Taken from page 17, Heinemann IPT text.
* The existing system is investigated in greater depth to ensure that
all current operations and problems are understood.
* The project leader must also further clarify the
needs of the new system.
Make a mental note: "current operations, needs of the system".
* It is necessary to understand the
flow of data through the system and
how the data is processed within the system.
Again, just remind yourself with key points, "flow of data" and "processing of data". This will keep you focused on what you need to accomplish/achieve.
"...When the detailed analysis is completed, an
analysis report is written."
It:
-
Provides more detail than was presented in the feasibility study.
- Provides a basis for further development.
-
Details of the new system are presented.
-
Recommendations for design, implementation and maintenance.
- Contains
design specifications
---> General
hardware configuration of the new system
---> Designs for both input and output
-
Project Plan
--> Overall
schedule
--> Details of the
subprojects
--> Identify the
people, information technology and data/information required by the system.
Having established this foundation, you can structure your response (analysis report) into the 3 categories (as you've stipulated, they are bold/italicised for your convenience).
Basically:
1. Look at how the system is working at present, what are its benefits, what are the disadvantages (inefficiencies), how can this be improved? What will be required for this improvement to be made? That is, what will be needed to increase the efficiency of the old system, and how can the new system surpass the old, in terms of what the people want, how they use the current system, what training levels (skills) the participants have, etc. Youre basically covering the what must be done component, as well as how can it be done.
2. Here you have to outline the system design, data flow, and data processes. That is, how does the current system work? Meaning you have to use some visual tools (design tools) to understand the flow of data, what goes where, where is it stored, how is it stored, who does what, where does the data come from/go to, etc. So youll be having context diagrams, data flow diagrams, system flow charts, data dictionaries, decision trees/tables (but this is moreso under Designing Solutions than Making Decisions). What I would do here is give an outline of how the system will be designed, in terms of what the participants want in a system (be broad and general, leave the specifics until the last part: Design specifications for the project). So you might want an easy to use system, clear user interfaces, easy input/output screens, tips, wizards, menus, that kind of thing. Its all about the design of the system, not the actual physical components (hardware/software, information technology; leave this until later).
Then move onto your implementation and maintenance, which will cover things like:
How will the system be implemented, what is your timeframe, schedules, take a look at your technical, organisational, schedule and economic constraints, then make decisions (this is where youre at). So you will pick a gradual or phased implementation, or a parallel operation of old/new systems because of <reasons>. Participants might want to be trained first, so you might want to have a pilot run, etc.
Then youve got the maintenance, whos going to do this? Are you going to hire people? How often are the backups? What about hardware/software upgrades? Every few years or every month? Just talk about maintaining the system, looking at every stage of the system development life-cycle and then go on about how youre going to have all these people do things, regularly to ensure the efficient operation and running of the new system, etc.
3. Design specification of the project. Here youll just make a list of the hardware and software parts/components that you have selected, based upon what the participants/users want, how they will use it, your budget, etc. So you might have a cheap $1000 solution because youre on a tight budget, you wont require fast processing, large storage capacities, etc because of <reasons here>. But this last bit is all about the technical specifications. Be specific and exact here (unlike in the recommendations for design where you are broadly speaking). So you will choose a 21 monitor because it eases data entry, youll have wireless mice because of <reason> and keyboards because data entry operators and users will like to take their data inputting elsewhere, etc. It is all about what hardware and software configurations you have selected, and
why you have chosen such information technology (to meet the needs of the customers, the participants/users, the company/firm/scenario, etc).
I hope that helps you. It's getting late, sorry to cut it short
