Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Business Processes and Process ModelingMIS 2101: Management Information Systems
Based on material from Information Systems Today: Managing in the Digital World, Leonard Jessup and Joseph Valacich, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007
Also includes material by David Schuff, Paul Weinberg, and Cindy Joy Marselis.
2
Learning Objectives
Identify the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
3
Learning Objectives
Identify the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
4
Options for Obtaining Information Systems
5
System Construction
Structured process moving through steps
Problem decomposition Problems
broken up into simpler, smaller pieces
6
Learning Objectives
Understand the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
7
Learning Objectives
Identify the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
8
Steps in the Systems Development Process
Systems development life cycle (SDLC) Arrows flowing down represent flow of information Arrows flowing up represent the possibility of returning to a prior
phase
9
Phase 1: Systems Identification, Selection and Planning
10
Evaluation Criteria for Systems Projects
Usually multiple criteria examined for each project
11
Phase 2: Systems Analysis
• Designers gain understanding of current processes
12
System Analysis
13
Looking at Business Processes
A business process is an activity that creates value
Business Process Reengineering is the redesign of business processes using Information Technology
14
Phase 3: System Design
15
Phase 4: System Implementation
Transformation of design into a working information system
16
System Conversion and installation
What are advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches?
17
System Maintenance
Typically starts after software is installed The largest part of system development effort occurs at this
stage
18
Learning Objectives
Understand the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
19
Learning Objectives
Understand the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
20
Why Business Processes?
An understanding of business processes indicates where Information Technology can fit in
How to understand business processesProcess modelingProcess characteristics
21
Process Model – Part of Analysis
Formal method of representing how business system operates.
Illustrates processes or activities performed and how data moves among them
Can use process mode to document current system or proposed system
Identifying business processes and breaking them down Can help identify inefficiencies Can help identify where Information Technology can
improve efficiency
22
DFD Symbols
23
Simple DFD Example
Buying Groceries - Context diagram
Shopper StoreBuy groceries
Grocery needsOrder/
Payment
Bill
24
Learning Objectives
Understand the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
25
Process Characteristics – Key Decisions Required
Degree of structure Range of involvement Level of integration Rhythm Complexity Degree of reliance on machines Prominence of planning and control Attention to errors and exceptions
26
Degree of Structure
The degree of predetermined correspondence between input and output
How much flexibility is built into the process? The degrees
Structured – very well defined, easy to determine success
Semi-structured – not always the same, some judgment required
Unstructured – not well defined, hard to determine what success means
27
Degree of Structure
Imposing structure via Information Technology easier when the task is structuredComputers are not as effective with
unstructured tasks (Decision Support Systems)
Too high: can be stifling and hamper productivity
Too low: can lead to poor quality and chaos
28
Range of Involvement
Organizational span of people involved in a business process
Do people just “do their jobs” or is their effect on other participants considered?
Too high: decisions never get made because everyone has input
Too low: decisions aren’t made with the “big picture” in mind
29
Level of Integration
Responsiveness and collaboration between activities Synergy
How well the groups work together Too high: causes gridlock Too low: creates inefficiencies
30
Rhythm
Frequency and timing of transactions Important when considering E-Business
because of 24x7x365 schedule Too high: hard to adapt to changing
business needs Too low: hard to perform process
efficiently
31
Complexity
How many elements a system contains and the number and nature of their interactions
Manage complexity through standardization
Too high: difficult to understand and manage
Too low: not flexible enough to accommodate needs of the system
32
Degree of Reliance on Machines
Too highParticipants no longer understand the
business processWhen mistakes occur, there is no recourse
Too lowLeave participants with mundane workMissed opportunities for greater efficiency
through automation
33
Prominence of Planning and Control
Too highNot enough attention on executionResources are wasted
Too lowInconsistency in the process and poor
qualityUnresponsive to customer requirements
34
Attention to errors and exceptions
Remember the grocery shopping flowchart This example could not accommodate the situation
where a product is out of stock
Is iton list?
Put itemIn cart
Items on list > 0?
Check shelfFor next item
Checkout
Yes
Yes
No
No
Start
End
35
Attention to errors and exceptions
Too highCatering too much to all possible conditions
can be a waste of resourcesIncreases system complexity
Too lowEvery time something unexpected happens
it can shut down the processUnexpected conditions simply never get
processed, resulting in poor quality
36
Learning Objectives
Understand the steps used by organizations to manage the development of information systems
Describe each major phase of the system development process
Understand the concepts of Business Process Modeling
Describe process characteristics and design tradeoffs
Understand development options
37
Prototyping, RAD and OOA&D
38
External Acquisition vs building
Purchasing an existing system is similar to the process of deciding which car best meets your needs
When is it appropriate?
When is it not appropriate?
39
Initial steps in External Acquisition
1. System identification, selection and planning
2. Systems analysis
3. Development of a request for proposal
4. Proposal evaluation
5. Vendor selection
40
Outsourcing Turning over responsibility for some or all of an
organization’s IS development and operations to an outside firm
Your IS solutions may be housed in their organization Your applications may be run on their computers They may develop systems to run on your existing
computers (within your organization) They may replace functions in your organization. . . .
Even the CIO! When is outsourcing appropriate? When is it not?
41
End-User Development
Growing sophistication of users Actual future users of the system are
the system’s developers Application development may be
fasterNo need to rely on external entities
42
End-User Development Pitfalls
Users may not be aware of important standards Need for adequate
documentation Built-in error checking Testing
Potential lack of continuity
