page 1/6University of TorontoDepartment of Computer ScienceCSC340S - Information Systems Analysis and DesignJanuary 12, 2004 John MylopoulosAssignment 1: Preparing a Feasibility StudyDue Date: 12:00 midnight, Monday February 9This assignment counts for 10% of your final markYou are expected to prepare a feasibility study for an information system project of yourown choice, to be carried out within an existing organization. This project is meant togive you exposure to basic concepts discussed in the course, but also to encourage you to"look around" for the type of work you may be doing in a few years as a computerscience professional. The project is to be carried out by teams of three.I. Doing the AssignmentThis assignment has ten steps. They are:1. Identify a problem within an existing organization that is amenable toinformation systems analysis techniques.2. Scope the problem, i.e., choose how small or large a problem you will tackleduring your feasibility study.3. Interview key people involved in the problem. These may include yourcontacts, others with responsibilities related to the feasibility study.4. Study relevant documents. This may involve reading policy documents,memos, documentation on current systems and new objectives/needs.5. Define alternatives for conducting business and for automation. Define thecriteria you will use to evaluate and choose among these alternatives. Yourcriteria should include cost/benefit, where applicable.6. Conduct an assessment of unusual circumstances or special attention items.This may involve special requirements for particular employees or customersof the organization.7. Conduct an evaluation of the alternatives and choose the one that looks mostpromising.8. Use goal diagrams to model business objectives and the alternatives you havepage 2/6identified; use state and class diagrams to model business processes for thealternative you have selected, along with relevant concepts.9. Write a report that describes the objectives of your study, the problem youidentified the alternatives you explored, as well as your recommendations.Make sure to include your goal, state and class diagrams in the report or inappendices (or both);10. Document your team’s work and complete a team report (see attached form).II. What to Hand InPlease submit your assignment electronically by visiting the CDF electronic submissionsystem at http://www.cdf.toronto.edu/students/submit.html. If you have hardcopymaterial that needs to be handed in, please submit it directly to your tutor.The assignment you hand in should consist of a report on the feasibility study that wasconducted. Assume that the report is being prepared for management. This means thatyou need to be clear and concise about your recommendations and that you shouldpresent the basic ideas and recommendations in the report simply and with no extraneousinformation. Other relevant information and supporting evidence is to appear inappendices. Keep in mind that busy managers don't have the time to read long reports.Your writeup should include information on the following items:1. An introduction describing the organization you chose to study, the problemyou identified and the process you followed during your study.2. The basic alternatives you considered and the criteria you used to evaluatethem.3. A recommendation to proceed or not to proceed with an information systemdevelopment project, with supporting arguments.4. A conclusions section that summarizes the contents of your report andreiterates your recommendation.5. One or more appendices which describe in more detail (i) the organization forwhich the study was conducted, (ii) the process used to gather information(interviews, review of written material, etc.), (iii) the names and phonenumbers of people you talked to, details of any analyses you conducted, (iv)goal, class and state diagrams that describe in more detail the alternatives youconsidered and the alternative you are recommending .page 3/6III. SuggestionsFinding a ProblemFinding an organization that is willing to provide you with a problem is easier than youthink. Of course, someone in that organization will have to spend some time talking toyou and giving you information. But then remember that many class projects from thisvery course actually were adopted by the “customer” organization and were turned intoreal software development projects!There are several things you may want to try here. Start by considering previousemployers, but also friends, relatives, acquaintances, who may be in a position to giveyou access to an organization that is willing to have you study one of their systems andprepare a feasibility study for an information system project. Ideally, the organizationyou find will be large with many departments etc. and you will be dealing with a fewpeople in one department. Failing this, you may want to try a small business (e.g., a retailstore, a professional office,...).Other possibilities for feasibility study projects include an information system for publicsoftware (e.g., a help facility for Windows or Unix), a public service that you areknowledgeable of, e.g., driver license registration, or one for which there is publiclyavailable information, e.g., OHIP-related information systems. Or, a web service for X(e.g., courseware1, travel information, sports news,….)In approaching an organization, you should always talk to someone who has theauthority to decide to assist you. Remember that this project should be mutuallybeneficial -- and make sure you tell your ``customer'' this. In fact, you should offer topresent a copy of your final report to your customer -- and make sure it is delivered. What kind of project should you choose? Ideally, the organizational information systemyou study will have several people involved and possibly could include an existingcomputerized information system. The following are examples of typical projects:• Computerize a given business system (e.g., inventory, sales).• Computerize a firm (usually small), which had not been computerizedbefore.• Evaluate an existing computerized business system and recommendingchanges and modifications or even a new system.Try not to bite off more than you can chew (remember, this is a course project). Youmay find fairly early on that the project you have chosen
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