Systems Analysis and Design

TOPIC TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the topic session, the students should be able to:

1. define a system and identify its components and elements,

2. define business systems and information systems,
3. identify the components in information system,
4. identify the reasons for the need of an information system,
5. enumerate and describe the types of information systems,
6. explain the general system principles,
7. identify the players in a system,
8. identify the roles of the systems analyst, and
9. describe the knowledge and skills required of a systems analyst.

MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT:

o LCD Projector
o File/s (01 Introduction to Information Systems)
 01 Instructor’s Guide
 01 Presentation
 01 Handout
 Attachment A
o Software Requirement
 MS Powerpoint

TOPIC PREPARATION:

o Prepare the course outline (6 pages), the slide handout (9

pages), and the Attachment A needed for the topic presentation
and have it photocopied.
o Prepare the computer unit for slides presentation.
o Prepare additional examples on the sub-topics to be presented.

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW:

A. Introduction 20 min
B. Instructional Input
System Definition 10 min
a. Define system and explain its major components and
elements
System Concepts 10 min
a. Explain the two system concepts
Information Systems 10 min
a. Explain what Information Systems is
b. Discuss the components of Information Systems
c. Explain the reasons for the need of an Information
System
Types of Information Systems 10 min
a. Explain the different types of Information Systems
General System Principles 10 min
a. Discuss the general system principles
Players in the System Game 10 min
a. Discuss the different players in the system game
and explain the role of each
Roles of the Systems Analyst 10 min

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 Systems Analysis and Design

a. Discuss the different roles of the system analyst

Required Skills of the Systems Analyst 10 min
a. Discuss the required skills of a System Analyst
C. Generalization 15 min
D. Homework 5 min
E. Application 60 min
Total duration 180 min

TOPIC PRESENTATION:

A. Introduction

1. Start the class with a brief introduction of the course. Explain to your
students the course description, learning objectives, course
requirements, and grading system to the class.

2. Introduce yourself to your students by telling some basic information

about you. Tell your students that you will be their instructor for the
next four months.

3. Ask the students of their expectations from the course and to you as
their instructor. Give some benefits of the students from the course.

4. Tell your students to create a name tag and wear it during sessions
until everyone is properly acquainted.

5. After that, introduce the topic to be discussed this session which is

introduction to Information Systems.

6. Ask at least three of your students of their idea about Information

Systems. Acknowledge their answers.

7. Then, enumerate to your students the sub-topics that will be

discussed for this topic.

B. Instructional Input

System Definition

Slide 1 1. Start the discussion by presenting the topic coverage to your students
using Slide 1 of 01 Presentation.
Introduction to
Information Systems
 System Definition
 System Concepts
 Information Systems
 Types of Information Systems
 General System Principles
 Players in System Game
 Roles of the System Analyst
 Required Skills of the System Analyst

Slide 2 2. Show Slide 2 and click until the question ―What is a System?‖ is
flashed on the screen. Ask your students of their idea about system.
System Definition Then, show its definition to the class and discuss system. Provide
• What is a System?
additional examples of a system aside from what is given. Discuss its
• an interrelated set of components that function major components and elements using Slide 3.
together to achieve an outcome

• Three major components: One question that people often ask when discussing system
• Input
• Processing
analysis and design is: What is a system? What is it that we
• Output are generally analyzing and designing? There are number of
ways of answering these questions, depending on the
general approach that is being used in design.

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 Systems Analysis and Design

A system is an interrelated set of components that function

together to achieve an outcome. An example of a system is
a home theater system that consists of a DVD player, display
monitor, and speakers.

Basically, there are three major components in every system,

namely input, process, 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.

One view shows the system as a computer system and the

components that make up a computer system. The system is
made up of three components: a computer, a file, and a
terminal that provides an interface to the user. It also shows
the connections between these three components.

Another way to view systems is by a more theoretical or

abstract view that concerns the fundamental systems issues.

Theoretical approaches to systems have introduced many

generalized principles. Goal setting is one such principle. It
defines exactly what the system is supposed to do. Then
there are principles concerned with system structure and
behavior. One such principle is the system boundary.

System boundary defines the components that make up the

system. Anything outside the system boundary is known as
the system environment. A system can be made up of any
number of subsystems. Each subsystem carries out part of
the system function. Subsystems are important because
they can help handle system complexity and thus improve
the understanding of a system. Each subsystem carries out
some part of the system goal. The subsystems communicate
by passing messages between themselves. A good system
will be made up of highly independent subsystems with
minimal flows between them. Minimizing flows in turn
minimizes complexity and simplifies the system.

