7.1 Analysis

Systems analysis is a process where a team reviews an existing system (manual or computer-based) to suggest improvements. The existing method may be either a paper-based system or a computer-based operation that is no longer adequate for the task.

The systems analysis process consists of several stages:

1. Analysis
2. Design
3. Development and testing
4. Implementation
5. Documentation
6. Evaluation and review

The analysis stage is the initial phase of systems development involving data collection and requirement identification. It consists of eight basic steps:

1. Fact finding/collecting data from the current system
2. Description of the current system – establishing the inputs, outputs and processing being done
3. Identification of the problems with the current system
4. Agreeing the objectives with the customer
5. Identifying and agreeing the customer's requirements
6. Interpreting the customer's requirements
7. Producing a cost-benefit analysis
8. Producing a data flow diagram

A feasibility study is a sub-set of the analysis stage (steps 2-7) that evaluates the practicality and cost-effectiveness of a proposed system.

The feasibility study can be broken down into the following components:

• Description of existing system (central node)
  • Objectives – what the system aims to achieve
  • Constraints – limitations of the system
  • Boundaries – scope of the system
  • Identify problems – issues with current system
  • Projected costs – financial considerations
  • Essential requirements – must-have features
  • Desirable features – nice-to-have additions
  • Development plan – timeline and approach
  • Cost-benefit analysis – weighing costs against benefits