SAD 1 Assignment 2: Characteristics of a good system ananlyst to be more effective in any modeling process
{ Posted on 1:52 PM
by Ariel Serenado
}
“Interview a System Analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a system analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process”
Last week’s meeting in System Analysis and Design our group should have reported the chapter 3 which is on “System Analyst as a Project Manager”. Unfortunately, the report by the 2nd group exceed in the required time to finish that’s why we were not able to deliver our report. To gather much information on our report we did interview the MIS Head/System Analyst of the Andres M. Soriano (AMS) Group of Companies, Mr. Gemrald Glibara.
In the interview, we talk mostly on becoming a system analyst, what are those frustrations towards the user and how they develop information systems. At some point in our interview, we asked him about the characteristics of being a system analyst; he made mentioned the following:
• To be able to cope with technological changes
• To cope with the frustrations on implementing information system
• To be able to communicate well
• Solution provider to the current demand
• Wide capacity of thinking
At some point also, we talked on the process model(s) that their department is utilizing in developing projects. Later will be discussed on the process that AMS is using.
Nowadays, technological advances come so rapidly in the computer field that continuous study is necessary to remain competitive. Employers, hardware and software vendors, colleges and universities, and private training institutions offer continuing education to help workers attain the latest skills. In this fast-paced technological environment, it is a must that an analyst has good knowledge of the concepts and details of the Systems Development Life Cycle, project methodologies, and the development of standards and procedures for the systems development and integration process.
What is a System Development Cycle (SDLC)?
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system
development project from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.
Various SDLC methodologies have been developed to guide the processes involved including the waterfall model (the original SDLC method), rapid application development (RAD), joint application development (JAD), the fountain model and the spiral model. Mostly, several models are combined into some sort of hybrid methodology. Documentation is crucial regardless of the type of model chosen or devised for any application, and is usually done in parallel with the development process. Some methods work better for specific types of projects, but in the final analysis, the most important factor for the success of a project may be how closely particular plan was followed.
What is the importance of SDLC?
The importance of using software development lifecycle is that it helps systems analyst to develop an information system in an organized way for, it has phases -- including requirements, validation, training, and user ownership through investigation, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance. In developing project using SDLC you cannot jump into the next phase if the current phase you are working is not yet done for, in most cases the output of the first phase happened to be the input of the succeeding phase. That’s why for the documenter to feel at ease in documenting the project he/she must set timelines and work breakdown structures to manage each phases of the cycle effectively.
In order for an analyst to become effective in any design modeling process, he\she should acquire the following skills:
Interpersonal skills
These includes the following:
1: Communication:
It is an interpersonal quality; the system analyst must have command on English language. Communication is necessary to establish a proper relationship between system analyst and the user.
Communication is need to gather correct information.
2: Understanding:
This is also an interpersonal quality of the system analyst, understanding includes :
a. Understanding of the objectives of the organization.
b. Understanding the problems of the system.
c. Understanding the information given by the user or employee of the organization.
3: Selling:
The ideas of the system analyst are his products which he sells to the manager of a particular organization. The system analyst must have not only the ability of creating ideas but also to sell his ideas.
4: Teaching:
It is also an interpersonal quality. A system analyst must have teaching skills. He must have the ability to teach team members and the users. He has to teach about the new system and also about the proper use of the new system.
5: New technology:
An analyst is an agent of change, he or she must have the ability to show all the benefits of the candidate system with the new technological advancement, he must knew about.
Yes. Analyst is an agent of change, but how will an analyst cope up with the frustrations on implementing projects. In this scenario communication skills will really TEST the analyst on how will he manage the people who are considered “resistant to changes”. In any organization, you cannot expect that everyone is adaptive to the changes, some people think that the usual thing is the best but as you see the real scenario; technology changes from time to time, so the company should evolve by way of technological enhancement of advancement. This scenario is really happening to the AMS, some employees appear to be resistant to changes for some reasons.
