Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
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Lecture Outline
Chapter 4: The Systems Development Life Cycle and HRIS Needs
Analysis
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The learning goals for this chapter are listed below. At the end of this chapter, you should be able
to address the following questions:
● Define the systems development life cycle (SDLC)
INTRODUCTION
● Needs analysis refers to the process of thoroughly gathering, prioritizing, and
documenting an organization’s HR information requirements and serves as a necessary
input for the subsequent design and implementation of an HRIS.
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
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these:
o Users reject an HRIS that fails to provide the functionality they need.
o Vendor software packages are selected based on incomplete, inaccurate, or
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
● Scholars and practitioners may disagree on the number of steps and terminology used in
describing the SDLC, but most would agree that the following activities take place at
various stages throughout the conceptualization and ultimate implementation of any
technological system: planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance.
● See figure 4.1 of the text – A Typical System Development Life Cycle
● These activities are formally codified as a set of five distinct yet related phases:
1. Planning: The planning phase of the SDLC includes both long-range or strategic
planning and short-range operational planning.
system is turned off and the new system is put into operation.
5. Maintenance: The SDLC does not end once the “go live” date arrives. The
maintenance phase, sometimes referred to as the “forgotten phase” (Smith, 2001), is
that phase in the life of an HRIS where the primary objective is to prolong the useful
● The remaining discussion of this chapter focuses on needs analysis. Although needs
analysis is important throughout the life of a project, it is particularly important early in
the project—in the planning and analysis phases.
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
ANALYSIS
● The analysis phase of the SDLC encompasses multiple steps, including conducting a needs
analysis and the writing of a formal requirements definition report. Organizations sometimes
skip over analysis, progressing directly to solutions, as people may be influenced by the
● A proper needs analysis provides the organization with information focused on the essential
areas, which is then used to document the functional system requirements. Do not
underestimate the importance of the analysis. Remember, it is easier (and less expensive!) to
fix a problem now before the new system is designed, rather than when it has been
implemented.
NEEDS ANALYSIS
● Essentially, the purpose of needs analysis is to collect and document information related
to making changes connected to the following:
1. NEEDS ANALYSIS PLANNING
● The team is assembled and prepares to investigate the current and desired system
applications and functions. Once the team is in place, they can begin arranging to conduct
a thorough investigation. There are four major activities that need to be completed
during this stage.
o Organize the Needs Analysis Team
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
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team must work with current systems users and associated constituents
and stakeholders to identify problems clearly, research possible ways of
addressing the problems, and report their findings in order to support a
o Determine Management’s Role
▪ Senior management sponsorship and a visible presence are critical to the
success of the project, and mutual respect and honesty will allow the team
o Define the Goals
▪ Goals give focus; they provide a standard against which performance and
achievement may be measured. It is essential at this point that the team
knows what it hopes to achieve, how it plans to work, and the anticipated
o Determine Tools and Techniques to be Used
▪ Specific information-gathering tools and techniques should be used when
conducting a needs analysis.
2. OBSERVATION
● During the observation stage, analysts impartially observe the current systems and
processes, forming the basis for later recommendations. At this point, the investigation is
at a high level; more detailed data will be gathered later, during the exploration stage. It is
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Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
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o Analyze the Current Situation
▪ This activity begins by assessing the current state of HR systems and
processes. Before embarking on the detailed exploration of any new
o Define the Needs
▪ The objective of this activity is to determine how those within HR believe
their operations should occur, to evaluate industry best practices, and to
o Identify Performance Gaps
▪ Once you understand your current operating environment and have gained
o Classify the Data
▪ Once the data has been gathered, it needs to be organized. It is important
o Determine the Priorities
▪ The team can now set the priorities for the needs that have been identified.
o Review With Management
▪ When presenting the preliminary findings to management, the team should
be prepared to adjust priorities as requested, clarify any remaining
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
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▪ The analysis team should also ensure that management understands that
the full needs analysis takes time to design, develop, and accomplish.
3. EXPLORATION/Data Collection
● The exploration stage of the needs analysis process builds on the analysis completed in
the observation stage and involves gathering additional and more detailed data regarding
HR processes. Remember that the problems must be defined clearly before any suitable
solutions may be determined. The major thrust of the exploration phase is collecting the
data. There are multiple data collection techniques to consider:
● Interviews
o The goal of conducting interviews is to find representative employees that
can effectively communicate the key HR practices and processes to the
● Questionnaires
● Questionnaires are structured data collection tools that must be designed and
implemented carefully in order to obtain usable results. Before the
questionnaire is implemented, the purpose and importance of each question
should be determined. Employee time is valuable, and no question should be
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
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● Observation
● Because observation takes place in the actual work environment, information
is obtained within the context in which HR activities occur. Observation is
most useful when trying to determine what employees do and in what order.
● Focus Groups
● A focus group consists of a sample of people representing a larger population
who gather together to discuss a topic; in this case, the topic would relate to
4. EVALUATION
● Several activities occur during the evaluation stage of needs analysis.
● Once the data have been collected, they must be reviewed and assessed to create a
clear picture of the current and desired processes, data sources, and issues.
● Here are samples of priority and importance ratings:
Priority
Description
1
Must be present at implementation
2
Must be present within 6 months of implementation
3
Nice to have but not essential
4
Not need in the near future but may be needed due to environmental changes
Importance
Description
1
Mandatory
2
Strongly desired
3
Nice to have
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
5. REPORTING
● The final stage of the needs analysis process, reporting, involves preparing a report that
summarizes the findings and presents recommendations for the design phase. The final
report should include an overview of the current systems and processes, along with a