A Dialogue between a system professional and a department manager.

SAD ASSIGNMENT # 6
A Dialogue between a system professional and a department manager.

Consider the following dialogue between a systems professional, John Juan, and a manager of a department targeted for a new information system, Peter Pedro:
Juan: The way to go about the analysis is to first examine the old system, such as reviewing key documents and observing the workers perform their tasks. Then we can determine which aspects are working well and which should be preserved.
Pedro: We have been through these types of projects before and what always ends up happening is that we do not get the new system we are promised; we get a modified version of the old system.

Juan: Well, I can assure you that will not happen this time. We just want a thorough understanding of what is working well and what isn’t.
Pedro: I would feel much more comfortable if we first started with a list of our requirements. We should spend some time up-front determining exactly what we want the system to do for my department. Then you systems people can come in and determine what portions to salvage if you wish. Just don’t constrain us to the old system.
Required:
a. Obviously these two workers have different views on how the systems analysis phase should be conducted. Comment on whose position you sympathizes with the most.
b. What method would you propose they take? Why?
With the conversation they have from John Juan (systems professional) and Peter Pedro (department manager), they have different views and opinions about the new information system, first John Juan (systems professional) consider that the first way to go about the analysis is to first examine the existing system while Peter Pedro (department manager) considers the way to about the analysis is to first started with a list of our requirements. For me, I’ve agreed to the idea of the systems professional (John Juan) cause he consider in starting analysis phase it must start on analysis strategy then have an analysis plan then gather some information like what John Juan (systems professional) said to his dialogue such as examining the old system, like reviewing key documents and observing the workers perform their tasks also by conducting an interview with an expert and giving questionnaire to the users to be. Then analyze the existing system then determine exactly what you want the system to do. As a sum up, to their conversation, the right side of this is John Juan the system professional cause professional has more knowledge of this particular issue not with just the department manager Peter Pedro is just concern about it for he is the manager of the department and that they end up only in a modified version of the old system. According to wikipedia, the Information Systems Professional (I.S.P), or Informaticien professionnel agréé (I.P.A. in French), is a professional designation issued by the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS). Introduced in 1989, the professional designation is recognized by legislation in most provinces of Canada. Before meeting the entry requirements for professional status an applicant may use the "Candidate Member I.S.P" designation. CIPS has developed the Computer Science Accreditation Council (CSAC), and the Information Systems and Technology Accreditation Council (ISTAC) to accredit baccalaureate programs in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Management Information System, Computer Systems Technology, Applied Information Technology, and post-diploma type programs in Canada. These accredited programs combined with several years of experience lead to the I.S.P. Designation. From its meaning, it needs a lot of experience is required to be a systems professional. And it means that since the system professionals undergone that, we can say that system professionals really an excellent person for the system professionals surpassed that kind of challenge.
And according to the American Society for Information Science and Technology these are the responsibilities of the client/systems user and to the profession. For the clients/system users they must act faithfully for their employers or clients in professional matters, to uphold each user's, provider's, or employer's right to privacy and confidentiality and to respect whatever proprietary rights belong to them, by limiting access to, providing proper security for and ensuring proper disposal of data about clients, patrons or users and to treat all persons fairly. And for the profession they must be truthfully represent themselves and the information systems which they utilize or which they represent, by: not knowingly making false statements or providing erroneous or misleading information, informing their employers, clients or sponsors of any circumstances that create a conflict of interest, not using their position beyond their authorized limits or by not using their credentials to misrepresent themselves, following and promoting standards of conduct in accord with the best current practices, undertaking their research conscientiously, in gathering, tabulating or interpreting data; in following proper approval procedures for subjects; and in producing or disseminating their research results, pursuing ongoing professional development and encouraging and assisting colleagues and others to do the same and lastly adhering to principles of due process and equality of opportunity.
Just a short review from the previous assignments and to what I have research: systems/software development life cycle is a logical process undertaken by system analysts to develop an information system (wikipedia). It involves several phases necessary for the development, such as planning, analysis, design, and implementation. The usual first step in building up a system is initiation or planning. This is where the goals of the project is determined, or shall I say, the analyst or manager identifies the need or opportunity for improvement or a problem perhaps. So the concept is made for a proposal to the upper management. A feasibility study is typically conducted and this is to be submitted to the management in an attempt to gain funding. This is part of the analysis stage.
The analysis phase defines the requirements of the system, independent of how these requirements will be accomplished. It describes all the data, functional and behavioral requirements of the software under production or development. By having the requirements needed we must first observe to know what are needed. This phase defines the problem that the customer is trying to solve. The deliverable result at the end of this phase is a requirement document. Ideally, this document states in a clear and precise fashion what is to be built. This analysis represents the ``what'' phase. The requirement document tries to capture the requirements from the customer's perspective by defining goals and interactions at a level removed from the implementation details. There are several factors that must be checked that would assure the quality of the software and the developed system itself. These factors include security, data integrity, usage difficulty and future upgrades. Analysis Strategy may be looked upon as the starting point of the strategic management process. It consists of the advance work that must be done in order to effectively formulate and implement strategies. Many strategies fail because managers may want to formulate and implement strategies without a careful analysis of the overarching goals of the organization and without a thorough analysis of its external and internal environment. Organizations must have clearly articulated goals and objectives in order to channel the efforts of individuals throughout the organization toward common ends. Goals and objectives also provide a means of allocating resources effectively.
In the analysis stage you must gather some data that you think could help you. But in gathering those data you should have techniques to follow and decide to have an interview and take note all the interviewee answered. For me it’s the most effective technique to have though it takes a lot of courage to perform it successfully.
In analysis phase they must apply a plan overview which I think could introduce what the system is all about, next is the Interview schedule which will handle the session for interview and followed by the Interview questions which contains questions and lastly the Interview transcripts are for the recording and approved documentations coming from the interviewee and lastly the Observation.

