The Modern Systems AnalystThe Systems Analyst As A Modern Business Problem Solver Where Do System Analysts Work?. The Modern Systems AnalystThe Systems Analyst As A Modern Business P
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Introduction
The chapter will address the following questions:
What is the systems analyst’s role and responsibilities in the
modern business?
Why are organizations recruiting computer end-users to partner with the traditional systems analyst?
What are the roles of systems analysts and business users in
systems problem solving?
Where are the career opportunities for systems analysts?
Who are the systems analyst’s customers and partners in systems development?
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Introduction
The chapter will address the following questions:
What business trends and drivers are influencing the careers of
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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
Many organizations consider information systems
and computer applications as essential to their
ability to compete or gain competitive advantage
Information has become a management resource
equal in importance to property, facilities,
employees, and capital
All workers need to participate in the development of these systems and applications – not just the
computer and information specialists.
But one specialist plays a special role in systems and
applications development, the systems analyst.
A systems analyst(s) facilitates the development of
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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
Why do businesses need Systems Analysts?
The system analyst bridges the communications gap between those who need the computer and those who understand the
technology
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What is a Systems Analyst?
Systems analysts are people who understand both business and computing
Systems analysts study business problems and opportunities and then transform business and information requirements of the business into the computer-based information systems and
computer applications that are implemented by various technical specialists including computer programmers
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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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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What is a Systems Analyst?
When information technology is used, the systems analyst is
responsible for:
the efficient capture of data from its business source
the flow of that data to the computer
the processing and storage of that data by the computer
the flow of useful and timely information back to the business and its people
Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the
combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks)
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What is a Systems Analyst?
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 Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What is a Systems Analyst?
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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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
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 Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What Does A System Analyst Do?
The SDLC usually incorporates the following general-purpose
problem solving steps:
and plan the development strategy and goals
effects Then, identify and analyze the requirements that must
be fulfilled by any successful solution.
require design
and implement improvements to the solution Different support situations can thread back into the previous steps
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Acceptable solution
Obsolete solution
Implemen- tation
to be fixed
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
What Does A System Analyst Do?
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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Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
Systems analysts can be found in most businesses; however, the organization of information services in many businesses is in
turmoil as those businesses reorganize to improve service, quality, and value
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Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business
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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Where Do System Analysts Work?
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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Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business
Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers: (continued)
– This center manages the data and information resource in the organization.
– Data Administration usually employ several systems
analyst-like specialists called data analysts who analyze database
requirements and design and construct the corresponding databases
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business
Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers: (continued)
– This center designs, constructs, and manages the computer networks that have become integral to most businesses.
designing local and wide area networks that will ultimately be used by systems and applications
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business
Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers: (continued)
– This center supports the growing base of personal computers and local area networks in end user community.
– They provide installation services, training, and help desk
services (call-in help for various PC related problems).
– In mature businesses, they also provide standards and consulting to end users who develop their own systems with
PC power tools such as spreadsheets and PC database management systems
– In this latter role, they employ analyst-like end user computing
consultants
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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
The Systems Analyst in the Traditional Business
Information Services is organized according to the following functions or centers: (continued)
– This center runs all of the shared computers including
mainframes, minicomputers, and non-departmental servers.
– This unit rarely employs systems analysts.
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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 End User ComputingManager
Data Administrator Computer OperationsManager
Data Analysts
Database Analysts
Database Administrators
Network Managers
Network Technicians
Network Analysts ConsultantsEnd User
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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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
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
Departmental Computing Coordination
Data Administrator
cations Administrator
Telecommuni-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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The Systems Analyst As A Modern
Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
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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Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
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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Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
(continued)
• Information Technology Architecture
• An information technology architecture team establishes and maintains a blueprint for which technologies will be approved for the entire business, including the decentralized information
services centers
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
(continued)
– The centers provide a pool of technology specific specialists which are provided to both centralized and decentralized units for project work
– Each expert contributes their expertise to any project to which they are assigned, for both centralized and decentralized
projects.
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
(continued)
– This center develops and supports the shared information systems and cross-functional applications for the business
– This center employs experienced systems analysts
– As projects are started and completed, both systems analysts
and technical specialists are assigned to and released from project teams
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
Modern Information Services in a Business
The central Information Services unit is responsible for:
(continued)
– This unit provides both consulting services and quality management services to the decentralized information and computing centers
– Experienced systems analysts may be employed here to help
establish standards and guidelines, and to provide training and
consultation to departmental projects
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
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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Business Problem Solver
Where Do System Analysts Work?
Outsourcing in the Modern Business
As many as fifty percent of medium-to-large businesses have already outsourced some or all of the their information
services
Why?
• The initial business driver was cost reduction.
The Gartner Group predicts that 70% or more of businesses will be outsourcing information services by the year 2000
Many systems analysts (and other computer professionals) can expect to be ‘absorbed’ by outsourcing
Outsourcers must retain a high quality, technically competent work force of information technology managers and specialists including systems analysts
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Where Do System Analysts Work?
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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Where Do System Analysts Work?
Consulting (continued)
A variation on consulting firms is systems integration.
System integration involves helping organizations integrating systems and applications that don’t work together properly, or that run on very different technical platforms from different computer manufacturers
• Systems analysts that specialize in systems integration are
frequently called systems engineers or systems integrators