Critical Systems Analysis and Design: A Personal Framework Approach

314 Pages·2005·3.05 MB·English

by  Nandish Patel

Critical Systems Analysis
and Design
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As systems analysis and design is becoming increasingly concerned with the organization as a
whole, systems analysts need to concern themselves with organization design as well as systems
design.
This book takes a unique look at systems analysis and design by using an approach that pro-
vides learners with a critical personal framework. This enables the reader to develop a personal
method for critically considering and developing a knowledge and practice of systems analysis and
0 design by contrasting the real world with the systems world, thus differentiating it from existing
systems analysis books.
Each chapter of this book begins by highlighting what can be learned by completion of
the chapter and ends with a critical skills development section that contains activities, tasks and
discussion questions. Chapters include:
• systems analysis and design in concept and action;
• structured data modelling;
• making systems analysis and design inclusive.
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Although the discussion and examples in this text are drawn primarily from business informa-
tion systems, the lessons apply to both government and healthcare information systems and to
systems development in general.
Critical Systems Analysis and Design makes a complex area of study accessible and relevant and as
such is an indispensable textbook for both advanced students and professionals concerned with
the innovation of information systems.
Nandish V. Patel is Deputy Director of Studies on The Brunel MBA programme at Brunel
University, Uxbridge.
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Critical Systems Analysis
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A personal framework approach
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Nandish V. Patel
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First published 2005
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
"To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge's
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”

© 2005 Nandish V. Patel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Patel, Nandish V., 1959–
Critical systems analysis and design: a personal framework approach/
Nandish V. Patel.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Management information systems. 2. Knowledge management.
3. Systems analysis. 4. System design. 5. Problem solving.
6. Critical thinking. I. Title.
HD30.213.P383 2005
658.4′038′011–dc22 2004011363
ISBN 0-203-40097-6 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-67097-3 (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0–415–33215–X (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–33216–8 (pbk)
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11 My darling daughter Risha
(which means knowledgeable)
for a brighter future
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Contents
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11 List of illustrations viii 8 Structured process modelling 171
Preface xi
9 Object modelling 195
Abbreviations xv
Introduction xvi Part IV
Systems design 215
Part I
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10 Interface, input and output design 217
Foundations for critical learning and
teaching 1 11 Systems design 225
1 The PAC cycle 3
Part V
2 Critical knowledge and practice
Criticality, paradigms and IS
framework 28
development 241
Part II 12 Social action 243
IS, projects and application domains 53
13 Critical reflection 252
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3 Systems analysis and design in concept
14 Ways of thinking and acting 263
and action 55
4 Systems project management 93
Part VI
5 Systems analyst 118 The future of IS development 273
15 Making systems analysis and design
Part III
inclusive 275
Systems analysis 135
6 Requirements: the system to be (or not) 137
Glossary 283
0 7 Structured data modelling 154 Index 288
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Illustrations
Figures
0.1 Chapter map in the context of 5.1 Role of the systems analyst 122
criticality xx 5.2 Critical framework: systems
1.1 The PAC cycle 4 analyst and the SDLC 128
2.1 Critical knowledge and 6.1 Critical framework: peoples’
practice framework 30 knowledge of systems
2.2 The system concept 40 requirements in the real world 145
2.3 The SDLC – an example of a 7.1 Naming entity type
populated critical framework 47 relationships 161
3.1 Data, information and 7.2 Critical framework: systems
knowledge in technological ontology based on logical data
and business contexts 57 modelling 165
3.2 Systems development life 7.3 Teaching allocation relationship 169
cycle in the context of business 8.1 DFD notation 173
organizations 60 8.2 DFD context diagram for a PC
3.3 Structured IS modelling inventory system 175
techniques within SDLC 8.3 Level 1 DFD for PC inventory
phases 71 system 176
3.4 Object-oriented techniques 8.4 Entity life history form 177
within SDLC phases 73 8.5 Decision tables 180
3.5 SSADM phases, techniques 8.6 Schematic decision tree 181
and tools, and deliverables 76 8.7 Student module condonement
3.6 Critical framework: the logic 181
ontology of the SDLC 80 8.8 Action diagram 181
4.1 The precedence network 104 8.9 SSADM data flow diagram
4.2 Capability Maturity Model for notation 182
software 107 8.10 Critical framework: systems
4.3 Critical framework: systems ontology and process
project management 110 capture 183
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............................................................................................................................................Illustrations
111 8.11 Critical framework: perfect and 11.4 Package diagram 231
unambiguous logical modelling 186 11.5 Deployment diagram 233
8.12 Critical framework: whose 11.6 Critical framework: ontology
process models? 189 and systems design 235
8.13 Critical framework: ambiguity 12.1 Technical factors, social
and imperfection in the real action and IS 244
world of human problems 191 12.2 Critical framework: social
9.1 Generalization–specialization action 248
pattern 197 13.1 Improving the critical
0 9.2 Gen–spec example for framework 256
insurance policy 198 14.1 Paradigmatic critical
9.3 A diagrammatic representation framework 268
of an object 199 14.2 Critical thinking and
11 9.4 An example object for car paradigms 269
insurance 199 15.1 Deferred systems and
9.5 Insurance policy object 199 organization 278
9.6 Class template 200 15.2 Critical framework: inclusive
9.7 Home contents insurance systems analysis and design 280
policy class 200
0111 9.8 Polymorphic class and
Tables
subclasses 201
9.9 UML notation for use case 1.1 An objectivist PCF 15
diagram 203 1.2 A subjectivist PCF 16
9.10 Use case example for 1.3 A praxis PCF 17
processing an insurance policy 203 1.4 Critical thinking skills 18
9.11 Use case script for online 1.5 Repertory grid technique 22
purchase 204 1.6 An assumed analyst’s repertory
9.12 Description of a service in grid 23
structured English 204 1.7 Visual focusing (A) 23
0 9.13 UML diagram types and 1.8 Visual focusing (B) 23
diagrams 205 1.9 Agreement scores 23
9.14 Components of a class model 207 1.10 Similar elements 24
9.15 Critical framework: object- 1.11 Similar-dissimilar personal
orientation 209 constructs 24
10.1 An interface class 220 3.1 Structured systems analysis and
10.2 Critical framework: human design techniques 70
machine interaction systems 3.2 Constituents of the application
ontology 221 domain 88
11.1 Structured systems design 3.3 Personal constructs for
0 documents 227 systems 89
11.2 Nassi-Schneiderman diagrams 229 4.1 Drivers for IT/IS investment 96
11.3 Collaboration diagram for 4.2 System project roles and
11p insurance claim 231 responsibilities 97
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