With the definition of the analysis phase the requirements is essential to build a solution because It’s difficult to build a solution if you don’t know the requirements (in spite of the fact that many teams still try to do it today). The “elicitation” step is where the requirements are first gathered from the client. Many techniques are available for gathering requirements. Each has value in certain circumstances, and in many cases, you need multiple techniques to gain a complete picture from a diverse set of clients and stakeholders.
Analysis phase aim is to discover problems with the system requirements and reach agreement on changes to satisfy all system stakeholders. It is a transition phase from problem understanding to solution specification. It is a set of requirements that are of high quality, having the following characteristics: unambiguous, complete, consistent, realistic, conform to business goals, verifiable, traceable, and required. Also all stakeholders must agree it. However, analysis is difficult, identifying problems and understanding requirements’ implications is difficult. Most large software systems address wicked problems. Different stakeholders have different requirements and priorities. There is a constantly shifting compromise in defining the requirements. Therefore, requirements are normally both incomplete and inconsistent. Modeling is also part of analysis. Building an abstraction or what we called model of the problem enables us to answer questions about the system. Requirements collected during requirement elicitation are transformed into a model that describes the system. The development of models of the problem is fundamental to requirements analysis. Requirements analysis is a modeling activity. We build models so that, we can comprehend the problem better, to communicate with stakeholders, to deal with complexity and also to find errors or omissions. Several kinds of models that can be developed include: Data and control flows, State models, Event traces, User interactions and also Object models. One factor influencing the choice of models is the nature of the problem, like for example the control flow and state models are likely to be more important for real-time systems than for an information system. Another factor is the expertise of the requirements engineer, the process requirements of the customer, the availability of methods and tools. No single model is sufficient. Every nontrivial system is best approached. Analysis Methods are methods for requirements analysis that are sometimes characterized by orientation. The Process or function-oriented is one of the analysis method, like the Classical structured analysis (SA), Structured analysis and design techniques (SADT) are one of the methods. Another method is the Data-oriented like the Entity-Relationship (ER) modeling. Another method is the Control-oriented like the Flowcharting. Another method is the Formal method like Z, VDM, and Object-Z. And lastly, the Object-oriented like OMT, Booch, UML is another method of analysis. I propose that the method they will use is the Object oriented because it is easy to understand. The Object-Oriented Lifecycle is an Object-oriented approach that can be used with any lifecycle model. Object-oriented approaches encourage object evolution - analysis objects evolve into design objects, which evolve into implementation objects. Object evolution - simplifies trace ability and verification of implementation. UML defines a notation a set of diagrams, the notation is the graphical stuff to build models; it is the concrete syntax of the modeling language, the meta-model defines the abstract syntax and the static and dynamic semantics of modeling concepts provided in UML Graphical notation for System structure and System behavior. It also covers multiple system views like Static structure (class/object/use case diagrams), Distribution structure (component/deployment diagrams), Interaction (sequence/collaboration diagrams), State change (state-charts), and Use cases/services (Use case/activity diagrams). It is also a tool for systematic development of component-oriented software architectures.
Wherein the use of Case Modeling Objectives is to define the functional and operational requirements of the system by defining a scenario of usage that is agreed upon by the end-user and the developer team. Also, to provide a clear and unambiguous description of how the end-user and the system interact. A use case presents business functionality in many cases, a functional requirement maps directly to a use case. An actor represents whoever or whatever that interacts with a use case. Hence, use cases are determined from the analysis of: functional requirements, and the identification of actors and their tasks.
As a summary, in analysis phase you must have an analysis strategy then have an analysis then gather information like examine the old system, such as reviewing key documents and observing the workers perform their tasks also by conducting an interview with an expert and giving questionnaire to the users to be. Then analyzing the existing files and determining the exact system you want to do. I propose that they will follow Object Oriented method. Object-oriented are specified and documented through process of building models. Modelling process starts with identification of use cases and problem domain classes or things in users’ work environment.

