MODULE 1

SYSTEM
A system is a collection of elements or components that are organized for a
common purpose. A computer system consists of hardware components that have
been carefully chosen so that they work well together and software components or
programs that run in the computer.
The main software component is itself an operating system that manages and
provides services to other programs that can be run in the computer.
A filing system is a group of files organized with a plan (for example, alphabetical
by customer).
All of nature and the universe can be said to be a system. We've coined a
word, ecosystem, for the systems on Earth that affect life systems.
The term can be very useful because so many things can be described as systems.
It can also be very unuseful when a more specific term is needed.

Types of the System in the Management Information

Systems
1. Conceptual Systems
a. Are theoretical and explanatory in the nature.
b. Provide the much needed clarification.
c. Provide theoretical framework for which there may or may not be any real life
counterpart.
d. E.g. of such systems can be philosophy, theology etc.

2. Empirical Systems
a. Are very practical, specific and also very operational in the nature.
b. Can be based on the conceptual system.
c. Examination system, surgery act as very good examples of the empirical
systems.

3. Open Systems
a. Involve continuous interaction with the environment.
b. So exchanges the information, material, energy with the environment.
c. Is open and also self organizing in the nature.
d. Is also adoptive or adaptive to the changing environment as it is flexible.
4. Closed Systems
a. Shuns any kind of the exchange with the environment.
b. Is rigid in nature.
c. Is not at all amenable to the change.
d. Is also self contained.
e. Is somewhat isolated in the nature.
f. Is having a well defined boundary.
g. Is not at all adaptive in the nature.

5. Natural Systems
a. Such Systems exist and also abound in the nature.
b. Are also not at all the results of the human endeavors.
c. Rivers, mountains, minerals etc. are the major examples of the natural Systems.

6. Artificial Systems
a. Are manufactured (man made).
b. Examples of such Systems are dams, canals, roads, machines, factories etc.

7. Probabilistic Systems
a. Based on the predictability of the behavior or the outcome.

8. Deterministic Systems
a. In such Systems, the interaction of the elements is known.
b. As the behavior of the elements is pre determined, it becomes possible to work
upon the reaction well in the advance.

Types of System : Physical or Abstract : Physical system is tangible entities that

may be static or dynamic in nature. Abstract system is conceptual or non-physical.
The abstract is conceptualization of physical situations.
Open and Closed : An open system continually interacts with its environment. It
receives input from the outside and delivers output to outside. A closed system is
isolated from environment influences.
Sub System and Super System : Each system is part of a large system. The business
firm is viewed as the system or total system when focus is on production, distribution
of goal and sources of profit and income.
The total system consists of all the objects, attributes and relationship necessary to
accomplish an objective given a number of constraints. Sub systems are the smaller
systems within a system. Super system denotes extremely large and complex system
Permanent and Temporary System : A permanent system is a system enduring
for a time span that is long relative to the operation of human. Temporary system is
one having a short time span.
Natural and Man Made System : System which is made by man is called man
made system. Systems which are in the environment made by nature are called
natural system.
Deterministic and Probabilistic : A Deterministic system is one in which the
occurrence of all events is perfectly predictable. If we get the description of the
system state at a particular time, the next state can be easily predicted. Probabilistic
system is one in which the occurrence of events cannot be perfectly predicted.
Man-made Information System : It is generally believed that
the information reduces uncertainty about a state or event. An information system is
the basis for interaction between the user and the analyst. It determines the nature of
relationship among decision makers.
An information system may be defined as a set of devices, procedures and operating
system designed around user-base criteria to produce information and
communicating it to the user for planning control and performance.

System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a series of six main phases to create a
hardware system only, a software system only or a combination of both to meet or
exceed customer’s expectations.

