articles+ search results

System development, Prototype, Guidelines, MIS, and System development -- Methods

Prototyping is useful in developing information management systems, particularly when some practical guidelines are followed. Prototyping can help to more clearly define system requirements and to develop a better interface for an on-line system. If a large project can not be subdivided and has a long duration, prototyping will not be beneficial. The length of time is important because a long duration leaves too much time for organizational and structural changes, making the project difficult to manage. Too many users on a project can also create coordination and management problems, because the number of requested changes will be unmanageable. Subdividing a large project or keeping user numbers low can avoid this problem. Management support should be high for the prototyping approach or else system designers will eventually wind up frustrated with lack of support and end up with system failure.

Prototype, Training, System development, and System development -- Equipment and supplies

Prototyping is a tool for systems development that simplifies and shortens the design process and lowers development investments. A prototype is a model that is missing the details and refinements of the final product but works well enough for experimentation purposes and testing for problems. Microcomputers are the ideal mechanism for prototyping business systems applications. The prototype is a more effective way to solidify designs than any specifications or calculations on paper. Prototyping projects are best carried out by teams of three to five members, including someone who will use the completed system regularly. Designers should first build a viable prototype and then document it, keeping in mind that more detailed aspects of documentation and analysis can be performed as the project progresses. Teams should plan the process in the short term and be ready to change plans constantly. The training department should also be involved with the development process, so it can better teach the system when it is completed.

Prototype, System Development, Methods, Information Systems, Computer Systems, System Design, and System design -- Methods

The prototyping approach to systems development can be used to enhance the slower and more traditional systems development life cycle (SDLC) approach. The steps in the SDLC approach include feasibility analysis, systems analysis, requirements definition, systems design, systems development, implementation-evaluation, and maintenance. Prototyping involves the construction of a model of the proposed system. The advantages of the prototyping approach include speed, the ability to adapt to changes in system requirements, and the involvement of users in the development process. The disadvantages of the prototyping approach include the tendency of users to adopt the prototype as the final version of the system, and the decreased focus on documentation. Prototyping should be used during the requirements definition and systems design stages of the SDLC method, and possibly during the development stage. The implementation-evaluation and maintenance phases of the SDLC should be retained.

Prototype, Information Systems, Design, MIS, Project Management Software, Management of EDP, Electronic data processing departments -- Management, and Management information systems -- Planning

Prototyping can be applied to building computer information systems, either as an alternative or as a supplement to the traditional approach of systems design and development. The traditional system, which involves developing specifications before any programming is done, often results in both the user and the data processing staff shifting the blame, with no one taking the blame for inadequate systems. In contrast, prototyping uses highly efficient programming languages and other software tools to develop a model of the intended system shortly after discussion of the initial requirements. The model takes the place of written technical specifications. The data processing staff can demonstrate the prototype, get user feedback and make changes until the system is complete.

Systems analysis -- Methods and Information resources management -- Methods

MIS, Prototype, Human Factors, System Design, Management/EDP Relations, Executives -- Beliefs, opinions and attitudes, and Management information systems -- Planning

Senior managers must be sold on the prototyping method of systems development. To omit this step before beginning such a project risks the collapse of the entire project. Although prototyping is probably at least as good as any other approach to systems design, senior management is made uneasy by the fact that prototyping, by its very nature, is more like anarchy than science. Prototyping makes the most sense when neither neither user nor system designer is sure at the outset exactly what is to be built. Because a prototyped system is much easier to change than a traditional system, people want to change it a lot. Selling prototyping requires considerable groundwork.

System Development, New Technique, Software Metrics, Methods, Testing, Software Design, Research and Development, Management information systems -- Research, and Software -- Design and construction

A system development life cycle (SDLC) process is usually applied to a system with clear requirements definitions, well structured processing and reporting and a long, stable life expectancy, whereas a prototyping process is a better choice for a system with constantly changing requirements, ad hoc reporting and a transient life expectancy. A prototyping process may be used along with an SDLC process to shorten development time; the software testing process and test activities in a large system project following the SDLC approach are discussed. The three main stages of an SDLC are definition, development, and installation and operation: definition includes service request/project viability analysis, system requirements definition and system design alternatives; development includes system external specifications, system internal specifications, program development and testing; installation and operation include conversion, implementation and post-implementation review/maintenance.

