Information+Systems+Development+Cycle

toc In today's information economy, corporations must integrate information systems into their operations in order to achieve competitive advantage. Information systems help achieve this competitive advantage through the increased business intelligence they provide. Business intelligence is defined as "knowledge about your customers, competitors, business partners, and competitive environment, and about your internal operations". (Haag, 54) Implementing an information system can be a costly venture for a company, so much attention must be paid to how it is designed and how it will integrate into a corporation's operations. For this reason systems go through a creative design process called the systems development life cycle (SDLC). Many types of systems (such as intranets, databases, and network applications) will be accessed and used by employees, partners, and even customers. The systems development cycle should be followed in the design of systems and interfaces to ensure they are effective and efficient. This cycle is not unlike the contextual design process detailed in //Designing Interactive Systems// which can be applied to the design of many interactive products and systems used in specific contexts, including workplace systems. The difference is that the information systems development cycle focuses on the design of highly specialized interactive systems to be used in specific work environments.

Planning
This involves formulating a plan for the intended system. It begins with defining the intentions for the system and how it will support the strategic goals of the organization. Critical success factors for the system should also be established. A formal project plan should be written up detailing the //what, when, and who's// of the system. It is also important for the company to set project milestones which are key dates in the system's progression. (Haag, 83-84)

**Analysis**
The analysis phase requires discourse between system designers, IT specialists, and the system's future users. In this phase the system's requirements begin to be defined. At this stage in the contextual design process a contextual interview would be conducted with the system's intended users. (Benyon, 454)

Design
This stage involves creating a technical blueprint of the system. The system will be modelled and the technical architecture laid out. A graphical user interface (GUI) should also be modelled in collaboration with the organization's employees.

In this stage, design documents are transformed into the actual system. This involves building a technical architecture and implementing database and system software.

Testing
The system is tested in this phase according to critical success factors and specific test conditions.

In this stage, the system is implemented into the organization's processes. User documentation should be created to communicate to users how the system operates.

Maintenance
This stage involves monitoring the system to be sure it is operating in accordance to the firm's objectives. A help desk should be included in the system to support user problems.

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