9. Investigation and Analysis: investigation methods

In order to find the answers to the points on made on the previous page the system analyst will do some or all of the following:

Face-to-face Interviews

The analyst will interview selected staff who use the current system in order to get a detailed overview of how things work.

They will want to know what the main problems are and whether users have any suggestions on how to improve the way things work.

Observation

The analyst will observe users actually using the system. They will probably follow a complete process from start to finish and note down every interaction that happens

Questionnaires

Questionnaires enable the analyst to obtain the views of a large number of staff/ users. Questionnaires are also easier to analyse than face-to-face interviews but the trade-off is that they don't give as much detail.

 

Examination of business documents

Most organisations have business documents and written processes/ procedures relating to the current IT system. These documents detail how the system works and the processes which users should follow. The analyst will examine these documents in detail.

Paper trail

Following information from the point it enters the system and observing what outputs are created at each point in the system.

 

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