Monash University, SIMS, Semester O Monash University, SIMS, Semester O ne, 2005 ne, 2005 1 DATA GATHERING DATA GATHERING FOR INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT CSE1204 - Information CSE1204 - Information Systems 1 Systems 1
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Monash University, SIMS, Semester One, 20051 DATA GATHERING FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT CSE1204 - Information Systems 1 CSE1204 - Information Systems.
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to be aware of various methods for data to be aware of various methods for data gathering (gathering (“fact-finding”) “fact-finding”) in respect of in respect of information system developmentinformation system development
to understand the usefulness and to understand the usefulness and suitability of various data gathering suitability of various data gathering methods for particular problem situationsmethods for particular problem situations
Data gathering in systems Data gathering in systems developmentdevelopment
Data gathering is a major task of systems analysis.Data gathering is a major task of systems analysis.
Systems analysis involves:Systems analysis involves: Understanding and describing how the current system Understanding and describing how the current system
functionsfunctions Determining what users would like their new system to Determining what users would like their new system to
do (user requirements)do (user requirements)
Necessary for system analysts to collect Necessary for system analysts to collect information about current and future situations, information about current and future situations, problems,opportunities, constraintsproblems,opportunities, constraints
What data to gather?What data to gather?The business or organisation:The business or organisation:
Data about the nature of the business and its Data about the nature of the business and its market and business environmentmarket and business environment
Data about business goals and objectives that Data about business goals and objectives that dictate what and how work is donedictate what and how work is done
Data about organisational structure: major Data about organisational structure: major functions, departments etcfunctions, departments etc
Data about major business subsystems and Data about major business subsystems and how they interacthow they interact
Data about business policies and guidelines Data about business policies and guidelines
Users of the system:Users of the system:Roles and responsibilitiesRoles and responsibilitiesReporting structuresReporting structuresJob specifications and actual tasks performedJob specifications and actual tasks performed Information needed to do their jobsInformation needed to do their jobsFormal and informal communication and Formal and informal communication and
Users of the system:Users of the system:Data about roles and responsibilitiesData about roles and responsibilitiesData about reporting structuresData about reporting structuresJob specifications and data about actual tasks Job specifications and data about actual tasks
performedperformedData about information needed to do their Data about information needed to do their
jobsjobsData about formal and informal Data about formal and informal
communication and workflow channelscommunication and workflow channels
The existing system:The existing system:Data about tasks and workflow: functions, Data about tasks and workflow: functions,
processes, sequence of processes, methods and processes, sequence of processes, methods and procedures, inputs, outputsprocedures, inputs, outputs
Data about the data (definition, volumes, size etc.)Data about the data (definition, volumes, size etc.)Data about interactions with other systemsData about interactions with other systemsData about work volumes and processing cyclesData about work volumes and processing cyclesData about performance standards and criteriaData about performance standards and criteriaData about control mechanisms: e.g security, Data about control mechanisms: e.g security,
accuracyaccuracyData about problems: e.g. efficiency, information Data about problems: e.g. efficiency, information
The new system:The new system:Data about system requirement: a need or Data about system requirement: a need or
desire to be met by a proposed systemdesire to be met by a proposed systemData about both Data about both functionalfunctional requirements requirements
(processes and functionality) and (processes and functionality) and
non-functionalnon-functional requirements (security, requirements (security, performance, service etc.)performance, service etc.)
