1. What was the most difficult assessment item you completed in COIS20025 this term (not counting the examination which is not until the examination period)?

In my opinion, the most difficult assessment item is drawing data flow diagram because of creating a set of DFDs.

2. What was difficult about it and how would you suggest it could be improved?

The difficult was to create a set of DFDs. My suggestion is to analyze the system firstly, and then identify external entities, processes, data flows and data store. In addition, following three steps create a serial of context diagrams. Step one is to draw a context diagram. Then draw a diagram 0 DFD. Last step is to draw the lower-level diagrams.

3. Name three (3) things you learnt this term in COIS20025.

I learnt entity-relationship diagram, data flow diagram and system security.

4. What career are you working towards?

My working towards is networking engineering.

5. How will you be able to use the knowledge and skills learnt in this course in your future career?

I can use my knowledge and skills learnt in this course to analyze and design a network and draw a network diagram.

In BHSSRS operation, there is corrective maintenance which is performed to fix errors, including diagnose and fix logic errors, restore proper configuration settings, update drivers, install software patch.

BHSSRS may need adaptive maintenance to enhance system capability. For example, the system may add online capability and install links to Web site for staff and students.

BHSSRS would need perfective maintenance to improve efficiency. For instance, the system would install additional memory, optimize user desktop settings and install more powerful network servers.

There is preventive maintenance in BHSSRS in order to reduce the possibility of future system failure, such as installing new antivirus software, develop standard backup schedule and analyze problem report for patterns.

Reference List

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

Direct Cutover

The direct cutover approach causes the changeover from the existing BHSSRS to the new BHSSRS to occur immediately when the new system becomes operational. The advantage of direct cutover changeover is the least expensive changeover method. The disadvantage is more risk than other changeover methods, such as data errors and system failure.

Parallel Operation

The parallel operation method requires that both the exiting BHSSRS and the new BHSSRS operate fully for a specified period. Data is input into both systems, and output created by the new BHSSRS is compared with the equal output of the old BHSSRS. The old system is terminated when students, management and IT group satisfy the new system operation. The most obvious benefit of parallel operation is lower risk. There are two drawbacks of parallel operation. Firstly, it is the most expensive changeover method. Moreover, it causes processing delays.

Pilot Operation

The parallel operation method implements the complete new system at a part of Bowen High School, such as registration department and library. During pilot operation, the old system continues to implement for the whole school, including the pilot site. After the new system operates successful at the pilot site, it is implemented in the rest of the school. There are three advantages of pilot operation changeover. The first one reduces the risk of system failure, compared with a direct cutover method. The second one is less expensive than a parallel operation. The last one is that the changeover period can be much shorter if the system proves successful at the pilot site.

Phased Operation

The phased operation approach provides a part of the new system such as book loan system to all students in stages, and each subsystem can implement any of the other three changeover methods. There are two benefits of a phased operation. The first benefit is that the risk of errors or failures is limited to the implemented module only. In addition, it is cheaper than full parallel operation. The drawback is that it can cost more than a pilot approach if the system involves a large number of separate phases.

Reference List

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources which includes brief descriptions and summarized of each source.

What should an annotated bibliography contain?

An annotation should include the following content.

• Provide the bibliographic citation
• Indicate the background of the author(s)
• Indicate the content or scope of the text
• Outline the major argument
• Indicate the research methods
• Identify the conclusions by the author(s)
• Discuss the reliability of the text
• Discuss the usefulness of the text for your research
• Describe the strengths and limitations of the text
• Present your view to the text

Annotated bibliography

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

In this book, Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H review the how to translate business requirements into information systems that support a company’s short and long term objectives. The authors use case studies and assignments teach analytical problem-solving and decision making techniques. Their articles focus on systems analysis and design and data and process modeling. This book is useful to my essay because Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H describe data modeling and process modeling. The main limitation of the book is that it emphasizes the role of the systems analyst in a dynamic and business-related environment. Thus this book will not form the basis of my essay. It will be useful supplementary information for my essay.

