Systems Analysis and Design 4

Stage 2:   Requirements Specification

Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the Case Study and all assignments for this class, especially Stage 4:  Final System Report.  The feedback you received on your Stage 1 assignment should be reviewed and used as you proceed with Stage 2.

Purpose of this Assignment

This assignment gives you the opportunity to specify clear and concise requirements, including the use of data and process models, for a system that enables a productive change in a way the business is conducted. This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:

• apply a systematic approach to translate requirements into an executable systems design
• effectively communicate with stakeholders to determine, manage, and document business requirements throughout the SDLC
• perform modeling to assist with analysis and decision making

Assignment

The results of your systems analysis and design work in this class will be documented in a Final System Report.  The purpose of the Report is to inform management of your system proposal and gain approval to proceed with the project.  The Report will be developed and submitted in stages, which will be compiled at the end of class into the Final System Report.  Review the outline of the Final System Report in the Stage 4 Assignment description.  Note that it contains the analysis of the problem(s) and requirements, and proposes what kind of a system solution is needed.  It does not propose a specific solution, but it does recommend why and how the organization should acquire the solution.

Following the Preliminary Investigation Report (Stage 1 assignment), the next stepis to identify the requirements for a system, documenting them in the Requirements Specification document.  The purpose of the Requirements Specification is to clearly define what the proposed system will do in non-technical user-oriented language.  It should identify what data is entered into the system, what output is required, what processes the system should perform, what protections and controls are needed, what performance is expected, and what the business continuity needs are.  In order to clearly express the requirements, data and process models are used to communicate how the system should work.

All of the information you need to complete the projects in this class is not provided in the case study.  In the discussion area of the classroom, there is a discussion titled “Case Study Interview Questions” where you can pose questions about the case study, as if you were interviewing the people in the case study organization.  Any information that you need that is not included in the case study should be asked about in this discussion.  Responses from the faculty member on behalf of the case study organization will be available for everyone in the class.

Use the information provided in the case study and the Case Study Interview Questions discussion to create a checklist of functional and technical requirements and the data and process models listed below.  Using the formatand resourcesbelow, list three requirements for each of the areas shown in I and II.  Then, create two diagrams to illustrate the scope of the system:  the context diagram and theuse case diagram.   Then, create thedata flow diagramto illustrate the flow of the inputs and outputs listed as functional requirements in section I.  You should then select a process or process step (from those listed in section I.b – processing requirements) that has some decision associated with it to create the three process models listed below.  The same process/process step will be used for all three of the process models; they are just different ways to represent the process and the decision involved. Approximate lengths for each section are provided as a guideline; be sure to provide all pertinent information.  References in brackets are to the two e-textbooks (by authors Jawahar and Conger) used in this class and the page on which the explanatory information begins.Use the examples listed in the brackets to develop your diagrams.  [Note: Every diagram/model needs to be customized for the course scenario.  Simply copying the example diagram(s) with little or no customization will result in a zero for that diagram.]  There are several different methodologies using different symbols, but your diagrams will be graded for compliance with the examples listed.  You are required to use the symbols and diagramming methods illustrated in the examples, and follow any rules for the diagram in the sources listed with each diagram.

Requirements Specification

Background:  First, provide a brief description of your proposed system to establish the context for the Requirements Specification.

1. Functional Requirements. The input-processing-output requirements must relate to each other.  Start with three outputs you expect from the system, then determine what inputs are needed to create each of those outputs, and finally specify what processing needs to occur for each input to create the output.  At least one of your processing requirements must have a decision associated with it so it can be used for the Process Models below. You should have a complete statement for each requirement, and each requirement should be numbered within the category. (introductory paragraph and list of 9 inter-related requirementstatements) [Jawahar, p. 95 and the Week 3 Content, including reading on IEEE Software Requirements Specifications]   [another source of ideas and concepts is:http://www.slideshare.net/ALATechSource/sample-project-requirements-document-library-blog]
2. Output requirements. List three different reports, results of a calculation, or other outputs.
3. Output #1
4. Output #2

iii. Output #3

1. Input requirements.
2. List the main data elements required to create output #1
3. List the main data elements required to create output #2

iii. List the main data elements required to create output #3

1. Processing requirements(at least one must have a decision associated with it)
2. Processing required to create Output #1
3. Processing required to create Output #2

iii. Processing required to create Output #3

1. Technical Requirements (introductory paragraph and 3 requirementstatements listed for each area below) [Jawahar, p. 95]
2. Security requirements
3. System control requirements
4. Performance requirements
5. Business continuity requirements (backup, restart, recovery)

