Unit 9 System Analysis and Design Assignment

 

 

Programme	Level 4 Computing & System Development
Unit Number and Title	Unit 9 System Analysis and Design
QFC Level	Level 4

 

Task 1

 

1.1 Discuss the various approaches/models to system development life cycle (SDLC), and evaluate the usefulness and limitation of each approach.

 

What is SDLC?

 

The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a comprehensive framework that software or applications undergo during their lifecycle, enabling systematic development and maintenance. Whether you're a student or a professional, understanding SDLC's stages and methodologies is crucial. If you're working on similar assignments and need expert guidance, explore UK assignment help services from trusted providers like Locus Assignment to get well-structured and insightful solutions tailored to your requirements.

 

Now let’s delve into the stages of SDLC, various methodologies, and their practical implications.

• Requirement Analysis: This is the initial step in project development. All the requirements as discussed by end users are gathered, and a system/software requirement specification document is formed.

• Design: In this phase, the actual structure of a project is designed. The hardware and software requirements are determined, and a software/system design specification document is created.

• Implementation of Coding: This is the major and longest step in project development. The actual coding starts in this phase, as per the requirements and design phase.

• Testing: After the coding is completed, the software is tested for any discrepancies. This phase goes through numerous steps, such as black box (functional + non-functional) testing, white box testing, etc.

• Maintenance: This is the last and final phase which can extend depending on the project requirement.

 

There are various approaches/models to the system development life cycle (SDLC). I’m going to explain the following models: Waterfall, V-shaped, Prototyping, RAD, Spiral and Incremental model.

 

1. Waterfall Model: This is a linear sequential life cycle model in which each phase must be completed before the next phase begins. The phases in the Waterfall model are: Requirement Analysis and Design, Implementation, Testing, Deployment and Maintenance.

 

Figure: Stages of Waterfall Model

 

• Advantages: As the output of the previous phase acts as input for the next phase, each phase is completed before the next phase begins, so there is no overlapping of phases. It is simple to implement and not time-consuming. It works well for smaller projects where requirements are very well understood.

• Disadvantages: One of the major drawbacks of this approach is that once we are in the testing phase, it is difficult to go back to the previous phase and change some requirements which were not well understood. Hence, this approach is full of risk, and we have to wait for working software until the end of the life cycle. It is not suitable for projects where requirements are at a moderate to high risk of changing and is also not a good model for complex and object-oriented projects.

 

2. V-Model: This is called the verification and validation model and follows sequential steps as a Waterfall model, but here testing phases are planned parallel to corresponding phases of development.

a. Business Requirement Specification -> Acceptance Testing

b. System Requirement Specification -> System Testing

c. High-Level Design -> System Integration Testing

d. Low-Level Design -> Component Testing

e. Coding -> Unit Testing

 

Figure: Stages of V-Mdel

 

• Advantages: Preliminary testing activities like test planning and test designing happen before coding; thus, a lot of time and cost are saved as the chances of errors become less. It avoids the downward flow of issues and works for small projects where requirements are easily understood.

• Disadvantages: As software is developed in the coding phase if any modifications are required, then requirements and design specs need to be updated. The model is very rigid and inflexible and does not handle iterations or phases. It works only for small or medium projects.

 

3. Spiral Model: This model follows four phases: Marketing Planning, Risk Analysis, Engineering and Evaluation. The software has to pass through these phases repeatedly in spirals or iterations. Requirements are assessed, risks are analysed, then it is implemented, and the customer evaluates the output.

 

Figure: Spiral Model

 

• Advantages: This approach is appropriate for mission-critical and risk-based projects.

• Disadvantages: It is very expensive and cannot be applied to small projects.

 

4. Incremental Model: The project is developed in the form of builds; the output of each build is called a release and is developed in incremental rapid cycles. Each release is thoroughly tested for its quality.

 

 

 

 

 

• Advantages: Customer satisfaction is high as they get to see the product functionality with each release.

• Disadvantages: We cannot assess the effort required to build the project in the beginning.

 

 

1.2 You are then required to choose one model that you find suitable for the new BCC library system and justify your answers using industry examples.

 

I found the Incremental model to be most suitable for managing a public library of the British Computer Centre.

