Ans: I had studied Electronics design and Telecommunication Engineering prior to enrol into Information System Management course. I had never studied “Information System” development concepts in my prior education. So at the start of course COIS20025 (System Development Overview), I found it difficult to understand the requirements and methodology used for the development of Information System. Specially while working on Assignment 1, where we have to develop Process Modelling using context data flow diagram and a Diagram 0 DFD for the Child Health Information System (CHIS).

1.       What was difficult about it and how would you suggest it could be improved?

The context data flow diagram and Diagram 0 DFD was new concept for me. Defining external entities and understanding of correct data flow between was main problem for me. Using correct processes and data stores to develop Diagram 0 DFD was another challenging task for me. But before working on Child Health Information System (CHIS), I had an opportunity to work on developing the context data flow diagram and Diagram 0 DFD for DVD Rental System which has given me enough practice work.  Finally with guidance from Prof. Mark and time to time help from course coordinator Mr. Ken Fakamuria I was able to successful in the completion of Assignment 1. Now I found myself very confident in this area and if needed I can work on Process Modelling for any new project. If we can get couple of more practice example before actually starting work on assignment then we can get much better understanding of the topic and we will be able to get maximum marks for the assignment.

2.       Name three (3) things you learnt this term in COIS20025.

Learning outcomes of COIS20025:

i.                    The necessity and importance of new Information System development and the various fact finding techniques used to find business requirements for the system development requirements.

ii.                  The concept of Traditional approach and Object-Oriented approach that can be used for the development of the new Information System.

iii.                The various factors involved in system operation, support and security. The various maintenance tasks which can have major impact on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the developed Information System.   

3.       What career are you working towards?

I have completed my major education in Electronics design and Telecommunication Engineering; I am looking forward to work as an Electronics Engineer. My main interest is in Fibre Optics sensor designing and testing.

4.       How will you be able to use the knowledge and skills learnt in this course in your future career?

While studying System Development Overview course, I have got to know various fact finding techniques which help to collect necessary requirements for the project from the point of organization as well as users of the system. I can use these techniques to get better understanding of the project in future. The relation between time management and cost of the project was most important factors in any project development, and while working on any project development in future I will be careful to finish my work within given time frame.

The total cost of ownership of any system is mainly affected by the cost of ongoing maintenance.  As we are developing Child Health Information System (CHIS) for the third world country, the cost of maintenance of operational system needs to be minimal. The four major maintenance tasks needed for Child Health Information System (CHIS) are discussed as

1. Corrective maintenance – It diagnoses and corrects errors in an operational system.
2. Adaptive maintenance – It is perform to add new capabilities and enhancements to makes use of system easier.
3. Perfective maintenance – It is perform to improve efficiency.
4. Preventive maintenance – It is perform to reduce the possibility of future system failure.

As CHIS have 4 main processes as child registration, medical treatment process (weight record collection), vaccination process and data updating process. The improper data recording at any process by the user might leads for a necessary corrective maintenance procedure. As CHIS is not just a electronic medical record system but it is a system which creates standardized networks that allows the exchange of the selected information with all authorized health centres and Department of Health. The CHIS is mainly use to move data to and from child health care centres. Indeed, it is the complexities of care and many different health centres who are involved may have different interest in these systems. Also as this system can be accessed not only by health centres but also by school nurses and other sites that needs child health information. These can lead into improper system data modification and updating due to the lack of operational skills of the user. This will increase the necessary corrective actions more often.

During the same time CHIS is being operational, availability of additional resources and new technology can be use to add new processes to the system. This will include adaptive maintenance task for the addition of these new processes. For the CHIS we can add further processes such as recording of medical treatments and medicines provided to the child. Also if new technical resources such as fast network connection, high speed data recording and transmitting system are made available, then CHIS functionality can be increased and more information can be collected and updated with adaptive maintenance. Also we can use an online access of the system which will improve the overall accessibility of the CHIS. Also new statistical information related to child health can be generated by categorizing overall database according to the necessity.  

After using the system, users of the CHIS can provide the feedback about the operational functionalities and difficulties they were facing. For example, if the health centres may not have compatible data storage system to that of CHIS or while accessing the information about child, system may be taking longer time. In this case, with a perfective maintenance we can index the overall information stored in the system according to the locations or according to the health care centres. This will improve the time require to access the information. Also with a use of better network servers we can transfer the information between various health centres efficiently and effectively.