III.       System Scope Diagrams (introductory/explanatory paragraph and 2 diagrams) [a good explanation and example is at http://www.jamasoftware.com/blog/defining-project-scope-context-use-case-diagrams/]

229. Context Diagram [explanation in Conger, p.228; use example in Conger, p.229. Figure 7.2]
230. Use Case Diagram [use example in weblink above]
231. Data Flow Diagram (introductory/explanatory paragraph and diagram) [Week 4 Content module and weblinks]
232. Data FlowDiagram [explanation in Conger, p.228; use example in Conger, p.230, Figure 7.3; use the rules at
233. Process Models (introductory/explanatory paragraph and 3 items below) [Week 4Systems Analysis Course Module]
234. Structured English [use example in Systems Analysis Course Module, Process Description Tools]
235. Decision Table[use example in Systems Analysis Course Module, Process Description Tools]
236. Decision Tree[use example in Systems Analysis Course Module, Process Description Tools]

Submitting Your Assignment

Submit your documentvia your Assignment Folder as Microsoft Word document, or a document that can be ready using MS Word, with your last name included in the filename.  Use the Grading Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the assignment.

GRADING RUBRIC:

IFSM 461: Systems Analysis and Design

Introduction

This case study will be used for a series of staged assignments.  It should be thoroughly read and understood prior to working on any of the assignments.

Setting

Precision Electronic Parts (PEP), Inc., is a small private business that has retained you to assist in the development of a new billing and payment system and associated processes.

Background

PEP is a small, private specialized electronics company in Kansas. For the past 20 years, it has manufactured a wide range of precision electronic components and replacement parts for medical equipment used in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and pharmacies. Last year, the company began building and delivering custom low voltage motors that reduced electricity costs and made older medical equipment more environmentally friendly.  More recently, PEP has added a new line of more efficient low voltage motors that can be used in precision equipment outside the healthcare industry.

As a result, PEP is experiencing significant increases in orders for the motors. The manufacturing facility has been expanded, and the sales and marketing teams have been enlarged.  All of this is straining the Ordering & Shipping Department and the Inventory Management Department, which have received no increase in personnel.  They are meeting the challenge, but the Executive Leadership Team (the CEO, COO, CFO, and CIO) know that they are only treading water.  The Finance Department, however, is getting further and further behind in their invoice, billing and payment processes.  The Business Administration Department has stepped up to the task, but is at the breaking point.

IT Steering Committee

The IT Steering Committee (ITSC) at PEP is comprised of the Executive Leadership Team, the Senior Vice President and Vice President.

• Carolyn West is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She has been at the company for 11 years. Carolyn has a background working for and managing electronics companies. Like most CEOs, Carolyn is focused on the strategic and long-term business health of PEP. She chairs the IT Steering Committee. Carolyn and the committee members jointly make decisions about IT systems and major organizational business process changes.

• Tim Uduak, Jr. is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the son of founding partner Tim Uduak, Sr. Tim has been around the company since its inception in one capacity or another, except for four years of college and a 3-year break to startup his own company. When his startup failed, Tim came back to PEP as the SVP, Engineering & Manufacturing Operations. Last year, he was promoted to COO. While Tim has a strategic focus and is not technology averse, he prefers to solve business challenges with processes rather than information technology.

• Karl Manley is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He has been with the company for 9 years. Karl has a background in accounting and finance, and is a certified public accountant (CPA). He tends to focus on the company’s financial health to the exclusion of all other business concerns. While Karl is technology fluent, he resists new IT purchases unless there is a clear and direct connection made between the technology investment and improving the company’s financial profile. The Director, Accounts Receivable (Mary Winston) and the Director, Accounts Payable (Amy Dole) report to the CFO, and together are responsible for the financial operations of the business.

