1. 1
Chapter
10
Developing
Business/Information
Technology Solutions
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2. 2
Learning Objectives
Use the systems development process outlined
in this chapter, and the model of IS
components from Chapter 1 as problem-
solving frameworks to help propose
information systems solutions to simple
business problems.
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3. 3
Learning Objectives (continued)
Describe how you might use each of the steps
of the information systems development cycle
to develop and implement an e-business
system.
Explain how prototyping improves the process
of systems development for end users and IS
specialists.
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4. 4
Learning Objectives (continued)
Identifythe activities involved in the
implementation of new information systems.
Describe evaluation factors that should be
considered in evaluating the acquisition of
hardware, software, and IS services.
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5. 5
Section I
Developing e-Business Systems
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6. 6
Information Systems Development
The systems approach to problem solving
applied to the development of information
system solutions to business problems.
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7. 7
The Systems Approach
The systems approach to problem solving
Recognize and define a problem or
opportunity using systems thinking
Develop and evaluate alternative system
solutions
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8. 8
The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems approach to problem solving
(continued)
Selectthe system solution that best meets
your requirements
Design the selected system solution
Implement and evaluate the success of the
designed system
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9. 9
The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems Thinking
“seeing the forest AND the trees”
Seeing “interrelationships” among
“systems” rather than linear cause-and-
effect chains when events occur
Seeing “processes” of change among
“systems” rather than discrete
“snapshots” of change, whenever change
occurs.
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10. 10
The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems thinking (continued)
Use a systems context
Try to find systems, subsystems, and
components of systems in any situation
you are studying
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11. 11
The Systems Development Cycle
Investigation
Analysis
Design
Implementation
Maintenance
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12. 12
Prototyping
The rapid development and testing of working
models of new applications in an interactive,
iterative process.
Sometimes called rapid application design
(RAD).
Simplifies and accelerates systems design.
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13. 13
Prototyping (continued)
 The prototyping process
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14. 14
Starting the Systems Development Process
Systems Investigation Phase
Feasibility studies
Organizational feasibility
Economic feasibility
Technical feasibility
Operational feasibility
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15. 15
Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)
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16. 16
Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)
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17. 17
Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Tangible costs
Intangible costs
Tangible benefits
Intangible benefits
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18. 18
Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)
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19. 19
Systems Analysis
Systems analysis is an in-depth study of end
user information needs that produces
functional requirements.
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20. 20
Systems Analysis (continued)
Traditionally involves a detailed study of…
Information needs of the company & end
users
Activities, resources, & products of one or
more of the present information systems
The IS capabilities required to meet
information needs of the company, the end
users, and all business stakeholders that may
use the system
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21. 21
Systems Analysis (continued)
Organizational analysis
Study
Management structure
The people
Business activities
Environmental systems
The current information system
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22. 22
Systems Analysis (continued)
Analysis of the present system
Analyze how the present system..
Uses hardware
Uses software
Is networked
Uses people resources to convert data
resources into information products.
How the IS activities of input, processing,
output, storage, and control are
accomplished.
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23. 23
Systems Analysis (continued)
Functional requirements analysis
What type of information does each business
activity require?
Format, volume, frequency, response
times
What are the information processing
capabilities required?
Input, processing, output, storage, control
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24. 24
Systems Analysis (continued)
Functional requirements analysis (continued)
Finally, develop functional requirements
End user information requirements that
are not tied to the hardware, software,
network, data, and people resources
Goal – identify what should be done, not
how to do it.
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25. 25
Systems Design
Specifies HOW the system will meet the
information needs of users
Focuses on three major products
User interface design
Data design
Database structures
Process design
Processing and control procedures
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26. 26
Systems Design (continued)
User interface design
Focuses on supporting the interactions
between end users and the computer-based
applications
Display screens
Interactive user/computer dialogues
Audio responses
Forms, documents, and reports
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27. 27
Systems Design (continued)
System specifications
Formalizes the design of the application’s
user interface methods & products
Formalizes database structures
Formalizes processing and control
procedures
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28. 28
End User Development
IS professionals play a consulting role
Training in the use of application packages
Assistance with the selection of hardware
and software
Assistance in gaining access to organization
databases
Assistance in the analysis, design, and
implementation of your application
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29. 29
End User Development (continued)
The application development process
Output
What information is needed and in what
form?