System is a broad and a general term, and as per to Wikipedia; “A system is a set
of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole” it’s a
term that can be used in different industries, therefore Software Development Life
Cycle is a limited term that explains the phases of creating a software component
that integrates with other software components to create the whole system.
 Below we’ll take a general look on System Development Life Cycle phases,
bearing in mind that each system is different from the other in terms of complexity,
required components and expected solutions and functionalities:

System Development Life Cycle Phases:

1- System Planning

The Planning phase is the most crucial step in creating a successful system, during
this phase you decide exactly what you want to do and the problems you’re trying
to solve, by:

▪ Defining the problems, the objectives and the resources such as personnel and
costs.

▪ Studying the ability of proposing alternative solutions after meeting with clients,
suppliers, consultants and employees.

▪ Studying how to make your product better than your competitors’.

After analyzing this data you will have three choices: develop a new system,
improve the current system or leave the system as it is.

2- System Analysis
The end-user’s requirements should be determined and documented, what their
expectations are for the system, and how it will perform. A feasibility study will be
made for the project as well, involving determining whether it’s organizationally,
economically, socially, technologically feasible. it’s very important to maintain
strong communication level with the clients to make sure you have a clear vision
of the finished product and its function.

3- System Design

The design phase comes after a good understanding of customer’s requirements,

this phase defines the elements of a system, the components, the security level,
modules, architecture and the different interfaces and type of data that goes
through the system.

A general system design can be done with a pen and a piece of paper to determine
how the system will look like and how it will function, and then a detailed and
expanded system design is produced, and it will meet all functional and technical
requirements, logically and physically.

4- Implementation and Deployment

This phase comes after a complete understanding of system requirements and

specifications, it’s the actual construction process after having a complete and
illustrated design for the requested system.

In the Software Development Life Cycle, the actual code is written here, and if the
system contains hardware, then the implementation phase will contain
configuration and fine-tuning for the hardware to meet certain requirements and
functions.

In this phase, the system is ready to be deployed and installed in customer’s

premises, ready to become running, live and productive, training may be required
for end users to make sure they know how to use the system and to get familiar
with it, the implementation phase may take a long time and that depends on the
complexity of the system and the solution it presents.

5- System Testing and Integration

Bringing different components and subsystems together to create the whole

integrated system, and then Introducing the system to different inputs to obtain and
analyze its outputs and behavior and the way it functions. Testing is becoming
more and more important to ensure customer’s satisfaction, and it requires no
knowledge in coding, hardware configuration or design.

Testing can be performed by real users, or by a team of specialized personnel, it

can also be systematic and automated to ensure that the actual outcomes are
compared and equal to the predicted and desired outcomes.

6- System Maintenance

In this phase, periodic maintenance for the system will be carried out to make sure
that the system won’t become obsolete, this will include replacing the old hardware
and continuously evaluating system’s performance, it also includes providing latest
updates for certain components to make sure it meets the right standards and the
latest technologies to face current security threats.

These are the main six phases of the System Development Life Cycle, and it’s an
iterative process for each project. It’s important to mention that excellent
communication level should be maintained with the customer, and Prototypes are
very important and helpful when it comes to meeting the requirements. By building
the system in short iterations; we can guarantee meeting the customer’s
requirements before we build the whole system.

Many models of system development life cycle came up from the idea of saving
effort, money and time, in addition to minimizing the risk of not meeting the
customer’s requirement at the end of project, some of theses models are SDLC
Iterative Model, and SDLC Agile Model.

The best of the bug capturing tools

Continues improvement and fixing of the system is essential, Airbrake provides

robust bug capturing in your application. In doing so, it notifies you with bugs
instantly, allows you to easily review them, tie the bug to an individual piece of
code, and trace the cause back to recent changes.