Skills and characteristics of a System analyst

Interview a Systems Analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a systems analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process.

SAD 1 Assignment 1 & 2

Evidences as we interviewed a System Analyst



PROFILE

Name: Donald Alforque
Company: Crafty Solutions/Alliance in Motion Incorporated
Graduated
Course: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
School: STI Cotabato
Year: 2009



This are some pictures when we conducted our interview last December 10, 2011.

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM ANALYST
Interview a Systems Analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a systems analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process [include in your answer evidences (pix, ltrs, etc)]? at least 2000 words exlcuding your evidences.

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM ANALYST
Discuss the role of a systems analyst as a project manager. (at least one thousand words) .... you need to interview an analyst/project manager ..attach evidences ..

In the previous post I have a good system analyst is to perform its functions well, the system analyst should be skillful enough to understand the flow of the system to be able to solve any problems that may arise. As what I have learned in discussion in our class system analyst can be a problem solver or they can be a problem maker. In Module 2 of our Systems Analysis and Design 1, we have tackled about the approaches to systems development. In a systems development life cycle, there are various phases of problem-solving approach: planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support phases. These things make up the different steps of a system analyst in software / systems development project. Some use the traditional approaches like the waterfall model, overlapping, and iteration. Now there are also many kinds of methodologies and models used in system development. There are a lot of tools and techniques that a system analyst can utilize to guide the system analyst in mapping out the components of a system. Aside from the traditional approach, many developers soon developed structured analysis and design techniques which gave birth to various charts such as data flow diagram (DFD), entity-relationship diagram (ERD), class diagrams, and furthermore, the object – oriented approaches. Current trends in system development include the spiral model, extreme programming (XP), the unified process (UP), and Agile modeling. There are also a variety of computer-aided systems engineering (CASE) tools which are designed to help analyst complete tasks.