Data about constraints e.g. existing technologyData about constraints e.g. existing technologyData about interactions with other systemsData about interactions with other systemsData about relationship to existing system/sData about relationship to existing system/s
Sources of dataSources of dataUsers and other stakeholdersUsers and other stakeholdersDocuments about the systemDocuments about the systemDocuments about the organisationDocuments about the organisationDocuments and data used within the Documents and data used within the
existing systemexisting systemTransactions within existing systemTransactions within existing systemExternal sourcesExternal sources
Documents about the system and Documents about the system and organisation:organisation:Organisation chartsOrganisation chartsPolicy manualsPolicy manualsBusiness reports: financial, annual etc.Business reports: financial, annual etc.Jobs, procedure, operations manualsJobs, procedure, operations manualsTraining manualsTraining manualsExisting system documentationExisting system documentation Internal reports relating to the system Internal reports relating to the system
Documents and data used within the Documents and data used within the existing system:existing system:Files, databases, programs, forms, reportsFiles, databases, programs, forms, reports Informal: Memos, bulletin boards, filesInformal: Memos, bulletin boards, files
External sources:External sources:Other organisations’ systemsOther organisations’ systemsHardware & software vendorsHardware & software vendorsBusiness & industry publicationsBusiness & industry publications
Interviews Generally the most important and Generally the most important and
widely-used method for data gatheringwidely-used method for data gathering
May be formal/structured (specific May be formal/structured (specific questions) or informal/unstructured questions) or informal/unstructured (general goal or purpose)(general goal or purpose)
Need an interview strategy for the Need an interview strategy for the entire interviewing processentire interviewing process
Need an interview plan or guide for Need an interview plan or guide for each intervieweach interview
Establish general objectives and guidelines Establish general objectives and guidelines for the entire interviewing process:for the entire interviewing process:
e.g. information to be obtained, sources, e.g. information to be obtained, sources, formats, documenting, analysis formats, documenting, analysis
Identify the users to interview:Identify the users to interview:Ensure all key people are includedEnsure all key people are included
Determine the sequence of interviews:Determine the sequence of interviews:Co-ordinate the interviewing process:Co-ordinate the interviewing process:
Compare results, select follow ups etc. Compare results, select follow ups etc. Need individual interview plansNeed individual interview plansNeed to consider:Need to consider:
Who has the information you need?Who has the information you need?
Where to conduct the interview?Where to conduct the interview?
When is the best time to interview?When is the best time to interview?
How should the interview progress?How should the interview progress?
Before the interview:Before the interview:Arrange time and place, necessary materials, Arrange time and place, necessary materials,
inform interviewee of interview purposeinform interviewee of interview purposeConduct the interviewConduct the interviewAfter the interview:After the interview:
Write an interview reportWrite an interview reportReview this with the interviewee at a follow up Review this with the interviewee at a follow up
The interview structureThe interview structurePreliminaries:Preliminaries:
Introduction, purpose, environment and Introduction, purpose, environment and procedures e.g. permission to tapeprocedures e.g. permission to tape
““Body”:Body”:Define what you already believe to be true and Define what you already believe to be true and
confirm this, explore points & issues further, confirm this, explore points & issues further, new areas (questions)new areas (questions)
Conclusion:Conclusion:Summarise and confirm your findingsSummarise and confirm your findingsSchedule a follow up interviewSchedule a follow up interview
Interview plans:Interview plans:Decide on interview structureDecide on interview structureDetermine content of questionsDetermine content of questionsDecide on question types Decide on question types
See Whitten et al (2001),Figure 6.5 pp 233 See Whitten et al (2001),Figure 6.5 pp 233 for a sample interview guide.for a sample interview guide.
flexible e.g. explore issues further or new issuesflexible e.g. explore issues further or new issues
establish rapport with interviewee and understand their establish rapport with interviewee and understand their attitudes attitudes
reveal the ‘politics’ of the system environmentreveal the ‘politics’ of the system environment
information is revealed both by the spoken word and by information is revealed both by the spoken word and by the interviewee’s body languagethe interviewee’s body language
More difficult to tabulate and analyse results More difficult to tabulate and analyse results e.g. to obtain an overall picturee.g. to obtain an overall picture
Success in interviewing depends on the inter-Success in interviewing depends on the inter-personal skills of the interviewerpersonal skills of the interviewer
WHITTEN, J.L., BENTLEY, L.D. and DITTMAN, K.C. (2001) 5th WHITTEN, J.L., BENTLEY, L.D. and DITTMAN, K.C. (2001) 5th ed., ed., Systems Analysis and Design MethodsSystems Analysis and Design Methods, Irwin/McGraw-HilI, , Irwin/McGraw-HilI, New York, NY. Chapter 6New York, NY. Chapter 6
HOFFER, J.A., GEORGE, J.F. and VALACICH (2005) 2nd ed., HOFFER, J.A., GEORGE, J.F. and VALACICH (2005) 2nd ed., Modern Systems Analysis and DesignModern Systems Analysis and Design, Benjamin/Cummings, , Benjamin/Cummings, Massachusetts. Chapter 6Massachusetts. Chapter 6
DWYER, J. (1997) The Business Communication Handbook (4DWYER, J. (1997) The Business Communication Handbook (4thth
edition) Prentice-Hall, New York, N.Y. Chapter 5edition) Prentice-Hall, New York, N.Y. Chapter 5