<Analyze the current system, describing and analyzing problems, opportunities, and constraints.>
<It is a good idea to also state what is “good” about the system and where the system performs well. This can help temper user/client reception to problems. Opportunities are generally better received than problems since they only represent ideas for improvement, not things that are being done wrong. FINALLY, USE TACT WHEN PRESENTING PROBLEMS. MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESENTATION IS CRITICAL OF THE SYSTEM AND NOT THE PEOPLE IN THE SYSTEM.>
Performance Analysis
<Important: Analyze all transactions. State current performance parameters. If performance problems don’t exist or opportunities to further improve performance don’t exist, say so. Remember to analyze opportunities for their business benefit — that’s how you determine if it’s important enough to include as an opportunity.>
Transaction: <name>
Throughput: <average quantity per time period, average quantity during peak period, and average quantity during low (or valley) period – be sure to designate when peak and valley periods occur>
Response Time: <average time required to process a single transaction during normal workload period, average time to process during peak workload period, and average time to process during low (or valley) workload period – be sure to designate when peak and valley periods occur>
Anticipated Growth: <percent growth per time period>
Problem: <is throughput or response time bad or unacceptable?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <is throughput or response time acceptable, but could be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for all transactions.>
Information and Data Analysis
<Information analysis examines the outputs of a system. Outputs include reports and inquiry responses. Data analysis examines the data stored within a system.
Information Analysis. Information analysis initially identifies those net outputs produced by or for the system. Each output is analyzed for the following possible problems or opportunities:
Information overload. Either too many outputs are produced or outputs contain too much information, limiting their usefulness.
Information accuracy. Information contains errors or possible errors.
Information timeliness. Information is not received fast enough to be useful.
Information format. Information is in a format that is either not useful or must be modified to become useful.
Information redundancy. Multiple outputs contain much of the same information.
Lack of information. Information is not available to aid in decision making.>
The outputs are listed and identified as follows:
Output: <name>
Format: <current format>
Frequency: <how often produced>
Problem: <is the output unacceptable relative to one or more of the above problem categories?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <do the users view the report acceptable according to the above problem categories, yet it could be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for all net outputs.>
Data Analysis. Data analysis describes the degree to which data is redundantly stored within the system, the ease (or lack thereof) of access to data (e.g. how easy or difficult it is to produce information and outputs from the data), and the accuracy and consistency of stored data.
<Describe problems and opportunities. Examples should be stated, especially for problems and opportunities. One interesting way to do redundancy analysis is to include a “Data Analysis Matrix” as a figure. This matrix is very simple to construct. The columns are data stores (manual and computerized). The rows are data elements. Xs’ indicate the elements contained in stores. Redundancy can be seen at a glance.>
The stored data are listed and identified as follows.
Data Stored: <name>
Number of records: <average>
Anticipated growth: <percentage growth per time period – typically estimate over 5 year period>
Medium: <physical storage medium>
Organization: <how are records organized?>
Problem: <is the data unacceptable relative to one or more of the above problem categories?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <is the stored data acceptable according to the above problem categories, yet could be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for all data storage.>
Economic Analysis
Economic analysis examines the system for cost problems (e.g. excessive costs or insufficient cost controls) or cost reduction opportunities. It can also be used to present budget constraints.
<Cost problems, opportunities, and constraints should be presented in list format. Try to estimate the current costs. For problems, try to estimate the portion of the costs that can be reduced. At the very least, describe “how” costs can be reduced>.
Problem: <is the cost excessive and unacceptable or are costs unknown or untraceable to source?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <is the cost and cost monitoring acceptable but could be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for all costs.>
Control and Security Analysis
Controls analysis examines how the system ensures that it is properly operating. Security analysis is concerned with both facility and data security. The system was examined both for excessive controls and lack of controls. Controls are measures taken to eliminate mistakes and tampering. Controls can also have performance implications.
<Present control problems and opportunities in list format. Be sure to describe specific causes and effects (for problems) and benefits (for opportunities).>
Problem: <are the controls and security excessive or lacking?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <could controls and security be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for control and security analysis.>
Efficiency Analysis
Efficiency analysis is sometimes confused with economic analysis. Efficiency analysis examines the system for problems and opportunities related to how resources (e.g. people, facilities, money, etc.) are being used. Efficiency problems and opportunities usually target resources that could be better used (not eliminated).
<Important: This is a dangerous category. Be careful not to call people “inefficient.” In fact, it is often better to describe all items in this category as “opportunities,” not “problems.” When dealing with efficiency of personnel, it is generally appropriate to phrase the opportunity in terms of the benefit to the person whose time might be better used accomplishing other tasks.>
<Present efficiency opportunities in list format with appropriate descriptions, causes, effects, and benefits.>
Problem: <are resources being efficiently utilized? if not, is it unacceptable?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <although the resource utilization efficiency is acceptable, can it be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
<describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern for resource efficiency analysis.>
Service Analysis
Service analysis takes on several forms. The following list is not exhaustive:
Processing and data accuracy (manual and computer). Especially for computerized systems, is data being properly edited prior to file updates?
Reliability of the system. Are transactions and situations handled consistently?
Recoverability of the system. Especially for computerized systems, is data being periodically backed up?
Maintainability of the system. Especially for computerized systems, has the system been properly maintained? Can it be maintained? How good is the documentation?
Ease of use. For both computerized and manual systems or subsystems, is the system easy to learn and use?
Flexibility. Are the situations or conditions that the system cannot handle?
Coordination. Do the people in the system appear to coordinate their activities? Do actions or decisions ever contradict? Do people understand how their fellow workers interface to their jobs?
Customer and/or employee goodwill or morale.
<Present problems and opportunities in list format. Be very specific in your presentation. Also, be tactful where necessary.>
Problem: <is one or more of the above problem categories unacceptable?>
Cause: <delete if no problem>
Effect: <delete if no problem>
Opportunity: <while currently acceptable, could it (see problem categories listed above) be improved?>
Benefit: <delete if no opportunity>
Constraint: <is there an existing or anticipated situation that may constrain any improved system that we may recommend? if so, state rationale for not being able to change the constraint. delete if not applicable>
Possible Improvements:
describe possible solutions to problems or ways to fulfill opportunity>
<Repeat the above pattern each service analysis.>
Miscellaneous Analysis
<This category is provided as a catch-all for any problems or opportunities that you want to identify. It is also the category into which most constraints should be classified. Once again, use list format but be specific. If you have nothing for this section, it should be deleted from the report.>
