2. The Analysis Phase
Gather Information
Define System
Requirements
Prioritize system
requirements
Prototype for
feasibility and
discovery
Generate and
evaluate
alternatives
Review
recommendations
and management
3. Analysis Phase
Activities Key Questions
Gather information Do we have all the information we need
to define what the system would do?
Define system requirements What do we need the system to do?
Prioritize system requirements What are the most important things in
the system must do?
Prototype for feasibility and discovery Have we proven that the technology
proposed can do what we think we need
it to do?
Have we built some prototypes to ensure
the users fully understand the potential of
what the system can do?
Generate and evaluate alternatives What is the best way to create the system
Review recommendations with
management
Should we continue with the design and
implement the system we propose?
4. System Requirements
• System Requirements
– Specifications that define the functions to be
provided by a system:
• Functional requirements
• Nonfunctional requirements
– Technical requirements
– Performance requirements
– Usability requirements
– Reliability requirements
– Security requirements
5. System Requirements
• Functional Requirement
– A system requirement that describes an activity or
the process that the system must perform
– A requirement that is based on the procedures
and rules that the organization uses to run its
business
6. System Requirements
• Nonfunctional Requirement
– Characteristics of the system other than the activities
it must perform:
• Technical requirements – refers to an organization’s
environment, hardware and software
• Performance requirement – refers to workload measure,
throughput and response time
• Usability requirement – operational characteristics related to
the user (UI, work procedures, help and documentation)
• Reliability requirement – describes the dependability of the
system
• Security requirement – describes user access to certain
functions
7. Information Gathering
• Techniques for Information Gathering
– Question Themes
– Review existing reports, forms and procedure
descriptions
– Conduct interviews and discussions with the users
– Observe and document business processes
– Build prototypes
– Distribute and collect questionnaires
– Conduct Joint Application Design Sessions
8. Question Themes
Theme Questions to users
What are the business operations and
processes?
What do you do?
How should those operations be
performed?
How do you do it?
What steps do you follow?
What information is needed to perform
those operations?
What information do you use?
What forms or reports to you use?
9. Review Existing Reports, Forms and
Procedure Descriptions
• The analyst asks users to provide copies of
forms, reports, procedural manuals and work
description of the company.
• Forms and reports can serve as visual aids in
an interview
• Reviewing documentation of existing
procedures helps identify business rules that
may not come up during interviews
10. Conducting Interviews
• BEFORE:
– Establish the objective of the interview
– Determine the correct users involved
– Determine project team members to participate
– Build a list of questions to be discussed
– Review related documents and materials
– Set the time and location
– Inform all participants of objective, time and
locations
11. Conducting Interviews
• DURING
– Dress appropriately
– Arrive on time
– Look for exception and error conditions
– Probe for details
– Take thorough notes
– Identify and document unanswered items or open
questions
12. Conducting Interviews
• AFTER
– Review notes for accuracy, completeness and
understanding
– Transfer information to appropriate models and
documents
– Identify areas needing further clarifications
– Send thank-you notes if appropriate
13. Observe and Document Business Processes
• Workflow – a sequence of steps to process a
business transaction
• Activity Diagram – a type of workflow that
describes user activities and their sequential
flow
16. Example
Customer Salesperson Technical Expert System
Request
quote
Develop notes
of
requirements
Enter data
into
system
Review
the quote
Accept the
quote as
order
Check
requirements
Enter Data
into
system
Calculate
quote
Ask help?
Changes
required?
No
Yes
No
Yes
17. Build Prototypes
• Prototype – a preliminary working model of a
larger system
• Mock-up – an example of a final product that
is for viewing only and not executable
18. Distribute and Collect Questionnaires
• Questionnaires enable the project team to
collect information from a large number of
stakeholders.
• Questionnaires are used to obtain preliminary
insight on the information needs of various
stakeholders.
• Questionnaires can be used to determine
users’ opinion on various aspects of the
system.
19. Distribute and Collect Questionnaires
• Questionnaires may include the ff. questions:
– Close-ended questions (used to determine
quantitative information)
– Opinion questions (respondents are asked
whether they agree or disagree with a statement)
– Questions that request explanation
20. Conduct Joint Application Design Sessions
• JAD – a technique to define requirements or
design a system in a single session by having
all necessary people participate. People
involved are the ff:
– JAD Session Leader
– Users
– Technical Staff
– Project Team Members
21. Validating the Requirements
• Structured walk-through – a review of findings
from your investigation and the models built
based on those findings.