Airbrake enables for to categorize, search, and prioritize errors so that when bugs
occur, your team can quickly determine the root cause. The time and effort you
save by capturing your errors with Airbrake is invaluable!
System Analysts are IT professionals who act as a mediator between clients and
technical team. They are responsible for integrating business requirements into
technology and ensure smooth functioning of the business operations. They use
both business and technical knowledge for analyzing business processes,
computer systems, and infrastructure to develop effective strategies that can help
in accomplishing daily needs of the organization. To perform their job, system
analysts have to be proficient in programming language, the configuration of
systems, and multiple operating systems.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for system

analysts is projected to grow by 9 percent in the next ten years. Important roles
and responsibilities of system analysts are:

Roles of System Analysts

Act as a middleman and an architect.

System analysts liaise between customers, IT persons, and stakeholders to

develop information systems capable of delivering business requirements. The
integration of technology into business requirements has to be futuristic. It means
systems analysts have to develop information systems that are easy to upgrade in
the future if the need arises. They have to design an information system
architecture according to the user’s requirements which acts as a blueprint for the
programmers. For that, they need to know exactly what users want and also have
to build good relationships and rapport with them to understand their
requirements as well as convey correct and complete information to the
development team.

Agent of Change

System analysts are also known as an agent of change since they use different
approaches to bring changes in the information system that can facilitate business
operations. The biggest hurdle for the role of system analysts is the skepticism of
people about accepting the change. So, they prefer users' participation for easy
exchange of information. When stakeholders, management, and clients are ready
for the technological changes, a final system is made.
Investigator and Monitor

In defining a problem or finding reasons for the failure in a system, system

analysts play a role of an investigator. They gather information to determine or
investigate why an existing system is not working well and is facing problems
and what changes should be implemented to solve these issues. After creating
alternative solutions for problems, system analysts monitor the information
system regularly and take steps to avoid increased costs, and the waste of
resources and time.

Motivator and Sales Person

Effective user participation and training with proper motivation to use the system
are important factors to achieve system acceptance. Another important role
that system analysts play is of a salesperson, which involves selling a system to
the users. This process takes place at each stage of system life cycle. To play the
role of a motivator and sales person, system analysts have to hold good
communication, sales, and persuasion skills.

Responsibilities of System Analysts:

Defining User Requirements

The basic and most important step for system analysts is to understand user’s
requirements clearly. To get the hang, they have to interview users and prepare
questionnaires, observe the current system, and plan system configuration. This
phase is important to understand how the current system functions and what users
want from the new systems. Participation of users is needed so that their views
related to the system are taken into consideration to build the new one.

Prioritizing Requirements

Large systems do have various requirements which are not equal and are,
therefore, not possible for the team to implement all of them at the same time.
Also, various types of users in the organization have different types of
information needs that cannot be satisfied due to various constraints such as
limited resources, budgetary constraints, time sensitivity, feasibility, etc.
Therefore, system analysts have to prioritize users’ requirements using their
social and analytical skills.

Gathering Data and Facts

System analysts act as researchers and gather various facts and data with the
active cooperation from the users of the system. They consult users from time to
time to obtain necessary information related to the system, and whether there is
any last-minute requirement. This process is important because analysts have to
organize and document information into functional specification to solve to
develop a system.

Analyzing the Problem

After gathering data and facts, system analysts analyze various problems, their
causes, and effects on business operations. They analyze and identify the
requirements to be fulfilled through technological means. They remove
unnecessary data, focus on the important ones, and change or modify the working
system accordingly to make it more user-friendly.

Solving Problems

System analysts help IT users to solve information problems by using different

approaches in which one good source of solutions is to take suggestions from
others. With this approach, analysts develop and evaluate a set of possible
alternative solutions and then compare and choose the best one to implement.
They have to compare the alternative solutions on the basis of cost, benefits, risk
factors, etc. and decide the best with management's help.

Drawing Specifications

System analysts are responsible for drawing precise and clear specifications for
programmers and managers to understand easily. That includes text, documents,
and flow charts for visual understanding of computer programmers. These are
presented in a detailed form as they lay the foundations for optimal functioning of
the system.