Another list of skills that analyst must posses to be more effective in any design modeling process:
Analysis and Solution Definition Skills:
•To coordinate with Solution and Demand Management (SDM) team and different business users to manage business requirements and develop clear and workable high level assessments and Solution Design documents fulfilling business needs and in line with Technology and IT ability to deliver.
•To always drive and personally perform research and investigation in all relevant technology and business areas to ensure the Intranet presences is coping with industry standards.
•Translate requirements defined by business analyst into logical, economical and practical system designs.
•Analyzes and Designs system flow and procedures to ensure optimum control and security of data and efficient use of resources
•Develops functional specifications and system design specifications for client engagements.
•Work with vendors and service providers to analyze, design and implement robust, extensible and creative web solutions weighing costs versus benefits.
•Write high and detailed level business requirement documents
•Liaise with business users for requirements gathering, analysis and delivery
•Ensure proper development and implementation of projects by smartly decide on how to implement solutions by assessing all options of in-house development, out-sourcing and/or productized solutions
Technical Skills for Recommendation and Testing:
•Leads testing efforts.
•Ensures issues are identified, tracked, reported on and resolved in a timely manner.
•Works with client personnel to identify required changes.
•Communicates needed changes to development team.
Project Execution:
•Ensure that company’s policies and regulations are thoroughly followed in all projects. This includes but not limited to policies for procurement, vendor relations, legal, financial, human resources, customer service and technology.
•To ensure that the implemented solutions shall operate as planned by ensuring proper and comprehensive coordination with all IT and technology operation teams. This includes but not limited to planning and executions of SLAs, Training, Escalations Matrix & Procedures, Maintenance Windows, etc.
•Assists in enforcement of project deadlines and schedules.
•Takes input from supervisor and appropriately and accurately applies comments/feedback.
•Manages resources in accordance with project schedule.
•Consistently delivers high-quality services to our clients.
•Apply best-practices in Project Management to ensure robust project planning and monitor project execution, shorten the development cycles, and ensure on-time and on-budget delivery based on PMI Methodology
•Manage project change requests by liaising with CR department, business users and vendors to come up with the best solution that would accommodate the CR performance needs (scope, time, quality, cost and customer satisfaction)
•Ensure tight and close management to development and implementation teams including staff, contractors and vendors on-site and off-shore and to proactively avoid delay in the execution by proper follow-up, communication and escalation
•Manage teams including staff, contractors and vendors on-site and off-shore and to proactively avoid delay in the execution by proper follow-up, communication and escalation
•Monitor project performance and adherence deadlines to ensure delivery on time and within cost
•Collaborate and manage project stakeholders, manage expectations and report progress
Communication Skills:
•Assists in the facilitation of team and client meetings.
•Delivers informative, well-organized presentations.
•Understands how to communicate difficult/sensitive information tactfully.
•Communication and interpersonal skills, Ability to foster a co-operative work environment
Technical Understanding Skills:
•Possesses understanding in the areas of application programming, database and system design.
•Understands Internet, Intranet, Extranet and client/server architectures.
•Understands how legacy and web-based systems interface with each other.
•Architect technical web solutions in support of corporate IT/business objectives.
•Review technical designs & specifications and identify website or system deficiencies, and thereby recommending appropriate solutions.
•Support and maintain the existing corporate website and functionalities, including documentation of functional and systems specifications.
•To undertake research and investigation for all development related technologies, techniques, best-practices and forums.
Problem Solving Skills:
•Follow up the defects of the systems and prepare needed development/testing environments (SIT and UAT)
•Exhibits confidence and an extensive knowledge of emerging industry practices when solving business problems.
•Pushes creative thinking beyond the boundaries of existing industry practices and client mindsets.
