ISM-IV SAD-II (UM04CBBS72) UNIT-1

UNIT-1 Designing and Fact Gathering Techniques:

FACT GATHERINH TECHNIQUES:

 Introduction
Information gathering in large and complex organizations is not easy task. It has to be gathered in
an organization way. So that
a) No system details are left out.
b) Right problems are identified
c) Repetitive work is avoided
d) Wrong or incomplete details are not collected.
Here we try to get an overall idea about the search methods or fact gathering techniques which are
commonly used. They are:
1. Interviewing
2. Questionnaires
3. Record inspection
4. Observation.
These techniques are used in system analysis, design or even during implementation stage.
1. Interviewing
This technique is used to collect information from the individual or from groups. It is an art better
learned from practice than from books. It is an invaluable technique to gather qualitative
information, opinions, policies, suggestions, underlying problems etc.
However, there are certain points to be remembered in conducting interviews:
I. Put yourself in other’s place and pose your questions.
II. Maintain a neutral attitude. However, show genuine interest so that the other person
can come out with his problems, thoughts and ideas.
III. Ask specifics.
IV. Notice what he does not say.
V. Do not allow your mind to wander. It is usually reflected to your face. If the interviewer
leaves the core subject, bring him back to the track tactfully.
VI. Don’t show you are in hurry.
VII. Be prepared for disagreement.
VIII. Always be polite.

Advantages
 The questionnaires and forms can be filled at the time of interviews if so desired.\
 The interviewee gets a sense of belonging to the proposed system if handled properly
 On many occasions, as the interviewee is not ask commit in writing, he offers many tips which
are very difficult to obtain in the normal process.
 The greatest advantage is that the underlying problems come to surface.

2. Questionnaires
Questionnaires may be used as a supplement (enhancement) to interviews. More people can be
reached and answers can be corroborated. The questionnaires can have open ended question like –
what is the average value of invoice in your department?
a) Less than Rs. 3000
b) Rs. 3000 to Rs. 5000
c) Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10000
d) Rs. 10000 and above.

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A questionnaire can be considered as a structured interview form. Since the cost involved in
developing and distributing is very high, the following points must be kept in mind while designing
questionnaires:
1. The objective of the questionnaire must be clear.
2. The structure must be useful for the study.
3. Question must be easily and unambiguously understood.
Questionnaires are useful for:
1. Gathering numerical data.
2. Getting relatively simple opinion from a large no. of people.
3. Obtaining collective (group) opinion etc.

3. Record review
Believe in record than in people. Thus a good analyst always gets facts from documents.
An existing system can be better understood by examining existing documents, forms and files.
This record review can take place at the beginning of the system study or later in the study for
comparing actual operations with what the record indicate.
Record may include:
1) Written policy manuals.
2) Rules and regulations.
3) Standard operating procedures used in the organization.
4) Forms and documents.
The following questions may be useful in analysis of forms:
1) Who uses these forms?
2) Do they include all the information?
3) How readable and easy to follow is the form?
4) Is it ideal for analysis and inference? Etc.

4. Observation:
An analyst must always keep his mental antenna alert! Observation can bring in missed facts; new
ways to improve the existing procedures, duplicate work done in inadvertently etc. observation can
bring in what other fact finding methods cannot! But this task is delicate because people do not like
to be observed when they work.
Observation can look for:
a) operational inefficiencies
b) Alternate routes and procedures.
c) Interruptions in the normal flow of work.
d) The usage of files and documents.
e) Informal communication channels etc.
Onsite observation provides close view of the working of the real system. He can observe people,
objects, documents and occurrences of events.

INPUT DESIGN:
 Introduction
Input design involves capturing of data as well as inputting it to be computer. Accordingly input
design consists of data capturing and data validation.
Input design contains:
1) Data capture
2) Data validation
3) Data Varification

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1. Data capture
Data capture covers all the stages from the recording of basic data to the feeding of this data into
the computer for processing.
The basic steps in this process are:
a) Original recording
b) Data transmission
c) Data preparation
d) Verification
e) Sorting
f) Control
g) Computer Input

Original Recording
This is the collection of data at its source. This involves clerical preparation of source documents
including manual checks.
For example: preparing an examination marksheet.
Data Transmission
The data moves from the point of origin to the data processing center.
For example: the group of related marklist are bunched into batches and sent to data processing
center.
Data Preparation
The transcription (copy) of source document on to an input media such as megnetic tape, megnetic
disk etc is data preparation.
For example: in the offline system the transfer of data from mark list to magnetic floppy disk is the
case of data preparation.
Data Verification:
It is to verify that the transcription (copy) has been done correctly. This is vital (essential) because it
can result in wrong output.
Sorting:
Sorting is the process of arranging data into some desired sequence. Sorting may be done manually
or mechanically.
Control:
Throughout all the stages listed above it is essential that checking, verifying and validity controls
are maintained. This is to ensure that all the data collected, transmitted and input are correct.
Computer Input:
The data is read by the input device like magnetic disk drive and transferred to the internal store
where it undergoes validity checks. Invalid data will pass back to go through the entry stages again.

