The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines system analysis as “the process of studying a procedure or business with the goal of defining its goals and objectives and creating systems and procedures that will effectively achieve them." Another point of view considers system analysis as a method of solving problems, which breaks down the system into its component parts in order to study how well these components work and interact to achieve their goal.
Communication
The principles of systems analysis are closely related to requirements analysis or operational research. It is also “a clear official investigation to help the decision maker determine the best course of action and make a better decision than she otherwise could have taken.”
The terms “analysis and synthesis” come from the Greek language, which means “to parse” and “to assemble”, respectively. These terms are used in many scientific disciplines, from mathematics and logic to economics and psychology, to refer to similar procedures. Analysis is defined as “a procedure by which we break an intellectual or essential whole into parts,” while synthesis means “a procedure by which we combine individual elements or components to form a single whole." Researchers of the principles of systems analysis apply the methodology to the systems involved, forming the overall picture.
Application
System analysis is used in every area where something is developed. An analysis can also be a series of components that jointly perform organic functions, such as systems engineering. Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary design field that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be developed and managed.
Sequence
The development of a computer information system includes a stage of system analysis. This helps create a data model prior to creating or expanding the database. There are several different approaches to systems analysis.
When a computer information system is being developed, system analysis (in accordance with the model of the waterfall) will consist of the following steps:
- Development of a feasibility study. Determining whether a project is economically, socially, technologically and organizationally feasible.
- Fact-finding measures designed to ascertain the requirements of the end users of the system (usually including interviews, questionnaires or visual observations of work in the existing system).
- Determining how end users will manage the system (in terms of general experience using computer hardware or software), what the system will be used for, etc.
Another opinion describes a phased approach to the process. This approach breaks down system analysis into 5 stages:
- Definition of content. Clearly defined goals and requirements necessary to meet the project requirements identified by its stakeholders.
- Problem analysis: the process of understanding problems and needs and finding solutions based on the principles of system analysis.
- Analysis of requirements: determination of the conditions that must be met.
- Logical design: the study of the logical relationships between objects.
- Decision analysis: making the final decision based on the principles of system analysis.
Use cases are widely used system analysis modeling tools to identify and express the functional requirements of a system. Each use case is a business scenario or event for which the system must provide a specific response. Use cases developed based on object-oriented analysis.
Political analysis
The discipline of what is known as policy analysis today came about as a result of applying system analysis when it was first established by US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.
Specialists in the basic principles of systems analysis are often called upon to analyze systems that have grown by chance to determine the current components of the system. This was demonstrated during reengineering in 2000, when business and production processes were reviewed as part of the 2000 automation modernization. Work using system analysis includes system analytics, business analysts, technologists, systems architects, corporate architects, software architects, etc. All of these specialists in practice use the basic principles of system analysis.
Although practitioners of systems analysis may be encouraged to create new systems, they often modify, expand, or document existing systems (processes, procedures, and methods). Researchers and practitioners rely on systems analysis. Such an analysis of activities is already applied to various studies and practical research, including business management, educational reform, educational technologies, etc. In these areas, the principles of a systematic approach (system analysis) are very important.
Analysts
A systems analyst is an information technology specialist who specializes in analyzing, designing, and implementing information systems. System analysts evaluate the suitability of information systems in terms of their intended results and communicate with end users, software vendors and programmers to achieve these results.
A systems analyst is a person who uses analysis and design methods to solve business problems using information technology. System analysts can act as agents of change that identify the necessary organizational improvements, design systems to implement these changes, and also train and motivate others to use systems. Analysts should know and understand the concept and principles of systems analysis.
Although they may be familiar with various programming languages, operating systems, and computer hardware platforms, they usually do not participate in the actual development of hardware or software. They may be responsible for developing cost analysis, design considerations, improving staff exposure and implementation timelines.