There are also a number of principles concerned with system

behavior. One such important principle is feedback.
Feedback is the idea of monitoring the current system output
and comparing it to the system goal. Any variations from the
goal are then fed back into the system and used to adjust it to
ensure that it meets its goal. To do this, it is necessary to
monitor the system to see if it is meeting its goal.

Slide 3 The following are the elements of a system:

System Definition  Purpose – It is the reason it exists or the reference

• Elements of a system:
point for measuring its success.
• Purpose
•
•
Subsystems
Environment
 Subsystems – These are parts or elements which
•
•
Boundary
Connections
perform specified tasks that are compatible with the
• Control Mechanisms goals of the larger system of which these are parts.

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 Systems Analysis and Design

 Environment – It is the people, facilities, rules,

policies, and regulations that surround a system.

 Boundary – It is the perimeter or line of demarcation,

between a system and the environment.

 Connections – It transmit the flow of material and

information that coordinate the system’s components.

 Control Mechanisms – These are rules and logic that

govern the individual subsystems and the
interactions among them.

System Concepts

Slide 4 1. Using Slides 4 to 5, explain to your students the two system

concepts. Start with business system, then information system.
System Concepts
Business system is a collection of policies, procedures,
• Business Concepts
• collection of policies, procedures, methods,
methods, people, machines, and other elements that interact
people, machines, and other elements that
interact and enable the organization to achieve
and enable the organization to achieve its goals.
its goals

Information system is a collection of interrelated components

that collect, process, store, and provide as output the
information needed to complete a business task.

Slide 5

System Concepts
• Information System
• collection of interrelated components that
collect, process, store, and provide as output the
information needed to complete a business task

Information Systems

Slide 6 1. Further explain Information Systems by discussing its components

using Slide 6. After that, explain the reasons for the need of an
Information Systems Information System using Slides 7 to 8. Provide simple scenarios for
• Components
each reason.
• Work practice
• Information
• People The following are the components of an information system:
• Information technology

 Work Practice – These are the methods and

procedures used by people and technology to
perform work.

 Information – It can include formatted data, text,

Slide 7 images and sounds.

Information Systems
• Reasons why information system is needed:
• growing size of the organization and the
number of competitors
• growing ability of computers to process large
amount of data with great speed
• dramatic increase in volumes of data generated
 People – These are the persons, who enter, process,
and use data.
 Information Technology - This includes hardware and
software that perform one or more data processing
tasks.

Below are the reasons for the need of an information system:

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Slide 8
Information Systems
• advances in communication technologies to
permit faster data transmission
• increase in pace of business transactions
• much more sophisticated technology today
Slide 9
Types of Information System
• Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)
• process large amount of data for routine
business activities or transactions
• very important for the organization since they
gather all the input necessary for other types of
information systems
Slide 10
Types of Information System
• Management Information Systems (MIS)
• provide a standard reports for managers about
transaction data
• work on the purposeful interaction between
people and computers
• supports a broader range of organizational tasks
to include not only TPS but also decision
analysis and decision making
• managers, usually in a report format
Slide 11
Types of Information System
• help unite some of the computerized
information functions of a business
• designed to take the relatively raw data
available through a TPS and convert them into
a summarized and aggregated form for
Slide 12
Types of Information System
• Decision Support Systems (DSS)
• designed to help organizational decision makers
identify and choose between options or
decisions
• provides an interactive environment in which
decision makers can quickly manipulate data
and models of business operations
• depend on a database as a source of data
Introduction to Information Systems
Systems Analysis and Design
 growing size of the organization and the number of
competitors
 growing ability of computers to process large amount
of data with great speed
 dramatic increase in volumes of data generated

