In the process of studying formulated analysis and design approaches relating to modern business information systems (IS) a clear problem presents itself; dealing with the varied nature of information systems in the currently rapidly developing computerised process improvement industry.
In short, stuff has changed an awful lot in just the last 5 years in development of business software. A slow awakening to the need of automated, computerised and online information systems has prompted a growth in varied businesses investing in software development. The wider the range of potential investors in technological business improvement, the harder it is to specify an approach for developing technology based solutions.
As such, texts written on the subject more than just 4 years ago seem outdated in their approach to, at the very least, the implementation phase of proposed systems solution. For example many design techniques may refer to defining file and database ‘records’ that may store data. Today people need to consider the possibility that their system may not deal in files at all considering the internet based nature of many modern business applications, and the database considerations are generally auxiliary to the overall architecture of the solution.
Of course many business systems are so outdated to the point that any form of automation is hugely beneficial. But with organisations in which keeping the level of technology in line with modern standards is necessary (e.g. to do business with other similar organisations), it is critical to make sure that the resulting solution is developed with internal extensibility and compatibility with other information systems in mind.
I think this problem of defining a set approach to the design and development of new solutions is perhaps why current thinking on how to analyse and design business systems seems fragmented and over-cooked. If anything the increasing variety of solutions available (such as web services and multi-tier systems), should lead to a more simplified design process focusing on common milestones required regardless of the potential technology required to implement the solution.
In essence what I’m getting at is there is a need to boil down and distil this avenue of study into a more concrete doctrine which may prolong the future of the interest in the business considerations which are very important to the success of software development projects.
[...] on from a recent post of mine about the appropriateness of some systems analysis and design approaches to today’s computing challenges, I have drawn a diagram that is an attempt at doing exactly [...]