---SAD1 Assignment # 11---

Supposing I am an analyst hired by the IC-dean, I was asked to evaluate the enrollment system of the university. Before evaluating the system, I have to understand the enrollment process first. The university’s enrolment process includes advisement, registration and payment of fees. Each college prescribes a set of requirements in the different course offered by them provided that is duly approved by the university president.

The university has its own enrolment system. From my own observations, some university residents, be it a staff, faculty and especially the students, are not satisfied with the said system. They have complaints such as the long line and the time wasted or consumed in complying just a single requirement. It is not that effective compared to the other university who could cater hundreds of enrollees by just a day. Because if it is, a student be enrolled in a day without that hassle and hypertension feelings. Sometimes, developers of the system think that they already did the things required in their system. Only that they find out that their clients are not that satisfied. The success of the system also depends upon the environment on which it is being deployed.

Thus, here is the brief list and description of the characteristics we have to examine when choosing or defining the deployment environment of the system.

1. Location type or area type of probable deployment environment

The type of location should certainly be examined. A system could not just be deployed on any type of environment it should be an area wherein you can place computer units and possibly have network connections and is well-ventilated as well.

2. Identify available resources

Precedent resources could still be utilized for the system. Available resources should be considered for a deployment environment to be utilized upon deployment.

3. Site possible threat

Risks could never be avoided upon deployment of the system so an analyst should consider identifying possible risk to take place in the future just like bugs of power failure that could affect the performance of the system.

4. Existing systems

External or other existing systems in the deployment environment should be examined so the new system could conform to the external one for better performance.

5. Compatibility with system requirements and among hardware and system software

System requirement, computer hardware and system software configuration should also be considered so that the system could properly function as well as network link and development tools.

References:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/dmndhelp/v7r0mx/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.wps.doc/doc/tpln_implementnd.html

---SAD2 Assignment # 10---

With reference to assignments 8 and 9, what characteristics does an analyst(you) examine when evaluating DFD quality?

Before discussing the important characteristics a data flow diagram (DFD) must have, let us first understand the concept of the diagram. As the name suggests, data flow diagram is a description of the data with respect to the processes performed in a system. It shows the permanent storage of such data and its transformation into the system.

Data flow analysis tracks the flow of data through business processes and determines how organization objectives are met. It studies the use of data in each activity and documents the findings in data flow diagrams, graphically showing the relation between processes and data.

There are two types of data flow diagrams and one of these diagrams is physical data flow diagram, let us discuss physical dfd.

Physical DFD

Using PDFD is desirable for analysts for the following reasons:

1. It is easier to describe the interaction between physical components than to understand the policies used to manage the application. Identifying people, what they do, which documents and forms trigger which activities and what equipment is used in the processing. The movement of people, documents and information between departments and locations is also identified.

2. Physical data flow diagrams are useful for communicating with users. Users relate easily to people, locations and documents as they work with these each day. Users may consider logical DFDs abstract as they do not contain these familiar components, however, with physical DFDs users can quickly identify incorrect or missing steps.

3. Physical DFDs provide a way to validate or verify the user's current view of the system with the way it is actually operating. If there are differences, they will be noted and discussed. It is not unusual to find that what a users thinks is happening differs in an important way from what actually occurs.

Evaluating Data Flow Diagrams for Correctness

A quality DFD should consider correctness as its primary characteristic. Correct DFD indicates that the analyst understand the data flows in the business processes of its clients. Understanding between the clients and the developer is the key factor in producing a good system. And developing a good system starts from its developing particularly in creating diagrams such as the DFD.

It is essential to evaluate all DFDs carefully to determine if they are correct. Errors, omissions and inconsistencies can occur for several reasons, including mistakes in drawing the diagrams. But the presence of what appears to be an error may in fact point out a deficiency in the system or a situation in which users are not aware of how certain processes operate.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_flow_diagram

---SAD2 Assignment # 9---

Create at least 3 different types of Data flow diagram of USEP's pre-enrollment system

Context Data Flow Diagram

Current physical Data Flow Diagram

Current logical Data Flow Diagram

---SAD2 Assignment # 8---

Using the same narrative as refelcted in your assignment 4, develop an activity diagram and a fully developed description for a use case.

The diagram above is an activity diagram of the pre-enrollment process of the University of Southeastern Philippines.

The diagram above is an activity diagram of the enrollment process of the University of Southeastern Philippines.

---SAD2 Assignment # 7---

Consider USEP's pre-enrollment system, develop a use case diagram and write a brief use case description.

Actors:

Applicant - aspiring person who wants to be admitted in the university.

UGTO - personnels who validate and assess documents,examination schedule and result to all applicant students.

Cashier - collect all payments

Process:

Fill up and submit all necessary documents - all aspiring applicants should secure all the necessary documents for enrollment in UGTO.

Validates the Documents - the UGTO shall validate all the requirements of the applicant.

Pay entrance examination fee - the applicant should pay an amount for the test to Cahier.

Provide examination schedule - UGTO can now give the examination schedule to the applicant.

Take the USEPAT - describes an applicant taking the admission test.

Give the examination result - UGTO post the result of the examination of all students who took the entrance exam.

Actor:

Applicant - aspiring person who wants to be admitted in the university.

Interviewer - personnel in charge of the screening of the applicants through interview.

USEP Clinic - attending nurse or doctor in the clinic who does the medical check-up.

DEAN - post all the qualified students in the respective departments.

Process:

Department Interview Schedule - interviewer can now interview the applicant after passing the USEPAT.

Verify English Placement Test - interviewer should verify the english placement test of the applicants.

Enroll to English Bridge Program - if the applicant failed to pass the english placement test, he should enroll to english bridge program.

Take Medical Examination - if the student luckily passed the english placement test, he can now proceed to his medical examination.

