| In the world of globalization, Information system is | | | | Reuse staff and skills on other projects; |
| such where data are collected, classified and put into | | | | Protect investment in analysis and design, and to |
| process interpreting the result thereon in order to | | | | allow freedom in implementation techniques. |
| provide an integrated series of information for | | | | SSADM consists of three main components: |
| further communicating and analyzing. In a | | | | The structure or framework of an SSADM |
| progressively more spirited worldwide atmosphere, | | | | project |
| Information System plays the role as ‘enabler | | | | A set of standard analysis and design techniques |
| and facilitator’, which endows with tactical values | | | | The products of each technique |
| to the officialdom and considerable step up to the | | | | The structure of SSADM might appear a little |
| excellence of administration. ‘An Information | | | | complex at first, but will make more sense as we |
| System is a particular type of work system that | | | | began to look at the method in more detail. Following |
| uses information technology to detain, put on the air, | | | | diagram illustrates the breakdown of the life cycle |
| store, retrieve, manipulate or display information, | | | | into a hierarchy of modules, stages, steps and |
| thereby partisan one or more other work | | | | tasks.Each module represents a SSADM phase, and is |
| structure’. In totting up to taking sides | | | | made up of one or two stages. Where a module |
| assessment making, co-ordination and control, | | | | contains two stages, one will be an analysis or design |
| information systems may also help managers and | | | | and the other will be a project decision stage. Each |
| workers investigate problems, envisage complex | | | | stages is made up of between two to seven steps, |
| subjects and generate new merchandise or services. | | | | which provide the framework for applying and |
| The criteria of operational systems and the idata | | | | controlling the development techniques. The tasks to |
| management systems that support analytically pass | | | | be carried out within each step define how the |
| through at least four phases: a) Introducing the | | | | techniques should be used, and specify the required |
| system of manipulating the need to promulgate | | | | standard of the products output from the step. |
| on going operational Management system b) | | | | Following diagram shows the breakdown of SSADM's |
| development of the process of acquiring and | | | | modules and stages.The major analysis techniques |
| configuring/installing the necessary hardware, | | | | mainly used are as follows: |
| software and other resources c) implementation, the | | | | Business Activity Modelling (BAM) - explicitly |
| process of making new system operational in the | | | | describes what goes on that part of the business |
| organisation, and d) Operation and maintenance, the | | | | under investigation. The activities are defined from |
| process concerned with the operation of the system, | | | | purely a business rather than on IS perspective. |
| correcting any problems that may arise and ensuring | | | | Recommended approach to be used in the |
| that the system is delivering the anticipating benefits. | | | | construction of a BAM may be Soft System |
| The management of these processes can be | | | | Methodology (SSM), Functional Decomposition or |
| achieved and controlled using a series of techniques | | | | Resource Flow Diagrams. |
| and management tools which, collectively, tend to be | | | | Logical Data Modelling (LDM), representing |
| known as Structured Management System. Two | | | | system data, is applied throughout the life cycle to |
| important methodologies: PRINCE (Projects IN a | | | | provide the foundation of the new system; |
| Controlled Environment), and SSADM (Structured | | | | Work Practice Model (WPM) maps business |
| Systems Analysis and Design | | | | activities onto the organisation structure defining user |
| Methodology),structured by the Central Computing | | | | roles to the underlying business activities. |
| and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), are used | | | | The key important thing is the end-product. Each |
| widely in the UK public sector and in some Developing | | | | step has number of tasks associated with it, most of |
| Countries, like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal etc. Prior to | | | | which lead to the creation or enhancement of |
| comment on the application of these methods in the | | | | standard SSADM products. At the end of an SSADM |
| Developing Countries, it would be pertinent to | | | | project the new system will be described by the sum |
| describe brief outlines of these methodologies. | | | | of these products. Products can be divided into three |
| It is a significant fact that PRINCE is a project | | | | basic groups: Processing, Data and System-User (or |
| management method; not system development, | | | | Human-Computer) Interface. |
| which covers the organisation, management and | | | | By way of substantiating the Information System in |
| control of projects. Since its introduction in 1989, | | | | developing countries is a complicated virtual process, |
| PRINCE has become widely used in both the public | | | | specially in the public sector. With the growing needs |
| and private sectors and is now the UK’s de | | | | in the information age, and by the pressure from the |
| facto standard for project management. Although | | | | international donors , big and ambitious projects has |
