Copyright 2004 Monash University IMS1805 Systems Analysis Week 1(b): Understanding Systems Analysis

Copyright 2004 Monash University

IMS1805Systems Analysis

Week 1(b): Understanding Systems Analysis

Copyright 2004 Monash University2

Recap from yesterday:

Analysis We are all skilled analysts and could not survive

from day to day if we were not Most of our analysis is informal and intuitive,

rather than being structured and formal Learning how to do formal analysis involves a

level of thoroughness, precision and explicit understanding which we are not used to


Recap from yesterday:

Analysis and action Identify the problem or situation requiring

analysis Identify the elements of the situation which are

relevant to your needs Identify and understand the inter-relationships

between those elements Assess or measure the relevant qualities/values

of the component elements Assess the outcome which will result from the

elements taking these qualities/values Take action to achieve desired outcomes


An extension/digression from yesterday:A paradox about informal and formal analysis Step 1: If we had to analyse everything in a formal

structured way, our ability to function effectively would be severely limited (paralysis by analysis)

Step 2: We use our analytical capabilities to create technologies/organisations/social structures which eliminate the need for various

Step 3: Through lack of practice, we lose the capability to do the analysis which was needed for Step 2

Step 4: When circumstances change and the structures created in Step 2 don’t work, we are helpless!


Agenda for today How do you do analysis? Analysis as a communicative process Analytical focus of this unit


1. How do you do analysis?


Teaching how to do analysis

Problem 1: Teaching you how to analyse and respond to loud noises

Problem 2: Teaching you how to analyse and catch a ball

Problem 3: Teaching you how to analyse the flight path of a projectile in the earth’s gravitational field

Problem 4: Teaching you how to analyse the risks from flying objects


Approaches to analysis: Some fields in which analysis is used

Business Psychology Organisation theory Engineering Mathematics Sociology Finance and economics Etc, etc (I can’t think of any field which does not

do formal analysis!)


Approaches to analysis: Some points of focus for analysis A person/groups of people/society at large An object/group of objects/the world Ideas/concepts Methods/processes Interactions A mixture of some or all of these Etc, etc


Approaches to analysis: Some parameters used in analysis Numeric elements – statistics Visual elements – appearance Textual elements – expression Connective elements – inter-relationships,

influences Emotional elements – feelings, attitudes Action elements – movement, activity Philosophical elements – principles, beliefs Etc, etc


Choosing analytical techniques: the problem

Many different types of problems/situations require analysis

Many different types of components in these problems

Many different kinds of perspectives can be taken of these components

Many different kinds of techniques may be appropriate to these perspectives


Choosing the wrong analytical technique: the consequences

Wasting your time and effort Failing to reveal the most important aspects of

the problem/situation Creating an inaccurate impression of the

problem/situation Causing inappropriate actions to be taken

which do not remedy the problem and perhaps worsen it


A digression about who should do analysis

Some attributes are required for virtually all analysts regardless of variations in forms of analysis:• Curiosity• Thoroughness• Patience• Empathy with/insight into the subject matter

Other attributes are discipline-specific, and may require different personality types. (For example, compare an engineer with a psychoanalyst)

Part of your learning needs to be about what sort of personal analytical capabilities you have, and where they are best suited


Why can’t we just choose the analytical techniques which are specific to information systems? IS is a field which has overlaps with all the

fields listed above (and others) IS is a field which uses all the points of focus

listed above (and others) IS is a field which uses all the parameters

listed above (and others) (We will discuss this a little further next week)


Another digression about who should do analysis

One of the strengths of IS as a field is that it is so broad that it can include almost any form of analysis (this is also one of its weaknesses, because it makes it hard to find a focus)

This means that whatever your personality and aptitudes, you can find activities and a career in IS which suits you

This also means that one of your problems is to work out what those activities are and what that career is for you


2. Analysis as a communicative process


Analysis and communication

A fundamental element of all analysis is the communication of information and creation of meaning

Note that this is an extraordinarily large field (arguably, all of human existence is based around the problem of communication and meaning)

Effective analysis is about using the right analytical techniques to:- extract information and interpret its meaning;- represent that information in a way that conveys meaning to others (human and machine)

All your work in this unit should be seen in these terms


Elements of communication in this unit

Understanding the context of the problem (IMS1704 and IMS1906)

Gathering input about the problem elements Identifying relationships between the problem

elements Describing the elements and their

relationships More on the participants in the communication

process in IS the next two weeks


Examples of analysis and communication

Consider the following statements:• “I felt a little lachrymose when I woke up today”• “Je suis un homme tres beau”• “To be or not to be: that is the question”• F=Gm1m2/d2

• (see diagram shown in class)


Examples of analysis

See examples shown in class In terms of communication of meaning, are

these “good” analyses? What is wrong with them? What sort of analysis was needed?


3. Analytical focus of this unit


Content of this unit

Brief overview of two general areas of IS where the communication of meaning is crucial

Four types of system modelling technique used to communicate meaning in the study of information systems

Each technique has a different focus and uses different parameters

Each technique tells us something different about the system


Your focus for this unit

Understand the importance of communication of meaning in IS

Understand what the analytical techniques are trying to do in terms of conveying meaning

Learn the basic elements of each technique Understand the strengths and weaknesses

of each technique Understand the circumstances in which

each technique is relevant


Summary: You should know

That there are many different types of analysis and different types of analytical technique

That these techniques focus upon different types of problems and upon different aspects of these problems

That successful analysis is fundamentally about choosing the right analytical technique to suit the circumstances

That IS is a discipline which draws upon a very wide range of analytical techniques

That our focus is upon the use of analytical techniques for communication

Documents

Copyright 2004 Monash University IMS1805 Systems Analysis Week 1(b): Understanding Systems Analysis