advances in communication technologies to permit
faster data transmission
 increase in pace of business transactions
 much more sophisticated technology today
Types of Information Systems
1. Present Slides 9 to 15 and discuss the different types of information
systems. Provide additional examples for each type of information
system.
Organizations and individuals use different types of systems
for different purposes. Here are some of the main types of
information systems and their uses.
Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)
TPS process large amount of data for routine business
activities or transactions. A transaction is an event that
generates or modifies data that is eventually stored in an
information system (for example, sales orders from
customers, or bank deposits and withdrawals). TPS are very
important for the organization since they gather all the input
necessary for other types of information systems.
Management Information Systems (MIS)
MIS provide a standard reports for managers about
transaction data. MIS work on the purposeful interaction
between people and computers. It supports a broader range
of organizational tasks to include not only TPS but also
decision analysis and decision making. Its output information
is used in decision making processes. Also, MIS help unite
some of the computerized information functions of a
business, although it does not exist as a structure anywhere
in the business.
MIS are designed to take the relatively raw data available
through a TPS and convert them into a summarized and
aggregated form for managers, usually in a report format.
The different types of reports that can be produced include
summary report, exception report, on-demand report, and ad
hoc report.
Decision Support Systems (DSS)
DSS are designed to help organizational decision makers
identify and choose between options or decisions. Instead of
providing summaries of data, as with MIS, DSS provides an
interactive environment in which decision makers can quickly
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 Systems Analysis and Design

manipulate data and models of business operations. DSS

depend on a database as a source of data.

Office Automation Systems (OAS)

Slide 13
OAS support general office work for handling and managing
Types of Information System documents and facilitating communication. Familiar aspects
• Office Automation Systems (OAS)
of OAS include word processing, spreadsheets, desktop
• support general office work for handling and publishing, electronic scheduling, and communication
managing documents and facilitating
communication through voice mail, email, and video conferencing.
• aspects include word processing, spreadsheets,
desktop publishing, electronic scheduling, and
communication through voice mail, email, and
video conferencing
Expert Systems (ES)

Expert systems (also called knowledge-based system)

perform a task that would otherwise be performed by a
Slide 14
human expert. For example, there are expert systems that
can diagnose human illnesses, make financial forecasts, and
Types of Information System
schedule routes for delivery vehicles. Some expert systems
• Expert Systems (ES) are designed to take the place of human expert, while others
• perform a task that would otherwise be
performed by a human expert are designed to aid them.
• designed to take the place of human expert,
while others are designed to aid them
• are part of a general category of computer ES are part of a general category of computer applications
applications known as Artificial Intelligence
(AI) known as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Executive Information Systems (EIS)

Slide 15
EIS provide a generalized computing and communication
Types of Information System environment to senior managers to support strategic
• Executive Information Systems (EIS)
decisions. These rely on the information generated by MIS
• provide a generalized computing and and allow communication with external sources of
information. EIS are designed to facilitate senior managers’
communication environment to senior
managers to support strategic decisions
• rely on the information generated by MIS and
allow communication with external sources of
access to information quickly and effectively.
information
• designed to facilitate senior managers’ access to
information quickly and effectively

General System Principles

Slide 16 1. Discuss the general system principles using Slides 16 to 18. Provide
a simple scenario for each principle.
General System Principles
There are a few general principles that are of particular
• The more specialized a system is, the less
able it is to adapt to different interest to people building automated information system.
circumstances. These include the following:
• The more general-purpose a system is, the
less optimized it is for any particular
situation. But the more the system is 1. The more specialized a system is, the less able it is
optimized for a particular situation, the less
adaptable it will be to new circumstances. to adapt to different circumstances.

2. The more general-purpose a system is, the less

optimized it is for any particular situation. But the
Slide 17 more the system is optimized for a particular
situation, the less adaptable it will be to new
General System Principles circumstances.
• The larger the system is the more of its 3. The larger the system is the more of its resources
resources that must be devoted to its
everyday maintenance. that must be devoted to its everyday maintenance.
• Systems are always part of larger systems,
and they can always be partitioned into
smaller systems. 4. Systems are always part of larger systems, and they
can always be partitioned into smaller systems.

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 Systems Analysis and Design

5. Systems grow. This principle could not be true for all

Slide 18 systems, but many of the systems with which we are
familiar do grow, because we often fail to take it into
General System Principles account when we begin developing the system.
• Systems grow. This principle could not be
true for all systems, but many of the
systems with which we are familiar do
grow, because we often fail to take it into
account when we begin developing the
system.

