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Module 4 Selecting the Best Alternative
Design Strategy
7.17.1
Learning Objectives
Describe different sources of softwareLearn to assemble the various pieces of
an alternative design strategyLearn how to generate at least three
alternative design strategiesDiscuss selecting the best design
strategy using both qualitative and quantitative methods
7.27.2
Learning Objectives
Learn how to use the results of the analysis phase to update a Baseline Project Plan (BPP)
Discuss design strategies and how they are applied to the Internet
7.37.3
Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy
Two basic steps1. Generate a comprehensive set of alternative design
strategies2. Select the one design strategy that is most likely to result in
the desired information system
Process Divide requirements into different sets of capabilities Enumerate different potential implementation environments
that could be used to deliver the different sets of capabilities
Propose different ways to source or acquire the various sets of capabilities for the different implementation environments
7.47.4
Selecting the Best Alternative Design Strategy
Deliverables1. At least three substantially different system
design strategies for building the replacement information system
2. A design strategy judged most likely to lead to the most desirable information system
3. A Baseline Project Plan (BPP) for turning the most likely design strategy into a working information system
7.57.5
Generating Alternative Design Strategies
Best to generate three alternatives Low-end
Provides all required functionality users demand with a system that is minimally different from the current system
High-end Solves problem in question and provides many
extra features users desire Midrange
Compromise of features of high-end alternative with frugality of low-end alternative
7.67.6
Drawing Bounds on Alternative Designs
Minimum Requirements Mandatory features versus desired features Forms of features
Data Outputs Analyses User expectations on accessibility,response time and turnaround
time
Constraints on System Development Time Financial Legal Dynamics of the problem
7.77.7
Issues to Consider in Generating Alternatives
Outsourcing The practice of turning over responsibility
of some to all of an organization’s information systems applications and operations to an outside firm
Can provide a cost effective solution
7.87.8
Issues to Consider in Generating Alternatives
Sources of Software Hardware manufacturers Packaged software producers Custom software producers Enterprise solution software In-house development
7.97.9
Criteria for Choosing Off-the-Shelf Software
Cost In-house versus purchased
Functionality Mandatory, essential and desired features
Vendor Support Installation Training Technical Support
Viability of Vendor
7.107.10
Criteria for Choosing Off-the-Shelf Software
Flexibility Ease of customization
Documentation User documentation Technical documentation
Response Time
Ease of Installation
7.117.11
Validating Purchased Software Information
Information from vendor
Software evaluation period
Customer references from vendor
Independent software testing service
Trade publications
7.127.12
Hardware and Software IssuesExisting Platform
1. Lower costs2. Information system staff is
familiar with operation and maintenance
3. Increased odds of successfully integrating system with existing applications
4. No added costs of converting old systems to new platform or transferring data
New Hardware and System Software1. Some software components
will only run on new platform2. Developing system for new
platform gives organization opportunity to upgrade technology holdings
3. New requirements may allow organization to radically change its computing operations
7.137.13
Hardware and Software Issues
Request for Proposal (RFP) A document provided to vendors to ask
them to propose hardware and system software that will meet the requirements of your new system
7.147.14
Implementation Issues
Technical and social aspects of implementation need to be addressed
Training
Disruption of work
7.157.15
Organizational Issues
Overall cost and available funds
Management Support
User Acceptance of the new system
Other issues
- assessment of operational and
political feasibility
Hoosier Burger’s New Inventory Control System
Replacement for existing systemFigure 7-4 ranks system requirements and constraintsFigure 7-5 shows steps of current systemWhen proposing alternatives, the requirements and constraints must be considered
7.177.17
Bob receives invoices from suppliers, he
records their receipt on an invoice log sheet,and he puts the actual invoices in hisaccordion file. Using the invoices, Bobrecords the amount of stock delivered on thestock logs, paper forms posted near the pointof storage for each inventory item. The stocklogs include minimum order quantities as wellas spaces for posting the starting amount
delivered, and the amount used for each item. Amounts delivered are entered on the sheetwhen Bob logs stock deliveries; amountsused are entered after Bob has compared theamounts of stock used, according to physicalcounts, and according to the numbers on theinventory report generated by the foodordering system.