| PRINCE was originally developed for the needs of IT | | | | been undertaken by the public sector in developing |
| projects, the method has also been used on many | | | | countries . But due to the lack of standard |
| non-IT projects. PRINCE requires a dedicated team | | | | procedures and methodologies for IS development |
| to be established to manage and carry out each | | | | caused many projects to combat problems in the |
| project. It therefore aims to provide a supporting | | | | implementation stage. Many projects failed to attain |
| framework between the current state of affairs and | | | | their business needs, as they were too large and |
| the planned future state. PRINCE focuses attention | | | | highly ambitious. Basic reasons for the project failure |
| on end-products rather than activities, ensuring that | | | | in the developing countries can be characterised as |
| the organisation actually gets what it wants out of | | | | the following: |
| the project. Quality is seen as a necessary and | | | | Solving wrong problem; |
| integral part of the project and the focus on | | | | Technology led, not business; |
| end-products enables the criteria by which quality is | | | | Lack of major stakeholder involvement; |
| to be judged to be specified at the outset of the | | | | Experts lead, rather than facilitate; |
| project. It requires the development of a viable | | | | Lack of commitment and hidden agenda; |
| “business case” for the project at its outset | | | | Benefits not identified and quantified at outset. |
| and that the business case needs to be periodically | | | | Nowadays, the developing countries are applying both |
| reviewed. | | | | PRINCE AND SSADM methodologies, the project |
| In PRINCE a project is regarded as having the | | | | management development techniques, specially |
| following characteristics: | | | | designed for IT projects, that are funded by the UK |
| defined and unique set of technical products to | | | | Department for International development (DFID). |
| meet the business needs | | | | 4.2 In Bangladesh , private sectors are advancing |
| corresponding set of activities to construct | | | | with IS development , but it is not the identical |
| those products | | | | situation in the public sector. The reasons behind this |
| certain amount of resources | | | | may be the poor salary structure in the public |
| finite lifespan | | | | service, which never give confidence to the |
| organisational structure with defined | | | | prospective talents and system designers to join the |
| responsibilities | | | | public services. Most of the IT projects are donor |
| In such Management Structured System, an | | | | funded; domestically financed IT projects rarely |
| approach to planning based on products rather than | | | | experience success like the donor projects. |
| activities and the use of this approach for the | | | | 4.3 However, RIBEC (Reforms in Budgeting and |
| benefits. It also emphasises that projects needs to | | | | Expenditure Control) project, funded by DFID, has |
| define the ‘ shape’ or manageable phases of | | | | been considered as the most successful project in |
| a project to promote sound business control. Stages | | | | Bangladesh. |
| are characterised by the production of specific | | | | At the early stage of RIBEC project (Phase 2), it |
| products. The PRINCE model for projects is based on | | | | was observed that, the project was design to |
| two main principles: | | | | develop and modernise the budgeting and accounting |
| The project is a joint responsibility between users, | | | | system of the government of Bangladesh. The |
| the developers and the organisation for whose | | | | experts mainly dominated that phase, including lots of |
| benefit the end-product is being developed | | | | things to cover. There was lack of stakeholders' |
| In order for projects to succeed, a special structure | | | | involvement; problems were not recognised at the |
| is demanded to manage the project throughout its | | | | initial stage. Only a range of high-grade staff in the |
| life - from conception through build to handover. This | | | | relevant field was given a general IT training. There |
| structure is distinct from normal line management. | | | | was no follow up; no visible product was seen. |
| By Using these principles, the model defines three | | | | Benefits were not identified. No system was |
| levels of activity: | | | | developed to automate the budgeting and accounting |
| Overall project management and major decision | | | | system. So this phase 2 had experienced a massive |
| making | | | | failure. Having awful experience, the following phase |
| Day-to-day management | | | | (2A and 2B), a downsized project with specific |
| Production of end-products | | | | output targets came up with analysing user |
| These three levels of activity are assigned | | | | requirements. This phase focused on sustainability and |
| respectively to the Project Board, to the Project and | | | | proved successful with sustainable solutions especially |
| Stage Managers, and to the Technical Teams. The | | | | in the software development for budgeting and |
| latest version of the method, PRINCE 2, is a | | | | accounting Substantive training had been offered to |
| process-based approach for project management | | | | the users of the systems. Stakeholders have been |
| providing an easily tailored, and scaleable method for | | | | involved in the software development process and |
