Dennis, Wixom and Roth,
2006).
Implementation: The implementation phase is the final phase in SDLC, where the system is
essentially built; in case of packaged software design the system is purchased. Generally, this
phase gets more attention as for many of the systems it is the most expensive and longest single
part in the development process. The implementation phase has the following steps:
• First is the system construction. Here the system is constructed and tested to make sure that it
operates according to the design. As the price of bugs may be expensive and testing is the
critical step in the implementation phase. Many organizations spend time and attention on
executing compared to writing the programs.
• Next is the installation process where the old system is turned off and the new system is
turned on. This may contain a direct cutover approach, a parallel conversion approach or a
phased conversion strategy. Development of training plan is the one among the significant
aspects of conversion in order to teach the users i.e. how to make use of the new system and
assist in managing the changes occurred because of the new system.
• The team of analysts launches a support plan for the new system. Usually, this plan contains
formal or informal review of post-implementation and also a systematic way for making out
the minor and major changes that are required for the system.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Research methodology is an attempt to determine solutions to the logical and practical problems
through the scientific approach. This can be defined as the systematic process of collection and
analyzing the data in order to maximize the understanding of the selected strategy. Research

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methodology is the process which can be classified in the many categories. But the two
important and diversified methods are quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
Quantitative research methodology comprises of the natural sciences like resources, time, cost
etc., are taken into consideration in this approach. Some of the quantitative research methods are
laboratory experiments, survey methods, formal methods like econometrics and mathematical
modeling.
Qualitative research methodology takes an approach of social sciences that enables to study the
cultural and social phenomena. There are many approaches for this methodology to carry out the
research analysis. Some of them are case study research, action research and ethnography which
include participation, observation, questionnaires, interviews, texts and documents, researcher’s
reactions and impressions. The main motivation for qualitative research comes from the
observation and ability to talk, the only thing that differentiates humans from others. Qualitative
research methodology has been intended to guide the researchers in understanding the people
and cultural and social perspectives in which they live. When the textual data are enumerated,
the motto of understating the process from the participants’ point of view and a particular
institutional and communal context is lost (Straub, Gefen & Bourdreau, 2004).

ADOPTED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

The methodology that I have adopted in the research of Information system analysis and design
is the qualitative research method. The research methodology is the process of inquest that starts
from the base line of philosophical assumptions and data collection to design research. In this
criterion I need to research on different assumptions and strategies in the system analysis and
design process. As qualitative research methodology comprises of different research methods I
need to concentrate on any one of the research method which will facilitate me to the roots and
results of the System analysis and Design.
This qualitative research methodology will help me to obtain the more realistic data or feels of
the persons or the world which cannot be obtained in the statistical and numerical approach of
the quantitative research method. This will facilitate me to have a flexible ways for subsequent

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analysis, data collection and elucidation of the collected data. Qualitative research method will
afford the holistic view of the process by the investigation into the subject and gets an
opportunity to interact with various research themes on the same process. Through this I can
accumulate the primary data in a non-structured and a flexible way which allows me to emerge
to the new interpretations and information of inter-cultural communication ability.
As the coin has two sides every aspect has the advantages and disadvantages involved in it. The
qualitative research methodology may lead me to the different conclusion depending on the
individual characteristic of the researcher on the same information. It may become a tedious
work to differentiate the qualitative and quantitative research information that has obtained from
the different sources of information collection. I need to overcome all these strategies which are
less effective in comparison with quantitative approach and need to take out the research
methodology to obtain the best result in System Analysis and Design area.

RESEARCH STATAGIES IN ADOPETED METHODOLOGY:

Here I have adopted qualitative research methodology for the research in the area of System
Analysis & design. This methodology comprises of different research techniques. They are
• Action research
• Case study research
• Ground theory
• Ethnography

Action Research
Action research is the process of aiming to contribute to the realistic concerns in an instant tricky
situation and to the goals of social science with the joint collaboration of the mutual acceptable
ethical issues. Action research confines to the collaborative facet and the possible ethical impasse
which arise from its use. It also concentrates on the aspect of improving the knowledge of the
social science community. This is where it deviates from the applied social science, where only
the social scientific knowledge is applied but not added to the soul of the knowledge.

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In some of the applied fields like education and organizational development action research is
considered to be the accepted valid research methodology. However in Information systems, it
has been ignored for a long time because of some of the exceptions occur during the
methodology process. This is the process in which the participants have to carry out the research
carefully and systematically by utilizing the strategies of research which researcher has to carry
out the work by his personnel participation (Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T., 1996).

