The importance of Information Technology
In the world of globalization, Information system
is such where data are collected, classified and put into process interpreting
the result thereon in order to provide an integrated series of information for
further communicating and analyzing. In a progressively more spirited worldwide
atmosphere, Information System plays the role as ‘enabler and facilitator’,
which endows with tactical values to the officialdom and considerable step up
to the excellence of administration. ‘An Information System is a particular
type of work system that uses information technology to detain, put on the air,
store, retrieve, manipulate or display information, thereby partisan one or
more other work structure’. In totting up to taking sides assessment making,
co-ordination and control, information systems may also help managers and
workers investigate problems, envisage complex subjects and generate new merchandise
or services.
Work systems and the information systems that support typically
undergo at least four phases: a) initiation,
the process of defining the need to change an existing work system b) development, the process of acquiring
and configuring/installing the necessary hardware, software and other resources
c) implementation, the process of
making new system operational in the organisation, and d) Operation and maintenance, the process concerned with the operation
of the system, correcting any problems that may arise and ensuring that the
system is delivering the anticipating benefits. The management of these
processes can be achieved and controlled using a series of techniques and
management tools which, collectively, tend to be known as Structured
Methodologies. Two important methodologies:
v PRINCE (Projects IN a Controlled Environment),
and v SSADM (Structured Systems Analysis
and Design Methodology), developed by the Central Computing and
Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), are used widely in the UK public sector and
in some Developing Countries, like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal etc. Prior to
comment on the application of these methods in the Developing Countries, it
would be pertinent to describe brief outlines of these methodologies.
PRINCE is a project management method; not system
development, which covers the organisation, management and control of projects.
Since its introduction in 1989, PRINCE has become widely used in both the
public and private sectors and is now the UK
In PRINCE a project is regarded as having the
following characteristics:
2 defined and unique set of technical products to
meet the business needs
2 corresponding set of activities to construct those
products
2 certain amount of resources
2 finite lifespan
2 organisational structure with defined
responsibilities
A key
element of PRINCE is shown in the following Diagram:
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Diagram – Key Elements of PRINCE
In PRINCE, an approach to planning based on
products rather than activities and the use of this approach for the benefits.
It also emphasises that projects needs to define the ‘ shape’ or manageable
phases of a project to promote sound business control. Stages are characterised
by the production of specific products.
The PRINCE model for projects is based on two
main principles:
n The project is a joint responsibility between
users, the developers and the
organisation for whose benefit the end-product is being developed
n In order for projects to succeed, a special
structure is demanded to manage the project throughout its life - from
conception through build to handover.
This structure is distinct from normal line management.
Using these principles, the model defines three
levels of activity:
n Overall project management and major decision
making
n Day-to-day management
n Production of end-products
These three levels of activity are assigned
respectively to the Project Board, to the Project and Stage Managers, and to
the Technical Teams.
2.2 The
latest version of the method, PRINCE 2, is a process-based approach for project
management providing an easily tailored, and scaleable method for the
management of all types of projects. Each process is defined with its key
inputs and outputs together with the specific objectives to be achieved and
activities to be carried out. In the following diagram, the process-based
approach is shown:
Diagram - PRINCE 2 Process Model
2.3
PRINCE 2 provides benefits to
the organisation, as well as the managers and directors of the project, through
the controllable use of resources and the ability to manage business and
project risk more effectively. PRINCE enables projects to have:
² a controlled and organised start, middle and end;
² regular reviews of progress against plan and
against Business Case;
² flexible decision points;
² automatic management control of any deviations
from the plan;
² the involvement of management and stakeholders at
the right time and place during the project;
² good communication channels between the project,
project management, and the rest of the organisation.
3.0 OVERVIEW
OF SSADM
3.1
SSADM is a highly structured and rigorous method of systems development
,was originally developed by Learmonth and Burchett Management System (LBMS)
following an investigation by the CCTA into adopting a standard Information
System (IS) development method for use in UK
It is a prerequisite for SSADM that user
commitment and involvement are agreed right from the start. It provides a
top-down approach, where a high level picture is drawn up and subsequently
refined into lower levels of detail. One extremely important concept in SSADM
is the distinction between logical and
physical views of system components.
3.2 Following
are the aims of SSADM:
v Provide a sound platform for communications
between analysts, designers and users;
v Reduce errors and gaps in the specification
produced
v Improve the quality of software documentation and
the productivity of analysts;
v Reduce potential risks by presenting analysts with
a structural framework for the use of techniques, and a standard for
documentation end-products;
v Provide techniques for checking completeness and
accuracy;
v Improve the maintainability of the new systems;
v Reuse staff and skills on other projects;
v Protect investment in analysis and design, and to
allow freedom in implementation techniques.
