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Definition
| A problem solving technique that decomposes a system into its component pieces for the purpose of studying how well those component parts work and interact to accomplish their purpose. |
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| A complementary problem-solving technique (to Systems analysis) that reassembles a system's component pieces back into a complete systm hopefully, an improved system. This may involve adding, deleting and changing pieces relative to the original system. |
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| Information Systems analysis |
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Definition
| These development phases in an information systems development project that primarily focus on the business problem and requirements, independent of any technology that can or will be used to implement a solution to that problem. |
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| A location (or set of locations) where systems analysts, systems designers, and system builders keep all of the documentation associated with one or more systems or projects. |
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| A problem solving approach that emphasizes the drawing of pictorial system models to document and validate existing and/or proposed systems. Ultimately, the system model becomes the blueprint for designing and constructing an improved system. |
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| A representation of either reality or vision. Since "a picture is a thousand words," most models use pictures to represent the reality or vision. |
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| A model-driven, process-centered technique used to either analyze an existing system or define business requirements for a new system, or both. The models are pictures that illustrate the system's component pieces: processes and their associated inputs, outputs, and files. |
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| Information Engineering (IE) |
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Definition
| A model driven and data-centered, but process sensitive, technique for planning, analyzing, and designing information systems. IE models are pictures that illustrate and synchronize the system's data and processes. |
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Definition
| the encapsulation of the data (called properties) that descrives a discrete person, object, place, event or thing, with all of the processes (called methods) that are allowed to use or update the data and properties. The only way to access or update the object's data is to use the object's predefined processes. |
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| A model-driven technique that integrates data and process concerns into constructs called objects. Object models are pictures that illustrate the system's objects from various perspectives, such as the structure, behavior, and interactions of the objects. |
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| a small-scale, incomplete, but working sample of a a desired system. |
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| A technique used to identify the users' business requirements by having them react to a quick-and-dirty implementation of those requirements. |
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| rapid architected analysis |
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Definition
| an approach that attempts to derive system models from existing systems or discovery prototypes. |
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Definition
| the use of technology that reads the program code for an existing database, application program, and/or user interface and automatically generates the equivalent system model. |
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Definition
| the process, used by systems analysts, of identifying or extracting system problems and solution requirements from the user community. |
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Definition
| the process of collecting information about system problems, opportunities, solution requirements, and priorities. |
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Term
| Joint Requirements Planning (JRP) |
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Definition
| the use of facilitated workshops to bring together all of the system owners, users, and analysts and some systems designers and builders to jointly perform systems analysis. JRP is generally considered a part of a larger method called Joint Application Development (JAD) a more comprehensive application of the JRP techniques to the entire systems development process. |
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| business process redesign (BPR) |
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Definition
| the application of systems analysis methods to the goal of dramatically changing and improving the fundamental business processes of an organization, independent of information technology. |
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Definition
| the integration of various approaches of systems analysis and design for application as deemed appropriate to the problem being solved and the system being developed. |
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| the boundaries of a project-the areas of a business that a project may address |
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| a committee of executive business and system managers that studies and prioritizes competing project proposals to determine which projects will return the most value to the organization and thus should be approved for continued systems development. (also called a steering committee) |
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| cause-and-effect analysis |
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Definition
| a technique in which problems are studied to determine their causes and effects. |
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| a measure of success. it is something that you expect to achieve, if given sufficient resources. |
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| something that will limit your flexibility in defining a solution to your objectives. Essentially, constraints cannot be changed. |
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Definition
| a description of activities and services a system must provide. |
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| nonfunctional requirement |
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Definition
| a description of other features, characteristics, and constraints that define a satisfactory system. |
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Definition
| a business scenario or event for which the system must provide a defined response. Use cases evolved out of object-oriented analysis; however, their use has become common in many other methodologies for systems analysis and design |
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Definition
| a technique that delivers information systems functionality and requirements through versioning. The development team selects the smallest subset of the system that, if fully implemented, will return immediate value to the system owners and users. That subset is developed, ideally with a time frame of six to nine months or less. Subsequently, value-added versions of the system are developed in similar time frames. |
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Definition
| In what time frame ust/should the problem be solved or opportunity or directive be realized? |
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| TO what degree would a solution or a new system be visible to customers and/or executive management? |
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| Approximately how much would a solution or new system increase annual revenues or reduce annual costs? |
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| what are the consensus priorities for each problem opportunity or directive. |
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| list all the "things about which the system currently stores data. Define each thing in business terms. For example, "an order is a business transaction in which a customer requests to purchase products" |
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| Define each business event for which a business response is currently implemented. |
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| Define all the locations that the current system serves and all of the users at each of those locations. |
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Definition
| Schedule, Cost, Technology, Policy |
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| is one that must be fulfilled by the minimal system version 1.0. The system is useless without it. |
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| is one that is not absolutely essential to version 1.0. |
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Definition
| IS the solution technically practical? Does our staff have the technical expertise to design and build this solution. |
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| Will the solution fulfill the user's requirements? To what degree? How will the solution change the user's work environment? How do users feel about such a solution? |
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| Is the solution cost-effective. |
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| Can the solution be designed and implemented within an acceptable time period? |
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