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4 Part 1 • SyStemS analySiS FundamentalS

If change (that is, improvements to the business that can be realized through information
systems) seems warranted after analysis, the next step is to develop a plan for change along with
the people who must enact the change. Once a consensus is reached on the change that is to be
made, you must constantly interact with those who are changing.
As a systems analyst acting as an agent of change, you advocate a particular avenue of
change involving the use of information systems. You also teach users the process of change
because changes in the information system do not occur independently; rather, they cause
changes in the rest of the organization as well.

Qualities of a Systems Analyst
From the foregoing descriptions of the roles the systems analyst plays, it is easy to see that a suc-
cessful systems analyst must possess a wide range of qualities. Many different kinds of people
are systems analysts, so any description is destined to fall short in some way. There are some
qualities, however, that most systems analysts seem to display.
Above all, an analyst is a problem solver. He or she is a person who views the analysis
of problems as a challenge and who enjoys devising workable solutions. When necessary, an
analyst must be able to systematically tackle the situation at hand through skillful applica-
tion of tools, techniques, and experience. An analyst must also be a communicator capable of
relating meaningfully to other people over extended periods of time. Systems analysts need
to be able to understand humans’ needs in interacting with technology, and they need enough
computer experience to program, to understand the capabilities of computers, to glean infor-
mation requirements from users, and to communicate what is needed to programmers. They
also need to possess strong personal and professional ethics to help them shape their client
relationships.
A systems analyst must be a self-disciplined, self-motivated individual who is able to man-
age and coordinate other people, as well as innumerable project resources. Systems analysis is a
demanding career, but, in compensation, an ever-changing and always challenging one.

The Systems Development Life Cycle

Throughout this chapter we have referred to the systematic approach analysts take to the anal-
ysis and design of information systems. Much of this is embodied in what is called the systems
development life cycle (SDLC). The SDLC is a phased approach to analysis and design which
holds that systems are best developed through the use of a specific cycle of analyst and user
activities.
Analysts disagree on exactly how many phases there are in the SDLC, but they generally
laud its organized approach. Here we have divided the cycle into seven phases, as shown in
Figure 1.1. Although each phase is presented discretely, it is never accomplished as a separate
step. Instead, several activities can occur simultaneously, and activities may be repeated.

Figure 1.1 22 Determining human
1 Identifying problems,
The seven phases of the systems opportunities, and information
requirements
development life cycle (SDLC). objectives
3 Analyzing
system needs
7 Implementing
and evaluating
the system

4 Designing the
recommended
system
6 Testing and 5 Developing and
maintaining documenting
the system software