Players in the System Game

Slide 19 1. Using Slides 19 to 21, enumerate the different players in the system
game and explain the role of each. Use an organization to specify
Players in the System Game each role.
• System sponsors/owners
• pay for the system to be built and operated and There are different classes of actors in an information
set the vision and priorities for the system
system. These are the system stakeholders, which are
• System users classified into five groups namely:
• use the system on a regular basis to support the
operation and management of the organization
 System sponsors/owners – These pay for the system
to be built and operated and set the vision and
priorities for the system. Thus, they view information
in terms of costs and benefits to solve problems and
Slide 20 exploit opportunities. System sponsors may also be
system users and they generally come from the
Players in the System Game ranks of executives and managers.
• System designers
• technical specialists that translate the business
requirements into a feasible technical solution
 System users – These are the people who actually
use the system on a regular basis to support the
• System builders operation and management of the organization.
• technical specialists who build, test, and deliver
the information system They define the business requirements and
expectations for the system. System users are also
internal system customers and they come from all
levels of the organization.
Slide 21
 System designers – These are technical specialists
Players in the System Game that translate the business requirements into a
• System analysts
feasible technical solution. Thus, they view an
• who determine the requirements that must be information system in terms of a design blueprint to
met by the information system
guide the construction of the final system.

 System builders – These are technical specialists

who build, test, and deliver the information system.
Thus, they view an information system in terms of the
actual working hardware and software to implement
the system.

 System analysts – These are people who determine

the requirements that must be met by the information
system.

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Slide 22
Roles of the Systems Analyst
• Systems Analyst as Consultant
• address specific information systems issues
within a business
• Systems Analyst as Supporting Expert
• draws on professional expertise concerning
computer hardware and software and their uses
in the business
Slide 23
Roles of the Systems Analyst
• Systems Analyst as Agent of Change
• perform any of the activities in the SDLC and
are present in the business for an extended
period
• advocates a particular avenue of change
involving the use of information systems
Slide 24
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
Technical
Knowledge
Technical
Skills
Introduction to Information Systems
Systems Analysis and Design
Roles of the Systems Analyst
1. Present Slides 22 to 23 and discuss the different roles of the systems
analyst. As much as possible, differentiate the roles of the systems
analyst by providing a sample scenario.
The systems analyst serves as a facilitator or coach, bridging
the communications gap that can naturally develop between
the non-technical system owners and users and the technical
system designers and builders.
There are three primary roles of the systems analyst and
these are as follows:
 Systems Analyst as Consultant
Most of the time, the systems analyst acts as a
consultant to a business and therefore, may be hired
to address specific information systems issues within
a business.
 Systems Analyst as Supporting Expert
In this role, the systems analyst draws on
professional expertise concerning computer
hardware and software and their uses in the
business. The analysts are merely serving as a
resource for those who are managing the project.
 Systems Analyst as Agent of Change
This is considered as the most comprehensive and
responsible role of the systems analysts. They are
an agent of change whenever they perform any of
the activities in the SDLC and are present in the
business for an extended period. Also, as an agent
of change, the systems analyst advocates a
particular avenue of change involving the use of
information systems.
Required Skills of the System Analyst
1. Using Slides 24 to 33, explain the different skill that a system analyst
must have.
Systems analysts should have a variety of special skills.
They need to have an understanding on how to build an
information system that requires a technical knowledge.
Also, they have to understand the business they are working
for and how the business uses each of the types of systems.
Moreover, the systems analysts need to understand about
people and the way they work because they will use the
information systems. Figure 1.1 depicts the knowledge and
skills required of a systems analyst.
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Slide 25
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
• Technical Knowledge and Skills
• Computers and how they work
• Devices that interact with computers, including
input devices, storage devices, and output
devices
• Communications networks that connect
computers
• Databases and database management systems
Slide 26
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
• Programming languages
• Operating systems and utilities
• Software packages such as Microsoft Access
that can be used to develop systems
• Integrated development environments (IDEs)
for specific programming languages
Slide 27
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
• Computer-aided system engineering (CASE)
tools that store information about system
specifications created by analysts and
sometimes generate program code
• Program code generators, testing tools,
configuration management tools, software
library management tools, documentation
support tools, project management tools, and
others
Slide 28
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
Business Business
Knowledge Skills
Slide 29
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
• Business Knowledge and Skills
• have an understanding of the business
organizations in general
• understand the type of organization for which
they work
Introduction to Information Systems
Systems Analysis and Design
Technical Knowledge and Skills
It is a requirement for systems analysts to have a technical
knowledge and skills. Even if they are not involved in
programming duties, it is still crucial to have an
understanding of different types of technology—what these
are used for, how these work, and how these are evolving.
Here are the fundamentals that a systems analyst should
understand:
 Computers and how they work
 Devices that interact with computers, including input
devices, storage devices, and output devices
 Communications networks that connect computers
 Databases and database management systems
 Programming languages
 Operating systems and utilities
 Software packages such as Microsoft Access that
can be used to develop systems
 Integrated development environments (IDEs) for
specific programming languages
 Computer-aided system engineering (CASE) tools
that store information about system specifications
created by analysts and sometimes generate
program code
 Program code generators, testing tools, configuration
management tools, software library management
tools, documentation support tools, project
management tools, and others
Business Knowledge and Skills
Systems analysts should have an understanding of the
business organizations in general since the problem to be
solved is a business problem.
Also, systems analysts need to understand the type of
organization for which they work. There are some analysts
who specialize in a specific industry for their entire career
(e.g., manufacturing, financial services, etc.). The reason for
this is that it takes a long time to understand the problems of
a specific industry. A systems analyst with deep
understanding on a specific industry can solve complex
problems for companies in that industry.
Being familiar with a specific company also provides
important guidance on system needs and changes. It would
take years of experience working for a company to really
understand what is going on. Here are some specifics the
analyst needs to know about the company:

What the specific organization does
 What makes it successful
 What its strategies and plans are
 What its traditions and values are
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Slide 30
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst
• some specifics the analyst needs to know about
the company:

• What the specific organization does

• What makes it successful
• What its strategies and plans are
• What its traditions and values are

Slide 31 People Knowledge and Skills

Required Skills of the Systems Systems analysts need to understand a lot about people
Analyst since they usually work on development teams with other
employees. Thus, they should possess many interpersonal
People
Knowledge
People
Skills
skills. An analyst spends many of their time working with
people, trying to understand their perspectives on the
problems they are trying to solve. It is critical that the analyst
understand how people:

 Think
Slide 32  Learn
Required Skills of the Systems  React to change
Analyst  Communicate
• People Knowledge and Skills
 Work (in a variety of jobs and levels)
• understand a lot about people since they usually
work on development teams with other
employees

• possess many interpersonal skills

Slide 33
Required Skills of the Systems
Analyst

• understand how people:

• Think
• Learn
• React to change
• Communicate
• Work (in a variety of jobs and levels)

C. Generalization

1. Have a review of the topic discussed by having a short quiz.

D. Homework

1. Ask your students to research about Systems Development Life

Cycle.

E. Application

1. Ask the students to do the exercise below. This aims to involve the
students in the actual analysis and design of information systems.
The project would also entail developing the logical and physical
design of the system to be developed. Students are required to
prepare a complete analysis, design, and implementation
documentation, develop a prototype of the proposed system, and

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 Systems Analysis and Design

undergo a presentation before a panel as part of the project

requirements. Move around the class to check their activities. Tell
them that they can consult you with their concerns regarding the
activities.

a. The students must form a group composed of a minimum of

two (2) and a maximum of four (4) members.

b. Give each student a copy of Attachment A, to be used as

their reference for their project this semester.

c. Ask each group to think of a proposed system type. Students

may use any but not limited to the following:
i. Any System Development (Computerization) Work
 Transaction Processing Systems
o Payroll System
o Inventory System
o Library System
o Enrollment System
o Accounting System
o Patient Information and Billing
System
o Others

Note: The proponents of a group must choose an

organization where they will conduct requirements and
problem analysis on its existing system and propose an
improved system.

d. Give the students time to discuss with their group.

e. Ask each group to write the following in a ¼ sheet of paper

and to submit it to the instructor.
i. Group name
ii. Group members
iii. Type of proposed system

f. Give each group time to search for a company that will be the
subject for their proposed system.

g. Ask each group to submit a copy of a company background

of their chosen company for their proposed system on their
last session next week.

REFERENCES:

Valacich, J., George, J. & Hoffer, J. (2012). Essentials of systems:

analysis and design (5th Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Pearson.

Shelly, G. & Harry J. (2012). Systems analysis and design (9th Edition).
Boston: Course Technology Cengage Learning.

Whitten, J. & Bentley, L. (2007). Systems analysis and design methods

(7th Edition). Boston : McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Yeates, D. & Wakefield, T. (2004). Systems analysis and design (2nd

Edition). Harlow, UK : Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Hoffer, J., George, J.& Valacich, J. (2008). Modern systems analysis and
design (5th Edition.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

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