A system analyst is the person who selects and configures computer systems for an organization or business. His or her job typically begins with determining the intended purpose of the computers. This means the analyst must understand the general objectives of the business, as well as what each individual user's job requires. Once the system analyst has determined the general and specific needs of the business, he can choose appropriate systems that will help accomplish the goals of the business.
When configuring computer systems for a business, the analyst must select both hardware and software. The hardware aspect includes customizing each computer's configuration, such as the processor speed, amount of RAM, hard drive space, video card, and monitor size. It may also involve choosing networking equipment that will link the computers together. The software side includes the operating system and applications that are installed on each system. The software programs each person requires may differ greatly between users, which is why it is important that the system analyst knows the specific needs of each user.
To summarize, the system analyst's job is to choose the most efficient computer solutions for a business, while making sure the systems meet all the company's needs. Therefore, the system analyst must have a solid understanding of computer hardware and software and should keep up-to-date on all the latest technologies. He must also be willing to listen to the constant needs and complaints of the users he builds systems for.
Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing the implementation of the project plan, along with operating regular 'controls' to ensure that there is accurate and objective information on 'performance' relative to the plan, and the mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary. Projects usually follow major phases or stages (with various titles for these), including feasibility, definition, project planning, implementation, evaluation and support/maintenance.
The system analyst is the person (or persons) who guides through the development of an information system. In performing these tasks the analyst must always match the information system objectives with the goals of the organization.
Role of System Analyst differs from organization to organization. Most common responsibilities of System Analyst are following
1) System analysis
It includes system's study in order to get facts about business activity. It is about getting information and determining requirements. Here the responsibility includes only requirement determination, not the design of the system.
2) System analysis and design:
Here apart from the analysis work, Analyst is also responsible for the designing of the new system/application.
3) Systems analysis, design, and programming:
Here Analyst is also required to perform as a programmer, where he actually writes the code to implement the design of the proposed application.
Due to the various responsibilities that a system analyst requires to handle, he has to be multifaceted person with varied skills required at various stages of the life cycle. In addition to the technical know-how of the information system development a system analyst should also have the following knowledge.
• Business knowledge: As the analyst might have to develop any kind of a business system, he should be familiar with the general functioning of all kind of businesses.
• Interpersonal skills: Such skills are required at various stages of development process for interacting with the users and extracting the requirements out of them
• Problem solving skills: A system analyst should have enough problem solving skills for defining the alternate solutions to the system and also for the problems occurring at the various stages of the development process.
Activities of a System Analyst
1. Assists current or potential application users in identifying and describing problems or opportunities that might be addressed either:
a) by implementing a new (automated or manual) system, or
b) by changing an existing application system.
2. Investigates such problems and opportunities to determine the feasibility of a system solution and to identify the general kinds of system solution that appear appropriate.
3. Analyzes users’ business requirements in detail and, where appropriate, prepares functional specifications1 for a proposed new (or changed) system.
4. Assists and guides prospective users of a proposed new or changed system in:
a) quantifying the benefits of having the system (or the penalties for not having it), and
b) assessing the impact of the system on their organization and on the operation of their
business.
5. Obtains rough estimates of the cost of operating and maintaining a proposed new or changed system, assuming use of appropriate technology, tools, and methods.
6. Assists the project manager3 in identifying the skills and resources needed to implement a new system or to modify an existing system, and in preparing rough estimates of:
a) the cost of developing or changing the system,
b) the duration of a project to do so.
7. Assists the sponsoring users in:
a)analyzing the costs, benefits, risks, and return-on-investment of the proposed new system,
b) understanding the exact nature of the proposed system,
c) deciding whether to proceed with the implementation.
8. Designs and develops users' manuals4 and corresponding training programs for a system being developed.
9. Prepares, in consultation with users, implementers, and operations representatives, the acceptance (or parallel) test plan for any new or changed system.