•Ensure business requirements are met, and user satisfaction
•Process, validate and approve vendors’ invoices and purchase orders
•Monitor project performance and adherence to project plan execution, overall change control
Leadership and Teamwork Skills:
•Ensure that the implemented solutions shall operate as planned by ensuring proper and comprehensive coordination with all IT and technology operation teams as planned in SLAs
•Take proactive and corrective action as necessary and within established guidelines
•Proven leadership capability in managing teams, setting common ground rules and conflict resolution
•Able to support multiple projects concurrently and efficiently
•Acumen and awareness of the latest business and technologies thru research and development
Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Competencies:
•Software development skills
•Analysis & Design skills
•Communication skills
•Conflict Resolution skills
•Presentation skills
•Team Work & cooperation
•Can-Do Attitude
•Team Building & Coaching
•Customer-Centric Thinking
•Result Oriented
•Flexibility
As I remembered from the interviewee, his views on becoming a Systems analysts is that he/she must be able to think logically and have good communication skills, they often work in teams on large projects. They must be able to communicate effectively with computer personnel, such as programmers and managers, as well as with users or other staff who may have no technical computer background. In the part of our interviewee aside from he is working as the MIS Dep’t Head, he is also the System Analyst. However, they lack programmers in their department but he said he can do programming but it is very hard to be a “one-man-team”. Of course, analysts should be familiar with programming languages and have a broad knowledge of and experience with computer systems and technologies, strong problem-solving and analysis skills, and good interpersonal skills. AMS is a business-oriented company, that’s why it is a requirement for them to have background on business-related transactions and operations, especially that most of the systems that they are developing are enterprise systems.
One of the skills that an analyst must posses is the skill to choose the right process model depending on the mode of the project. In the part of AMS, RAPID APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT. This kind of process model requires less formality and minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The lack of extensive pre-planning generally allows software to be written much faster, and makes it easier to change requirements. Mr. Gemrald and company discouraged to use WATERFALL METHOD, for they understand that what they are developing are enterprise systems, and the most common thing that happened developing enterprise system is that it overruns. They are comfortable to use the RAD process model. In my notion, for an analyst to chose the effective process model, he/she must have the "Analysis and Solution Definition
Skills", for this skills involves coordination with Solution and Demand Management (SDM) team and different
business users to manage business requirements and develop clear and workable
high level assessments and Solution Design documents fulfilling business needs
and in line with Technology and IT ability to deliver; which is very related to system development life cycle's phases.
References:
http://www.blurtit.com/q170760.html
http://www.gulftalent.com/home/Systems-Analyst-Microsoft-Net-Solutions-jobs-in-UAE-34448.html
Last week’s meeting in System Analysis and Design our group should have reported the chapter 3 which is on “System Analyst as a Project Manager”. Unfortunately, the report by the 2nd group exceed in the required time to finish that’s why we were not able to deliver our report. To gather much information on our report we did interview the MIS Head/System Analyst of the Andres M. Soriano (AMS) Group of Companies, Mr. Gemrald Glibara.
In the interview, we talk mostly on becoming a system analyst, what are those frustrations towards the user and how they develop information systems. At some point in our interview, we asked him about the characteristics of being a system analyst; he made mentioned the following:
• To be able to cope with technological changes
• To cope with the frustrations on implementing information system
• To be able to communicate well
• Solution provider to the current demand
• Wide capacity of thinking
At some point also, we talked on the process model(s) that their department is utilizing in developing projects. Later will be discussed on the process that AMS is using.
Nowadays, technological advances come so rapidly in the computer field that continuous study is necessary to remain competitive. Employers, hardware and software vendors, colleges and universities, and private training institutions offer continuing education to help workers attain the latest skills. In this fast-paced technological environment, it is a must that an analyst has good knowledge of the concepts and details of the Systems Development Life Cycle, project methodologies, and the development of standards and procedures for the systems development and integration process.
What is a System Development Cycle (SDLC)?
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system
development project from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.
Various SDLC methodologies have been developed to guide the processes involved including the waterfall model (the original SDLC method), rapid application development (RAD), joint application development (JAD), the fountain model and the spiral model. Mostly, several models are combined into some sort of hybrid methodology. Documentation is crucial regardless of the type of model chosen or devised for any application, and is usually done in parallel with the development process. Some methods work better for specific types of projects, but in the final analysis, the most important factor for the success of a project may be how closely particular plan was followed.
What is the importance of SDLC?