As we can see, these models and methods are of good use especially to the developer. But these tools and techniques must be chosen well because not all models are to be used in just one system development project. It depends on what type of system you are using, the components that are to be included, the flow of the system, and many other factors to be considered. If a system analyst is not adept enough to identify the kinds of models the system analyst should best use, then it would be hard to illustrate the system development life cycle.

And also I have research from the wikianswers.com some characteristics that a system analyst must have. The system analyst must be familiar with designing concepts that is appropriate for the particular development environment. This means one who is good at designing commercial buildings isn't necessarily a good person to design residential housing. Although a lot of concepts overlap, one who is good at designing mainframe system isn't necessarily a good candidate for web projects. The system analyst should have the skills to use the tools to facilitate the system analyst’s work. An example of this is the design software tools. If someone is struggling to use a hammer s/he is worrying about putting a nail in straight not about building a good structure. Another one is that system analyst should have the industry/business knowledge or the capacity to acquire them. System implementation is a lot like a bunch of blind people trying to figure out what an elephant looks like. Each person has his/her own field expertise. However, the more knowledge one person has would make the process easier and create better results. Apparently, with all this characteristics that they give. We have given a task to interview a system analyst to know his/her point of view of system analyst.

Interview a Systems Analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a systems analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process [include in your answer evidences (pix, ltrs, etc)]? at least 2000 words excluding your evidences.

Last December 10, 2011 at exactly 10:00 am in the morning me with my group mates in the SAD project we went to the boarding house of the Mr. Donald Alforque a system analyst of Alliance in motion Global Incorporated. We ask him his point of view regarding the skills and characteristics a Systems Analyst should develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process. First we have question him What is System Analyst? on his own opinion, he answered:”System analyst there designation is to design and analyze computer systems to match on the business clients”. The second one he answered is that “the system analyst is to configure computer system, determined individual job requirements to secure and deploy an effective information system.”

The second question we ask is that, what are some technical and non technical skills that a system analyst must have? He answered: In the technical skills the system analyst must be a programmer: the system analyst must know different programming languages that they can use in coding. Second one the system analyst must be dynamic in the sense of learning new things or upgrading his knowledge in technologies, do more research and think of the future. In the non-technical skills he added that the system analyst must not believe on blunt truth and base on the results and actual facts.

The third question we have for Mr. Alforque is that state some of the job specific tasks that he have performed in the company that he have been working right now he said that when the system analyst is working a project in a company the system analyst must depends on the business logic and computer logic to suit the needs of needs of the clients to the business that they have. He added that the project he has finish is a system of a grocery store he has not mentioned the name of the grocery store for the confidentiality of the company.

The last question we have we have asked is that what are the characteristics must a system analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process. Mr. Alforque said the first characteristics must have the system analyst is to be a good leader the system analyst must possess a good leadership skills so that he can manage the team very well. The system analyst always learning new ideas and do more research. The system analyst must rely on the actual results and facts. The system analyst must be professional in addressing the problem of an organization.

With all the answer that Mr. Alforque said about the system analyst: its characteristics, skills and many more. We have learned many things and lessons of what being a system analyst, what are the works of a system analyst and what are the skills and characteristics must have a system analyst is. Not only in the system Analyst but also in the System Analysis and Design. He gave also some advice for us in taking this course.

ROLE OF A SYSTEM ANALYST AS A PROJECT MANAGER
Assignment #3 SAD1
Discuss the role of a systems analyst as a project manager. (at least one thousand words) .... you need to interview an analyst/project manager ..attach evidences ..

A system analyst is the person (or persons) systems analyst researches problems, plans solutions, recommends software and systems, and coordinates development to meet business to meet the request of the client. Also, the system analyst guides the development of the information system.