Olsen, D, Hilton, T & Forsgren, N, 2001, ‘GEM: A GENERAL E-COMMERCE DATA MODEL FOR STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE’

In this article, Olsen, D, Hilton, T & Forsgren, N mention a general data model that supports e-commerce activity. The authors use case study to prove a general e-commerce data model (GEM) that support many e-commerce personnel on marketing strategies. Their articles focus on GEM captures information such as the length of time a customer spends on a given web page, pictures that are examined or are “clicked on”, and the characteristics of visits which lead to customer purchase. This article is useful to my essay because Olsen, D, Hilton, T & Forsgren, N describe the advantages of a data model. The main limitation of the article is mainly to describe the benefit of the e-commerce data model on website. Therefore, this article will not form the foundation of my essay. It will be useful supplementary information for my essay.

Reference List

Olsen, D, Hilton, T & Forsgren, N, 2001, ‘GEM: A GENERAL E-COMMERCE DATA MODEL FOR STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE’, viewed 2 February 2009

http://www.iacis.org/iis/2001_iis/pdf%20files/Olsen343.PDF

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2008, ‘Annotated Bibliography’, UNSW THE Learning Centre Academic Skills Resources, viewed 10 January 2009,

http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/annotated_bib.html#abib_7

Document review can assist you identification which data and process modeling are similar. From document review, you understand data and process modeling produce a graphical representation of a concept or process in system analysis phase.

Name one way that data and process modeling are different. Explain how they are different.

Observation can help you identification which data and process modeling are different. From observation, you can understand a data model describes data structures and design, whereas a process model represents the logic that programmers use to write code modules.

Reference List

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

• Process name: CREATE INVOICE
• Process number: 2
• Purpose: Determine whether an invoice should be created based on the completed requirement
• Input Data Flows: COMPLETED REQUIREMENT
• Output Data Flows: INVOICE
• Process description:

Input data flows: COMPLETED REQUIREMENT

Output data flows: INVOICE

Primitives:

For each invoice,

If COMPLETED REQUIREMENT = ok then

Output INVOICE

• Notes

Data models describe data structures and design. I’m going to use two fact-finding techniques such as document review and research to answer this question.

Document review

Document review can assist you understand how the current system is worked. Therefore, you should get documentation of data models in current system, such as copies of actual forms and operating documents, blank copies of forms and samples of actual completed forms in order to understand what data models are in current system. But you should check that the documentation of data models is out of date.

Research

Research is a significant fact-finding technique to get information, including Internet, books, and IT magazines. Also, you can consult or discuss with other IT professional to understand what data models are.

Observation, questionnaires and surveys and sampling can not help to answer this question because in this system analysis phase, data models can not be observed, surveyed and sampled.

What are process models?

Process models represent the logic that data flowing into a process which transform the data and result output data flow. I am going to use two fact-finding techniques such as document review observation and sampling to answer this question.

Document review

Document review can help you understand what current system process models. So you should obtain documentation of process models, such as copies of actual forms and operating documents and samples of actual completed forms. You should check that the documentation of process models is out of date.

Observation

Observation can help you make a better understanding of current system process models. In addition, you may discover that neither the documentation of process models nor the interview statements are precise.

Sampling

Sampling help you collect examples of process models. It includes records of process models, operational logs, data entry documents of process models and so on.

Questionnaires and surveys and research can not use to answer this question because in this system analysis phase, process models can not be surveyed and researched.

What textbooks, journals and/or websites might be useful to search for articles about discussing data and process models?

Shelly et al. (2006) is useful to discuss data and process models.

Reference List:

Shelly, G, Chasman, T, & Rosenblatt, H 2006, System analysis and design, 6^th edn, Thomson Course Technology, Boston

Currently, there are four main problems with the BHSSRS.

1.     Data storing is not in a standardized format. For instance, some data is stored in MS-Word, MS-Excel and MS-Access; thus, they are not easy to shard and hard to do any analysis from these data.

2.     Data is not recorded in the same format, which means there is no one integrated system. Therefore, the data stored and used in the current system is inconsistent, incomplete and duplicated.

3.     Because of above problems, it is hard to execute an auditing of school activities.

4.     Because of the reason that data are not standardized, there is a technical problem of maintenance. It is difficult to maintain three different types of packages all the time to enable continue to record, store and access the information what administrator want.

What information do you need to find out about the BHSSRS to develop a detailed understanding of the current system?

In my opinion, I should find out what kind of information need to be recorded, such as students’ personal information, enroll details, subjects details, how staff uses this system, methods of payment and so on. I need to know all these information in order to develop a detailed understanding of the current system.