A system analyst is usually limited to a designated or defined system and often works in conjunction with a business analyst using the general principles of system analysis. These roles, although they have some coincidences, are not the same. A business analyst will evaluate the business needs and determine the appropriate solution and, to some extent, develop the solution without going too deep into its technical components, instead relying on a system analyst. A system analyst often evaluates and modifies code, and also analyzes scenarios based on the principles and problems of system analysis.
Opportunities
Some specialists have practical knowledge in both areas (business and systems analysis) and can successfully combine both of these professions, effectively erasing the line between a business analyst and a system analyst. In both professions, the principles of structural system analysis are in demand.
System analytics available:
- Identify, understand and plan the organizational and human impacts of planned systems and ensure that new technical requirements are properly integrated with existing processes and skill sets.
- Scheduling system flow from scratch.
- Interaction with internal users and customers to study and document requirements, which are then used to create business requirements documents.
- Drawing up technical requirements from a critical phase.
- Interact with a software developer to understand the limitations of software.
- Helping programmers design a system, for example, providing use cases, flowcharts, UML diagrams, and BPMNs.
- Requirements for documents or additions to user manuals.
- Whenever a development process is conducted, a system analyst is responsible for developing the components and providing this information to the developer. All this is done based on the basic concepts and principles of system analysis.
Life cycle
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a traditional system development methodology that organizations use for large-scale IT projects. SDLC is a structured structure consisting of sequential processes by which an information system is developed.
The essence of the analysis
As soon as the development project receives the necessary approvals from all participants, the system analysis stage begins. System analysis is the analysis of a business problem that organizations plan to solve using an information system. The main goal of the system analysis phase is to collect information about an existing system to determine the requirements for an advanced system or a new system. The end product of this phase, known as the result, is a set of system requirements. These are the basic principles of system analysis and system synthesis.
Perhaps the most difficult task in this analysis is to determine the specific requirements that the system must satisfy. These requirements are often referred to as user requirements because users provide them. When the system developers have accumulated user requirements for the new system, they move on to the system design stage.
Computer systems
A computer systems analyst is a lesson in the field of information technology. A computer systems analyst is working to solve problems related to computer technology. Many analysts are installing new computer systems, both hardware and software, adding new software applications to improve computer performance. Others act as system developers or system architects, but most analysts specialize in a particular type of system, such as business systems, accounting systems, financial systems, or scientific systems.
Demand
As of 2015, the largest number of computer systems analysts covered the sectors of government, insurance, computer system design, professional and commercial equipment, and company and enterprise management. An increase in the number of jobs in this area was forecasted from 487,000 in 2009 to 650,000 by 2016.
This work ranked third in the 2010 survey, fifth in the 2011 survey, 9th in the 2012 survey and 10th in the 2013 survey.
A business analyst (BA) is one who analyzes an organization or business area (real or hypothetical) and documents its business or processes or systems, evaluating a business model or its integration with technology based on the principles and structure of system analysis.
The role of a systems analyst can also be defined as a bridge between business problems and technological solutions. Here, business problems can be associated with business systems, for example, with a model, process, or method. Technological solutions may be the use of technological architecture, tools or software applications. System analysts are required to analyze, transform and ultimately solve business problems using technology.
Business analysis
There are at least four types of business analysis:
- Business developer - identify the organization’s business needs and business opportunities.
- Analysis of the business model - determining the organization’s policies and market approaches.
- Process design - to standardize the organization’s work processes.
- System analysis - the interpretation of business rules and requirements for technical systems (usually within the framework of IT).
Other duties
Sometimes a business analyst is part of a business transaction and works with information technology to improve the quality of services provided, sometimes helping to integrate and test new solutions. Business analysts act as a link between management and technical developers.
BA can also support the development of training materials, participate in implementation, and provide support after implementation. This may include the development of project plans and data flow diagrams, flowcharts, etc.
In a systems development life cycle, a business analyst typically acts as a link between the enterprise’s business side and IT service providers.