SDLC and Preliminary Investigation

1.6 SDLC

SDLC stands for System Development Life Cycle. It is a step-by-step process. It is an organized way of developing successful systems. It improves the quality of a system. SDLC consists of different phases. Each phase deals with a key issue and produces result called deliverables. The result of one phase becomes the input for the next phase.

1.7   Phase 1 – Preliminary Investigation

Preliminary investigation is the first phase. In this phase, the system is investigated. The objective of this phase is to conduct an initial analysis and findings of the system.

1.7.1    System Identification

This phase is used to recognize the need for a new system. The system is identified at this stage. It is very important step. Everything performed in future depends on this definition and identification.

1.7.2    System Scope

The scope of the system is also recognized at this stage. A system can be reduced in its scope due to financial, political or time problems.

1.7.3    Alternate Solutions

This phase is also used to find out alternate solutions for developing the system. The best available solution must be used. The best way to do this is to interview the concerned people in the organization. It may include the clients, customer, supplier and consultants etc. The competitors can also be an important source to find the best way to develop new system.

1.7.4    Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is conducted to find out whether the proposed system is possible, affordable and acceptable for organization. The financial, political, social and time constraints must be considered during this study.

It is important to be reasonably sure of the success of proposed system before initiating work on it. A feasibility study is a study to find out whether the proposed system is:

·         Possible—to build it with the given technology and resources

·         Affordable—given the time and cost constraints of the organization

·         Acceptable—for use by the eventual users of the system.

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1.7.5    Purpose of  Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is initiated by an organization when a change is required in the current system. A feasibility study is needed to ascertain the advantages and disadvantages of the new system. Following are the important purposes of feasibility study:

·         Need Analysis—Determine the need for change within an organization

·         Cost Benefit Analysis—Study the effect of change on the economics of organization

·         Technical Feasibility—Evaluate various technologies that can be used to implements the suggested change given the cost and resource constraints of an organization

·         Legal Feasibility—Evaluate the possible legal procedures to implement the change

·         Evaluating Alternatives—Evaluate various alternatives to resolve the problems of an organization and recommend the best one

A feasibility study is not justified for projects where benefits out-weight costs, technical risks are not high and there are no alternatives. For such projects, conducting a feasibility study will add to unnecessary expenditure of time and money for the study itself.

1.7.6    Time of Feasibility Study

A feasibility Study is conducted to understand the issues that face a project before the project is initiated. Ideally, it should be initiated at the beginning of a project. It will be the least inexpensive and most useful to do so.

If feasibility study is conducted during analysis phase or later, a considerable time and money would have been spent already on project. The findings of feasibility study may be much difficult to implement. The feasibility can be re-evaluated at various stages of a project.

1.7.7    Different Aspects of Feasibility

                Feasibility and risk analysis are related in many ways. If project risk is great, the feasibility of producing quality software is reduced.

                Different aspects related to feasibility study are as follows:

1.     Need Analysis

A Need Analysis is conducted with the following objectives in mind:

·         Seeking background information on the organization: The person conducting the feasibility study should gather information on the industry to which the organization feasibility study should gather information on the industry to which the organization belongs. He should also try and find out similar cases of automation. He should know the weakness of other such systems so that the same may not be repeated.

·         Understanding current issues to be tackled: It involves a preliminary study to find out problem areas and determine the scope of the system.

·         Understanding the user profile: Feasibility study determine new system’s impacts on different users of both high and lower levels in organization chart. Normally, the users at the lower level are more aware of true problems as they re involved in day to day running of a system. It is important to understand their aspirations and the things that please or displease them.

          

2.     Economic Feasibility

Economic Feasibility determines the costs of developing and implementing a new system as well as the benefits of the new system. The study of costs and benefits is also known as Cost Benefit analysis.

A system is said to be economically feasible if benefits are more than costs. It includes tangible and intangible benefits. Tangible benefit is the benefit that can be measured in money value. It results increased revenue and decreased cost. Intangible benefit is difficult to quantify but its effect is realized as follows:

·         Better market position in comparison to the competition

·         Improved service to customers due to correct information on time

·         Improved service to customers results in better good will resulting in more business

The costs associated with most systems fall under the following broad categories:

·         Procurement Costs: This type of cost deals with the purchase and installation of equipment, cost of setting up site for installing the equipment, cost of setting up site for installing the equipment, cost of capital that will be spent, cost of staff dealing with the procurement activities.

·         Start-up Costs: It includes the cost of hiring and setting up manpower, cost of setting up communication systems (telephone lines etc.), operating system software etc.

·         Project Costs: These are costs that re spent when the project is underway. Once the project is complete and the system up and running none of these costs is relevant.

·         Ongoing / Recurring costs: It includes rental of the site, cost of the personnel associated with running of system, cost of depreciation on hardware, cost of maintenance of hardware, cost of consumables likes floppies and stationary etc.

3.     Technical Feasibility

Technical feasibility helps in understanding the level and kind of technology needed for a system. It includes performance issues and constraints that may affect the ability to achieve an acceptable system. Technical feasibility entails an understanding of the following:

·         Different technologies involved in the proposed system such s hardware platform and software environment

·         Existing technology levels within the organization

·         The level of expertise required to use the suggested technology. It may determine the need for user training and therefore affect the costs of the system.

4.     Legal Feasibility

Legal feasibility determines the issues like copyright violations for the proposed systems for the open market. It includes frame sing of the contract for large systems and violation of terms etc. There are two aspects to remember about legal feasibility:

·         It is not required for all systems. When required, it is usually to frame a contract of service between two parties i.e. the consultants hired to develop the system and the organization for which the system is to be developed.

·         It requires legal experts. An analyst cannot conduct this study.

5.     Evaluation of Alternatives

It includes an evaluation of alternative approaches to the development of a system. The option with the lowest cost and maximum returns is considered the most feasible option.

However a number of qualitative and intangible issues also greatly influence this decision.

Outcome of Feasibility Study

The outcome of this activity is a Feasibility Report. It summarizes the findings of the feasibility study and presents various implementation options. Each option is presented along with its costs and benefits and also the constraints of implementing the option.

Feasibility report is an important input to the management to initiate or stop the project.

1.7.4 Preliminary Plan

The final step of first phase is to submit all findings in written form for approval. It is also known as feasibility report. It is normally submitted to the top managers of the organization. They take decision about the system by studying this report. They may accept the report, suggest to modify it or may completely reject it.

Preparing the Project Proposal

Project proposal is the document that is prepared from the feasibility report. It is a proposal from the consulting team that outlines the characteristics of a system and gives the initial calendar schedule. The objectives of preparing a project proposal are as follows:

·         Indication of initial calendar schedules for the project

·         Description of application areas for dealing with identified problems

·         Outlining hardware, software, manpower costs

·         Identification of training needs

·         Calculation of total costs of the project

·         Enumeration of the expected benefits

The management decides whether or not to accept the proposal based on the above facts. If they decide to accept it, the next phase of requirement analysis is initiated.