Bob wants to improve their inventory system so that new orders are immediatelyaccounted for, so that the system can determine when new orders should beplaced, and so that management can obtainaccurate inventory levels at any time of theday.
1. Meet delivery trucks before opening restaurant.2. Unload and store deliveries.3. Log invoices and file in accordion file.4. Manually add amounts received to stock logs.5. After closing, print inventory report.6. Count physical inventory amounts.7. Compare inventory reports to total to physical
count totals.8. Compare physical count totals to minimum
order quantities; if the amount is less, make order; if not, do nothing.
9. Pays bills that are due and record them as paid.
The steps in Hoosier’s Burger’s Inventory Control System
Ranked system requirements and constraints for Hoosier’s Burger’s
Inventory SystemSystem Requirements1. Must be able to easily
enter shipments into system as soon as they are accepted.
2. System must automatically determine whether and when a new order should be placed.
3. Management should be able to determine at any time approximately what inventory levels are for any given item in stock.
System Constraints1. System development can
cost no more that $50,000.
2. New hardware can cost no more than $50,000.
3. The new system must be operational in no more than six months from the start of the contract.
4. Training needs must be minimal, I.e., the new system must be very easy to use.
3 Alternatives for Hoosier’s Burger’s Inventory System
CRITERIARequirements
Alternative A
Alternative B
Alternative C
1. Easy real-time entry of new shipment data.
2. Automatic Reorder Decisions.
3. Real-time data on inventory levels.
Yes
For some time
Not available
Yes
For all items
Available for some items only
Yes
For all items
Fully available
3 Alternatives for Hoosier’s Burger’s Inventory System
CRITERIAConstraints
Alternative A
Alternative B
Alternative C
1. Cost to develop
2. Cost of Hardware
3. Time of operation
4. Ease of training
$25,000
$25,000
3 months
1 week training
$50,000
$50,000
6 months
2 weeks training
$65,000
$50,000
9 months
1week training
Hoosier Burger’s New Inventory Control System
Figure 7-7 lists 3 alternatives Alternative A is a low-end proposal Alternative C is a high-end proposal Alternative B is a midrange proposal
7.257.25
Hoosier Burger’s New Inventory Control System
Selecting the most likely alternative Weighted approach can be used to compare the
three alternatives Figure 7-8 shows a weighted approach for Hoosier
Burger Left hand side of table contains decision criteria
Constants and requirements Weights are arrived at by discussion with analysis team,
users and managers Each requirement and constraint is ranked
1 indicates that the alternative does not match the request well or that it violates the constraint
5 indicates that the alternative meets or exceeds requirements or clearly abides by the constraint
7.267.26
Weighted Approach Hoosier’s Burger’s Inventory System
Criteria WeightRating Score Rating Score Rating Score
Requirements Real-time data entry 18 5 90 5 90 9 90 Auto recorder 18 3 54 5 90 5 90 Real-time data query 14 1 14 3 42 5 70
50 158 222 250Constraint Development Cost 20 5 100 4 80 3 60 Hardware Cost 15 5 75 4 60 4 60 Time to operation 10 5 50 4 40 3 30 Ease of training 5 5 25 3 15 5 25
50 250 195 175
Total 100 408 417 425
Alternative A Alternative B Alternative C
Hoosier Burger’s New Inventory Control System
Selecting the most likely alternative According to the weights used, alternative
C appears to be the best choice
7.287.28
Updating the Baseline Project Plan (BPP)
The Baseline Project Plan (BPP) was developed during systems planning and selection phase
Baseline Project Plan (BPP) can be used as an outline of a status report at analysis phase
Schedule will be updated to reflect actual activities and durations
An oral presentation of project status is typically made at this phase
7.297.29
BASELINE PROJECT PLAN REPORTBASELINE PROJECT PLAN REPORTBASELINE PROJECT PLAN REPORTBASELINE PROJECT PLAN REPORT
1.1.0 Introduction’sIntroduction’s
1.1.0 Introduction’sIntroduction’s
•Project Overview – Provides an executive summary that specifies the project’s scope, feasibility, justification, resource requirements, and schedules. Additionally brief statement of the problem, the environment in which the system is to be implemented, and constraints that affect the project are provided.
