Disadvantages of Surveying the Current System

Perhaps the Disadvantages of Surveying the Current System

Perhaps the most compelling argument against a current system survey centers on a phenomenon known
as the current physical tar pit.2 This is the tendency on the part of the analyst to be sucked in and then
bogged down by the task of surveying the current dinosaur system.
Some argue that current system surveys stifle new ideas. By studying and modeling the old system,
the analyst may develop a constrained notion about how the new system should function. The result is an
improved old system rather than a radically new approach. An example is the implementation of an ERP
system. The task of reviewing current organizational procedures may serve no purpose because the successful
implementation of an ERP depends on reengineering these processes to employ the best business
practices of the industry.most compelling argument against a current system survey centers on a phenomenon
known
as the current physical tar pit.2 This is the tendency on the part of the analyst to be sucked in and then
bogged down by the task of surveying the current dinosaur system.
Some argue that current system surveys stifle new ideas. By studying and modeling the old system,
the analyst may develop a constrained notion about how the new system should function. The result is an
improved old system rather than a radically new approach. An example is the implementation of an ERP
system. The task of reviewing current organizational procedures may serve no purpose because the successful
implementation of an ERP depends on reengineering these processes to employ the best business
practices of the industry.

Advantages of Surveying the Current System

There are three advantages to studying the current system. First, it is a way to identify what aspects of the
old system should be kept. Some elements of the system may be functionally sound and can provide the
foundation for the new system. By fully understanding the current system, the analyst can identify those
aspects worth preserving or modifying for use in the new system.
Second, when the new system is implemented, the users must go through a conversion process
whereby they formally break away from the old system and move to the new one. The analyst must
determine what tasks, procedures, and data will be phased out with the old system and which will continue.
To specify these conversion procedures, the analyst must know not only what is to be done by the
new system but also what was done by the old one. This requires a thorough understanding of the current
system.
Finally, by surveying the current system, the analyst may determine conclusively the cause of the
reported problem symptoms. Perhaps the root problem is not the information system at all; it may be a
management or employee problem that can be resolved without redesigning the information system. We
may not be able to identify the root cause of the problem if we discard the existing system without any
investigation into the symptoms.