Input
What data are available? From what
sources? In what form?
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30. 30
End User Development (continued)
The application development process
(continued)
Processing
What operations or transformation
processes will be required to convert
available inputs into the desired output?
What software package can best perform
the required operations?
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31. 31
End User Development (continued)
The application development process
(continued)
Storage
Control
How will you protect against accidental
loss or damage to end user files?
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32. 32
End User Development (continued)
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33. 33
Section II
Implementing e-Business Systems
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34. 34
Implementation
This is the actual deployment of the
information technology system.
Follows the investigation, analysis, and design
stages of the systems development cycle.
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35. 35
Implementing New Systems
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36. 36
Evaluating Hardware, Software, & Services
May require suppliers to present bids and
proposals based on system specifications
Minimum acceptable physical &
performance characteristics for all
hardware and software requirements are
established
Large businesses and government agencies
formalize requirements by listing them in a
Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for
Quotation (RFQ)
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37. 37
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
May use a scoring system for evaluation
Determine evaluation factors and assign
points
Performance of hardware and software must
be demonstrated and evaluated
May use benchmark test programs
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38. 38
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors
Performance
Speed, capacity, throughput
Cost
Lease or purchase price
Cost of operations and maintenance
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39. 39
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Reliability
Risk of malfunction & maintenance
requirements
Error control and diagnostic features
Compatibility
With existing hardware and software?
With hardware & software provided by
competing suppliers?
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40. 40
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Technology
Year of product life cycle
Does it use a new, untested technology?
Does it run the risk of obsolescence?
Ergonomics
“human factors engineered”?
User-friendly?
Safe, comfortable, easy to use?
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41. 41
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Connectivity
Easily connected to WANs and LANs that
use different types of network technologies
and bandwidth alternatives?
Scalability
Can it handle the processing demands of
end users, transactions, queries, & other
processing requirements?
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42. 42
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Software
Is system and application software
available that can best use this hardware?
Support
Is support available?
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43. 43
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors
Quality
Bugfree?
Efficiency
Well-developed system of program code
that does not use much CPU time, memory
capacity, or disk space?
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44. 44
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Flexibility
Can it handle our processes easily without
major modification?
Security
Does it provide control procedures for
errors, malfunctions, and improper use?
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45. 45
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Connectivity
Web-enabled?
Language
Is the programming language familiar to
internal software developers?
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46. 46
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Documentation
Well-documented? Help screens and
helpful software agents?
Hardware
Does existing hardware have the features
required to best use this software?
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47. 47
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Other factors
Performance, cost, reliability, availability,
compatibility, modularity, technology,
ergonomics, scalability, and support
characteristics
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48. 48
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS Services
Performance
Past performance in view of past promises
Systems development
Are website and other e-business
developers available? Quality and cost
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49. 49
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Maintenance
Is equipment maintenance provided?
Quality and cost
Conversion
What systems development & installation
services will they provide during the
conversion period?
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50. 50
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Training
Provided? Quality and cost
Backup
Are similar computer facilities available
nearby for emergency backup purposes?
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51. 51
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Accessibility
Services from local or regional sites?
Customer support center?
Customer hot line?
Business position
Financially strong with good industry
market prospects?
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52. 52
Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Hardware
Provide a wide selection of compatible
hardware devices and accessories?
Software
Offer a variety of useful e-business
software and application packages?
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53. 53
Other Implementation Activities
Testing
May involve website performance testing
Testing and debugging software
Testing new hardware
Reviewing prototypes of displays, reports,
and other output
Should occur throughout the development
process
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54. 54
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Documentation
Sample data entry screens, forms, and
reports are examples.