 

According to this approach, the project is built in rapid incremental cycles. There are many functions and checks in a library, such as:

• A person must be 18+ years of age to become a library member.

• £40 is the annual membership fee (it must be checked who has paid and who fulfils the age criterion).

• Issue a membership card which shows personal details and borrowing history.

• Check the availability of books.

• Check whether the book is a reserved textbook.

• A book can be issued for only three weeks and must be returned thereafter.

• No more than three books can be issued at a time.

• Reference books/reserved textbooks cannot be issued.

• A person is not allowed to borrow books if they have already borrowed three or more books.

• If a book is not returned on the specified date, a fine of £1 per day is charged.

• A duplicate membership card is issued in case it is lost.

• A record of membership fees and money collected from fines is kept.

• Records of suppliers who provide books to the library are also to be maintained.

 

This entire library management system can be divided into small sections, modules, or targets to be achieved, following the agile model approach. At any time, one functionality can be addressed with each build, such as incorporating the data of suppliers or implementing the rule that no more than three books can be issued at a time. With each release, users get to see an overall improved system with new functionality. Users can visualise the progress of the system at every interval.

 

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1.3 You must justify the validity of the model you have chosen for the development of the BCC system. You are also required to evaluate the results of applying this approach and how the model meets the criteria of BCC system requirements.

 

The Incremental model meets the requirements of the British Computer Centre – Library Management System adequately.

 

• At the end of each cycle or build a shippable product is released, no matter how basic it is.

• Users can analyse the progress of the project at the time of each release, so this model is valid and fulfils the requirements of BCC.

• By applying the agile model to our project, we can keep track of the time and cost required in the development of each module.

• Changes that are required to be made at later stages of development can also be integrated.

• By having conversations with library staff and users, we can include more enhanced features and functionality into the system to be developed.

 

 

Task 2

 

2.1 Discuss the importance, purpose and structure of the feasibility study during the initial stages of BCC system development.

 

A feasibility study is the analysis of the project based on three criteria:

 

• Is it technically feasible?

This means determining whether the project we are going to handle can be developed using the proposed technology.

 

• Is it cost-effective?

This assesses whether the proposed solution fits within our budget or cannot be developed within the prescribed budget.

 

• Is it profitable?

This evaluates whether the project we are planning to undertake will reap benefits or if it is not of any use.

 

 

Advantages and Importance:

 

• A feasibility study analysis helps us determine the future potential of the project and whether it will be profitable or not.

• Time and cost requirements of the project to be undertaken can be estimated via a feasibility study.

• It assesses whether the people involved in the project developers and testers will be able to complete it.

 

In our project for the British Computer Centre – Library Management System, we need to determine input variables such as cost, time, and effort required to automate the system.

 

Previously, all transactions were recorded in files; now, they will be entered into the software so that the entire system can be managed easily. This will save considerable time for borrowers and library staff as tasks like searching for a book, issuing and returning books, and checking constraints, such as whether a person has already borrowed books or is attempting to borrow more than three books will be automated.

 

• Is it technically feasible?

The British Computer Centre – Library Management System can be built within the prescribed budget. It is a small but very effective project that will handle multiple tasks simultaneously, reducing human effort, time, and cost.

 

• Is it cost-effective?

Yes, the British Computer Centre – Library Management System is a cost-effective and reasonable project. A meaningful project has been created on a small budget.

 

• Is it profitable?

Yes, this project will automate the entire library system, saving a lot of time, cost, and effort for librarians.

 

 

2.2 In your discussion of the feasibility study, you must show that effective judgements have been made and that a valid conclusion and justification for the development of the new system has been reached.

 

There was a need to automate the public library of the British Computer Centre as members of BCC are increasing day by day, and every transaction has been handled manually. It was very difficult to check the availability of books, keep track of borrowers, maintain records of fines, etc. Therefore, by creating a computerised system, all these issues can be resolved instantaneously.

 

All the necessities of this system have been thoroughly considered, based on the suggestions of library staff. The hardware and software requirements of the system have been identified, and efforts have been made to ensure the project is cost-effective.

 

 

2.3 In your discussion, you must assess the impact of the different financial, economic, and technical feasibility criteria on the BCC library system investigation.