The importance of using software development lifecycle is that it helps systems analyst to develop an information system in an organized way for, it has phases -- including requirements, validation, training, and user ownership through investigation, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance. In developing project using SDLC you cannot jump into the next phase if the current phase you are working is not yet done for, in most cases the output of the first phase happened to be the input of the succeeding phase. That’s why for the documenter to feel at ease in documenting the project he/she must set timelines and work breakdown structures to manage each phases of the cycle effectively.
In order for an analyst to become effective in any design modeling process, he\she should acquire the following skills:
Interpersonal skills
These includes the following:
1: Communication:
It is an interpersonal quality; the system analyst must have command on English language. Communication is necessary to establish a proper relationship between system analyst and the user.
Communication is need to gather correct information.
2: Understanding:
This is also an interpersonal quality of the system analyst, understanding includes :
a. Understanding of the objectives of the organization.
b. Understanding the problems of the system.
c. Understanding the information given by the user or employee of the organization.
3: Selling:
The ideas of the system analyst are his products which he sells to the manager of a particular organization. The system analyst must have not only the ability of creating ideas but also to sell his ideas.
4: Teaching:
It is also an interpersonal quality. A system analyst must have teaching skills. He must have the ability to teach team members and the users. He has to teach about the new system and also about the proper use of the new system.
5: New technology:
An analyst is an agent of change, he or she must have the ability to show all the benefits of the candidate system with the new technological advancement, he must knew about.
Yes. Analyst is an agent of change, but how will an analyst cope up with the frustrations on implementing projects. In this scenario communication skills will really TEST the analyst on how will he manage the people who are considered “resistant to changes”. In any organization, you cannot expect that everyone is adaptive to the changes, some people think that the usual thing is the best but as you see the real scenario; technology changes from time to time, so the company should evolve by way of technological enhancement of advancement. This scenario is really happening to the AMS, some employees appear to be resistant to changes for some reasons.
Another list of skills that analyst must posses to be more effective in any design modeling process:
Analysis and Solution Definition Skills:
•To coordinate with Solution and Demand Management (SDM) team and different business users to manage business requirements and develop clear and workable high level assessments and Solution Design documents fulfilling business needs and in line with Technology and IT ability to deliver.
•To always drive and personally perform research and investigation in all relevant technology and business areas to ensure the Intranet presences is coping with industry standards.
•Translate requirements defined by business analyst into logical, economical and practical system designs.
•Analyzes and Designs system flow and procedures to ensure optimum control and security of data and efficient use of resources
•Develops functional specifications and system design specifications for client engagements.
•Work with vendors and service providers to analyze, design and implement robust, extensible and creative web solutions weighing costs versus benefits.
•Write high and detailed level business requirement documents
•Liaise with business users for requirements gathering, analysis and delivery
•Ensure proper development and implementation of projects by smartly decide on how to implement solutions by assessing all options of in-house development, out-sourcing and/or productized solutions
Technical Skills for Recommendation and Testing:
•Leads testing efforts.
•Ensures issues are identified, tracked, reported on and resolved in a timely manner.
•Works with client personnel to identify required changes.
•Communicates needed changes to development team.
Project Execution:
•Ensure that company’s policies and regulations are thoroughly followed in all projects. This includes but not limited to policies for procurement, vendor relations, legal, financial, human resources, customer service and technology.
•To ensure that the implemented solutions shall operate as planned by ensuring proper and comprehensive coordination with all IT and technology operation teams. This includes but not limited to planning and executions of SLAs, Training, Escalations Matrix & Procedures, Maintenance Windows, etc.
•Assists in enforcement of project deadlines and schedules.
•Takes input from supervisor and appropriately and accurately applies comments/feedback.
•Manages resources in accordance with project schedule.
•Consistently delivers high-quality services to our clients.
