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Business systems handbook
Book Reviews
305
Business Systems Handbook, by Robert W. Gilmour. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Co., 1979, 229 pp., $19.93. Information Systems: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition), by John Burch, Jr., Felix Strater, & Jerry Grudnitski. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1979, 571 pp., $I 7.50. Reviewer: Henry C, Lucas, Jr.
These two books deal with the topic of systems analysis and design, but the approaches are fundamentally different. Gilmour has written a handbook for the analysis, design, and documentation of information systems. Gilmour offers a series of applied step-by-step procedures to be used in systems analysis and design. The book contains numerous examples to illustrate the approach suggested by the author. There are copies of forms which the author suggests can be taken from the book for use in the reader’s organization. The book is very detailed, for example, different kinds of forms are described to the level of size and weight of paper. The book has several good chapters with suggestions for the analyst, particularly on management presentation. There are examples presented in the text, and one particularly good illustration is presented of user documentation, The section on maintenance and development uses the term slightly differently than the computer profession; here Gilmour seems to be describing evaluation and the post-implementation audit. The topics included in the book are feasibility studies, the analysis of existing systems, design of new systems, forms design, review and evaluation of a new system, management presentation, obtaining approval, policy and procedures manual, and documentation for managements users, and systems managers, conversion and train~g, and maintenance. The book proceeds in a logical, sequential miner, and is easy to read. However, it is clearly a working handbook which is offered as a foundation for building and improving systems analysis and design in an organization. The Burch, Strater and Grudnitski book is primar~~ oriented toward an undergraduate college student. The book contains far more conceptual foundation and philosophy than the Gilmour book. For example, Burch, Strater and Grudnitski discuss the role of information in organizations, different types of information systems, different methods of structuring computer systems and systems development methodology, There is a chapter on data base design followed by dis-
cussions of various file structures (though this sequencing seems somewhat illogical). A single example of an information system is used in several places in the text to illustrate the discussion. The authors also include a chapter on control points and conlrol considerations. The appendices of the text contain a section on mathematical modeis, computer technolo~ and tools for systems analysis and design. I question whether it would be better to include a reference to the operations research literature rather than try to present a half dozen models in a short appendix. There are also many good texts on computer ~echnolo~ to which the reader could be referred. The section on tools for the analyst has been moved in this edition to the appendix, however, tools are sufficiently important that it would be better to have included a chapter with more material emphasizing the role of tools in systems analysis and design. The book is also relatively weighted toward batch applications. There is little discussion of on-line systems in the text. Of course, the systems development methodology in the text can be applied to on-line as well as batch systems. Both of these books do contain valuable info~ation about systems analysis and design. The Burch, &rater and Grudnits~ book presents a more conceptual treatment, while Gilmour contains practical suggestions which can be followed by the analyst and the organi~tio~. The major difficulty I have with both texts is their lack of concern with the relationship between the designer and the manager or user of systems. Both books clearly concentrate on the task of syStems analysis and design. Burch, &rater and Grudnits~ for example, have onfy two pages in which they discuss the change agent role of the systems analyst. While all of the steps and advice presented in these two books are important, I am left with the feeling that even if it is followed, we are not guaranteed a successful system. The missing ingredients in both books are the relationship between the designer and the user of the systems, and considerations of the organization in systems analysis and design.
305
Business Systems Handbook, by Robert W. Gilmour. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Co., 1979, 229 pp., $19.93. Information Systems: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition), by John Burch, Jr., Felix Strater, & Jerry Grudnitski. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1979, 571 pp., $I 7.50. Reviewer: Henry C, Lucas, Jr.
These two books deal with the topic of systems analysis and design, but the approaches are fundamentally different. Gilmour has written a handbook for the analysis, design, and documentation of information systems. Gilmour offers a series of applied step-by-step procedures to be used in systems analysis and design. The book contains numerous examples to illustrate the approach suggested by the author. There are copies of forms which the author suggests can be taken from the book for use in the reader’s organization. The book is very detailed, for example, different kinds of forms are described to the level of size and weight of paper. The book has several good chapters with suggestions for the analyst, particularly on management presentation. There are examples presented in the text, and one particularly good illustration is presented of user documentation, The section on maintenance and development uses the term slightly differently than the computer profession; here Gilmour seems to be describing evaluation and the post-implementation audit. The topics included in the book are feasibility studies, the analysis of existing systems, design of new systems, forms design, review and evaluation of a new system, management presentation, obtaining approval, policy and procedures manual, and documentation for managements users, and systems managers, conversion and train~g, and maintenance. The book proceeds in a logical, sequential miner, and is easy to read. However, it is clearly a working handbook which is offered as a foundation for building and improving systems analysis and design in an organization. The Burch, Strater and Grudnitski book is primar~~ oriented toward an undergraduate college student. The book contains far more conceptual foundation and philosophy than the Gilmour book. For example, Burch, Strater and Grudnitski discuss the role of information in organizations, different types of information systems, different methods of structuring computer systems and systems development methodology, There is a chapter on data base design followed by dis-
cussions of various file structures (though this sequencing seems somewhat illogical). A single example of an information system is used in several places in the text to illustrate the discussion. The authors also include a chapter on control points and conlrol considerations. The appendices of the text contain a section on mathematical modeis, computer technolo~ and tools for systems analysis and design. I question whether it would be better to include a reference to the operations research literature rather than try to present a half dozen models in a short appendix. There are also many good texts on computer ~echnolo~ to which the reader could be referred. The section on tools for the analyst has been moved in this edition to the appendix, however, tools are sufficiently important that it would be better to have included a chapter with more material emphasizing the role of tools in systems analysis and design. The book is also relatively weighted toward batch applications. There is little discussion of on-line systems in the text. Of course, the systems development methodology in the text can be applied to on-line as well as batch systems. Both of these books do contain valuable info~ation about systems analysis and design. The Burch, &rater and Grudnits~ book presents a more conceptual treatment, while Gilmour contains practical suggestions which can be followed by the analyst and the organi~tio~. The major difficulty I have with both texts is their lack of concern with the relationship between the designer and the manager or user of systems. Both books clearly concentrate on the task of syStems analysis and design. Burch, &rater and Grudnits~ for example, have onfy two pages in which they discuss the change agent role of the systems analyst. While all of the steps and advice presented in these two books are important, I am left with the feeling that even if it is followed, we are not guaranteed a successful system. The missing ingredients in both books are the relationship between the designer and the user of the systems, and considerations of the organization in systems analysis and design.