Serves as a method of communication
among the people responsible for
developing, implementing, and maintaining
the system
A detailed record of the system’s design
Important in diagnosing errors & making
changes
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55. 55
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Training
End users must be trained to operate a new
e-business system or implementation will fail
May be limited in scope or may involve all
aspects of the proper use of the new system
Managers and end users must be educated
in how the new technology impacts business
operations and management
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56. 56
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Conversion methods
Parallel
Both
old and new systems are operated
until the project development team and
end users agree to switch completely
Phased
Only parts of the new application or only a
few locations at a time are converted
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57. 57
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Conversion methods (continued)
Pilot
One department or other work site serves
as a test site
Plunge
A direct cutover to the newly developed
system
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58. 58
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
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59. 59
Other Implementation Activities (continued)
IS Maintenance
Systems maintenance
Postimplementation review
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60. 60
Discussion Questions
Why has prototyping become a popular way
to develop e-business applications. What are
prototyping’s advantages and disadvantages?
What are the three most important factors you
would use in evaluating computer hardware?
Computer software?
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61. 61
Discussion Questions (continued)
Assume that in your first week on a new job
you are asked to use a type of business
software that you have never used before.
What kind of user training should your
company provide to you before you start?
What is the difference between the parallel,
plunge, phased, and pilot forms of IS
conversion? Which strategy is best?
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62. 62
Discussion Questions (continued)
What are several key factors in designing a
successful e-commerce or internet website?
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63. 63
Real World Case 1 – Fidelity Investments
Evaluating Usability in Website Design
Is a usability lab like Fidelity’s necessary, or
are there other alternatives for testing
usability in website design?
Which is the better approach?
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64. 64
Real World Case 1 (continued)
Evaluate the suggestions for good website
design shared by companies in this case.
Which are the most important to you?
In what order would you rate the companies
in this case in terms of website design?
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65. 65
Real World Case 1 (continued)
What are your choices for the top five design
failures at business websites?
Why were those your choices?
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66. 66
Real World Case 2 – PacifiCorp, Reynolds, & Zurich NA
This case describes a change in focus in IT
project management from time to market and
market share goals, to profitable projects
completed on time and on budget.
Why has there been a change of focus in IT
project management?
Is this change necessary?
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67. 67
Real World Case 2 (continued)
What are the reasons for the difference in the
project management focus of the meetings
held by PacifiCorp and Reynolds?
Which is more important?
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68. 68
Real World Case 2 (continued)
What are the benefits to IT project
management of project status transparency
and the project agreement as practiced by
Zurich NA?
Will the change in focus in IT project
management stifle creativity and innovation in
business system design?
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69. 69
Real World Case 3 – IMG Worldwide
IT Resource Acquisition Strategies
Do you agree with the methods and criteria
that Gergely Tapolyai of IMG uses to evaluate
IT products?
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70. 70
Real World Case 3 (continued)
What characteristics of the OshKosh B’Gosh
buying process should be implemented by
other companies?
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71. 71
Real World Case 3 (continued)
What other evaluation methods and criteria
(whether mentioned in this case or not) are
crucial to the IT acquisition process?
Why?
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72. 72
Real World Case 4 – Macy’s and Lands’ End
Systems Design Criteria for Website
Shopability
Considerations
Trust
Categories
Search
Product pages
Navigation
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73. 73
Real World Case 4 (continued)
How does the Macy’s website measure up to
the five shopability criteria discussed in this
case?
Which do you like best? Macy’s or the Lands’
End websites.
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74. 74
Real World Case 4 (continued)
What are several other website design
suggestions that either website could make to
improve their shopability?
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75. 75
Real World Case 5 – GM Locomotive Group
Failure in ERP System Implementation
GM Locomotive says the problem wasn’t with
the ERP software. Then what DID cause the
major failure of their ERP system?
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76. 76
Real World Case 5 (continued)
What major shortcomings in systems
implementation, conversion, or project
management practices do you recognize in this
case?
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77. 77
Real World Case 5 (continued)
What would you advise GM Locomotive to do
differently to avoid similar problems in their
upcoming ERP implementations?
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