The preventive maintenance for CHIS will include the regular back of system database at all health care centres. This is very important in case of data damage due to the failure of the system at any point of operations. Also the overall data collected throughout the nation also needs to have multiple back up as this is much needed important information to make any health policies and guidelines. Also authorization channel use to access the CHIS also needs to be frequently updated to avoid any unauthorized access of the system. This includes the password changes, addition of extra security functions to the CHIS.

According to the textbook there are four methodologies can be used to transform from one Information System to another within any organization. These methodologies include:

ØDirect Cutover – The new Information System immediately replaces the existing Information system within entire organization.

ØParallel – The new Information System and Existing Information System, both were used concurrently.

ØPilot – The new Information System is installed in one part of the organization as a trial.

ØPhased – While using existing system, new Information System is introduced into organization over the certain amount of period.

Any one of these methodology can be used to implement a new Child Health Information System (CHIS). But the merits and demerits of each method has to be consider before recommending one particular solution for new Child Health Information System (CHIS).

Direct Cutover

As our purpose is to introduce a new Child Health Information System (CHIS) for the Third World Country, the complexity involved in transformation using Direct Cutover method will be crucial factor while considering the resource availability. Also as this methodology replaces whole existing system, it will be further difficult changeover for the members using existing system due to the increased learning workload. Also introduction of new Information System will be needed to done throughout nation, which will be very complex task to perform within a short time frame. Also for any minor problem occurred, it will become very challenging task to resolve that issue and roll back to old system won’t be easy. However if implemented properly, Direct Cutover method can be most effective technique for the new Child Health Information System (CHIS). All the necessary and required procedures (child registration procedure, vaccination records etc) can be properly standardized into the new Child Health Information System (CHIS). And with proper training module for members who will be using the system, transformation to the new Child Health Information System (CHIS) can be easier.

Parallel

As this method requires use of existing as well as new system simultaneously, it will be most expensive option for developing new Child Health Information System (CHIS). While considering that we are developing new Child Health Information System (CHIS) for Third World Country this is very important factor due to imitated budget availability. To implement CHIS using this method will result in duplication of various processes within Information System. It will make even complex structure as both manual and technical systems will be involved at the same time. But this gives an advantage in case of failure of new system, old known working system will be still available. Also compatibility between two different systems will be challenging task.

Hence while considering information and process redundancy, and cost involved for maintaining two separate Information Systems, this methodology is not recommended to use for developing new Child Health Information System (CHIS).

Pilot

As this method develops a test module to use in one area within organisation, it will give us a chance to check how much new system can be efficient for the Health Care Department of third world country. We can develop new Child Health Information System (CHIS) and implement at one of the Health Centre to test the system. This will provide an option to check the efficiency and operational functionality of new system. It will also allow us to determine if any changes required for information collection and updates before implementing system throughout the nation. Thus use of pilot system will enable us to understand the performance of Child Health Information System (CHIS) within a particular Health Centre prior to system transformation throughout the nation.

Phased

We can introduce new Child Health Information System (CHIS) in certain phases. Such as at the beginning we can upgrade the process in which child registration and personal information updates were carried out. This will generate a uniformed and standardized child information database for the Department of Health. In next phase, we can introduce system with adequate medical update and vaccination update processes. These phases will be implemented throughout the nation simultaneously. So consistency of information collection, modification and updates will be maintained. Also it will allow us for the necessary improvements within new Child Health Information System (CHIS) according to the availability of resources. But duration for complete development and implementation of new Child Health Information System (CHIS) will be crucial factor here. But system performance can be evaluated at each phase and improvements in system will be possible by using updated available resources. Also this method allows us to train and involve the users of the system throughout development stages. This methodology is best possible solution to developing new Child Health Information System (CHIS), considering facts regarding availability of resources and tight financial positions within third world country.

Mohammad A. Rob. “Dilemma between the structured and object-oriented approaches to systems analysis and design”. The Journal of Computer Information Systems; Spring 2006; 46, 3; ABI/INFORM Global Pg. 32.

The author discusses the complexities of the object-oriented concepts and the Unified Process of systems development methodology in comparison with the structured approach. In this research author compare and contrast the both structured and object oriented approach to analyse the various design phases involved. This research finds that the phases of the traditional approach do not match with those of the Unified process.

Teresa M. Shaft, Leslie Jordan Albert & Jon (Sean) Jasperson. “Managing change in an information systems development organization: understanding developer transitions from a structured to an object-oriented development environment”. Info Systems Journal; 2008; 18; 275–297.

This research provides the details about challenges faced by Information System developers making transition from Structural approach to Object Oriented approach. It discussed how the gains in Object Oriented Development knowledge are compatible with existing Structural Development knowledge. The authors also investigated about individual developer’s understanding of Object Oriented Development concepts changed.

