| "Good specifications will improve
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| | management position was Dan Boone who was
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| programmer productivity far better than
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| | made President and COO of Armco Steel in
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| any programming tool or technique."
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| | the late 1970's.If systems analysis is
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| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONIn terms of
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| | performed correctly, programmer
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| systems development, during the 1960's
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| | productivity should improve as analysts
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| and early 1970's you were either a
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| | should be providing good specifications
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| Systems Analyst or a Programmer. Period.
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| | for application assignments. In the
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| At the time, there were substantially
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| | absence of systems analysts, considerable
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| more analysts than programmers (at least
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| | time is lost by the programmer who has to
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| a 2:1 ratio). This was due, in part, to
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| | second-guess what the end-user wants.
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| the fact that computing was just coming
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| | Inevitably, this leads to rewriting
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| into its own in the corporate world and
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| | software over and over again. Good data
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| there were still people around who could
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| | and processing specs, as provided by a
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| look at systems in its entirety.
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| | systems analyst, will improve programmer
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| However, there was a screaming need for
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| | productivity far better than any
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| people to program computers and, as such,
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| | programming tool or technique. This
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| this became the boom years of
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| | means programmers are the beneficiaries
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| programming. If you knew COBOL, Fortran,
| |
| | of good systems analysis.This brings up
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| or PL/1 you could just about right your
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| | an interesting point, what should be the
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| own ticket. Salaries were good, and you
| |
| | ratio of Systems Analysts to Programmers
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| could intimidate your employer simply by
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| | in a development organization? Frankly,
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| what you knew (you had to commit
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| | I believe there should be twice as many
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| something like murder to get fired). The
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| | analysts than programmers. By
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| emphasis on programming became so great
| |
| | concentrating on the upfront work,
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| that authors rushed out voluminous books
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| | programming is simplified. Let me
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| to increase programmer productivity,
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| | illustrate the point by using the
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| hence the birth of the Structured
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| | following triangles representing the
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| Programming movement of the late 1970's,
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| | total amount of effort in a project (as
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| which was followed shortly thereafter by
| |
| | an aside, I picked this up from my
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| the CASE movement (Computer Aided
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| | customers in Japan who share my opinion),
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| Software Engineering).While programming
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| | see: triangle on the left represents the
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| was growing in stature, Systems Analysis
| |
| | traditional approach whereby there is
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| was in sharp decline. Trade groups such
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| | twice the number of programmers to
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| as the Association for Systems Management
| |
| | systems analysts. Under this approach,
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| (ASM) saw their membership dwindle to
| |
| | considerably more time is spent producing
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| nothing and were forced to close their
| |
| | software to satisfy poorly defined
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| doors. The last of the old Systems
| |
| | requirements. The Japanese point out the
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| Analysts either retired or were put out
| |
| | bottom of the triangle is actually
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| to pasture by corporations in the 1980's.
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| | bottomless as it means more time is
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| New job titles emerged, such as Software
| |
| | needed to complete a project. Compare it
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| Engineer and Analyst/Programmer. This
| |
| | to the triangle on the right where there
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| latter title is a bit of a misnomer as
| |
| | are twice as many analysts to
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| the emphasis was on programming and not
| |
| | programmers. Under this scenario, more
|
| systems analysis.Although programming
| |
| | time is spent analyzing the problem,
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| excelled, a noticeable void began to
| |
| | designing the system, and producing
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| appear in terms of people who could see
| |
| | better programming specs. Consequently,
|
| systems in its totality. Writing a good
| |
| | the programmers do not have to
|
| program is one thing, getting it to
| |
| | second-guess what has to be performed and
|
| interface with other programs to form a
| |
| | can go about their work more
|
| whole system is something entirely
| |
| | productively.The problem with the diagram
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| different. By the turn of the century,
| |
| | on the right though is that Systems
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| the industry started to talk about such
| |
| | Analysis is considered to be somewhat of
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| things as "Enterprise Architecture,"
| |
| | a nebulous concept to management.
