...The Role of a Systems Analyst John Willis IT510-01 June 17th, 2013 Prof: Michael H. McGivern The Role of a Systems Analyst The system development life cycle (SDLC) is a seven phased approach to augment a gap in business capabilities (Kendall & Kendall, 2011). Throughout these seven phases from initial problem identification to overall integration it is important to have a system analyst. The system analyst will be the person driving the project through each phase, ensuring that each phase is accomplished, and the acquiring business is happy. The analyst acts as the main focal point of the project, dealing with businesses as a consultant and the design workforce as a technical expert. Interacting with all spectrums of business a system analyst will find they need to have a wide range of qualities. If implementing an e-commerce business strategy a system analyst will find they need an even wider skillset to address the increased complexities. Qualifications for E-commerce Today’s ubiquitous computer/internet society has caused a surge in e-commerce and m-commerce. To implement an e-commerce business strategy a system analyst must be knowledgeable of all stages of the e-commerce multistage model. The model has five stages: search, negotiation, purchasing, product delivery, and after sales delivery (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). To successfully design the interaction of these stage the system analyst must be familiar with databases, supply chain management (SCM), online...
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...THE BIG DATA CHALLENGES by William Thomas Info System Decision-Making Professor Raied Salman July 21, 2014 Volvo was founded in 1927 and, is one of the more popular brands of vehicles with over 400,000 cars sold in 2013. Their largest markets are the United States, Sweden, China, Germany and the UK. Volvo has taken vehicle diagnostics to another level by using the data transferred from their vehicles to improve the quality and performance of their overall fleet on the street and on the assembly line. In 1999 Volvo began collecting diagnostic read-out (DRO) data as a tool to help them get a better view into the performance and mechanical failure under actual field conditions. There are several factors to the diagnostic read- out that Volvo has to use in order for this information to be considered “useable data.” Diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) are generated when the vehicle presents some sort of fault, it is then stored in the engine control unit (ECU). The next step is where Volvo took the next in order to transfer data in knowledge. At a typical dealership the service technician would connect his code analyzer to the vehicle’s code output connection. He would then use this information in order to provide or suggest what type if any maintenance or repairs are needed. However; at a Volvo dealership, the data is transferred to a centralized database at the Volvo Headquarters commonly referred to as the “Data Warehouse.” This data is accessible to all Volvo dealerships...
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...1-13 1. System analysis and design techniques provide the analyst with a systematic procedure for analyzing data input, data flow, and information output; furthermore, the techniques can improve the functioning of business. 2. The three roles of a system analyst are: A. Consultant--hired from outside an organization to address information systems issues within that organization. B. Supporting Expert--serves as a resource for those who are managing a systems project. C. Change Agent--an analyst who serves as a catalyst for change, develops a plan for change, and works with others in facilitating that change. 3. Personal qualities helpful to systems analysts include: A. Problem-solving abilities B. Communication skills C. Computer experience D. Self-discipline and self-motivation E. Project management capabilities I4. The seven phases of the SDLC are: 1. Identifying problems, opportunities, and objectives--recognizing problems and opportunities confronting the business and determining business objectives. 2. Determining information requirements--understanding what information users need to perform their jobs. 3. Analyzing system needs--structured analysis of information needs and decision making. 4. Designing the recommended system--logical design of the information system. 5. Developing and documenting software--structured development of software and documentation. 6. Testing and maintaining the system--testing and revising the system. 7. Implementing...
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...Work Related Project Analysis, Part 1 BSA/376 Work Related Project Analysis, Part 1 System Analysis is a formal investigation that is done to help someone or a company to make better choices than what might have been made without a specific system (Principia Cybernetica Web, n.d.) . Included within a system analysis is identifying the underlying issue or the chief of complaint that is made by the client or person. Assessment of the problems and alternative methods are made which can include risks and benefits of the alternative methods. The risks and benefits must be considered so that the client and the developer are able to make a choice from the different methods of improvement (Principia Cybernetica Web, n.d.). System analysis is typically used in directing decision making in personal and business plans, development and other services. In the case study of The Reliable Pharmaceuticals Service that is located in the Systems Analysis E-Book which is written by John W. Satzinger, Robert B. Jackson and Stephen D. Burd is a company that offers pharmacy services to health-care delivery organizations that are unable to have their own pharmacy within their company (Satzinger, Jackson, & Burd, n.d.). The Reliable Pharmaceutical Service provides service to nursing homes, hospitals and residential rehabilitation facilities (Satzinger, Jackson, & Burd, n.d.) . The medical facilities are able to place telephone orders to the pharmaceutical Service Company and have...
