CHAPTER 20
INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
20.1 The approach0
to long-range AIS planning described in this chapter is important for large organizations with
extensive investments in computer facilities. Should small organizations with far fewer
information systems employees attempt to implement planning programs? Why or why not?
20.2 You are a consultant advising a firm on the design and implementation of a new system.
Management has decided to let several employees go after the system is implemented. Some
have many years of company service.
Tell employees what is going to happen to them as soon as possible.
How would you advise management to communicate this decision to the affected employees?
To the entire sta?
20.3 While reviewing a list of benefits from a computer vendor’s proposal, you note an item that
reads, “Improvements in management decision making—$50,000 per year.” How would you
interpret this item? What influence should it have on the economic feasibility and the
computer acquisition decision?
For each of the following, discuss which data-gathering method(s) are most appropriate and why:
a. Examining the adequacy of internal controls in the purchase requisition procedure
b.
c. Identifying the controller’s information needs – An in-depth interview with the controller is
20.5 The following problem situations occurred in a manufacturing firm. What questions should
you ask to understand the problem?
Customer complaints about product quality have increased.
Accounting sees an increase in the number and dollar value of bad debt write-offs
Has the company recently changed its credit policy? If so, why?
Operating margins have declined each of the past four years due to higher-than-expected
production costs from idle time, overtime, and reworking products
20.6 Give some examples of systems analysis decisions that involve a trade-off between each of the
following pairs of objectives:
There are many examples of the tradeoffs between information system objectives. One example is
provided here for each pair of objectives.
20.7 For years, Jerry Jingle’s dairy production facilities led the state in sales volume but recent
declines worry him. Customers are satisfied with his products but are troubled by the dairy’s
late deliveries and incomplete orders. Production employees (not the cows) are concerned
about bottlenecks in milk pasteurization and homogenization due to poor job scheduling,
mix-ups in customers’ orders, and improperly labeled products. How should Jerry address
the problems? What data-gathering techniques would be helpful at this early stage?
20.8 A manufacturing firm needed a specialized software program to identify and monitor cost
overruns. After an extensive analysis, the company purchased prepackaged software and
assigned three programmers to modify it to meet its individual circumstances and processes.
After six months of work, during final testing, the company told them to stop all work until
further notice. While reading the software vendor’s sales agreement, the manufacturing
manager found a clause stating that the software could not be changed without the prior
written consent of the vendor. The firm had to pay the software vendor an additional fee so it
could use the modified software in its manufacturing process. Which aspect(s) of feasibility
did the manufacturing firm failed to consider prior to purchasing the software.?
20.9 Ajax Manufacturing installed a new bar code based inventory
tracking system in its warehouse. To close the books each month on a
timely basis, the six people who work in the warehouse must scan
each item in a 36-hour period while still performing their normal
duties. During certain months, when inventory expands to meet
seasonal demands, the scan takes as many as 30 hours to complete.
In addition, the scanners do not accurately record some inventory
items that require low operating temperatures. A recent audit
brought to management’s attention that the inventory records are not
always accurate. Which aspect(s) of feasibility did Ajax fail to
consider prior to installing the inventory tracking system.?
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO THE PROBLEMS
20.1 How do you get a grizzled veteran police officer who is used to filling out paper forms to use a
computer to process his arrests and casework—especially when he has little or no experience
using a computer? That was the problem facing the Chicago Police Department when it
decided to implement a relational database system. The system is capable of churning through
massive amounts of data to give officers the information they need to fight crime more
effectively.
Initially, the department rolled out the case component of the CLEAR (Citizen Law
Enforcement Analysis and Reporting) system that provided criminal history and arrest
records. The officers hated it, complaining that the system was not user-friendly, that
approval from supervisors was complex and involved multiple screens, and that they did not
feel properly trained on the system. After listening to the officers’ complaints for a year, the
department clearly had to do something. (Adapted from Todd Datz, “No Small Change,” CIO
(February 15, 2004): 66–72)
a. Identify as many system analysis and design problems as you can.
b. What could the department have done differently to prevent the officers’ complaints?
c. What principles of system analysis and design were violated in this case?
20.2 Mary Smith is the bookkeeper for Dave’s Distributing Company, a distributor of soft drinks
and juices. Because the company is rather small, Mary performs all daily accounting tasks
herself. Dave, the owner of the company, supervises the warehouse/delivery and front office
staff, but he also spends much of his time jogging and skiing.
For several years, profits were good, and sales grew faster than industry averages. Although
the accounting system was working well, bottlers were pressuring Dave to computerize. With
a little guidance from a CPA friend and with no mention to Mary, Dave bought a new
computer system and some accounting software. Only one day was required to set up the
hardware, install the software, and convert the files. The morning the vendor installed the
computer system, Mary’s job performance changed dramatically. Although the software
company provided two full days of training, Mary resisted learning the new system. As a
result, Dave decided she should run both the manual and computer systems for a month to
verify the new system’s accuracy.
Mary continually complained that she lacked the time and expertise to update both systems
by herself. She also complained that she did not understand how to use the new computer
system. To keep accounts up to date, Dave spent two to three hours a day running the new
system himself. Dave found that much of the time spent running the system was devoted to
identifying discrepancies between the computer and manual results. When the error was
located, it was usually in the manual system. This significantly increased Dave’s confidence in
the new system.
At the end of the month, Dave was ready to scrap the manual system, but Mary said she was
not ready. Dave went back to skiing and jogging, and Mary went on with the manual system.
When the computer system fell behind, Dave again spent time catching it up. He also worked
with Mary to try to help her understand how to operate the computer system.
Months later, Dave was very frustrated because he was still keeping the computer system up
to date and training Mary. He commented, “I’m sure Mary knows how to use the system, but
she doesn’t seem to want to. I can do all the accounting work on the computer in two or three
hours a day, but she can’t even do it in her normal eight-hour workday. What should I do?”
This is an actual case with the facts presented as accurately as possible. The objective is to
familiarize students with the behavioral issues surrounding a systems change. It is less important to
determine the “right answer” (there may not be one) that it is to discuss the issues.
a. What do you believe is the real cause of Mary’s resistance to computers?
b. What events may have contributed to the new system’s failure?
c. In retrospect, how should Dave have handled the accounting system computerization?
Mary should have been informed of the change that was going to take place, the
purpose of the change, and why it was important to the company. Discussing these
things with Mary beforehand could have helped the company create an attitude of
trust and cooperation and could have set an example for what they expected of Mary.
d. At what point in the decision-making process should Mary have been informed? Should
she have had some say in whether the computer was purchased? If so, what should have
been the nature of her input? If Mary had not agreed with Dave’s decision to acquire
the computer, what should Dave have done?
Mary should have at least been informed as soon as the decision was made to purchase the
system. Preferably, Mary should have been informed at the very start when the company
began thinking about the computer system. This would have allowed Mary to give
valuable input and to be involved throughout the entire process.
e. A hard decision must be made regarding Mary. Significant efforts have been made to
train her, but they have been unsuccessful. What would you recommend at this point?
Should she be fired? Threatened with the loss of her job? Moved somewhere else in the
business? Given additional training?
1. Firing can have the following advantages:
The company can hire a more qualified individual who can perform the job more
efficiently.
2. Transferring employees can have the following advantages:
The company is less likely to communicate that it does not care for its employees.
The transferred person has experience with the company and may be of greater value
3. Persuasion can have the following advantages:
A valuable employee may be retained and her time freed up to perform tasks that are
more important.
Hiring and training costs can be kept to a minimum.
The company communicates consideration for its employees.
