Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Other Fact-Finding Techniques
System analysts may use other fact-finding techniques, including document review,
observation, questionnaires and surveys, sampling, and research. Such techniques are used
before interviewing begins to obtain a good overview and to help develop better interview
questions.
Document Review
● Document review can help you understand how the current system is supposed to work.
● Remember that system documentation sometimes is out of date. Forms can change or
be discontinued, and documented procedures often are modified or eliminated.
● You should obtain copies of actual forms and operating documents currently in used.
● You also should review blank copies of forms, as well as samples of actual completed
forms. You usually can obtain document samples during interviews with the people who
perform that procedure.
Observation
A questionnaire can be a traditional paper form, or you can create a fill-in form and collect data
on the internet or a company intranet.
Sampling
Research
● As you gather information, the importance of a single item can be overlooked or complex
system details can be forgotten.
● The basic rule is to write it down. You should document your work according to the
following principles:
○ Record information as soon as you obtain it.
○ Use the simplest recording method possible.
○ Record your findings in such a way they can be understood by someone else.
○ Organize your documentation so related material is located easily.
● Often system analysts use special forms for describing a system, recording interviews,
and summarizing documents.
One type of documentation is a narrative list with simple statements about what are occurring,
apparent problems, and suggestions for improvement. Other forms of documentation include
data flow diagrams, flow charts, sample forms, and screen captures.
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Technique Of Fact Finding In Systems Analysis And Design
1. INTERVIEWS.
This method is used to collect the information from groups or individuals. Analyst
selects the people who are related to the system for the interview. In this method the
analyst sits face to face with the people and records their responses. The interviewer
must plan in advance the type of questions he/ she is going to ask and should be ready
to answer any type of question. He should also choose a suitable place and time which
will be comfortable for the respondent.
The information collected is quite accurate and reliable as the interviewer can clear and
cross check the doubts there itself. This method also helps gap the areas of
misunderstandings and helps to discuss the future problems. Structured and
unstructured are the two sub categories of Interview. Structured interview is more formal
interview where fixed questions are asked and specific information is collected whereas
unstructured interview is more or less like a casual conversation where in-depth areas
topics are covered and other information apart from the topic may also be obtained.
2. QUESTIONNAIRES.
It is the technique used to extract information from a number of people. This method
can be adopted and used only by a skillful analyst. The Questionnaire consists of a
series of questions framed together in a logical manner. The questions are simple, clear
and to the point. This method is very useful for obtaining information from people who
are concerned with the usage of the system and who are living in different countries.
The questionnaire can be mailed or sent to people by post. This is the cheapest source
of fact finding.
3. OBSERVATION.
Unlike the other fact finding techniques, in this method the analyst himself visits the
organization and observes and understands the flow of documents, working of the
existing system, the users of the system etc. For this method to be adopted it takes an
analyst to perform this job as he knows which points should be noticed and highlighted.
Analysts may observe the unwanted things as well and simply cause delay in the
development of the new system.
The information related to the system is published in the sources like newspapers,
magazines, journals, documents etc. This record review helps the analyst to get
valuable information about the system and the organization. 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.
5. SAMPLING.
Document sampling can be used in two different ways. First, the analyst will collect
copies of blank and completed documents during the course of interviews and
observation sessions. These will be used to determine the information that is used by
people in their work, and the inputs to and outputs from processes which they carry out,
either manually or using an existing computer system. Ideally, where there is an existing
system, screen shots should also be collected in order to understand the inputs and
outputs of the existing system.
Second, the analyst may carry out a statistical analysis of the documents in order to find
out about patterns of data. For example, many documents such as order forms contain
a header section and a number of lines of detail. (The sample document in Figure 6.1
shows this kind of structure.) The analyst may want to know the distribution of the
number of lines in an order. This will help later in estimating volumes of data to be held
in the system and in deciding how many lines should be displayed on screen at one
time. While this kind of statistical sampling can give a picture of data volumes, the
analyst should be alert to seasonal patterns of activity, which may mean that there are
peaks and troughs in the amount of data being processed.