•Apply best-practices in Project Management to ensure robust project planning and monitor project execution, shorten the development cycles, and ensure on-time and on-budget delivery based on PMI Methodology
•Manage project change requests by liaising with CR department, business users and vendors to come up with the best solution that would accommodate the CR performance needs (scope, time, quality, cost and customer satisfaction)
•Ensure tight and close management to development and implementation teams including staff, contractors and vendors on-site and off-shore and to proactively avoid delay in the execution by proper follow-up, communication and escalation
•Manage teams including staff, contractors and vendors on-site and off-shore and to proactively avoid delay in the execution by proper follow-up, communication and escalation
•Monitor project performance and adherence deadlines to ensure delivery on time and within cost
•Collaborate and manage project stakeholders, manage expectations and report progress
Communication Skills:
•Assists in the facilitation of team and client meetings.
•Delivers informative, well-organized presentations.
•Understands how to communicate difficult/sensitive information tactfully.
•Communication and interpersonal skills, Ability to foster a co-operative work environment
Technical Understanding Skills:
•Possesses understanding in the areas of application programming, database and system design.
•Understands Internet, Intranet, Extranet and client/server architectures.
•Understands how legacy and web-based systems interface with each other.
•Architect technical web solutions in support of corporate IT/business objectives.
•Review technical designs & specifications and identify website or system deficiencies, and thereby recommending appropriate solutions.
•Support and maintain the existing corporate website and functionalities, including documentation of functional and systems specifications.
•To undertake research and investigation for all development related technologies, techniques, best-practices and forums.
Problem Solving Skills:
•Follow up the defects of the systems and prepare needed development/testing environments (SIT and UAT)
•Exhibits confidence and an extensive knowledge of emerging industry practices when solving business problems.
•Pushes creative thinking beyond the boundaries of existing industry practices and client mindsets.
•Ensure business requirements are met, and user satisfaction
•Process, validate and approve vendors’ invoices and purchase orders
•Monitor project performance and adherence to project plan execution, overall change control
Leadership and Teamwork Skills:
•Ensure that the implemented solutions shall operate as planned by ensuring proper and comprehensive coordination with all IT and technology operation teams as planned in SLAs
•Take proactive and corrective action as necessary and within established guidelines
•Proven leadership capability in managing teams, setting common ground rules and conflict resolution
•Able to support multiple projects concurrently and efficiently
•Acumen and awareness of the latest business and technologies thru research and development
Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Competencies:
•Software development skills
•Analysis & Design skills
•Communication skills
•Conflict Resolution skills
•Presentation skills
•Team Work & cooperation
•Can-Do Attitude
•Team Building & Coaching
•Customer-Centric Thinking
•Result Oriented
•Flexibility
As I remembered from the interviewee, his views on becoming a Systems analysts is that he/she must be able to think logically and have good communication skills, they often work in teams on large projects. They must be able to communicate effectively with computer personnel, such as programmers and managers, as well as with users or other staff who may have no technical computer background. In the part of our interviewee aside from he is working as the MIS Dep’t Head, he is also the System Analyst. However, they lack programmers in their department but he said he can do programming but it is very hard to be a “one-man-team”. Of course, analysts should be familiar with programming languages and have a broad knowledge of and experience with computer systems and technologies, strong problem-solving and analysis skills, and good interpersonal skills. AMS is a business-oriented company, that’s why it is a requirement for them to have background on business-related transactions and operations, especially that most of the systems that they are developing are enterprise systems.
One of the skills that an analyst must posses is the skill to choose the right process model depending on the mode of the project. In the part of AMS, RAPID APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT. This kind of process model requires less formality and minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The lack of extensive pre-planning generally allows software to be written much faster, and makes it easier to change requirements. Mr. Gemrald and company discouraged to use WATERFALL METHOD, for they understand that what they are developing are enterprise systems, and the most common thing that happened developing enterprise system is that it overruns. They are comfortable to use the RAD process model. In my notion, for an analyst to chose the effective process model, he/she must have the "Analysis and Solution Definition
Skills", for this skills involves coordination with Solution and Demand Management (SDM) team and different
business users to manage business requirements and develop clear and workable
high level assessments and Solution Design documents fulfilling business needs
and in line with Technology and IT ability to deliver; which is very related to system development life cycle's phases.
References:
http://www.blurtit.com/q170760.htmlhttp://www.gulftalent.com/home/Systems-Analyst-Microsoft-Net-Solutions-jobs-in-UAE-34448.html
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