Thomas J. Cashman, Gary B. Shelly, Harry J. Rosenblatt 2007, “System Analysis and Design”, Thomson Course Technology, Boston, MA.

This textbook guides to understand and learn various phases of Information System Development. It provides the necessary information for studying various approaches for system development. It includes the understanding of operational and business requirements in today’s intensely competitive environment. It explains how system analysts interact with users, management, and other IT professional in typical business organization. This textbook provides case studies to promote critical thinking skill and knowledge.

Ans: Whether the developer used traditional or object-oriented method, during the systems implementation phase (where the new system is constructed), the procedure is the same – the programs are written, tested, and documented, and the system is installed.

The entity relationship diagram (ERD) gives a conceptual model of all the fundamental set of processes and relationships in the application domain for the traditional approach of the system development. The Unified Modelling Language (UML) uses object-oriented design concepts and which is independent of any specific programming language is also generally describes the business processes and requirements.

Both structured and object-oriented methods share the principle of design that include building technical architecture of system, building the database and programs, testing the system using the established test scripts, which helps to understand and modify the changes for the new information system development.

Name one way that the traditional and object-oriented approaches to information systems development are different. Explain how they are different.

Ans: The handling of data and various business processes is the fundamental difference between traditional and object-oriented approaches to information systems development.

The traditional approach which is also known as structured analysis treats data and processes as separate components. Structured analysis uses a series of phases called as Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), for planning, analysis, design, implementation and systems operation and support. Structure analysis is process-oriented technique which focuses on processes that transform data into useful information. It also includes data organization and structure, relational database design, and user interface issues. Thus SDLC model requires formal assessment of end products and deliverables.

Whereas object-oriented analysis (O-O) combines data and processes that acts on the data into things called objects and models the system as a group of interacting objects. Each object represents some entity of interest in the system being modeled, and is characterized by its class, its state (data elements), and its behavior. Collaboration between objects involves sending messages to each other. Sending a message differs from calling a function in that when a target object receives a message, it itself decides what function to carry out to service that message. The same message may be implemented by many different functions, the one selected depending on the state of the target object. Hence O-O analysis involves a continuous modeling process that also requires checkpoints and project review.

b. Diagram 0 DFD for DVD rental system:

In the traditional approach for system development as a professional system analyst we need to follow certain phases of development as: (1) Preliminary investigation, 2) system analysis, 3) system design, 4) system acquisition, and 5) system implementation. To collect necessary information we can use either joint application development (JAD) which is team oriented technique or rapid application development (RAD) which is user oriented technique. RAD resembles a condensed version of entire System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) involving user at every step.To develop the Child Health Information System (CHIS) using traditional approach will require a detail study of current system. For that we can use various fact finding techniques such as

·         Overview: Typically asking a series of questions to collect related information. Who are the users of CHIS? What information requirements are expected from the CHIS by the users? How they are going to use the system? Where they can access CHIS? Answers to these and related question will help us to develop strategies and prepare system requirement documents.

·         Interviews: With a successful interviews system analyst can obtain essential information from the users and operators of existing healthcare system. This will help him to understand advantages and disadvantages of current health care system from the point of actual users. To develop CHIS, we can organise interviews with a doctors and/or nurses who are the main user of the system. It will help us to understand what exactly expectations from new system are. Also interview with a World Health Organisational official will help to understand about their requirements.

·         Document Review: To develop a new system, document available about current health care system will give us details of available information. This includes available children health care information, health care centres information, health care professionals such as doctors and nurses, available resources for system networking. Considering all this information, it will be easy for an analyst to provide changes into a new CHIS system and collect all necessary resources.

·         Observations: Observation of existing health care systems into regular practice will help us to understand what type of interface improvement can be done in CHIS. It will guide us to the minor possible problems faced by operators of the system. For example it will help us understand available network performance, data update procedures and delays in information deliveries.

·         Sampling: From existing health care system we can collect all available data, records, reports, operational logs, various types of forms used, and complaint summaries. This information can systematically sample according to the need of new system. It can be use as base information for some part of new CHIS.

·         Research: We can use various means such as internet, magazines, and books to understand child healthcare, health care centre essentials and available technology that can be use for new CHIS.

 Q2. What is the object-oriented approach to systems development?

The principals of objects, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism are the foundation for object-oriented systems development. An object encapsulates both data and behaviour, implying that analysts can use the object-oriented approach for both data modelling and process modelling. The object-oriented approach combines data and processes into single entities called objects. (Hoffer, George, Joey, Valacich, Joseph, 2002).

