monash university, sims, semester one, 20051 data gathering for information systems development...

Monash University, SIMS, Semester One, 2005Monash University, SIMS, Semester One, 2005 11

DATA GATHERINGDATA GATHERING

FOR INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION

SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENTSYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

CSE1204 - Information CSE1204 - Information Systems 1Systems 1


Lecture ObjectivesLecture Objectives

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


Example systemExample system

As-u-go HotelAs-u-go Hotel


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

workflow channelsworkflow channels

What data to gather?What data to gather?


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


UsersUsersSystem sponsor/owner: overall project System sponsor/owner: overall project

objectivesobjectivesManagers: high level, broad view of existing Managers: high level, broad view of existing

system and requirementssystem and requirementsEnd-users: detailed, operational level view of End-users: detailed, operational level view of

existing system and requirementsexisting system and requirementsTechnical staff: technology capaabilities, Technical staff: technology capaabilities,

limitations etc.limitations etc.External stakeholders: e.g. customersExternal stakeholders: e.g. customers

Sources of dataSources of data


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



InterviewsInterviews

QuestionnairesQuestionnaires

ObservationObservation

Sampling documents and transactionsSampling documents and transactions

Research and site visitsResearch and site visits

What data gathering methods?


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


The interview strategyThe interview strategy

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?

The interview strategyThe interview strategy


The individual interviewThe individual interview

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

interviewinterview


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


The interview planThe interview plan

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.


Interviews: types of questionsInterviews: types of questions Closed: how many transactions per day?Closed: how many transactions per day?

Limits available responsesLimits available responses Open: tell me about …..Open: tell me about …..

Leaves options open for intervieweeLeaves options open for interviewee Probe: tell me more about the problem Probe: tell me more about the problem

with the ….with the ….

To clarify and expandTo clarify and expand Mirror: From what you said, I understand Mirror: From what you said, I understand

that….that….

To confirm what was said etc.To confirm what was said etc.


Interviews: types of questionsInterviews: types of questions Avoid long, complex, or double-barrelled Avoid long, complex, or double-barrelled

questions:questions:

what decisions are made during this process what decisions are made during this process and how do you make them?and how do you make them?

Avoid leading questions;Avoid leading questions;

you don’t need the customer number on this you don’t need the customer number on this report, do you?report, do you?

Avoid loaded questions:Avoid loaded questions:

when did you first discover the mistake?when did you first discover the mistake?

i.e. how long have you known and done nothing?i.e. how long have you known and done nothing?


Interviews: Interviews: advantagesadvantages obtain extensive, complex detailed informationobtain extensive, complex detailed information

get insights and opinionsget insights and opinions

discover informal proceduresdiscover informal procedures

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

guaranteed responseguaranteed response


Interviews: Interviews: DisadvantagesDisadvantages Time-consuming Time-consuming

CostlyCostly

Danger of biasDanger of bias

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


ReferencesReferences

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

monash university, sims, semester one, 20051 data gathering for information systems development...

Documents

responsibilities data

jobs data

guidelines data

business environment

reporting structures

workflow channels data

suitability of various

jobs information