Learning Outcomes:

1. Produce a feasibility study for a system for a business-related problem.
2. Analyse their system using a suitable methodology.
3. Design the system to meet user and system requirements.

Case Study One

You are employed as a System Analyst for a large IT consultancy company. The company has been approached by a computer repair company, PipFix which has recently branched out into outsourced 1st to 3rd line helpdesk support for its customers. As part of their duties employees are required to correctly fill in all the necessary electronic forms and paperwork associated with this when carrying out helpdesk requests.

After an internal review by the company the current system has been identified as being both heavily time consuming and inaccurate. Time and accuracy issues have also been found to surround the analysis and reporting of helpdesk data. A breakdown of the current procedures used by both customers and helpdesk is detailed below

• Customers use an online form to log hardware and software support requests. Information logged will include customer, location, equipment, hardware, software and request details.
• From the form each request is stored within a single table flat file database at the support company's headquarters.

• The Helpdesk manager reviews this database frequently and assigns requests to individual staff members based upon request type, level of responsibility, skills and work load.

• On collection of the request, helpdesk technicians access an electronic job card and copies in the relevant details regarding the request. The support is then undertaken and all outcomes recorded on the job card.

• Upon completion this is then stored in folders organised by customer business name and the request is signed off within the current flat file database.

• On a monthly basis the work carried out is reviewed by the Helpdesk manager the findings reported at the monthly managers meeting.

NB: Any assumptions made regarding the above scenario should be included within the appendix.

Case Study Two
You are employed as a System Analyst for a large IT consultancy company. The company has been approached by a double glazing company called Double Pane which is expanding rapidly due to the huge growth in demand of their products and services from building contractors. New housing developments are growing as a result of the government's agenda to regenerate the old disused factory complexes outside the city of Bedford Falls.

Double Pane has, to date, managed their business by using a computerised system which was developed by a college student five years ago. The system is now too slow and no system documentation was produced when it was implemented so changes to the system cannot be made easily. The CEO of Double Pane feels that their business requirements have changed, and they need to invest in new technology and a new system in order to grow and manage their business successfully.

Double Pane currently has sales agents who follow up sales leads which are mainly generated from their marketing material and calls taken by staff in the company office. Sales are also generated by the agents who visit building contractors. Each visit from a lead results in a quote and some of these quotes result in an actual sale, either to supply only, or to supply and install.

Double Pane supplies a huge range of windows and doors. They buy most of their products in bulk from a few large manufacturers and store the products in their warehouse. They also make some bespoke windows and doors in their workshop in the warehouse.

Your company has accepted the contract to develop a system for Double Pane and to provide the necessary technology to run the system. Your brief is to analyse system element of the contract from Double Pane.

You have been asked by your manager to investigate the system requirements; and analyse the system.

One of the requirements of the contract is that user and technical documentation be made available to Double Pane.

NB: Any assumptions made regarding the above scenario should be included within the appendix.

You work as a systems analyst for a business consultancy company which has won the contract to develop the new system. You work with many other analysts as part of a development team.

The client has a small systems development team which in the past has been solely responsible for all development work. The CEO of the company feels that the development team has not been outward looking and wants a fresh approach for the new system. The in-house team will work alongside analysts and developers from your consultancy company who will lead the project.

You will be project managing the analysis and design stage of the new system.

NB You may also use a different case study of your choice but this will need to be discussed and signed off by the unit assessor. The above two case studies are also part of the database unit and therefore you will need to get both unit assessors to sign off a scenario if you using a separate study.

Task One

You must complete a feasibility study for the case study you have selected above. This should ideally be the same case study that you are using for your other assignments. i.e. the one you are developing a database solution for.

Your feasibility study should include the following:

A business case for the new system which should explain the desirability, viability and feasibility of the systems. The business case should contain as a minimum the following criteria: cost-benefit analysis, legal, economic, technical, operational, timeframes, organisational culture and security considerations. Investigation techniques that you would use to gather this information.

Task Two

You will now need to analyse the current system. Explain the tools you will be using to analyse the system. This can be either traditional models or Agile. You should include the following:

Identifying user and system requirements and any constraints, including possible security issues.

Identifying the team members and their roles and responsibilities in a project team.

Identifying documentation that will be produced at the different stages and determining the sign-off conditions.

Task Three

Design the system using suitable models from either traditional or Agile methodologies. The models used are your choice but should include a set of levelled DFDs and flow charts whether traditional or Agile methods are used. Designs will need to be signed off and also linked to other units if these systems are being built for other assignments.

You will need to assess the effectiveness of the system design with particular reference to the methodology used and how the design meets user and system requirements. Justify the choice of the analysis methodology used in the context of the business problem.