To develop the Child Health Information System (CHIS) using object-oriented approach objects usually correspond to the real things, such as user of system, operator of the system, network provider (communication medium) of the system and database management system. Object-oriented model of CHIS will be able to thoroughly represent complex relationships between various objects. It can represent data and data processing with a consistent notation, which allows an easier blending of analysis and design in an evolutionary process. The goal of object-oriented approach is to make system elements more reusable, thus it will improve Child Health Information System quality and the productivity of systems analysis and design.

We can use Functional Decomposition Diagrams (FDD) to provide top-down representation of Child Health Information System functions and various processes. It can be used to define specific function or process and then relevant information can be break to specified user. For example, Child registration can be a process which collects all the information about child, but doctors can have access to information related to only treatments received.

The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is an object-oriented language for specifying, visualizing, constructing, and documenting the artefacts of software systems, as well as for business modelling. The UML can be used to develop new Child Health Information System. We can use UML to specify and construct all the relevant entities used in new health care system. It can used to demonstrate the new CHIS from a user’s viewpoint i.e. user interface for system.

Q3. What textbooks, journals and/or websites might be useful to search for articles about Comparing and contrasting the traditional and object-oriented approaches to systems development?To study and compare the various approaches for system development I have found many resources are available. I have listed few of them here:

1)    Mike Bray, Lockheed-Martin Ground Systems, 27 Oct 97: updated URL for [ETT 96], http://www.sei.cmu.edu/str/descriptions/oodesign_body.html

2)     Thomas J. Cashman, Gary B. Shelly, Harry J. Rosenblatt 2007, “System Analysis and Design”, Thomson Course Technology, Boston, MA.

3)     Raghvinder Sangwan, Colin Neill, Matthew Bass, Zakaria El Houda, Aug 2007, “Integrating a software architecture-centric method into object-oriented analysis and design”.

4)     Foller, M. 2000. UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Object Modelling Language. 2nd. Ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. 

 The third world countries are facing big crisis in current Child Health Information System (CHIS) mainly because of lack of awareness about child health programs delivered by World Health Organisation (WHO). The current systems inefficiency is the result of inconsistency in children health data monitoring system and limited availability of resources. Problems of underreporting and misclassification still remain a major hurdle for countries in building good information bases. Furthermore, the lack of capacity to interpret and use information for supervision and decision-making only reinforces the need to strengthen countries child care surveillance systems. The major issues associated with Child HealthInformation Systems include limited resources, difficulty in collecting qualified data, and using information insufficiently and incompletely.

The major problems assessed in current system are as:

1.       Lack of information about children immunization which makes hard to keep track of immunisation level to assist health professionals to monitor disease outbreaks

2.      Lack of information about type of vaccine received by individual child

3.      Irregularity in children weight monitoring system which represents  the child health and overall growth

4.      Inconsistency in children health history records which can provides information for recognising serious illness  

Q2. What information do you need to find out about the Child Health Information System to develop a detailed understanding of the current system?

In most prior Child Health Information Systems in third world countries, different vertical information systems used to record data on child health, but little information is used for supervision and decision-making because of the lack of capacity to interpret and utilize the data. Hence our main object is to design application software for Child Health Information System with a standard list of indicators and a series of protocols for child health surveillance and care.

To understand current Child Health Information Systems we need to find out following information:

a.      Resources used to collect the child health data

b.      Techniques used to represent this data

c.       Flexibility provided to update the child health data

d.      Ease of access to available information 

The new system needs to systematically collate information on

Ø  Health Centre Details: Name, ID number, contact information, services provided, resources available at the centre, population served

Ø  Child Information: Name, Unique ID number, age, gender, school attended and grade, emergency contact details

Ø  Child Vaccination Information: Type of vaccination given to child on a given visit to health centre

Ø  Vaccines: Different type of vaccines used by health centre

Ø  Child Medical Visit Information: Child weight, disease that the child diagnosed with and severity level of disease, treatment provided, medicine information, progress details

Ø  Commonly found diseases in children 

The system needs to instantly convert data into information to be used for case management, prioritize courses of action and monitor resource allocation and quality assessment.

The strategies to improve information systems include emphasizing the use of existing data; strengthening feedback, supervision and monitoring; adapting suitable software; and summarizing the experience and lessons learnt periodically and improving the system gradually.

 The systems main emphasized is that Child Health Information System should be beneficial to three levels of the health care system: it should improve health workers’ capacity in case management (professional incentive); provide managers with a tool/measure to carry out monitoring and supervision; and provide information for decision-makers (develop policies and strategies).