•Recommendation – Provides a summary of important findings from the planning process and
recommendations for subsequent activities.
•Project Overview – Provides an executive summary that specifies the project’s scope, feasibility, justification, resource requirements, and schedules. Additionally brief statement of the problem, the environment in which the system is to be implemented, and constraints that affect the project are provided.
•Recommendation – Provides a summary of important findings from the planning process and
recommendations for subsequent activities.
2.0 System Description
A. Alternatives – Provides a brief presentation of alternative system configuration.
B. System Description – Provides a description of the selected configuration
and a narrative of input information, tasks performed, and resultant
information.
2.0 System Description
A. Alternatives – Provides a brief presentation of alternative system configuration.
B. System Description – Provides a description of the selected configuration
and a narrative of input information, tasks performed, and resultant
information.
3.0 Feasibility Assessment
A. Economic Analysis – Provides economic justification for the system using cost-benefit analysis.
B. Technical Analysis – Provides a discussion of relevant technical risk factors and an overall risk rating of the
project..
3.0 Feasibility Assessment
A. Economic Analysis – Provides economic justification for the system using cost-benefit analysis.
B. Technical Analysis – Provides a discussion of relevant technical risk factors and an overall risk rating of the
project..
C. Operational Analysis – Provides an analysis of how the proposed system solves business problems or takes advantage of business opportunities in
addition to an assessment of how current-day-to-day activities will be changed by the system.
D. Legal and Contractual Analysis – Provides a description of any legal or
contractual risks related to the project (e.g. copyright or nondisclosure issues, data capture or transferring and so on.)
C. Operational Analysis – Provides an analysis of how the proposed system solves business problems or takes advantage of business opportunities in
addition to an assessment of how current-day-to-day activities will be changed by the system.
D. Legal and Contractual Analysis – Provides a description of any legal or
contractual risks related to the project (e.g. copyright or nondisclosure issues, data capture or transferring and so on.)
E. Political Analysis – Provides a description of how stakeholders within the
organization view the proposed system.
F. Schedules, Timeline and Resource Analysis – Provides a description of
potential timeframe and completion date scenarios using various
resource allocation schemes.
E. Political Analysis – Provides a description of how stakeholders within the
organization view the proposed system.
F. Schedules, Timeline and Resource Analysis – Provides a description of
potential timeframe and completion date scenarios using various
resource allocation schemes.
4.0 Management Issues
A. Team Configuration and Management – Provides a description of the team member roles and reporting
relationships.
B. Communication Plan – provides a description of the communication procedures to be followed by management, team members, and the
customer.
4.0 Management Issues
A. Team Configuration and Management – Provides a description of the team member roles and reporting
relationships.
B. Communication Plan – provides a description of the communication procedures to be followed by management, team members, and the
customer.
C. Project Standards and Procedures – Provides a description on how deliverables will be evaluated and accepted by the customer.
D. Other Project-Specific Topics – Provides a description of any other relevant
issues related to the project uncovered during planning.
C. Project Standards and Procedures – Provides a description on how deliverables will be evaluated and accepted by the customer.
D. Other Project-Specific Topics – Provides a description of any other relevant
issues related to the project uncovered during planning.
Summary
Sources of Software
Identifying requirements and constraints
Generating alternative design strategies
Selecting the best design strategy
Updating a Baseline Project Plan (BPP)
7.377.37
Evaluation:
Consider the purchase of a new PC to be used by you at your work (or by you at a job that you would like to have). Describe in detail three alternatives for this new PC that represent the low, mid-, and high points of a continuum of potential solutions. Be sure that the low-end PC meets at least your minimum requirements and the high-end PC is at least within a reasonable budget. At this point, without quantitative analysis, which alternative would you choose?