These are the list of the primary responsibilities of being a Systems Analyst :

1. Collect information to analyze and evaluate existing or proposed systems.
2. Research, plan, install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain and upgrade operating systems.
3. Research, plan, install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain and upgrade hardware and software interfaces with the operating system. Analyze and evaluate present or proposed business procedures or problems to define data processing needs.
4. Prepare detailed flow charts and diagrams outlining systems capabilities and processes.
5. Research and recommend hardware and software development, purchase, and use.
6. Troubleshoot and resolve hardware, software, and connectivity problems, including user access and component configuration.
7. Select among authorized procedures and seek assistance when guidelines are inadequate, significant deviations are proposed, or when unanticipated problems arise.
8. Record and maintain hardware and software inventories, site and/or server licensing, and user access and security.
9. Install, configure, and upgrade desktop hardware and peripherals to include; network cards, printers, modems, mice and add-in boards.
10. Work as a team member with other technical staff, such as networking to ensure connectivity and compatibility between systems.
11. Write and maintain system documentation.
12. Conduct technical research on system upgrades to determine feasibility, cost, time required, and compatibility with current system.
13. Maintain confidentiality with regard to the information being processed, stored or accessed by the network.
14. Document system problems and resolutions for future reference.

This list is based on the answer.com, with all the primary responsibilities mentioned above of being a system analyst is indeed a systems analyst should be a percent or a 'part' or had experienced every task such as in documentation team, developing team, quality assurance team, communication team, as a project manager. In addition the tasks of the system analyst must always match the information system objectives with the business goals of the organization or the company that he worked in.

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.

With all the different responsibilities above mentioned that a system analyst must have. The system analyst requires to being a complex 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.

What does the project manager do?

A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution, and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, computer networking, telecommunications or software development.

A project manager is the person accountable for accomplishing the stated project objectives. Key project management responsibilities include creating clear and attainable project objectives, building the project requirements, and managing the triple constraint for projects, which are; cost, time, and quality (also known as scope).

A project manager is often a client representative and has to determine and implement the exact needs of the client, based on knowledge of the firm they are representing. The ability to adapt to the various internal procedures of the contracting party, and to form close links with the nominated representatives, is essential in ensuring that the key issues of cost, time, quality and above all, client satisfaction, can be realized.

These are the common responsibilities of a project manager: developing the project plan, managing the project stakeholders, managing the project team, managing the project risk, managing the project schedule, managing the project budget and managing the project conflicts.

Characteristics of a Project Manager

Obtusely the project manager like managing projects. When managing a project there are many considerations that they must considered and they are neutral about it. According to syntelinc.com these are the top five characteristics of a great project manager:

1. Interpersonal skills. The ability to manage people is vital. Project managers will ultimately be responsible for coordinating the efforts of the technical staff assigned to the project. It's crucial that they have the interpersonal and leadership skills to direct team members and keep them motivated and on track. They also need to be able to smoothly navigate through the tricky politics within and between the participating organizations.

2. Organizational skills. This key characteristic of great project managers is absolutely critical to keep projects on schedule and budget. The ability to assign resources, prioritize tasks, and keep tabs on the budget will ensure quality and impact the project's success.

3. Communication skills. The project manager is the main communication link between the business managers and technical team. His or her ability to clearly communicate with members of both groups is essential. He or she must be able to clearly communicate project objectives, challenges or problems, scope changes, and regular project status reports.

Communication skills become even more critical. Project managers must not only communicate with team members that may be on the other side of the world, they must do so in a way that makes the global nature of the project invisible to the client. It's an added challenge to try to effectively communicate between on-site and offshore staff. But an experienced offshore outsourcing project manager can do this with ease. In addition to global distance between personnel, he or she also needs to be aware of and address cultural differences.

4. Problem-solving skills. In every project, it's unexpected problems or challenges that drive everyone crazy. The project manager must be able to effectively handle these situations and mitigate risk so they don't get out of control.