| the management of all types of projects. Each | | | | the local vendors who will be easily available in the |
| process is defined with its key inputs and outputs | | | | future, developed the systems. Following PRINCE and |
| together with the specific objectives to be achieved | | | | SSADM as methods for project management and |
| and activities to be carried out. In the following | | | | system development, RIBEC project is now |
| diagram, the process-based approach is shown: | | | | considered as a model for other projects which |
| Structured Management Process Model | | | | implies the potential scope for applying these |
| Such Standard Method provides benefits to the | | | | methodologies.Financial Management Project for HMG |
| organisation, as well as the managers and directors of | | | | Nepal has been designed to establish a reliable |
| the project, through the controllable use of resources | | | | database to ensure user friendly and reliable financial |
| and the ability to manage business and project risk | | | | information and to computerise budgetary system. |
| more effectively. PRINCE enables projects to have: | | | | CCTA guidelines for IS strategy including PRINCE and |
| a controlled and organised start, middle and end; | | | | SSADM were followed in developing the system. In |
| regular reviews of progress against plan and | | | | Pakistan, Lahore WASA project experienced badly as |
| against Business Case; | | | | the original proposal was too big and not phased |
| flexible decision points; | | | | project; no analysis of business needs, solution was |
| automatic management control of any deviations | | | | technology led, benefits were not identified at |
| from the plan; | | | | outset, high risk strategy, questionable long-term |
| the involvement of management and | | | | sustainability, lack of training facilities and computing |
| stakeholders at the right time and place during the | | | | skill within organisation etc. So, 2 years’ costs |
| project; | | | | and effort were wasted. |
| good communication channels between the | | | | By taking into consideration the UK approach of |
| project, project management, and the rest of the | | | | project management, Lahore WASA claim to be |
| organisation. | | | | successor and benefits are realised especially in the |
| There is no denying the fact that SSADM is a highly | | | | billing from bimonthly billing to daily billing and reduction |
| structured and rigorous method of systems | | | | in bill production cycle. The main project management |
| development ,was originally developed by Learmonth | | | | approach in the new proposal includes: redefinition of |
| and Burchett Management System (LBMS) following | | | | purpose, identify business benefits, prioritise outputs, |
| an investigation by the CCTA into adopting a | | | | involvement of stakeholders, DIFID played the role |
| standard Information System (IS) development | | | | as the facilitator not doer, ownership of solution by |
| method for use in UK government projects. It was | | | | stakeholders, use of local consultant etc, phased |
| launched in 1981 and by 1983 became mandatory for | | | | development, distributed system. |
| all the government IS developments. This gave | | | | In view of the above it is evident that |
| SSADM a large toehold in the IS structured methods | | | | ‘Information technology and Information |
| market. | | | | systems for what they really are - powerful and |
| It is a prerequisite for SSADM that user commitment | | | | valuable tools, but not magic. When applied |
| and involvement are agreed right from the start. It | | | | thoughtfully, these tools can bring important benefits |
| provides a top-down approach, where a high level | | | | for individuals, organisations, and customers. When |
| picture is drawn up and subsequently refined into | | | | misapplied, they can waste tremendous amounts of |
| lower levels of detail. One extremely important | | | | time, effort, and money’.The USA, a Progressed |
| concept in SSADM is the distinction between logical | | | | and well structured country that is economically and |
| and physical views of system components. | | | | technologically advanced, designed PRINCE AND |
| The following purpose are generally fulfilled by such | | | | SSADM, to meet their own requirements. It cannot |
| important methods. | | | | be expected that these structured methodologies |
| Provide a sound platform for communications | | | | would equally suit the resource scarce developing |
| between analysts, designers and users; | | | | countries. But the above discussions surmise that |
| Reduce errors and gaps in the specification | | | | there is potential scope and rationale for applying |
| produced | | | | PRINCE AND SSADM that would facilitate the |
| Improve the quality of software documentation | | | | developing countries for better project management |
| and the productivity of analysts; | | | | and system development. But again, these |
| Reduce potential risks by presenting analysts | | | | methodologies need not be considered as the “ |
| with a structural framework for the use of | | | | final conclusive critics”, rather these structural |
| techniques, and a standard for documentation | | | | criteria should be used thoughtfully, tailored to |
| end-products; | | | | manage projects efficiently and to develop effective |
| Provide techniques for checking completeness | | | | information systems to cope with the challenge of |
| and accuracy; | | | | change Management virtually. |
| Improve the maintainability of the new systems; | | | | |