• Mark Temple is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and head of the IT Department. He provides all IT services to PEP. Prior to being hired as the CIO, Mark was an IT manager at a large multi-national corporation responsible for providing IT services to their offices from the headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska.  While in that position, Mark participated in very structured IT processes, and developed an appreciation for working with the operational and management divisions to ensure success of IT projects.  When he arrived at PEP, he advised the CEO, COO and CFO that an IT Steering Committee could help ensure they pursued the most beneficial IT projects.  He is your primary point of contact for dealing with PEP in analyzing their processes and systems.

• Susan Black is the Senior Vice President (SVP), Engineering & Manufacturing Operations and is Tim’s replacement. Susan has worked for the company for 13 years. She started as a Senior Engineer, andafter six years was promoted to Director, Engineering, where she spearheaded the successful research and development of the low voltage motors. Susan is a champion of information technology as long as it is clearly focused on the core business.

• Jason Udo is the Vice President (VP), Business Administration. He oversees all departments, except Engineering& Manufacturing, Finance, and IT. His responsibilities include key support functions such as Sales, Marketing, Ordering & Shipping, Inventory, and Human Resources.

The ITSC has adopted the IT governance processes recommended by the CIO.  They review proposals for IT investments and determine where to invest their limited funds.  Each of the members has particular areas of interest, but all of them are focused on reducing the overall cost of running the business, increasing sales, and managing the cost of IT for the company.  The ITSC has established a series of checkpoints at which they make go/no-go decisions on IT projects.  At these decision points the following documents are reviewed by the ITSC:

• Preliminary Investigation Report – describes the problem/opportunity, identifies benefits of a new system, and reports on various aspects of feasibility of the proposed project.
• Requirements Specification – documents the requirements to be fulfilled by the proposed system.
• Systems Design Specification – translates the requirements into a logical design for the proposed system.
• Final System Report – compiles previous documents and lays out the way ahead if the project is approved and funded.

As each report is approved, work on the following step begins.  This controls the amount of time and effort put into a request for a system.  For example, if the Preliminary Investigation Report is not accepted by the ITSC, no further work is performed on the system proposal.

Your Task

You are an independent Business and IT Systems Analyst, specializing in developing IT solutions for small business needs. You have been contracted by the CIO to prepare the documentation required for the ITSC as they consider replacing the information systems associated with operations, business administration, and finance.  Due to the backlog in the billing and payment processes, the ITSC wants to start by replacing the current customer billing and payment system and processes.  However, the ITSC requires assurance that a new billing and payment system and processes can be interfaced with other new IT systems and updated business processes as needed. While there is currently no money in the budget allocated to replacing or upgrading these systems, the executives are committed to moving the company forward and improving PEP’s ability to manage its growing business efficiently and effectively.

Your Activities

After interviewing each member of the ITSC, you have collected the following information regarding the invoice, billing and payment processes and needs:

• Customer billing is handled by the Invoicing Department, which reports to the VP, Business

Administration.

• Customer payments are handled by the Accounts Receivable Department, which reports to the

CFO.

• Customer billing and payments are managed and recorded in an in-house developed Microsoft

Access based solution. The solution was developed by the IT Department and is housed on a server controlled and managed by the IT Department. The solution is updated on request from the Invoicing and Accounts Receivable Departments.

• The Sales Department works with Invoicing to establish new customer accounts and update and close existing accounts as needed.
• The Ordering & Shipping Department sends a monthly report to Invoicing where the products ordered and shipped and their codes are entered into the invoicing module. Pricing is computed based on the product codes and quantities entered.
• Invoicing is responsible for adding, updating, and maintaining the product codes and pricing used by the invoicing database on the 15th of each calendar month. The monthly report containing the updates is provided by the Marketing Department.
• Invoicing generates and mails customer bills on the last business day of each calendar month.
• Customer payments (lump sum) are due by the 10th of each calendar. Customers send the payments to Accounts Receivable. Accounts Receivable is responsible for updating customer account records when the payments are received.
• Invoicing is responsible for identifying accounts that are 30 days, 60 days or more overdue. These reports are sent to Accounts Receivable and Sales. Accounts Receivable handles all collections.
• There is a 2% fee added to all invoices that are 30 days or more overdue.
• Accounts Receivable notifies the Sales Department to assist with customers who are 60 days or more delinquent. Ordering & Shipping is also notified so that no further shipments are made until the outstanding invoice is paid in full. These situations are rare.
• Installation services are offered as a fixed price fee for small businesses (doctor’s offices, individually owned pharmacies, etc.). Larger installations (hospitals, chain pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, etc.) are billed on a pre-defined hourly rate.
• Volume discounts are not currently offered, but Marketing is planning to offer this discount within the next six (6) months because the low voltage motors are increasingly being ordered in quantities of five (5) or more. The following volume discounts will be offered:

o 5 or more: 2%

o 10 or more: 5%

o 25 or more: 10%

• Electronic invoicing via email is not currently offered, but Marketing and Invoicing plan to offer this feature within the next six (6) months.
• Electronic payment to a lockbox account is not currently offered, but Marketing and Accounts Receiving plan to offer this feature within the next six (6) months.
• The customer account data elements currently include:

o Customer Organization Name

o Customer Street Address

o Customer City

o Customer State

o Customer Zip Code + 4

o Primary Contact First Name

o Primary Contact Last Name

o Primary Contact Phone Number

o Primary Contact Email Address

o Secondary Contact First Name

o Secondary Contact Last Name

o Secondary Contact Phone Number

o Secondary Contact Email Address

o Products Ordered

o Product Ordered Date

o Products Shipped

o Product Ship Date

o Quantity

o Product Pricing

o Calculated Price (Calculated Field)

o Amount Due (Calculated Field)

o Amount Paid

o Date Paid

o Amount 30 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o Amount 60 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o Amount Greater Than 60 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o 2% Overdue Amount (Calculated Field)

• The customer account data elements required for near-term plans include:

o Quantity Discount (Calculated Field)

o Electronic Invoicing (Check Box)

o Electronic Payment (Check Box)

• Paper invoices currently contain the following data elements:

o Unique Serialized Invoice Number (System Generated?)

o Customer Organization Name

o Customer Street Address

o Customer City

o Customer State

o Customer Zip Code + 4

o Products Ordered

o Product Ordered Date

o Products Shipped

o Product Ship Date

o Quantity

o Product Pricing

o Calculated Price (Calculated Field)

o Amount Due (Calculated Field)

o Amount 30 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o Amount 60 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o Amount Greater Than 60 Days Overdue (Calculated Field)

o 2% Overdue Amount (Calculated Field)

• Paper invoice data points required for near-term plans include:

o Volume Discount (Calculated Field)

o Electronic Invoicing (Yes or No)

o Electronic Payment (Yes or No)

• When electronic invoices are offered, the same current and near-term data elements as shown above will be included.

You have also documented the following additional considerations:

• All customer, invoicing, and payment data must be secured, but accessible to those departments and personnel who have a need to know.
• PEP requires the ability to generate a receipt automatically at the time payments are recorded. The receipt will be sent electronically to the organization’s primary contact email address. The receipt must contain:

o Unique Serialized Invoice Number

o Customer Organization Name

o Customer Street Address

o Customer City

o Customer State

o Customer Zip Code + 4

o Amount Paid

o Date Paid

o Amount Outstanding

• The following company entities need to be able to generate their own reports as needed:

o COO

o CFO

o Director, Accounts Receivable

o Accounts Receivable Managers & Staff

o Director, Accounts Payable

o SVP, Engineering & Manufacturing Operations

o VP, Business Administration

o Invoicing Managers & Staff

o Sales Managers & Staff

o Marketing Managers & Staff

o Ordering & Shipping Managers & Staff

Your Deliverables

Your first task is to develop the Preliminary Investigation Report (PIR), which will examine the problems/opportunities, identify benefits of a new system, and report on various aspects of feasibility of such a project.  You will draw upon the background and other information provided above to develop the PIR.  If that Report is accepted by the ITSC, you will analyze and organize the requirements you have collected into a Requirements Specification.  After receiving approval of the Requirements Specification, you will develop the Systems Design Specification, which will translate the requirements into a logical design of the proposed system.  With a further decision to proceed, you will then develop the Final System Report, which will combine your previously developed documents and lay out the way ahead if the project is approved and funded.

Last Updated on February 11, 2019