System Analysis

1. Yes, the new system should be designed as a web based system because the president of the Personal Trainer, Inc wants members to have online access to their accounts and progress reports. Susan should consider some option such as internet based frameworks such as .NET or WebSphere. Web base systems are easily scalable, and can run on multiple hardware environments. User can logon to the system anytime any day. It would be 24/7. 2. In this case, the system requirement document should have Introduction, performance trends, and fact findings, cost estimation, and cost benefits. Susan can use whiteboards, flip charts, overhead transparencies, slides, films, and video tapes to enhance the presentation. The content of the visual aids should be clear, readable, and easy to understand. She should check before the presentation that if the visual aids are working or not and she should have alternative plan so if something doesn’t work then she can use alternative.

3. I think Susan should use prototyping because prototyping is a technique which produces early, rapidly, constructed working version of the proposed information system. If Susan uses prototyping, she would get feedbacks and user would be able to examine the model that represents the actual system. Susan has two options and those are System prototyping and Design prototyping. I would advise her to use system prototyping because it is a full featured, working model of the information systems and system prototype is ready for the implementation phase of the SDLC. 4. Three tools are available to calculate the total cost of ownership. They are payback analysis, return on investment (ROI) analysis, and present value analysis.

* Payback analysis is the process to determining how long it takes an information system to pay for itself. On the other hand, the disadvantage of payback is that it places all the emphasis on early cost and benefits and ignores the benefits received after the payback period. * Return on Investment (ROI) is a percentage rate that measures profitability by comparing the total net benefits (the return) received from a project to the total costs of the project. The disadvantage of ROI is that it ignores the timing of the costs and benefits. * Present value analysis adjusts the value of future costs and benefits to account for the time value of the money. Present value analysis considers all the costs and benefits including earlier values.