Computer System Analysis

1. University of Palestine Computer System Analysis Assistant Professor Dr. Sana’a Wafa Al-Sayegh 1st quadmaster Chapter 6 Initiating and Planning Systems Development Projects Modern Systems Analysis and Design Third Edition Jeffrey A. Hoffer Joey F. George Joseph S. Valacich IGGC 1101

2. Learning Objectives • Describe steps involved in the project initiation and planning process • Explain the need for and the contents of a Statement of Work and Baseline Project Plan • List and describe various methods for accessing project feasibility 6.2

3. Learning Objectives • Describe the differences between intangible and tangible costs and benefits and between recurring and one-time benefits and costs • Detail various methods of cost/benefit analysis • Describe the general rules for evaluating the technical risks associated with a systems development project • Describe the activities and participant roles within a structured walkthrough 6.3

4. Initiating and Planning System Development Projects • Project Initiation • Establishment of project team • Development of relationship with customer • Project Initiation Plan • Establishment of Management Procedures • Establishment of Project Workbook and Project Management Environment • Project Planning • Defining clear, discrete activities and the work needed to complete each activity 6.4

5. Initiating and Planning System Development Projects • Deliverables and Outcomes • Baseline Project Plan (BPP) • Scope • Benefits • Costs • Risks • Resources • Statement of Work (SOW) • Describes deliverables • Outlines work needed to be performed 6.5

6. Assessing Project Feasibility • Six Categories • Economic • Technical • Operational • Schedule • Legal and contractual • Political 6.6

7. Assessing Economic Feasibility • Cost – Benefit Analysis • Determine Benefits • Tangible Benefits • Can be measured easily • Examples • Cost reduction and avoidance • Error reduction • Increased flexibility • Increased speed of activity • Improved management planning and control • Opening new markets and increasing sales opportunities 6.7

8. Assessing Economic Feasibility • Intangible Benefits • Cannot be measured easily • Examples • Increased employee morale • Competitive necessity • More timely information • Promotion of organizational learning and understanding • Determine Costs • Tangible Costs • Can easily be measured in dollars • Example: Hardware 6.8

9. Assessing Economic Feasibility • Determine Costs (Continued) • Intangible Costs • Cannot be easily measured in dollars • Examples: • Loss of customer goodwill • Loss of employee morale 6.9

10. Assessing Economic Feasibility • One-Time Costs • Associated with project startup, initiation and development • Includes • System Development • New hardware and software purchases • User training • Site preparation • Data or system conversion 6.10

11. Assessing Economic Feasibility • Recurring Costs • Associated with ongoing use of the system • Includes: • Application software maintenance • Incremental data storage expense • New software and hardware releases • Consumable supplies • Incremental communications • Time value of money (TVM) • The process of comparing present cash outlays to future expected returns 6.11

12. Assessing Technical Feasibility • Technical Feasibility • Assessment of the development organization’s ability to construct a proposed system • Project risk can be assessed based upon: • Project size • Project structure • Development group’s experience with the application • User group’s experience with development projects and the application area 6.12

13. Assessing Other Project Feasibility Concerns • Operational Feasibility • Assessment of how a proposed system solves business problems or takes advantage of opportunities • Schedule Feasibility • Assessment of time frame and project completion dates with respect to organization constraints for affecting change • Legal and Contractual Feasibility • Assessment of legal and contractual ramifications of new system 6.13

14. Assessing Other Project Feasibility Concerns • Political Feasibility • Assessment of key stakeholders in organization’s view toward proposed system 6.14

15. Building the Baseline Project Plan • Objectives • Assures that customer and development group have a complete understanding of the proposed system and requirements • Provides sponsoring organization with a clear idea of scope, benefits and duration of project 6.15

16. Building the Baseline Project Plan • Four Sections • Introduction • System Description • Feasibility Assessment • Management Issues 6.16

17. Building the Baseline Project Plan • Introduction • Brief overview • Recommended course of action • Project scope defined • Units affected • Who inside and outside the organization would be involved • Interaction with other systems • Range of system capabilities 6.17

18. Building the Baseline Project Plan • System Description • Outline of possible alternative solutions • Narrative format • Feasibility Assessment • Project costs and benefits • Technical difficulties • High-level project schedules 6.18

19. Building the Baseline Project Plan • Management Issues • Outlines concerns that management may have about the project • Team composition • Communication plan • Project standards and procedures 6.19

20. Reviewing the Baseline Project Plan • Objectives • Assure conformity to organizational standards • All parties agree to continue with project 6.20

21. Reviewing the Baseline Project Plan • Walkthrough • Peer group review • Participants • Coordinator • Presenter • User • Secretary • Standards Bearer • Maintenance Oracle 6.21

22. Reviewing the Baseline Project Plan • Walkthrough (continued) • Activities • Walkthrough Review Form • Individuals polled • Walkthrough Action List • Advantages • Assures that review occurs during project 6.22

23. Summary • Project Initiation • Forming project initiation team • Establishing customer relationships • Developing a plan to get the project started • Setting management procedures • Creating an overall project management environment • Baseline Project Plan (BPP) • Created during project initiation and planning 6.23

24. Summary • Contains: • Introduction • High-level description of system • Outline of feasibility • Overview of management issues • Statement of Work (SOW) • Describes what project will deliver • Lists all work to be performed 6.24

25. Summary • Feasibility • Economic • Operational • Technical • Schedule • Legal • Contractual • Political 6.25

26. Summary • Benefits • Tangible vs. Intangible • Costs • Tangible vs. Intangible • One-time vs. Recurring 6.26