Database Design, Computer-aided software engineering, User-Friendliness, Software Design, Natural Language Interfaces, Software Validation, and Database design

THE Analyst is a natural language computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool designed to aid users with no programming experience. THE Analyst permits users to design and implement Borland International dBASE or Paradox databases by writing specifications in standard English sentences. THE Analyst has been tested on university students who developed medical office databases with at least five tables and four one-to-many data relationships. The users were able to produce results that matched predetermined task solutions in less than one hour. The same exercise would have taken someone with programming experience between 10 and 20 hours to complete a requirements analysis, script the logic statements and program the database. THE Analyst uses dual validation feedback loops and prototyping to help users verify that the database they have developed will actually provide the required information management capability.

Client/Server Architecture, Guidelines, Rapid Application Development, United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, DBMS, Software Selection, and Database management systems -- Usage

Systems managers can learn from the experience of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in choosing the proper tools for development of a client/server application. The data base management system (DBMS) at the core of the system is extremely important and managers must look for openness and scalability as well as consider performance, data integrity and data reliability. In selecting a graphical user interface (GUI), or as it is referred to here, a rapid application development (RAD) tool, the most important thing is to determine which DBMS products a RAD supports. A tool should not only be able to connect to the DBMS but it should also be able to talk to other tools. Other things to consider are the RAD's capability for cross-platform support, how it conforms to standards and prototyping support. Extensive details are presented.

Information systems, Software Design, Business Planning, Computer-Aided Software Engineering, System Development, Information systems -- Design and construction, and System development -- Methods

The software development environment (SDE) integrates various processes, tools, standards, methodologies and related elements to provide the framework for building quality software. The benefits of implementing SDE include improved problem definition, joint customer/IS accountability and responsibility, reduced system costs, and productivity improvements through teaming and development support tools, such as CASE. The major goals of the SDE are to reduce systems development costs, maintenance costs and IS turnover rate. The goals are accomplished by addressing what has to be done in each area of the SDE. For example, a systems development methodology is required to ensure consistency from project to project. Standards are needed in areas such as systems analysis and design, data administration, database administration, systems testing, prototyping, documentation and data entry.

Knowledge-Based System, MIS, Expert Systems, Online Transaction Processing, Comparison, Management information systems -- Planning, and Expert systems -- Usage

A comparison of knowledge-based systems (KBSs) development versus more traditional transaction processing systems (TPSs) development shows subtle similarities and differences. MIS staff working in either area of systems development must perform modeling and analytic tasks as well as considering heterogeneous users and developer-user communication. Prototyping, logical design and systems integration are factors in either case. The differences arise because KBSs are both more specific to particular knowledge domains and more abstract and complex. TPSs focus on user-friendly access to particular, shared, relatively static databases. KBSs must be accessible to both the knowledge domain expert and the end user. They must be inherently flexible, dynamic and uncertain in order to be useful as expert systems.

Survey, Systems Analysis, Management Science, MIS, Business Planning, Management information systems -- Planning, and Data processing personnel -- Surveys

Results are presented of a survey covering what systems analysis tools are being used by information systems professionals and how satisfied the professionals are with those tools. When planning new systems, the majority of the respondents used steering committees and were satisfied with the direction and guidance of the committee. The most frequently used planning method was the design team, followed by data element dictionaries, structured walk-throughs and prototyping. Of the design charting techniques, both system flow charts and data flow diagrams are the most popular.

Guidelines, Statistics, System Design, System design -- Methods, and Statistics -- Usage

Systems professionals need to understand that statistics can be technically correct and still yield incorrect results. Techniques such as prototyping and computer-aided systems engineering rely heavily on statistics, but statistics alone do not tell the whole story. Systems professionals should include intuition and common sense along with pure data in the planning process.