DATABASE DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE - Database Design and Development: An Essential Guide for IT Professionals - page 108

Technological Feasibilit y Operational Feasibility

Hardware

DBA, Analysts,
Programmers

Software

Economic Feasibility

COSTS
One-time: software, hardware,
communication, data conversion,
research and design, training

BENEFITS
Cost savings: software
maintenance, fewer errors, less data
maintenance

Ongoing: personnel, software
upgrades, supplies, support,
maintenance

Increased value: better data access,
better decisions, better
collaboration, timely reports, faster
reaction to change

Figure 4-9 Feasibility study phase: three areas.

Broadly, the objectives of this phase include specifications of the enhancements
to the already available resources and recommendations on the purchase of addi-
tional resources. Also, the study phase lists the action items for accomplishing the
recommendations to improve the readiness of the organization.

Three Types of Feasibility We may think of the feasibility study phase as studies
in three areas—technological, operational, and economic. This helps break down
the activities of the phase into convenient and natural sets. To complete the activi-
ties in each area, business analysts rely on the help of different groups of database
practitioners and user representatives.
Figure 4-9 presents the three areas for feasibility study. Note the components that
analysts will have to study in each area. Analysts use assistance from the informa-
tion technology department for the study of technological feasibility and opera-
tional feasibility. Analysts work with IT personnel and user representatives for the
study of economic feasibility. Outside agencies also provide information to com-
plete the feasibility study phase.

Action Items Out of the feasibility phase comes a comprehensive list of action
items. Business analysts may adopt the division of action items to correspond to the
study in the three areas—technological, operational, and economic. Whatever
format the list may take, it is important to include all the needed enhancements to
existing resources and all the additional resources to be obtained.

Timing The listing of action items must be accompanied by recommendations on
when each action item must be completed. For example, if one of the action items
recommends adding two data modelers to the team, this action will be useless unless
the data modelers are recruited or trained before the design phase commences. Indi-
cation of the timing for each action is absolutely essential.