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...TITLE PAGE Business Environment Assignment (2015) – (Y/601/0546) * A Qualitative Business Analysis of Two Different Organisations: - (Waltham Forest College: Public Sector and Costa Coffee: Private Business Sector). * This Process Involved Assessing the Influence of Stakeholders and the Relationship Between Businesses and The Local, National and Global Market Environments. CONTENTS LIST PAGE Introduction 3 Literature Review 4 Overview: Critical Review 6 Methodology 7 Investigations/Findings 8-19 Conclusions 20 Recommendations 21 Bibliography/References 22 Appendices 24 1.1 INTRODUCTION This report is a qualitative analytical assessment (Easterby-Smith et al 1991) by the author on behalf of Charles Hunt Investments concerning two contrasting organisational types. The first entity is Waltham Forest College, which is an expanding UK public sector college. The other company is Costa Coffee – a successful UK based and international coffee chain which provides high quality food and beverages service to UK and overseas clients. The aim of this report is to investigate and qualify how Charles Hunt Investments can raise financial resources from (for) clients such as the above mentioned and examine ways, on a long term basis how to secure the best dividends (tangible and intangible benefits) for its stakeholders (Kotler, 1997). A further aim of this qualitative study...
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...This paperwork of BSA 376 Week 2 Discussion Question 2 contains: Based on the Princes Business - General Business Individual SDLC Value Paper Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that explains the components of a formal SDLC process. · Includea discussion of the basic elements of the SDLC. · Identify types of employees involved in the SDLC process and their roles (project manager, system analyst, developer). Include a minimum of 2 references relevant to the assignment, in addition to the textbook. Format your paperconsistent withAPA guidelines. Individual Work-Related Project Analysis, Part I Writea 1,400- to 2,100-word paper that analyzes a work-related project using systems analysis for a selected business system at the departmental or divisional level from your workplace, an organization, or a case study (which doesn’t have to be a health care facility). · Includea discussion of the information-gathering techniques and design methods used in the project. · Analyze and evaluate what made the project a success or failure. Note: This situation is used as the basis for future individual assignments. Include3 to 4 references relevant to the assignment, in addition to the textbook. These will likely relate to the best practices in the area being discussed this week. The references should not only provide definitions to the words used, but also validate your discussion...
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...What is Business Analysis? Business analysis is a discipline involving a number of tools and techniques that are used to identify the needs of organization, and develop solutions that meet those needs. As companies have increasingly outsourced much of their operations, they have also looked to the field of business analysis to provide the insight and expertise to assist them through their growth cycles. Business analysis is used in all industries and in all situations. When a high tech company is experiencing unprecedented growth, and needs to ensure that its systems can help it grow, it turns to business analysis. When a struggling US-based manufacturing firm is facing whether or not to outsource its production facilities to India -- it turns to business analysis. When an entrepreneur is considering launching a product idea and is evaluating the feasibility -- it turns to business analysis. Simply put, business analysis, whether implicit or explicit, plays a role in virtually all decision-making in an organization. Topic 1.2: What is the role of the Business Analyst? Business analysts are often more closely defined by function, not by role, as the role of a business analyst might take a variety of forms. For example, business analysts might reside internal or external to an organization. A strategic group within a company might employ several dedicated business analysts who work on ongoing projects and areas of interest. Alternatively, a company might contract with business...