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| "Business Processes," "Business Rules,"
| |
| | Programming, on the other hand, is more
|
| "Business Analysis," etc. Further, new
| |
| | tangible and easier for people to grasp;
|
| conferences, trade groups, and job titles
| |
| | you are either writing code and producing
|
| began to emerge. Today, programmers are
| |
| | a program or you are not. Therefore, the
|
| considered a dime a dozen and the stock
| |
| | mindset in management is that you are not
|
| of a true analyst is on the rise.All of
| |
| | being productive unless you are coding,
|
| this is indicative of the industry trying
| |
| | hence the inclination to shortcut systems
|
| to reinvent systems theory. In reality
| |
| | analysis. This is a key reason why
|
| there is nothing new here as systems
| |
| | Systems Analysis collapsed in the 1980's.
|
| analysis is systems analysis. But as
| |
| | And this is why it is necessary to
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| companies implement these concepts and
| |
| | provide training so management
|
| job titles again, they are a bit
| |
| | appreciates the need for systems
|
| uncertain as to where they fit in and
| |
| | analysis. Frankly, I have found
|
| their relationship to other Information
| |
| | management can be very supportive if it
|
| Technology functions.CHARACTERISTICSA
| |
| | is presented to them
|
| Systems Analyst goes by many names these
| |
| | properly.CONCLUSIONWhether you call them
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| days; e.g., Business Analyst, Enterprise
| |
| | Systems Analysts, Business Analysts,
|
| Architect, Systems Engineer (my personal
| |
| | Systems Engineers, or Enterprise
|
| preference), etc. Nonetheless, we are
| |
| | Architects, it is very encouraging to see
|
| talking about a person whose mission is
| |
| | this vital function being reintroduced to
|
| to study the information requirements of
| |
| | companies. As far as I am concerned, it
|
| a business and design a total system
| |
| | was inevitable. I guess companies
|
| solution to satisfy them. Further, the
| |
| | finally figured out you cannot satisfy
|
| analyst is responsible for specifying the
| |
| | your systems problems simply by using
|
| software requirements and, as such, is
| |
| | better programming tools and
|
| considered the intermediary with the
| |
| | techniques.We are also beginning to see
|
| programming staff. The personal
| |
| | the resurgence of related trade groups to
|
| characteristics of the analyst are
| |
| | replace such groups as the Association
|
| considerably different than the
| |
| | for Systems Management (ASM), for
|
| programmer. Whereas the programmer tends
| |
| | example:The International Institute of
|
| to be more introverted and focused on
| |
| | Business AnalysisThe IIBA appears to be
|
| technology, the analyst tends to be more
| |
| | picking up where ASM left off, including
|
| business oriented and extroverted.
| |
| | certification. Whereas ASM developed and
|
| Analysts possess good communications
| |
| | offered the Certified Systems
|
| skills (verbal and written) to
| |
| | Professional (CSP) certification years
|
| effectively work with both the end-users
| |
| | ago, IIBA wants to create something
|
| and the programming staff. They know how
| |
| | similar.All of this is indicative of how
|
| to conduct an interview and make a
| |
| | the industry is trying to reinvent
|
| presentation (salesmanship). In
| |
| | systems theory. Whereas such systems
|
| addition, they tend to look at the bigger
| |
| | work was well known up until the 1980's
|
| picture as opposed to just a portion of
| |
| | it was forgotten over the last twenty
|
| it, and possess an entrepreneurial
| |
| | years due to the emphasis on programming.
|
| spirit.The analyst understands the
| |
| | Fortunately, companies have finally
|
| business problems of the end-user and is
| |
| | realized the importance of systems work
|
| intimate with the operation of the user's
| |
| | and are trying to get their houses in
|
| department. In other words, the analyst
| |
| | order. I guess what goes around, comes
|
| can comfortably walk in the shoes of the
| |
| | around.Tim Bryce is the Managing Director
|
| end-user. If they are doing their job
| |
| | of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm
|
| properly, analysts make excellent
| |
| | Harbor, Florida, a management consulting
|
| candidates to assume responsibility in
| |
| | firm specializing in Information Resource
|
| the management hierarchy. But because
| |
| | Management (IRM). Mr. Bryce has over 30
|
| analysts were in decline for so many
| |
| | years of experience in the field. He is
|
| years, this hasn't happened for quite
| |
| | available for training and consulting on
|
| some time. The last time I heard of a
| |
| | an international basis.
|
| systems analyst graduating to a major
| |
| |
|