Data Capture Objectives

If the data input is bad then output is worse. This call for clear data captures objectives such as:
1) Reduction in the volume of input to the extent possible.
2) Lesser manual preparation.
3) An input design which will ease the work of the person engaged in input preparation.
4) Minimizing the number of steps practicable in data capturing process.
5) The data capturing process will also depend on the type of input data, type of application and
the hardware configuration available.

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2. Data Validation
The objective of a data validation system is to detect errors at the earliest possible stage before
costly activities are performed on invalid data. Some data validation is done by way of manual
verification in data capture stage itself. In spite of this, still there may be incorrect batches of input
data, missing data, duplicate data and incorrect file records etc.
It is necessary that before data is first input to the computer for processing different checks are
carried out. This checks will classified valid and invalid data. This is generally done with the help of
a DATA VET program. This is often referred to as DATA VELIDATION. OR DATA VET.

Validation Checks
There are various categories of checks which can be applied to during a validation run.
 Field Check
 Transaction Check

Field Check includes the following

1) Limit check:
May be applied to each field (data item) of a record to ensure that its content lie within predefined
size. (the amount of salary can be form 00000.00 to 15000.00 for an employee. If the amount is
beyond these limits then further corrections becomes necessary.)
2) Picture check:
May be applied to each field to detect entry of incorrect characters in the field. ( PIC of employ-no
is AAA 9999. an EMPLOY-NO PRD24NG would be rejected as there is a letter in the sixth position
and this should be only numeric)
3) Valid code check:
To validate input against predefined transaction codes. These predefined codes may either be
embedded in the programs or stored in files. (Contents EMPLOYEE-CATEGORY field A, B, C, D, E are
only valid and any other letter coming inthat field will be rejected)
4) Check digit:
It is used to detect transposition errors when recording “key” fields. (i.e. 54786 is entered as
54768)
5) Arithmetic checks:
It is used to ensure the validity of the results by performing arithmetic operations in different ways.
6) Cross checks:
It may be applied to verify fields appearing in different files to verify that result fully.

Transaction Check:
1) Sequence check:
It is applied to detect any missing transaction. (e.g off serially numbered vouchers).
2) Format completeness:
It is used to check the presence and position of all fields in transaction.
3) Redundant check:
These are employed to check the validity of codes with reference to description.
4) Combination check:
THIS may be applied on various fields of a file.
5) Probability check:
It is used to avoid unnecessary rejection of data.
6) Passwords:
It may be exercised to check entry of data by unauthorized person in online system.
7) Checks:
It may be incorporated to ensure that transaction pertains (related) current period.
8) Batch total:

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Can be used to ensure that transaction have been transcribed (copy out) correctly.
9) Hash total:
A control totals i.e. the sum of values in a particular field or record area of a file, to ensure that
transactions have been transmitted currently.

Objective of Data Validation

1) To allow only valid data to be written on the media this will be used in subsequent processing.
2) Invalid data is also identified and recorded separately. This data is checked and after that data
is again subjected to data validation process of accurate input.

3. Data Verification
Data verification is a process in which different types of data are checked for accuracy and
inconsistencies after data migration is done. It helps to determine whether data was accurately
translated when data is transferred from one source to another, is complete, and supports
processes in the new system.

Verification is a static practice of verifying documents, design, code and program. It includes all the
activities associated with producing high quality software: inspection, design analysis and
specification analysis. It is a relatively objective process.

Verification will help to determine whether the software is of high quality, but it will not ensure
that the system is useful. Verification is concerned with whether the system is well-engineered and
error-free.

Methods of Verification: Static Testing

 Walkthrough
 Inspection
 Review

Walkthroughs are informal, initiated by the author of the s/w product to a colleague for assistance
in locating defects or suggestions for improvements. They are usually unplanned. Author explains
the product; colleague comes out with observations and author notes down relevant points and
takes corrective actions.

Inspection is a thorough word-by-word checking of a software product with the intention of:
- Locating defects
- Confirming traceability of relevant requirements
- Checking for conformance to relevant standards and conventions

Inspections are more formal than walkthroughs. It involves 5 major roles:

- Author: person who originally created the work product.
- Moderator: Person responsible to ensure the discussions proceed on the productive lines.
- Reader: Person responsible for reading aloud small logical units of the work product
- Recorder: Person who records/documents all the defects that arise from the inspection team.
- Inspector: All of the inspection team members who analyze and detect the defects within the
work product.

Review is a subsequent examination of a product for the purpose of monitoring earlier changes. It
is a process in which one or more persons check the changed documents or data to determine if

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the changes are correct. It is also an analysis undertaken at a fixed point in time to determine the
degree to which stated objectives have been reached.
There are four levels of verification:

1. Component Testing: Verifying the design implementation for one software element like unit /
module or a group of software elements

2. Integration Testing: Testing with orderly progression which involves the integration of various
software and / or hardware elements together and tested. It continuous until the complete system
has been integrated.

