Lesson 3

Read the text: System Analysis and Design

Systems are created to solve problems. One can think of the systems approach as an organized way of dealing with a problem. In this dynamic world, the subject System Analysis and Design (SAD), mainly deals with the software development activities.

A collection of components that work together to realize some objectives forms a system. Basically there are three major components in every system, namely input, processing and output.

In a system the different components are connected with each other and they are interdependent. For example, human body represents a complete natural system. We are also bound by many national systems such as political system, economic system, educational system and so forth. The objective of the system demands that some output is produced as a result of processing the suitable inputs. A well-designed system also includes an additional element referred to as ‘control’ that provides a feedback to achieve desired objectives of the system.

Systems analysis is a process of collecting factual data, understand the processes involved, identifying problems and recommending feasible suggestions for improving the system functioning. This involves studying the business processes, gathering operational data, understand the information flow, finding out bottlenecks and evolving solutions for overcoming the weaknesses of the system so as to achieve the organizational goals. System Analysis also includes subdividing of complex process involving the entire system, identification of data store and manual processes.

The major objectives of systems analysis are to find answers for each business process: What is being done, How is it being done, Who is doing it, When is he doing it, Why is it being done and How can it be improved? It is more of a thinking process and involves the creative skills of the System Analyst. It attempts to give birth to a new efficient system that satisfies the current needs of the user and has scope for future growth within the organizational constraints. The result of this process is a logical system design. Systems analysis is an iterative process that continues until a preferred and acceptable solution emerges.

System Design

Based on the user requirements and the detailed analysis of the existing system, the new system must be designed. This is the phase of system designing. It is the most crucial phase in the developments of a system. The logical system design arrived as a result of systems analysis is converted into physical system design. Normally, the design proceeds in two stages: Preliminary or General Design and Structured or Detailed Design.

In the preliminary or general design, the features of the new system are specified. The costs of implementing these features and the benefits to be derived are estimated. If the project is still considered to be feasible, we move to the detailed design stage.

In the detailed design stage, computer oriented work begins in earnest. At this stage, the design of the system becomes more structured. Structure design is a blue print of a computer system solution to a given problem having the same components and inter-relationships among the same components as the original problem. Input, output, databases, forms, codification schemes and processing specifications are drawn up in detail. In the design stage, the programming language and the hardware and software platform in which the new system will run are also decided.

There are several tools and techniques used for describing the system design of the system.

The system design needs to be implemented to make it a workable system. This demands the coding of design into computer understandable language, i.e., programming language. This is also called the programming phase in which the programmer converts the program specifications into computer instructions, which are referred to as programs. It is an important stage where the defined procedures are transformed into control specifications by the help of a computer language. The programs coordinate the data movements and control the entire process in a system.

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

preliminary, exist, implement, deal with, estimate, demand, feasible, suggestion, improve, gather, objective, current, draw, crucial, bottleneck, solution, growth, constraint, iterative, prefer, emerge

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1. What does the subject System Analysis and Design (SAD), mainly deal with?

2. What does the objective of the system demand?

3. What is the most crucial phase in the developments of a system?

4. What does the system design need to make it a workable system?

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: feedback, additional, suitable, output, objective

The _____ of the system demands that some ____ is produced as a result of processing the _____ inputs. A well-designed system also includes an _____ element referred to as ‘control’ that provides a _____ to achieve desired objectives of the system.

Exercise 4. Ask questions to the given answers:

1. Question: ______________________________________________ ?

Answer: Basically there are three major components in every system, namely input, processing and output.

2. Question: ______________________________________________ ?

Answer: Input, output, databases, forms, codification schemes and processing specifications are drawn up in detail.

3. Question: ______________________________________________ ?

Answer: The programs coordinate the data movements and control the entire process in a system.

Exercise 5. Match the left part with the right:

1. Structure design is a blue print of a computer system solution to a given problem	a) that provides a feedback to achieve desired objectives of the system.
2. System Analysis also includes subdividing of complex process involving	b) the benefits to be derived are estimated.
3. The costs of implementing these features and	c) the entire system, identification of data store and manual processes.
4.A well-designed system also includes an additional element referred to as ‘control’	d) having the same components and inter-relationships among the same components as the original problem.

Exercise 6. Learn the following definitions:

An objective is a specific result that a person or system aims to achieve within a time frame and with available resources. Systems analysis is the act, process, or profession of studying an activity (as a procedure, a business, or a physiological function) typically by mathematical means in order to define its goals or purposes and to discover operations and procedures for accomplishing them most efficiently.

Input is something put into a system or expended in its operation to achieve output or a result.

Exercise 7. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

“A well-designed system ”

“Systems design”