SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution Page: 2-1

ESSS

MILESTONE 2 – PROBLEM ANALYSIS

 Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints Matrix

We are providing a sample Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints Matrix. The
matrix should be completed based on the solution of Milestone 1, the case background
information, and the user interviews. The students should try to identify the causes and effects of
the problems identified in Milestone 1. Make sure they identify causes rather than restating the
problem. Also, make sure they specify proper objectives to correct the problems. You will have a
multitude of different answers. Evaluate students’ thought processes in arriving at them. The
following completed matrix illustrates one possible solution.

Note: When this case study appeared in the fifth edition of the textbook, it emphasized
Savings Bond purchases as well as United Way contributions. The removal of Savings
Bonds was one of the changes for the case study in this edition. Though it is unlikely any
students remain on campus from the days of the fifth edition, any submissions that
mention Savings Bonds are likely recycled.

Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for

Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
PROBLEMS, OPPORTUNITIES, OBJECTIVES AND CONSTRAINTS MATRIX
Project: Employee Self Service System
Created by: Kira Webster
Date Created: 03/22/2006
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
1. Hardcopy telephone book,
published quarterly, becomes
quickly out of date. (Information)
2. Redundancy of keying employee
information in both micro and
mainframe. (Efficiency)
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Causes and Effects
1. The company is growing and is
very dynamic with lots of personnel
changes that occur on a daily basis.
Quarterly publication is not
sufficient.
1. No automated interface between
mainframe application and micro
application.
2. Employee information is not stored
in a single source repository.
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
Page: 2-2
Project Manager: Jack Mills
Last Updated by: Kira Webster
Date Last Updated: 03/22/2006
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
System Objective System Constraint
1. Decrease time required by 1. System must be platform
administrator to maintain employee independent and accessible from all
information from 12 hours per desktops and remote locations.
week to 1 or 2. (Administrator will 2. New system must be secured to
still need to perform updates on a prevent unauthorized data access or
limited basis and add new modification.
employees.)
2. Eliminate hardcopy telephone
books – savings of $27,000.
3. Eliminate need for micro stand-
alone application.
4. Create an online “White Pages”
possible viewed via the Web.
5. Allow employees to input changes
real-time.
6. Integrate with phone and E-mail
systems.
1. Eliminate duplicate keying of 1. System must be platform
information by providing a single independent and accessible from all
source of entry for employee desktops and remote locations.
information – eliminate need for 2. New system must be secured to
micro system. prevent unauthorized data
modifications.
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
3. Cost of maintaining and operating
current mainframe system
excessive. (Economics)
4. Employee data may be out of sync
across company systems.
(Information)
5. HR cost and labor required for
processing employee information
changes excessive. (Economics and
Efficiency)
6. Duplicate employee information
stored in different databases.
(Information)
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Causes and Effects
1. Processing costs may be excessive
due to the reprocessing of
transactions to correct information
discrepancies.
2. The mainframe platform is
expensive to use in terms of
transactions.
3. Age and technology of system
require a high level of IS support.
1. Information changes are submitted
via forms and then have to be keyed
into the system by an administrator,
thus creating a lag time before the
data in the system is current.
2. Sequential files are used to transfer
employee data to other systems on
a periodic basis. Data is not
available real-time.
1. The process is too labor intensive
for HR staff, which includes
interacting with employees over
information discrepancies and
inputting data.
1. Employee databases are application
specific and not enterprise specific.
2. Employee information is not stored
in a single source repository.
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
Page: 2-3
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
System Objective
1. Reduce operating costs by 50
percent.
1. Provide a single source of entry for
employee information and have the
data available real-time for
interfaces with other legacy
systems.
2. Allow employees to maintain their
own information online.
1. Provide a single source of entry for
employee information and have the
data available real-time.
2. Allow employees to maintain their
own information online.
3. Eliminate need for micro stand-
alone application.
1. Provide single source (database) for
employee information.
System Constraint
1. None
1. New interfaces must be according to
legacy system specifications.
1. System must be platform
independent and accessible from all
desktops and remote locations.
2. New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized data
modifications.
1. Project budget of $225,000 may not
be sufficient to modify legacy
applications to use single employee
database. Provide sufficient
interfaces instead.
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution Page: 2-4

CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES

Problem or Opportunity
7. Users cannot get reports that they
need in a timely fashion.
(Information)
8. Less than ideal United Way
participation. (Service)
Causes and Effects
1. Current system’s technology does
not support ad-hoc report and
inquiry functionality.
2. IS cannot respond to reporting
requests in a timely fashion because
of backlogs and priorities
1. Maybe non-system related.
2. No tracking mechanisms exist to
monitor employee contributions
System Objective System Constraint
1. Provide an ad-hoc reporting and 1. New system must be secured to
inquiry feature for users prevent unauthorized access of
employee data
1. Allow employees to setup 1. System must be platform
contributions online. independent and accessible from all
2. Provide management inquiry and desktops.
reporting mechanisms to monitor 2. New system must be secured to
contribution activity and status prevent unauthorized data
modifications.

Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for

Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution Page: 2-5

 Context Diagram
The Context Diagram below is one possible solution based on the interviews in Milestones 1 and
2. This was drawn in Microsoft Visio. Visio cannot easily produce a Context Diagram exactly
like the one shown in chapter 5. The Data Flow Model template found in the Software category
can produce one that is like the sample except that the square Interface symbol must be used
instead of the Actor symbol. This, of course, is DFD style.

Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for

Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution Page: 2-6

 Tentative List of Requirements

The list of requirements below is one possible solution based on the interviews in Milestones 1
and 2. Students may combine some requirements; evaluate their thought processes in building
the list. Pay careful attention to the classification. In your class discussion you might point out
that functional requirements show up in the context model, while generally non-functional
requirements do not other than to specify the actors that can do send or receive certain
information.

Requirement Classification
The system should allow employees to update their own information, including Functional
addresses, phone numbers, emergency contact information, beneficiary
information, paycheck deductions, office location, office phone number, and
office e-mail address.
The system should be accessible over the web and be secure. Non-functional
The system must provide a searchable online company directory. Functional
The system should provide a facility that makes it easy for employees to sign up Functional
and manage United Way deductions and other payroll deductions from their desk.
The system should provide managers with the tools to monitor United Way Functional
participation activity
The system should provide ad-hoc query and reporting functionality. Functional
The system should run on a system that is less expensive to operate than the Non-functional
mainframe.
The system should integrate all employee data databases into a single unified Non-functional
database.
A given employee's information (other than company directory information) Non-functional
should be accessible only by that employee, that employee's manager, and HR
administrators.
The system should allow users to view the organization structure, meaning Functional
information about who an employee’s manager is and other employees who report
to the same manager
The system should be easy to use, intuitive, and employ a graphical user interface Non-functional

Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for

Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007