Managing Information Technology

366 Part III • Acquiring Information Systems

Accurate

Auditable

Changeable

Efficient

Flexible

Reliable

Robust

Secure

User friendly

Well documented

FIGURE 9.3 Characteristics of High-Quality Systems

As shown in Figure 9.3, a quality system includes ade-
quate controls to ensure that its data are accurate and that it
provides accurate outputs. It provides an audit trail that allows
one to trace transactions from their source and confirm that
they were correctly handled. A quality system is highly reli-
able; when something goes wrong, the capability to recover
and resume operation without lost data or excessive effort is
planned for. It is also robust—insensitive to minor variations
in its inputs and environment. It provides for interfaces with
related systems so that common data can be passed back and
forth. It is highly efficient, providing fast response, efficient
input and output, efficient storage of data, and efficient use of
computer resources. A quality system is also flexible and well
documented for both users and IS specialists. It includes op-
tions for inputs and outputs compatible with its hardware and
software environment and can be easily changed or main-
tained. Finally, it is user-friendly: It is easy to learn and easy
to use, and it never makes the user feel stupid or abandoned.
To ensure that the new system design is accurate and
complete, IS specialists often “walk through” the design first
with their colleagues and then with knowledgeable business
managers and end users, using graphical models such as
those described in Chapter 8. This type of technique can
help the users understand what new work procedures might
need to be developed in order to implement the new system.
The major deliverable of the System Design step is a
detailed design document that will be given to program-
mers and other technical staff. Models created by various
development tools, such as diagrams of the system’s phys-
ical structure, are also an important part of the deliverable.
The documentation of the system will also include detailed
descriptions of all databases and detailed specifications for
each program in the system. Also included is a plan for the
remaining steps in the Construction phase. Again, both
users and IS managers typically approve this document be-
fore the system is actually built.

SYSTEM BUILDING Two activities are involved in build-
ing the system—producing the computer programs and
developing or enhancing the databases and files to be used
by the system. IS specialists perform these activities. The

major involvements of users are to answer questions of

omission and to help interpret requirements and design

documents. The procurement of any new hardware and

support software (including the database management sys-

tem selection and new telecommunications network infra-

structure) is also part of this step, which entails consulta-

tion with IS planners and operations personnel.

SYSTEM TESTING Testing is a major effort that might re-

quire as much time as writing the code for the system. This

step involves testing by IS specialists, followed by user

testing. First, each module of code must be tested. Then

the modules are assembled into subsystems and tested.

Finally, the subsystems are combined, and the entire sys-

tem is integration tested. Problems might be detected at

any level of testing, but correction of the problems be-

comes more difficult as more components are integrated,

so experienced project managers build plenty of time into

the project schedule to allow for problems during integra-

tion testing. The IS specialists are responsible for produc-

ing a high-quality system that also performs efficiently.

Tests are done to assure requirements are met, perform-

ance is adequate even under high-load and stress situa-

tions, and security is as expected.

The system’s users are also responsible for a critical

type of testing—user acceptance testing. Its objective is to

make sure that the system performs reliably and does what

it is supposed to do in a user environment. This means that

users must devise test data and procedures that completely

test the system and that they must then carry out this exten-

sive testing process. Plans for this part of the application

testing should begin after the Definition phase. Case studies

have shown that end-user participation in the testing phase

can contribute to end-user commitment to the new system,

as well as provide the basis for initial end-user training.

Both user and IS management must sign off on the

system, accepting it for production use, before it can be in-

stalled.Documentationof the system is also a major

mechanism of communication among the various mem-

bers of the project team during the development process:

Information systems are simply too complex to understand

when they are described verbally.

Once the users sign off on this part of the testing, any

further changes typically need to be budgeted outside of

the formal development project—that is, they become

maintenance requests.

Implementation Phase

The initial success of the Implementation phase is highly

dependent on business manager roles. Systems projects fre-

quently involve major changes to the jobs of the people