System Analyst

INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEM ANALYST

Information system analysts are people who are involved in analyzing, designing, implementing and evaluating computer-based information systems to support the decision making activities and operations of an organization. They are ostensibly a boundary spanner between computers and management as illustrated in the following circle graph.

As the graph shows, system analysts must understand the technology, the organization and the skill of their trade. To refine this future, the key ingredients that makes a good system analyst are:

1. Understanding and commitment to the organization
2. People skills
3. Conceptual skills and
4. Technical skills

A system analyst is information specialist. To be a system analyst, one must be knowledgeable about the technical aspects of analyzing, designing and implementing computer-based systems. A system analyst is a person who conducts a study, identifies activities and objectives and determines a procedure to achieve the objectives.

Designing and implementing systems to suit organizational needs are the functions of the systems analyst. One plays a major role in seeing the business benefits from computer technology. An analyst is a person with unique skills. One uses these skills to coordinate the efforts of different types of persons in an organization to achieve business goals.

Responsibility of System Analyst

A system analyst carries out the following jobs:

• The first and perhaps the most difficult task of system analyst is problem definition. Business problems are quite difficult to define. It is also true that problems cannot be solved until they are precisely and clearly defined.

• Initially, a system analyst does not know how to solve a specific problem. One must consult managers, users and other data processing professionals in defining problems and developing solutions. One uses various methods for data gathering to get the correct solution of a problem.

• Having gathered the data relating to problems the system analyst analyzes those data and thinks of the plan to solve it. One may not come up personally with the best way of solving a problem but pulls together other people’s ideas and refines them until a workable solution is achieved.

• Systems analyst coordinates the process of developing solutions. Since, many problems have a number of solutions, the system analyst must evaluate the merit of such proposed solution before recommending one to the manager.

• System analysts are often referred to as planners. A key part of the system analyst job is to develop a plan to meet the management objectives.

• When the plan has been accepted, a system analyst is responsible for designing it so that management’s goal could be achieved. System design is time-consuming, complex and requires precise task.

• System must be thoroughly tested. The system analyst often coordinates the testing procedures and helps in deciding whether or not the new system is meeting standards established in the planning phase.

Characteristics of System Analyst

• Knowledge of People:

Since, a system analyst works with others so closely, he or she must understand their needs and what motivates them to develop systems properly.

• Knowledge of Business Function:

A system analyst must know the environment in which he or she works. One must be aware of the peculiarities of management and the users at this installation and realize how they react to systems analysis. A working knowledge of accounting and marketing principles is a must since so many systems are built around these two areas. One must be familiar with one’s company’s product and services and management’s policies in areas concerning them.

• Knowledge of Data processing Principles:

Most systems today are computer based. The system analyst must be fully aware about the potential and limitations of computers.

• Ability to Communicate:

As a coordinator, a system analyst must communicate properly with people of different levels within an organization. A system analyst must listen carefully to what others say and integrate the thoughts of others into the system's development process.

• Flexibility:

System analysts must be flexible in their thinking and they often do not get their own way. Different fractions in an organization have conflicting needs and most systems are the result of compromise. The analyst’s goal is to produce the system that will be the best for this organization. This requires an open mind and flexibility in one’s ideas.

• An Analytical Mind:

It takes an unusual person to see through problems facing by an organization and develop solutions that will work. System analysts often find themselves with more data than they can cope with. It requires an analytical mind to select pertinent data and concentrate on them in defining problems and forming solutions.

• Well Educated with Sharp Mind:

Systems analyst is called upon to work with people at all levels virtually in every aspect of business. They must know how to work with all of them and gain their confidence. Analysts must have the sharp mind to learn quickly how people do their jobs and develop ways for them to do it better.

Specialization of Basic Data Processing Positions

In large software development project, various specialists are employed to solve problems of different nature. Targeting to different divisions, a number of system analysts work together. Various system analysts and their job descriptions are given below:

Position Description

In the software development organizations, there are various positions and job descriptions. The basic data processing and information system personnel are as follows:

Programming

It is necessary for a user to understand the mechanism of preparing the programs and how they differ from software that we use. A program is prepared using programming language. For writing a particular program or solution for a problem, the programmers choose a suitable programming language.

A programming language is set of codes for writing programs. It contains statements, commands, built-in functions, data declaration mechanisms, repetition mechanism, giving an output of processing and much more that makes it a programming language.

Characteristics of Good Programming

Now, we have come to know how the program should look like and how it could be prepared. We also discussed various methods of development programs. But, for a long programmer, a program must be very effective. A good program possesses the following characteristics:

1. It should be portable. It means the software can support various platforms.
2. It should be easily understandable by the users and must form the menu driven system.
3. It should be very efficient in calculations and use.
4. It should be structural. Various programs should have been broken into separate programs.
5. It should be flexible so that small changes which are necessary could be made by writing small module instead of writing an entire program.
6. The program should be documented at the user level and programmer level in easily understandable language.

Bibliography

Khanal, R.C. Khanal, R.C. Computer Concept for XII. Pashupatigriha Marga, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal: Ekta Books Distributors Pvt. Ltd., 2010. 30-35.

Shrestha,Prachanda Ram et.al,Computer Science XII ,Asmita Books Publication,ktm