3.3
SSADM consists of three main components:
§ The structure or framework of an SSADM project
§ A set of standard analysis and design techniques
§ The products of each technique
3.4 The
structure of SSADM might appear a
little complex at first, but will make more sense as we began to look at the
method in more detail. Following diagram illustrates the breakdown of the life
cycle into a hierarchy of modules, stages, steps and tasks.
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Figure 1- SSADM Structure Breakdown
Each module represents a SSADM phase, and is made
up of one or two stages. Where a module contains two stages, one will be an
analysis or design and the other will be a project decision stage. Each stages
is made up of between two to seven steps, which provide the framework for
applying and controlling the development techniques. The tasks to be carried
out within each step define how the techniques should be used, and specify the
required standard of the products output from the step. Following diagram shows
the breakdown of SSADM's modules and stages.
Figure 2 - The Stages of SSADM
3.5 The
major analysis techniques mainly used
are as follows:
v Business Activity Modelling (BAM) - explicitly describes what goes on that part of
the business under investigation. The activities are defined from purely a
business rather than on IS perspective. Recommended approach to be used in the
construction of a BAM may be Soft System Methodology (SSM), Functional
Decomposition or Resource Flow Diagrams.
v Logical Data Modelling (LDM), representing system data, is applied throughout
the life cycle to provide the foundation of the new system;
v Work Practice Model (WPM) maps business activities onto the organisation
structure defining user roles to the underlying business activities.
3.6 The
key important thing is the end-product.
Each step has number of tasks associated with it, most of which lead to the
creation or enhancement of standard SSADM products. At the end of an SSADM
project the new system will be described by the sum of these products. Products
can be divided into three basic groups: Processing, Data and System-User (or
Human-Computer) Interface.
4.0 Application of PRINCE AND SSADM in
Developing Countries- A few Comments
4.1 Implementing
Information System in developing countries is a complicated exercise,
particularly in the public sector. With the growing needs in the information
age, and by the pressure from the international donors , big and ambitious
projects has been undertaken by the public sector in developing countries . But
due to the lack of standard procedures and methodologies for IS development
caused many projects to combat problems in the implementation stage. Many
projects failed to attain their business needs, as they were too large and
highly ambitious. Basic reasons for the project failure in the developing
countries can be characterised as the following:
v Solving wrong problem;
v Technology led, not business;
v Lack of major stakeholder involvement;
v Experts lead, rather than facilitate;
v Lack of commitment and hidden agenda;
v Benefits not identified and quantified at outset.
Nowadays, the developing countries are applying
both PRINCE AND SSADM methodologies, the project management development
techniques, specially designed for IT projects, that are funded by the UK
Department for International development (DFID).
4.2 In Bangladesh
4.3 However,
RIBEC (Reforms in Budgeting and Expenditure Control) project, funded by DFID,
has been considered as the most successful project in Bangladesh
At the early stage of RIBEC project (Phase 2), it
was observed that, the project was design to develop and modernize the
budgeting and accounting system of the government of Bangladesh
Having awful experience, the following phase (2A
and 2B), a downsized project with specific output targets came up with
analysing user requirements. This phase focused on sustainability and proved
successful with sustainable solutions especially in the software development
for budgeting and accounting Substantive training had been offered to the users
of the systems. Stakeholders have been involved in the software development
process and the local vendors who will be easily available in the future,
developed the systems.
Following PRINCE and SSADM as methods for project
management and system development, RIBEC project is now considered as a model
for other projects which implies the potential scope for applying these
methodologies.
4.4
Financial Management Project for HMG Nepal has been designed to
establish a reliable database to ensure user friendly and reliable financial
information and to computerise budgetary system. CCTA guidelines for IS
strategy including PRINCE and SSADM were followed in developing the system.
4.5 In Pakistan
Following the DFID approach of project management,
Lahore WASA turn out to be successful and benefits are realised especially in
the billing from bimonthly billing to daily billing and reduction in bill
production cycle. The main project management approach in the new proposal
includes: redefinition of purpose, identify business benefits, prioritise
outputs, involvement of stakeholders, DIFID played the role as the facilitator
not doer, ownership of solution by stakeholders, use of local consultant etc,
phased development, distributed system.
5.0
CONCLUSION
‘Information technology and Information systems
for what they really are - powerful and valuable tools, but not magic. When
applied thoughtfully, these tools can bring important benefits for individuals,
organisations, and customers. When misapplied, they can waste tremendous
amounts of time, effort, and money’ (Alter 1999, p.23).
The UK
This is an important posting for the learners
ReplyDeleteThis is vitally important for Project authority.Emily Ketty
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