Phase 1

Systems Planning
Objectives
Describe the strategic planning process,
and why it is important to IT managers
Explain the purpose of a mission
statement
Explain the SDLC as a framework for
systems development and business
modeling
Explain the reasons for information
systems projects and the factors that
affect such projects
Objectives
Describe the initial review of systems
requests and the role of the systems
review committee
Describe the internal and external factors
that affect information systems projects
Define operational feasibility, technical
feasibility, and economic feasibility
Describe the steps and end product of a
preliminary investigation
The Importance of Strategic
Planning
Strategic Planning
The process of identifying long-term
organizational goals, strategies, and
resources.
SWOT analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
SWOT Analysis example
Strengths (S)

 What are our major strengths, how

can we utilize them in the future?
 What must we do to strengthen our IT
function, including our people and
technology infrastructure?
Weaknesses (W)

 What are our major weaknesses, and

how can we overcome them?
 How should we address weaknesses
in IT resources and capability?
Opportunities (O)

 What are major opportunities, and

how can we take full advantage of
them?
 What IT plans do we have to support
business opportunities?
Threats (T)

 What major threats do we face, and

what can we do about them?
 What can we do to deal with potential
threats to IT success?
Mission statement
 Briefly defines the company’s business, its values,
objectives and approach to reach those objectives

Goals
 Accomplish the mission

Objectives
 Has shorter time frame

Stakeholders
 Include anyone affected by the company’s
performance (customers, employees, suppliers,
stockholders and members ofhte community)
Systems Requests
 Starting point for a project
Formal way of asking for IT support

 Might propose
1. enhancements for an existing system
2. correction of problems
3. development of entirely new information
system
Reasons for Systems Projects
Factors Affecting Systems Projects
Systems Request Forms

Streamlines the process

Ensures consistency
Must be easy to understand and use
Must include clear instructions
Include enough space for all required
information
Indicate what supporting documents are
needed
Sample system request form
Evaluation of Systems Requests

Systems Review Committee /

Computer Resources Committee
1. Evaluate requests
2. Set priorities
3. Assess feasibility
Purpose of Feasibility Study

To determine quickly
and at minimum
expense, if the problem
can be solved
Operational Feasibility

A system that has

operational feasibility is
one that will be used
effectively after it has
been developed.
Technical Feasibility

A systems request has

technical feasibility if the
organization has the
resources to develop or
purchase, install, and
operate the ssytem.
Economic Feasibility

A systems request has

economic feasibility if the
projected benefits of the
proposed system outweigh
the estimated cost involved
in acquiring, installing, and
operating it.
Tangible Benefits

Advantages measured in terms

of dollar saved, resources
saved, or time saved
1. increase of speed of processing
2. getting information on a more timely basis
3. take advantage of computer’s calculating
power
4. lower amount of employee time to update
specific task
Intangible Benefits

Benefits difficult to
measure but are important
1. improve decision making
2. enhance accuracy
3. more competitive in customer satisfaction
4. increase job satisfaction
Criteria used to evaluate systems requests

 Reduce costs
 Increase revenue
 Produce more information or better results
 Serve customers and the organization better
 Reasonable time frame and lasting results
 Resources available
Discretionary vs. non-discretionary projects

Discretionary projects
Projects where management has a
choice in implementing them.
them

Nondiscretionary projects
Projects where no choice exists.
exists
Model of a Preliminary Investigation
Preliminary Investigation
 Purpose
 To decide whether to continue the project
 Objectives for a preliminary investigation
1. Understand the problem
2. Define the project scope and constraints
3. Identify the benefits
4. Estimate the time and costs
5. Report to management
 Interaction with managers and users
Step 1:
Understand the problem
Identify the true nature of the problem
and the reason for the systems request
Stated problem may not be the real
problem
Clear statement defines the
investigation scope
Step 2:
Define the project scope & constraints
Project scope
Define the range or extent of the project
Set project boundaries

Constraints
Identify conditions, restrictions, or
requirements
 Present vs. future
 Internal vs. external
 Mandatory vs. desirable
Step 3:
Perform fact finding
Analyze organization charts
Conduct interviews
Observe operations
Carry out a user survey
Step 4:
Determine feasibility
Determine operational, technical,
economic feasibility, and schedule
feasibility
Step 5:
Estimate time & cost to continue development
 Determine what information is needed
 Identify the sources of information
 Decide whether to use interviews, if so how
many, and what time needed
 Decide whether to use surveys, if so who to
complete it, and what time needed
 Estimate the cost of gathering, analyzing,
and reporting the information to
management
Step 6: Present results &
recommendations to management
Final task in the preliminary
investigation
Key elements
 Evaluation of systems request
 Estimate of costs and benefits
 Recommendations
Oral and written presentations
Sample of Preliminary investigation report
Contents
I. Introduction
Overview of the report (brief description of the system,
name of persons/group who performed the investigation &
initiated the investigation)

II. Systems Request Summary

Describes the basis of the systems request

III. Findings
Results of preliminary investigation (description of project’s
scope, constraints, and feasibility)
Contents
IV. Recommendations
Recommendations for further action, with specific reasons and
justification.

V. Time and Cost Estimates

Describe the cost of acquiring and installing the system.

VI. Expected Benefits

Anticipated tangible and intangible benefits, and timetable.

VIII. Appendix
Attach supporting information