Post all qualified student - this is the last point of the pre-enrollment process, if the applicant has satisfactory grade based on the requirement set by the college, the student is now ready for the enrollment process.

---SAD2 Assignment # 6---

Consider the following dialogue between a systems professional, John Juan, and a manager of a department targeted for a new information system, Peter Pedro:

Juan: The way to go about the analysis is to first examine the old system, such as reviewing key documents and observing the workers perform their tasks. Then we can determine which aspects are working well and which should be preserved.

Pedro: We have been through these types of projects before and what always ends up happening is that we do not get the new system we are promised; we get a modified version of the old system.

Juan: Well, I can assure you that will not happen this time. We just want a thorough understanding of what is working well and what isn’t.

Pedro: I would feel much more comfortable if we first started with a list of our requirements. We should spend some time up-front determining exactly what we want the system to do for my department. Then you systems people can come in and determine what portions to salvage if you wish. Just don’t constrain us to the old system.

Required:

a. Obviously these two workers have different views on how the systems analysis phase should be conducted. Comment on whose position you sympathize with the most.
b.What method would you propose they take? Why?

For me, both sides state their opinion about on how to improve and develop the old system. It is essential and commendable that both parties have their own methods in implementing and creating new information system. But in the story above, they have their own notion which results to a conflict. Both ideas would convince you to choose one, at some point to the other. Anyways, for me to decide on which idea is better, let me first state my understanding on both parties.

John’s Points of View (P.O.V)

As what I understand of John’s point is that he tried to point out that in analyzing the problem it is more effective if they would first scrutinize the old system and this is through reviewing important documents and workers performance. By this, they could now determine the strength and weaknesses of the old system, by gathering all this information’s they could provide solutions for the weaknesses and improvements and add some strength features to the existing system.

Since John is consider as a system professional it is expected that he has more knowledge on how to develop and modify improvements to a certain system. He gains more experience since he encountered giving vices to his clients, and as a system professional he has wide understanding on how a certain project must be processed as to what method should be used and what stage to improve.

Peter’s Points of View (P.O.V)

Now this time let me discuss my understanding of Peter’s point, he stress out that since the project proposed to him is not unusual, thus assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the existing system is not a solution or not as successful method in creating new one. Since he encountered scenario like this, he conclude that in making and using the same method like this, they end up not getting their expectation to the system which they compromised.

He wanted that they have to define the need of requirements since it is the first phase of creating a new system rather than specifying the old one. In addition to his point, he wanted that they have to appraise the true needs of their departments to create a system that meet their requirements.

My Points of View (P.O.V)

After considering both opinions, I decided to go with Peter’s idea, provided that John’s idea is also considered

The problem arises because they are debating on what to do and how to work out to improve the existing system in the company. New system is created because of the deficiency of the old one or maybe because workers in organization stated the need to change the system as a solution to the problem which they all facing.

The problem can only be cleared by fully understand the needs of a certain team, or defining on what or who is really affected by the problem. In the case of Peter he knows what are the things that need to improve in his department. Although John can do some interview to show the problem of the department. If Peter could identify the requirements needed and if he has a different way of establishing a new system, then definitely, it wouldn’t align with the actual needs of the organization.

In analyzing the problem, one has to establish their goals on why they develop a system. Goals are considered as requirements in themselves, particularly high level since goals speak of the domains.

Method to use:

Choosing the method to use requires consideration of various factors. In my own notion thinking that the system is planned to be implemented in a certain department of the company, I would consider Agile Methodologies. It is because developers won’t strive to have new methodologies if they are contented in the existing methodologies such as the waterfall, or traditional sequential development. However, each methodology is advantageous over the other in its own way.

---SAD2 Assignment # 5---

Consider our school, how do we know that the life cycle was developed in our university and how do we know it meets our needs?

As a part of the university and as an IT student it is my privilege to know the development of the university, how it goes and how it works. System development is indeed contributing a big impact to any institution; but does the university apply this process to improve every form of transactions in the school? Does it meet the needs of every student, faculty and staff of the university? These are some of the questions that need an answer to be able to define a proper “development”. Let me first define what this life cycle means.

When I searched in the internet about the “life cycle”, I found different meanings in varied fields. Some in business meaning, from enterprise form to biological approach and there’s also from software life cycle to System Development Life Cycle also known as SDLC. With these various terms, I consider SDLC as a life cycle.

The system development life cycle is the process of developing information systems through investigation, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. System development life cycle is a systems approach to problem solving and is made up of several phases, each comprised of multiple steps.

The major steps system development life cycle include the following steps.

Planning

It is the most important task in creating software products in making the planning steps they have to identify the scope and boundary of the problem, and plan the development strategy and goals.

Analysis

Study and analyze the problems, causes, and effects. Then, identify and analyze the requirements that must be fulfilled by any successful solutions.

Design

During the design phase the System Analyst will document the inputs, processing and outputs of each program within the application.

Implementation

Throughout the implementation phase programmers would be assigned to write the specific programs using a programming language decided by the system analyst. Once the system of programs is tested the new application is installed for people to use. As time goes by, things change and a specific part or program might need repair

Maintenance

In this phase, it goes through a mini planning, analysis, design and implementation. The programs that need modification are identified and programmers change or repair those programs. After several years of use, the system usually becomes obsolete. At this point a major revision of the application is done.

Now, how do we know if the cycle meets the needs of the university?

We would know that the chosen SDLC will meet the needs of the university if the understanding of its processes and the process itself gave way to easier and less time consuming software development with regards to the situation of the university. For example, we all know that the university is run by the government so we can assume that the budget will always be limited. Considering this fact, if our chosen SDLC will truly meet our needs then it must give processes that will less likely to rely on outsourcing.