5. Professional training. Look for project managers that have PMI's Project Management Professional (PMP®) training, the project management profession's most respected and globally recognized certification credential. To obtain PMP certification, an individual must satisfy education and experience requirements, agree and adhere to a Code of Professional Conduct, and pass the PMP Certification Examination.

It takes an extraordinary person to be able to bring all these characteristics together. But taking the time to thoroughly interview and check references to ensure you find someone with the above skills is important. Making sure your project manager has these skills will increase the chances of success on your next project. It is sometimes the case that project managers do not feel sufficiently empowered to manage and control the things/people they need to manage and control in order to be successful. This problem has a solution.

Output of our interview with Mr. Donald Alforque of Global Alliance in Motion Incorporated.

Mr. Alforque said that the A Systems Analyst as a Project Manager is involved with the planning, controlling and monitoring, and also managing and directing the assigned project resources to meet the project objectives or the goals of the client for the business or an organization. The System analyst as an a project manager controls and monitors project scope, time and cost or the quality of the system—in managing competing project requirements. He also examines the organizational culture and determines whether project management is recognized as a valid role with accountability and authority for managing the project.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_analyst
http://www.freetutes.com/systemanalysis/role-of-system-analyst.html http://www.syntelinc.com/Internal.aspx?id=707
http://www.statefarm.com/about/careers/it/it_careers/proj_manager.htm

A Good System Analyst

Characteristics of a Good System Analyst

The first chapter talks about “The World of the Information System Analyst. It explains the concept of an information system, describes the various types of systems an analyst might work on, explain the key role of a systems analyst in business, and explain the importance of technical, people, and business skills for an analyst. First we define what system analysis is. It’s a process of understanding in detail what a system should accomplish. It is about understanding the goals and strategies of the business and defining the information requirements that support those goals and strategies. Most importantly, systems analysis is not about programming. A system analyst plays a major role in a project team which works primarily for an information system. A system is defined as a group of interrelated components functioning together to achieve an outcome. An information system (IS) is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output information needed to complete tasks (Systems Analysis and Design in a Changing World, 4th Edition). A systems analyst researches problem, plans solutions, recommends software and systems, and coordinates development to meet business or other requirements (wikipedia).The system analyst also develops information systems that support strategic planning. A systems analyst may: interact with the customers to learn and document requirements, interact with designers to understand software limitations, help programmers during system development, perform system testing, deploy the completed system, document requirements or contribute to user manuals. There are various roles that a system analyst plays: as a business problem-solver, as a consultant, as a supporting agent, as an agent of change (Systems Analysis Fundamentals: Assuming the Role of the System Analyst). Because the information system analyst performs important tasks, there are skills and characteristics that the system analyst must possess to be a good one. The required skills include business knowledge and skills, technical knowledge and skills, and people knowledge and skills. Basically, a system analyst must have fundamental understanding of the various information technologies specifically on the technical part. Familiarity with the use of computers and peripheral devices and other hardware could be one. The system analyst should have knowledge about programming languages, operating systems, file and database management systems, computer networks and protocols and others. A system analyst must also understand the business functions performed by the organization, of how it operates, manage its processes, including the strategies, plans, values, and structure of the organization. People knowledge and skills typically indicate the interpersonal skills of a person. System analyst must be able to have good communication skills because a system analyst is an effective communicator and collaborator.

An information systems analyst has three areas of responsibility: review specifications, test, and document. An information systems analyst typically has a university or college degree in computer science, information technology systems, or computer programming. Information systems analysts can find employment opportunities in a broad range of information technology companies and departments of large organizations. The role of information systems analyst is critical to maintaining a specific level of quality while working with the primary computer systems.