Case Study Research

Case study has numerous meanings and this can be used to explain a research method or unit of
analysis. Case study usage concerns as a research method. In the information systems the most
familiar qualitative method is “case study” and the scope of case study defined by multiple
definitions as given below.
If the boundaries between context and phenomenon are not clear, then investigation of
contemporary phenomenon is done within the real-life context. In business, Information systems
have given importance to the organizational issues compared to technical issues. So that the case
study research method is well suited to IS research (Yin, R. K., 2002).
Research design testing and research propositions modifications are the initial purpose of case
study. Designing of case study is used to determine the dealings of IS supply chain alertness and
integration as numerous studies fall down on sorting out potential mechanism this criteria may
effects IS supply chain alertness. Understanding the dynamic focusing and strategy of a research
presents within the single settings, so the approach of the case study is appropriate. The research
focuses in the perspective of IS research and on the modern phenomena. Case study has
numerous perspectives which provide several data collection methods and embedded in a precise
context according to these criteria in IS field the most frequent approach research is the case
study (Yi Wu, 2007).

Grounded theory

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Grounded theory is the strategy of analyzing qualitative data aiming at spawning the theory out
of the research information by achieving the similarities between them. Grounded theory is the
one which is derived from the methodically gathered and analyzed data through research
strategy. This theory data collection, analysis of data and ultimate theory analysis appear to have
the close associations with each other. In Information systems and system analysis research
grounded theory will identify the controls of the macro structural features such as behavior and
interactions through direct observation. This states that if macro phenomena come out directly
from the field data then only it has ability to validate the IS researchers using the grounded
theory. Grounded theory has increasingly become the common research methodology in the field
of information systems because it is extremely helpful in the development of a process oriented
descriptions, context based and explanation of the strategy (Michael E. Whitman & Amy B.
Woszczynski, 2004).

Ethnography
Ethnography is a strategy to study of people in different ways in their native or natural
environments at shop, work, live and play. Ethnography is a set of balancing techniques
developed in regulation of anthropology. Well-trained researcher expert requires for the
ethnographic method to change her or himself in diverse cultures, environments, and
populations. To establish this ethnography, understanding the people who are in the social
context and interacting with people through observation, participation and values. Observational
Research gives surprising approaches into how the people use services and products, and the way
of interacting with spaces (work, retail and home) and what innovations or improvements are
needed (Ethnography, 2008).

ADOPETED RESEARCH STARTEGY:

In the research methodology of Systems Analysis and design in Information systems I have
adopted the case study as research strategy in qualitative research methodology. The case study
approach facilitates me to have a multi-faceted approach in the research methodology. The case

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study research strategy can be assumed in positivist or interpretive paradigms. Using the case
study approach will help me to have the deductive and inductive approach which involves the
theoretical replication of the information collected for research strategy. This is the practical
approach which is very much suitable for the development, implementation and enduring usage
of the Information Systems. This enables me to study all the factors in the organization with the
use System analysis and design strategy. These factors include internal relationships, technology,
developers, and group dynamic etc. Case study research will help me out to deal with the
complexity in the situation of single factor isolation. This helps me out to stud over the System
analysis and design in theory building and testing. Case study research strategy will provide the
information which is close to the experience of the employees in the application. This
information can be considered as the practical and realistic approach to the research area. Case
study research strategy even helps out to explore the alternative methodologies in the
development and implementation of the System Analysis and Design in the organization. This
even helps out to evaluate the development strategies followed by the organization on which the
case study has been done. Therefore I have chosen case study as research strategy on SA&D
(Briony J. Oates, 2006).

ETHICAL ISSUES:
Data on ethics are applied to the issues starting from development and usage of information
systems. Computer crime and mistreatment such as the damage of databases by using the
computer misrepresentation or viruses of electronic identity towards the financial gain are the
violations of laws and falls into this domain. The ethical issues are due to the immense
capabilities and pervasive role of system for gathering, storing and executing the data,
complexities in the information systems and the intangible behavior of data. Following are some
ethical issues of them.
Privacy: It is the critical issue elevated in the information systems. It is the right of every one to
retain data about themselves without any disclosures and also to have protection of their data to
get accessed. If any data is invades then it leads to embarrassment, perceive and diminishment