 

In this project, our major pre-requisite was to automate the BCC library system to handle tasks conveniently and cost-effectively. A feasibility study has significantly helped in identifying the financial and technical requirements of the system.

 

A good feasibility study for the BCC library would help in understanding the company’s financial status, its strengths and weaknesses, and its market position. It also facilitates analysing what action plan needs to be taken to achieve the system's prescribed objectives and determining what tools and resources would be required to achieve those objectives.

 

It assists in converting these plans into measurable goals. In our project for the BCC library system, based on these criteria, we have decided to automate the system.

 

• Now, books can be searched and issued via a computerised system.

• The system will generate an alert that a person cannot keep a book for more than three weeks.

• Reserved books cannot be issued.

• A record of suppliers must be maintained.

• A record of borrowers must be maintained.

 

By implementing feasibility analysis, we have been able to build an effective system within a short time span and on a limited budget.

 

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Task 3

 

3.1 Using the information from the case study, carry out an in-depth investigation using fact-finding techniques such as interviews, questionnaires etc., to capture the business requirements and specifications for developing the automated BCC library system.

 

You have to build a questionnaire by asking staff from the library about the old system and what the common errors were. Basically, the questionnaire should help me build the project.

 

Here I am defining a template to capture business requirements and specifications for developing the automated BCC library system, containing points that need to be covered in the feasibility study:

 

1. Introduction

• Problems of user

• Project goals

• Scope of system

• Users, clients and stakeholders of the system

 

2. Project assumptions

• Business requirements, user requirements, functional requirements, usability requirements, performance requirements (Availability, responsiveness, reliability, capacity, scalability, disaster recovery), security requirements (user security, data security), legal compliance requirements (privacy and funding) etc.

 

Questionnaire:

 

Q1 – Do you think the existing system can be automated?

Answer – Yes, the existing system must be automated to track day-to-day transactions easily.

 

Q2 – What can be the prospective modules within the system?

Answer – Login, sign up, pay the fine, issue books, search for books, and reserve textbooks.

 

Q3 – Can a person get more than three books issued at a time?

Answer – No, a person cannot issue more than three books at a time. They must return one of the books to get a new book issued.

 

Q4 – Can a person get reserved textbooks issued?

Answer – No, a person cannot get reserved textbooks issued.

 

Q5 – When does a person have to pay the fine?

Answer – If a person keeps the book for more than three weeks, they have to pay a fine.

 

Q6 – Can there be multiple copies of the same book?

Answer – Yes, there can be multiple copies of the same book in the library.

 

 

3.2 In gathering and analysing the information for identifying the requirement of the BCC library system, you must demonstrate that complex problems with more than one variable from the user and system functionality perspective have been explored.

 

During the requirement analysis and feasibility study and after the interview with employees from the library, I found the following scenarios:

 

• There can be multiple copies of one book, which can be borrowed by multiple people.

• Multiple copies of one book can be both reserved books as well as non-reserved books, so a record has to be made accordingly.

• A person may want to get a book re-issued after keeping it for three weeks.

• After suppliers supply the books, they have to be added into the system as reserved and non-reserved books.

• Records of new members have to be kept, and records of older members have to be updated in the system.

 

 

3.3 Based on the outcome of your investigation and analysis carried out above, use appropriate system analysis and design tools and methods such as UML etc., to provide a graphical illustration of the new system and user interactions and functions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the above use case diagram, there are two actors – the borrower and the librarian.

 

• The borrowers get registered into the system, sign in, enter personal details, check book availability, get the book issued, and return the book.

• The librarian issues the book, accepts the fine, and maintains an account of the membership fee and fine.

 

 

3.4 In your graphical illustration of the system interaction, you must ensure to use a range of UML diagrams such as Use Case, Class, Object and Activity Diagrams to present your findings of the system interactions and that accurate technical language has been applied.

 

Figure – Activity Diagram for BCC library system

References:

 

Feasibility study [Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web: <http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Eq-Inc/Feasibility-Study.html>
Feasibility study [Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web: <http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/feasibility-study.html>
Incremental model [Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web:<http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-agile-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/>
RAD model [Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web: <http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-rad-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/>
V Model[Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web: <http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-v-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/>
Waterfall model [Online]. [Accessed on 20 December 2014]. Available on world wide web: <http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-waterfall-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/>