Designing and Evaluating Systems

At last, when the analysts are done with the preparation of the system's
specifications, they design and implement the system along with the development
team so that the management’s goal is achieved. With the knowledge of advanced
programming tools, they act as an architect and develop new systems. After the
system is developed, they test the performance and recommend necessary
modifications.
 Due to the various roles and responsibilities of a system analyst, he/she has to be
a multifaceted personality who is able to manage and coordinate with various
people.

System Analysts are responsible for maintaining and improving computer systems
for an organisation and its clients. This IT role is growing in popularity and
demand as organisations increasingly move operations, processes and
communication online. System Analysts are often required to work outside
standard hours to oversee upgrades or fixes, ensuring there is minimal interruption
to business as usual. A System Analyst job description should highlight the need
for accuracy, logic and an ability to communicate complex ideas to others.

System Analyst duties and responsibilities of the job

As a role critical to smooth operation and safe, secure computer systems, a System
Analyst job description should include many of the duties and responsibilities
below:

• Maintaining and upgrading existing systems as required

• Designing new computer systems and frameworks
• Troubleshooting technical issues
• Risk mitigation planning
• Collaborating with Business Analysts, Project Leads and IT team to resolve issues
and ensuring solutions are viable and consistent
• Creating system guidelines and manuals for the organisation
• Running training sessions and workshops on system processes
• Conducting regular reviews of systems and generating reports on efficiencies and
improvement areas
• Structuring and prioritising business requirements and communicating plans with
stakeholders for review and approval

System Analyst job qualifications and requirements

A formal qualification will be important when advertising for a highly skilled

System Analyst, however, some candidates will be self-taught or have learned their
programming skills on the job. In a System Analyst job description, the below
fields of study would be most relevant to include:

• IT
• Science or Computer Science
• Business Administration

Whether formally qualified or not, a System Analyst should also possess these
skills:

• Critical thinking ability

• Strong problem-solving capacity
• High-level written and verbal communication skills
• Project management skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Knowledge of data modelling and data visualisation tools

What Are the Different System Analysis Tools?

No matter the field of study, systems analysis involves breaking a large complex
project or product into small, manageable parts so each may be designed, studied
or analyzed in detail. The tools an analyst uses have not changed much over the
years and do not require high technology.
Feasibility Studies

Often the first step involves determining whether the product or project is worth
the time and effort. A feasibility study is a document that describes features and
benefits of the product, itemizes costs, resources and staffing then describes the
projects potential profits or value to the organization. A feasibility study forces the
analysis team to turn a nebulous idea into a practical, useful project with a firm
definition and a list of tangible benefits.

Interviews

The details necessary to understand processes or product needs are usually in the
heads of employees and customers. The only way to mine this information is to
talk with them. Interviews should be focused, with a prepared list of questions or
concepts to be discussed. Document each interview by recording it using a small
digital recorder or summarize the conversation immediately after it is completed.

Use Cases

Short narratives describing how a product will be used, limited to a few

paragraphs, often helps analysts and customers refine product features. Refine
these narratives throughout the analysis phase. These use cases can be used
throughout the project life cycle, especially during testing.

Requirements Lists

When designing a product, it is helpful to keep a running list of requirements.

These should be presented as a list or in outline form, organized by categories. As
the list grows, this list helps the analyst understand the customer’s needs and helps
limit what features are necessary and which are not.

Flowcharts

Flowcharts come in many varieties and under many names, but the basic concept is
to take a process and describe it as a diagram. Whether presented as a process flow
chart or an Entity/Relation diagram, the drawing helps the analyst describe a series
of steps or decisions in visual form in a manner that facilitates communication.
Prototypes

A model or prototype can turn a group of ideas into solid form. Software engineers
often hear the statement “I’ll know what I want when I see it” and a model or
prototype can facilitate these issues. By presenting a prototype, the analysts gather
features that work and open discussion on other features and improvements.

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