Week 5: Checkpoint: The System Development Life Cycle
A system study needs to be performed on an accounting information system. There are four stages of the system development life cycle (SDLC) of a business information system. The cycles are; planning and investigation, analysis, design, and implementation, follow-up and maintenance.

A broad view point needs to be used to perform a system study for planning and investigation. A mission, planning goals, and objectives needs to be placed. A team should be set up that will speak with the management continuously. This team can be outside the IT department for that broad view point. Also, management will need to appoint a steering committee to work with the study team. Problems may appear and the study team should do a crucial investigation of the system. Advising the steering committee of the findings will be done. After finding the source the committee will decide what is to be mended. Either, do nothing, do a further investigation, or execute a formal system analysis.
The system analysis stage is organized to examine the system in detail. Goals need to be set, such as; general system goals, top management goals, and operating goals. General system objectives show benefits, decisions, access and flexibility to change. Top management goals provide managers with planning data to assist in creating important decisions for the future. Operating management goals provide specific managers with assistance in present decisions. System analysis also accomplishes a system survey. This is performed to discover strengths and weaknesses. However, the study team desires to have the full support of the employees to change the new system. The survey involves data gathering; reviewing, observing, questions, assessing the internal control procedures and interview system users. As soon as the survey is complete, a data analysis is