A Case Study Comparing Two Types of System Development Projects and their Implementation

According to Post and Anderson (2000), the bottom line is that managers often have to decide which method of systems development is most suitable for developing a particular system. If the project is large or expensive, and affects important assets of the company, the choice of Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is fairly clear-cut. If a user simply needs computations for a one-time decision, it is faster and cheaper to have the user create the model using a spreadsheet. However, in many cases, there is not an obvious answer. A project might start out small, then suddenly grow. Similarly, a spreadsheet that was created by a user for one purpose might be passed around the company and used by others to make crucial decisions.

There is not much difference between projects created by end users and those that use prototyping. In a sense, virtually any project could be started by end users. The trick is to learn when to call for help by understanding the limitations of the methods. If the project is used by many people, affects critical portions of the business, or grows beyond the capabilities of prepackaged software, then Management Information Systems (MIS) programmers can be called in to expand it, test it, create documentation, make it more flexible, or create an entirely new system.

Modern MIS departments have devised many ways to help users develop new systems other than the traditional analysts and programmers working on SDLC projects. Two methods are moving MIS employees out to the departments and the creation of an information center. In both cases, the goal is to have MIS employees responsible for assisting users. This assistance can be offered in many forms, such as helping decide which hardware and software to purchase, answering questions about software, offering classes in using software and creating systems, testing user-development systems for errors and incompatibilities, and building prototypes.

Turban and Aronson (1998) stated that the impact of computer technology on organizations and society is increasing as new technologies evolve and existing technologies expand. The interaction and cooperation between people and machines are rapidly growing to cover more and more aspects of organizational activities. From traditional uses in payroll and bookkeeping functions, computerized systems are now penetrating complex managerial areas ranging from the design and management of automated factories to the evaluation of proposed mergers and acquisitions. Nearly all business executives say that information technology is vital to the business and they are using technologies extensively.

Turban and Aronson (1998) continued to say that computer applications are moving from transaction or backroom processing and monitoring activities to problem analysis and solution applications. Topics such as data access, online analytical processing, and use of the Internet and Intranets for decision support are becoming the cornerstones of modern management. There is a trend to provide managers with information systems that can assist them directly in their most important task: making decisions.

The purpose of this study is to describe in detail two methods of system development, the SDLC and Prototyping, used in the development of two successfully implemented business systems and to describe the reasons for their successful development and successful implementation and use.

The systematic automation of the workplace is essential for businesses to realize efficiency, profits, and increased levels of production to achieve their goals and aspirations more quickly and at less cost. The work of employees could be transformed into business computer systems which employees could use to do their daily work at faster speeds with accuracy, reliability, less cost, and with greater production and profit realization. This study will investigate through the use of a case study two types of systems development used at New York City Human Resources Administration by the Management Information Systems personnel, one of which is this researcher as a computer specialist, senior systems analyst, and project manager. The two types of systems development being studied are the systems development life cycle and prototype development to see if the advantages of these two methods of systems development far outweigh the disadvantages of no system development. This study will also look at other methods of systems development mostly garnered from the review of the literature.

The research question for this study will therefore be: Are there more advantages than disadvantages in the development of business software computer systems using the systems development life cycle method and the prototype development method or are there other methods of systems development that are better suited to business environments?

This case study encompasses the work of a senior systems analyst (this researcher) in the MIS Department of the City of New York, Human Resources Administration. Two systems were developed for use by the employees of two departments of HRA in the mid- to late-1990s using two different development strategies.

This case is worthy of in-depth study because it will contribute to our knowledge about computer systems development in business and in government. It will describe the similarities and differences between systems development using the systems development life cycle versus prototype systems development. It will also reveal the strong points about the two methods of development for the two systems that were successfully developed and are still up and running successfully today.

Definition of Terms
HRAHuman Resources Administration Agency
MISManagement Information Systems
NYCNew York City
Overview of the Study

The first chapter of this study will describe the introduction and importance of the study. Other topics described in Chapter 1 include the background of the problem and the purpose of this study. Chapter 2 will present the literature review of the different methods of system development and other related literature. Chapter 3 will describe the methodology of the study. Chapter 4 describes the actual case study with the presentation of the data and analysis of the data. Chapter 5 describes the summary, answer to the research question, the discussion, the recommendations, and conclusion of this study.

This chapter presented the introduction to this study and the importance, purpose and rationale for this study among other things. Chapter 2 will present a review of the related literature for this study.