The primary role of the information systems analyst is to review project specifications. This document provides details on the functions of the potential solution, user interface methods, reporting, supporting platform, and other features. The analyst reviews and refines the specifications used to develop or write computer software. The analyst is expected to maintain an expert level of knowledge about the software program, so they can provide advice and guidance about what is possible and how long it will take. According to Computer Sciene of Udayana State University Systems analysts need to have working knowledge in many information technologies. Some examples include networking, graphical user interfaces, database programming and design, software and application development, and Internet manipulation. Some medium and large businesses hold seminars to keep employees updated on new technologies. Another skill that systems analysts should definitely have is communication skill. Communication is very important to systems analysts, in both writing and speaking, because the process of solving a business problem requires communication with many people in the business. Systems analysts communicate with the business system owner’s to identify the problem with the system, they communicate with the users of the system to figure out the needs or find out solutions to problems, and they deal with programmers in order to use the information technology to solve the system’s problem. Thus, communication skill is a significant factor in the success of a systems analyst in solving a business problem. Some examples of subjects that could be very helpful to effectively improve personal communication skills are business speaking, business writing, interviewing, technical discussion, and technical writing. Systems analysts can work in many of businesses. Several of the modern businesses focus on the use of technologies in their systems. Systems analysts work with almost every department of the business that is involved in solving the system problem. In some cases, systems analysts specialize in business problems or in computer-based problems depending on the specifications of the problem. Occasionally during the process of solving the problem, system analysts come across confidential documents or data, like employees personal information. The protection of this information is a huge responsibility. Systems analysts must hold a very important characteristic, which is ethics. Ethics is the standards governing the conduct of a person. Trust is easy to lose but hard to gain.

What is the key role of a Systems Analyst?

A Systems Analyst serves as a business professional who uses analysis and design techniques to solve business problems using information technology. As we all know information technology is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware, which deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information. The typical problems a systems analyst solves are customers want to order product anytime of the day, suppliers want to minimize inventory holding costs, marketing wants to know customer needs better, management want to analyze financial information more efficiently. It systematically assesses how users interact with technology and businesses function by examining the inputting and processing of data and the outputting of information with the intent of improving organizational processes.

According to book entitled assuming the role of system analyst that there are three primary roles of the systems analyst are consultant, supporting expert, and agent of change.

Systems Analyst As Consultant

The systems analyst frequently acts as a systems consultant to humans and their businesses and, thus, may be hired specifically to address information systems issues within a business. Such hiring can be an advantage because outside consultants can bring with them a fresh perspective that other people in an organization do not possess. It also means that outside analysts are at a disadvantage because the true organizational culture can never be known to an outsider. As an outside consultant, you will rely heavily on the systematic methods discussed throughout this text to analyze and design appropriate information systems for users working in a particular business. In addition, you will rely on information systems users to help you understand the organizational culture from others’ viewpoints.

Systems Analyst As Supporting Expert

Another role that you may be required to play is that of supporting expert within a business for which you are regularly employed in some systems capacity. In this role the analyst draws on professional knowledge concerning computer hardware and software and their uses in the business. This work is often not a total systems project, but rather it entails a small adjustment or decision affecting a single department. As the support expert, you are not managing the project; you are simply serving as a resource for those who are. If you are a systems analyst employed by a manufacturing or service organization, many of your daily activities may be encompassed by this role.

Systems Analyst as Agent of Change

The most comprehensive and responsible role that the system analyst takes on is that of an agent of change, whether internal or external to the business. As an analyst, you are an agent of change whenever you perform any of the activities in the systems development life cycle (discussed in the next section) and are present and interacting with users and the business for an extended period (from two weeks to more than a year). An agent of change can be defined as a person who serves as a catalyst for change, develops a plan for change, and works with others in facilitating that change. Your presence in the business changes it. As a systems analyst, you must recognize this fact and use it as a starting point for your analysis. Hence, you must interact with users and management (if they are not one and the same) from the very beginning of your project. Without their help you cannot understand what they need to support their work in the organization, and real change cannot take place. If change (that is, improvements to the business that can be realized through information systems) seems warranted after analysis, the next step is to develop a plan for change along with the people who must enact the change. Once a consensus is reached on the change that is to be made, you must constantly interact with those who are changing.