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...see all of your applications. Job Title IT Systems Analyst Salary/Rate£41000/annum PensionLocationTamworthPosted 19/01/2015 (18:44) Agency/EmployerBig Red Recruitment Midlands LimitedDescription Dynamic, forward thinking, market leading - just a few words to describe this rapidly expanding Global business. This UK Market Leader is seeking someone who can work from the ground up in defining first class solutions for their business. They are looking for a Business Analyst with experience across broad areas within IT focusing on implementation of new systems. ROLE: IT Systems Analyst SALARY:GBP41,500 per annum plus 3% non-contributory pension, 25 days holiday + additional benefits LOCATION:Tamworth Commutable from Nuneaton, Coventry, Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, Rugby, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Tamworth, Burton-upon-Trent, Derby DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES The Systems Analyst will be working on business driven projects to encompass various software implementations across differing environments within the business and the review and enhancement of existing applications and process improvement projects. You will be of a technical background keen to ask further questions to fully understand the as is and to be requirements. Any experience of Health and Safety, Logistics, WMS or Procurement systems would prove advantageous. ·You will document existing business processes and workflows ·Work with both National...
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...Source: S. G. Powell and K. R. Baker, 2004. The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets. New York: Wiley & Sons. Copyright © 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION MODELS AND MODELING Modeling is the process of creating a simplified representation of reality and working with this representation in order to understand or control some aspect of the world. While this book is devoted to mathematical models, modeling itself is a ubiquitous human activity. In fact, it seems to be one of just a few fundamental ways in which humans understand the world. As an example, a map is one of the most common models we encounter. Maps are models because they simplify reality by leaving out most geographic details in order to highlight the important features we need. A state road map, for example, shows major roads but not minor ones, gives rough locations of cities but not individual addresses, and so on. The map we choose must be appropriate for the need we have: a long trip home across several states requires a regional map, while a trip across town to find a new doctor’s office requires a detailed street map. In the same way, a good model must be appropriate for the specific uses intended for it. A complex model of the economy is probably not appropriate for pricing an individual product. Likewise, a back-of-the-envelope calculation may be inappropriate for acquiring a multibillion-dollar company. Models take many different forms: mental, visual, physical, mathematical...
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...information systems. Systems analysts assess the suitability of information systems in terms of their intended outcomes and liaise with end users, software vendors and programmers in order to achieve these outcomes.[1] A systems analyst is a person who uses analysis and design techniques to solve business problems using information technology.[2] Systems analysts may serve as change agents who identify the organizational improvements needed, design systems to implement those changes, and train and motivate others to use the systems. Although they may be familiar with a variety of programming languages, operating systems, and computer hardware platforms, they do not normally involve themselves in the actual hardware or software development. They may be responsible for developing cost analysis, design considerations, staff impact amelioration, and implementation timelines. A systems analyst is typically confined to an assigned or given system and will often work in conjunction with a business analyst. These roles, although having some overlap, are not the same. A business analyst will evaluate the business need and identify the appropriate solution and, to some degree, design a solution without diving too deep into its technical components, relying instead on a systems analyst to do so. A systems analyst will often evaluate code, review scripting and, possibly, even modify such to some extent. Some dedicated professionals possess practical knowledge in both areas (business and...
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...This manual will help guide any human resource manager how to adminster the dynamics of a business analyst position. This manual will also enable the HR professional in the four functions of job analysis, selection process, orientation and training, in order to help the organization meet it’s goals for the business analyst position. Executive Summary As a human resource manager it is important to identify the organization’s goals and requirements. A successful HR manager will use this information to effectively manage the aptitude of the personnel to achieve the company’s target. The key factor in doing so is to properly staff the company for the jobs that must be completed. Staffing can be extremely intense because the company depends on the HR manager to find the best qualified person to match each job within the organization. This guide focuses on the necessary steps to hire someone for a business analyst position. There are four functions that are crucial in the hiring process: Job Analysis, Selection, Orientation & Training. The first method is the job analysis. “Job analysis is sometimes called the cornerstone of HRM because the information it collects serves so many HRM functions. Job analysis is the process of obtaining information about jobs by determining the duties, task, or activities of those jobs,” is stated by Bohlander and Snell the authors of Managing Human Resources. (Bohlander and Snell, 2007 p. 144) The second method is the selection process...