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i.e. loss of control of the individual lives. Data collection, storage and distribution of records
regarding the individuals are computerized databases which are necessary for their business
indeed very essential for their further operations (Miriam A. Drake, 2003).
Accuracy: The concern is about the accuracy of the data about individuals which is directly
proportional to the concern for privacy. The concept of accurate data is actually about the quality
of data where it is error-free, absolute and related to the decisions based on it.
Property: It is largely secured in the ethical domain. Though, intangibility of data is the source of
dilemmas which takes away the clarity if laws, problems into the ethical field. These issues are
mainly related to intellectual property. Since plummeting costs of hardware makes much of the
commodity, value of information systems dwells in their, software, knowledge bases and
databases. Intellectual property is all about the copyrights, trade secrets and patents.
Access: For the information systems, it is considered as the hallmark, as it enables the storage,
process and conveying of data. Information systems do not have barriers for opportunities, i.e. in
purposeful contexts it has the ability opportunity that does not have accessibility before. For
instance, electronic mails can be successfully accessed by anybody i.e. any of them can write and
read thus it has become a road to traditional literacy (Allen Kent and James G. Williams, 1993).
Issues related to data collection, access and storage: There are several moral issues that are
needed to be considered in accordance with collection, access and storage of information in the
electronic form. For example, one must seek permission to inform the available records also to
know the accuracy and accessibility of the data.
Piracy: Copying the software is an illegal actions and it assumed that 50% of the programs on the
personal computers are pirated copies. There is a necessity for protecting these programs, as the
programmers spends hours together in designing, coding and testing. Sometimes, piracy must be
permitted because it leads more computer literate populace. But, in case of corporate companies,
it has particularly a very serious problem which can significantly damage the marginal profits.
Viruses: It is obvious that writing and spreading the programs of viruses are unethical acts which
results in serious consequences and may cause crashes in systems and organizations to stop their

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operations for certain period. The consequences are very serious that the viruses disrupt the
functioning of an organization.

RESEARCH PLAN:
Research plan explore the schedule of the research process that it to be carried out.
Research process Duration
Analysis of SA&D in Information Systems. October 1nd & 2nd week
Data regarding the System Analysis and October 3rd & 4th week
Design
Data collection according to research November 1st & 2nd week
methodology.
Interpretation of the research strategies and November 3rd & 4th week
methods.
Review of the adopted research strategy. December 1st week
Relating the data collected to the adopted December 2nd week
research strategy.
Case study on the organization that have December 3rd week
adopted the System Analysis and Design in
their Information systems.
Research on the SA&D and documenting the December 4th week.
observations

Finally the research proposal plan goes as above mentioned time structures to get good insights
to fulfill the aim of opted research proposal. I feel every part of my mentioned time frames gives
a clear understanding of crucial part of my research proposal. I hope this proposal plan makes
me stronger with the knowledge of systems analysis and design in the information systems
development to reach my desired career goal.

REFERENCES:

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Books, Journals, Articles:
Allen Kent and James G. Williams (1993), “Encyclopedia of Computer Science and
Technology”, Published by CRC Press, pp. 408.
Briony J. Oates (2006), “Researching Information systems and Computing”, published by
SAGE, pp. 341.
Dennis, Wixom and Roth (2006), “System Analysis & Design”, Published by Wiley-India, pp.
576.
Michael E. Whitman & Amy B. Woszczynski (2004), “The handbook of information systems
research”, published by Idea Group Inc, pp. 349.
Miriam A. Drake (2003), “Encyclopedia of library and information science”, Published by CRC
Press, pp. 1590.
Yin, R.K (2002), Case Study Research, Design and Methods, 3rd ed. Newbury Park, Sage
Publications.
Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T. (1996), "A Critical Perspective on Action Research as
a Method for Information Systems Research," Journal of Information Technology (11), pp. 235-
246.
S. Alter & G. J. Browne (2005), “A Broad View of Systems Analysis and Design”,
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Volume 15, pp. 981-999.

Websites:
Ethnography (2008), “Ethnographic insight”, [Internet] available at URL: <http://www.ethno-
insight.com/ourservices_2.html>, [accessed on 11th December, 2009].
Julia King (1997), “IS Reins in Runaway Projects,” Computer world,[Internet] available at URL:
< http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/87/04700747/0470074787.pdf>, [accessed on
10th December, 2009].
Straub, Gefen & Bourdreau (2004), “"The ISWorld Quantitative, Positivist Research Methods”,
[Internet] available at URL < http://dstraub.cis.gsu.edu:88/quant/>, [accessed on 11th December,
2009].

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Yi Wu (2007), “Implications of Case Study Research in Information Systems in Supply Chain
Management”, [internet] available at URL: <http://www.edamba.eu/userfiles/Yi%20Wu.pdf>,
[accessed on 11th December, 2009].

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