As a systems analyst acting as an agent of change, you advocate a particular avenue of change involving the use of information systems. You also teach users the process of change, because changes in the information system do not occur independently but cause changes in the rest of the organization as well.

Systems Analyst Required Skills

Understanding the goals and strategies of a business and defining the information requirements that support those goals and strategies are a mighty hard task done by a Systems Analyst. This task requires specific skills and these are: Technical Knowledge, Business Knowledge and People Knowledge.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

A Systems Analyst should have technical knowledge and skills in both tools and techniques. When we say technical knowledge and skills in tools, he/she should be acquainted or has knowledge with computers / peripheral devices (hardware) ,communication networks and connectivity, database and database management systems (DBMS), programming languages (for example, VB.NET or Java), operating systems and utilities, software productivity packages, integrated development environments (IDEs) for programming languages, and CASE tools, testing, documentation support, reverse engineering, configuration management. On the other hand, when we say technical knowledge and skills in techniques, he/she should be acquainted or has knowledge with project planning, systems analysis, systems design, database design, network design, construction, implementation, and systems support.

Business Knowledge and Skills

A Systems Analyst’ primary task is to solve business problems, thus he/she should know the business functions performed by the organization. Some of these are strategies, plans, traditions, and values of the organization, organizational structure, organization management techniques, functional work processes

People Knowledge and Skills

Systems analysts need to understand how people think, learn, react to change, communicate, and work (in a variety of jobs and levels). Interpersonal and communication skills are crucial in obtaining information, motivating people, getting cooperation, understanding the complexity and workings of an organization in order to provide necessary support.

Characteristics of a good Systems Analyst

As I have search through the internet these are the answers from the Yahoo! Answers on what are the characteristics of being a good system analyst.

1. The system analyst must be able to communicate in writing and orally.

2. The analyst must easily get along with people.

3. The analyst must be a good listener and be able to react to what people say.

4. The analyst must be knowledgeable of technology. The analyst is not expected to know the intricacies of programming, but a decent general knowledge of concepts and terms are essential.

5. The analyst must be knowledgeable of business. The analyst is not expected to be an expert in business but a decent understanding of the client's world is required.

Qualities of the Systems Analyst

From the foregoing descriptions of the roles the systems analyst plays, it is easy to see that the successful systems analyst must possess a wide range of qualities. Many different kinds of people are systems analysts, so any description is destined to fall short in some way. There are some qualities, however, that most systems analysts seem to display. Above all, the analyst is a problem solver. He or she is a person who views the analysis of problems as a challenge and who enjoys devising workable solutions. When necessary, the analyst must be able to systematically tackle the situation at hand through skillful application of tools, techniques, and experience. The analyst must also be a communicator capable of relating meaningfully to other people over extended periods of time. Systems analysts need to be able to understand humans’ needs in interacting with technology, and they need enough computer experience to program, to understand the capabilities of computers, to glean information requirements from users, and to communicate what is needed to programmers. They also need to possess strong personal and professional ethics to help them shape their client relationships. The systems analyst must be a self-disciplined, self-motivated individual who is able to manage and coordinate other people, as well as innumerable project resources. Systems analysis is a demanding career, but, in compensation, an ever-changing and always challenging one.

Characteristics I have as a good system analyst

I can say that I have some of the skills and characteristics system analysts have. The good thing with this is that I am still learning the knowledge and skills to become a good system analyst someday. Being a system analyst is a tough job and it’s not easy. Through the help of projects we have right now and a long learning process; soon I can be good system analyst.

Reference:

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/characteristics/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080725042042AA2MqMh

http://www.bls.gov/K12/computers06.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-information-systems-analyst.htm

http://www.prenhall.com/behindthebook/0132240858/pdf/Kendall_Feature1_Why_We_Wrote_This_Book.pdf