3. System Testing: A type of testing which tests integrated software and hardware system
verification whether the system meets the specified requirements.

4. Acceptance Testing: A testing process that determines whether a system satisfies the acceptance
criterion and for enabling the customer for determining whether or not to accept the system.

Difference between Verification and validation

Verification validation
Verification is a static practice of verifying Validation is a dynamic mechanism of
documents, design, code and program. validating and testing the actual product.
It does not involve executing the code. It always involves executing the code.
3. It is human based checking of documents It is computer based execution of program.
and files.
Verification uses methods like inspections, Validation uses methods like black box
reviews, walkthroughs, and Desk-checking (functional) testing, gray box testing, and
etc. white box (structural) testing etc.
Verification is to check whether the Validation is to check whether software
software conforms to specifications. meets the customer expectations and
requirements.
It can catch errors that validation cannot It can catch errors that verification cannot
catch. It is low level exercise. catch. It is High Level Exercise
Target is requirements specification, Target is actual product-a unit, a module, a
application and software architecture, high bent of integrated modules, and effective
level, complete design, and database design final product
etc.
Verification is done by QA team to ensure Validation is carried out with the
that the software is as per the specifications involvement of testing team.
in the SRS document.
It generally comes first-done before It generally follows after verification.
validation.

Output Design
INTRODUCTION
The output generally refers to the result and information that are generated by the system. One of
the most important features of an information system from the point of view of user is the output
it produces. If the output is of poor quality, the whole system is in peril (danger) because the users
will then avoid using it. Hence, the design of output assumes greater importance. In any system the
output is largely dependent on input.

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Design Principles of Output

1. Principle of starting with output:-
Before we start the designing or the development of system the output objective must be clear.

2. Principle of acceptability of reports:-

The reports which are created should be acceptable by the users and they must be as per the
requirements of the users.

3. Principle of timely output:-

The report should be created in time that is whenever the user required report.

4. Principle of enhancing Decision making:-

All the necessary information should be provided in the report with the format so that user can
take the decision easily by using that report.

5. Principle of practicing “Management by Exception”

The exception report is created to show the deviation difference between the actual plans and the
current status of the system. It submitted to management.

6. Principle of Duplication of Reduction in report:

Duplicate or unnecessary information in the report should be minimized. This automatically
reduces the cost of processing.

7. Principle of simplicity in reports:

Report should be concise, simple and self explanatory.

OUTPUT OBJECTIVE
Before designing output, the objectives of the output must be clear. The output reports are the
attractive format and are produced by using latest technology. It must accomplish one or more of
the following objectives.

An output must

1. Convey information about

a. Past activity like personnel file, vendor history.
b. Current status like inventory on hand, cash on hand.
c. Future projections like sales or cost of manufacturing a new item.
2. Confirm task
It is used to know about the current status of given task.

3. Trigger an alarm
It is used whenever the market loss is there.

4. Signal Events
With the report provide the information lurking opportunities.

TYPES OF OUTPUT
There are various output required by most systems. The main types of output are as below:

1. External outputs:

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The report which are used outside the user’s organization. E.g. Invoices, Payslips, Tax returns etc.

2. Internal outputs:
The output report used within the user’s organization.
e.g Inventory Report.
3. Operational Outputs:
The use of this is in general within computer department.
e.g Program listing.

4. Interactive Outputs:
This involves the user communicating directly with the system.
e.g. Video conferencing.
5. Turnaround Outputs:
The data will be added to the document before they are returned to the computer for further
processing.

OUTPUT CONSIDERATION
While designing output systems analyst must consider the following points:

1) Determine what information is to be present.

2) Decide whether to display, print the information and select the output medium.
3) Arrange the presentation of information in acceptable form.
4) Decide how to distribute the output to users.

OUTPUT MEDIA
There are different types of output media like
1. Printed output
The devise use for printed output may be line printer, dot matrix printer, laser printer.

2. Visual outputs
Sometimes it is necessary used to show the output to the user through the devices which can used
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). For ex Airline and hotel reservation system.

3. Turnaround Document output

Based on the one created report decisions are taken for the next report. E.g employee time cards.

4. Secondary storage output

The reports which are provided through magnetic disk, magnetic tape.

5. Microfilm output
Microfilms are photographically reduced documents on films. Here output is return on to the
magnetic tape which is then fed into a machine called Microform recorder.

6. Audio Response Outputs

Sometimes it is necessary to provide the output in the form of sound. E.g. In the banking system
customers can get balance in their accounts.

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Assignment Questions:
1. What is fact gathering technique? Explain questionnaire's in Detail
2. Explain Input Design in Detail?
3. What is Output Design? Explain Types of Output in detail.
4. Explain Record Review in Detail.
5. What are the different fact gathering techniques? Explain any one in detail.
6. What do you mean by data capture? State the steps of data capture.
7. Give the difference between data verification and data validation.
8. State the objectives and media of Output Design.
9. Explain interview techniques in detail.
10. Objective and principle of Output design.

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