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...------------------------------------------------- October 04, 2013 ------------------------------------------------- Dear Hiring Manager, I am applying for the Competitive Intelligence Analyst position at Google. Working at Google has always been a dream for me and this position excites me further because it involves my passion for research and keeping abreast of the technology industry. I do understand that my career path so far isn’t that of a typical intelligence analyst. However, I believe that many of the skills I gained during my five years as a business analyst are transferrable to this position. In addition, my MBA specialization in competitive intelligence (called ‘business intelligence’ in Thunderbird) and my project at BillingTree has taught me the latest techniques in information gathering. Studying at Thunderbird, which is the #1 in Global MBA, has also helped me appreciate the nuances of working with other cultures, which I am sure will help me in intelligence gathering. Listed below is a comparison of your job requirements and my qualifications: Your Requirements | My Qualifications | * MBA / BA / BS Finance, Economics, Marketing or Liberal Arts, or equivalent practical experience. | * MBA degree with a Competitive Intelligence concentration, BS degree in engineering and five years of business analysis experience. | * 4 years of analytical experience with an understanding of competitive industry dynamics. * Experience analyzing and synthesizing qualitative...
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...Shape your Future 20th April 2011 Erika Binacci Agenda 1. Industry 2. How do I fit in an Industry? 3. Organisational Structures 4. Organisational Charts 5. La Casa delle Bontà 6. Verizon Business 7. British Red Cross 8. How to Start Up your own Business Industry The term Industry refers to the production of an economic good: either material or a service within an Economy There are four key industrial economic sectors: Primary: largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming and logging. They do not process the products at all. They send it off to factories to make a profit Secondary: this group is involved in the processing products from primary industries. This includes all factories—those that refine metals, produce furniture, manufacturing, constructing or pack farm products such as meat. Tertiary: this group is involved in the provision of services. They include teachers, managers and other service providers such as law, medicine and distribution of manufactured goods. Quaternary: relatively new type of knowledge industry focusing on technological research, design and development such as computer programming, and biochemistry. This group is involved in the research of science and technology. They include scientists. Quinary: nonprofit activities. The economy is also broadly separated into Public sector and Private sector, with industry generally categorized as private How do I fit in the Industry There are different ways to work in...
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...Microsoft Excel to conduct modeling to simulate their business growth other than Microsoft itself? Microsoft has made billions of dollars selling their Microsoft Office Suites and their home computer operating systems around the world. They have become one of the largest and well known companies in the world. The way that I see it, is that Microsoft’s business model, in a nutshell, is to provide goods and services in the form of software and support to paying customers. One question that may be asked in this day an age is with the advances in cloud computing and Google’s “free” gadgets, will the traditional Microsoft’s business model come to an end? What will Microsoft’s business analysts do in order to change their business model? One can only imagine that it will need to be modeled and simulated first to avoid potentially expensive mistakes. I must start off by saying that before I started my Systems Modeling Theory online class through Strayer, I thought that it may just be one of the hardest classes to understand that I’ve ever taken throughout the course of my college career. I can say now after having completed the last nine weeks of class that I was correct. What’s hard, is not understanding the concepts of why businesses would use Excel models for their business growth but rather the actual use of Excel itself. With all of the bells and whistles an who’s-its and what’s-its that Excel provides for the Business Analyst professional, it’s extremely hard to get a clear...
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...experience, and be slightly less well educated. I think that these findings represent a challenge to me as a female going into this profession in the future. The best way to handle these challenges is to gain as much knowledge and experience I can, build my skills and network with potential employers. This way I will be able to better demonstrate my technical skills and capabilities in the workplace. After conducting this research about the work of a business systems analyst, I find that I am more motivated to pursue this career. I have a better understanding of what skills and experience I require in order to go into this field. There will be potential challenges for me to face as a female in an ethnic minority. However, the findings that there is a trend among many companies to hire women in IT management positions are encouraging and hopefully this is a trend that will continue. As the demands for different skills can change, I will continue to expand my technical knowledge in different programming languages as well as systems analysis and design. I will...
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