10. Assists the users in preparing for the installation and start-up of any new system being implemented.
Reference:
http://www.freetutes.com/systemanalysis/role-of-system-analyst.html
http://www.techterms.com/definition/systemanalyst
http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/project/project.htm
When configuring computer systems for a business, the analyst must select both hardware and software. The hardware aspect includes customizing each computer's configuration, such as the processor speed, amount of RAM, hard drive space, video card, and monitor size. It may also involve choosing networking equipment that will link the computers together. The software side includes the operating system and applications that are installed on each system. The software programs each person requires may differ greatly between users, which is why it is important that the system analyst knows the specific needs of each user.
To summarize, the system analyst's job is to choose the most efficient computer solutions for a business, while making sure the systems meet all the company's needs. Therefore, the system analyst must have a solid understanding of computer hardware and software and should keep up-to-date on all the latest technologies. He must also be willing to listen to the constant needs and complaints of the users he builds systems for.
Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing the implementation of the project plan, along with operating regular 'controls' to ensure that there is accurate and objective information on 'performance' relative to the plan, and the mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary. Projects usually follow major phases or stages (with various titles for these), including feasibility, definition, project planning, implementation, evaluation and support/maintenance.
The system analyst is the person (or persons) who guides through the development of an information system. In performing these tasks the analyst must always match the information system objectives with the goals of the organization.
Role of System Analyst differs from organization to organization. Most common responsibilities of System Analyst are following
1) System analysis
It includes system's study in order to get facts about business activity. It is about getting information and determining requirements. Here the responsibility includes only requirement determination, not the design of the system.
2) System analysis and design:
Here apart from the analysis work, Analyst is also responsible for the designing of the new system/application.
3) Systems analysis, design, and programming:
Here Analyst is also required to perform as a programmer, where he actually writes the code to implement the design of the proposed application.
Due to the various responsibilities that a system analyst requires to handle, he has to be multifaceted person with varied skills required at various stages of the life cycle. In addition to the technical know-how of the information system development a system analyst should also have the following knowledge.
• Business knowledge: As the analyst might have to develop any kind of a business system, he should be familiar with the general functioning of all kind of businesses.
• Interpersonal skills: Such skills are required at various stages of development process for interacting with the users and extracting the requirements out of them
• Problem solving skills: A system analyst should have enough problem solving skills for defining the alternate solutions to the system and also for the problems occurring at the various stages of the development process.
Activities of a System Analyst
1. Assists current or potential application users in identifying and describing problems or opportunities that might be addressed either:
a) by implementing a new (automated or manual) system, or
b) by changing an existing application system.
2. Investigates such problems and opportunities to determine the feasibility of a system solution and to identify the general kinds of system solution that appear appropriate.
3. Analyzes users’ business requirements in detail and, where appropriate, prepares functional specifications1 for a proposed new (or changed) system.
4. Assists and guides prospective users of a proposed new or changed system in:
a) quantifying the benefits of having the system (or the penalties for not having it), and
b) assessing the impact of the system on their organization and on the operation of their
business.
5. Obtains rough estimates of the cost of operating and maintaining a proposed new or changed system, assuming use of appropriate technology, tools, and methods.
6. Assists the project manager3 in identifying the skills and resources needed to implement a new system or to modify an existing system, and in preparing rough estimates of:
a) the cost of developing or changing the system,
b) the duration of a project to do so.
7. Assists the sponsoring users in:
a)analyzing the costs, benefits, risks, and return-on-investment of the proposed new system,
b) understanding the exact nature of the proposed system,
c) deciding whether to proceed with the implementation.
8. Designs and develops users' manuals4 and corresponding training programs for a system being developed.
9. Prepares, in consultation with users, implementers, and operations representatives, the acceptance (or parallel) test plan for any new or changed system.
10. Assists the users in preparing for the installation and start-up of any new system being implemented.
Reference:
http://www.freetutes.com/systemanalysis/role-of-system-analyst.html
http://www.techterms.com/definition/systemanalyst
http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/project/project.htm
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