Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
including the functional vice presidents (of finance, marketing, and so on), to be part of the
development team.
Because stakeholders ultimately
benefit from the systems
development project, they often
work with others in developing a
computer application.
(Source: © Reza Estakhrian/Getty
Images.)
Depending on the nature of the systems project, the development team might include
systems analysts and programmers, among others. A
systems analyst
is a professional who
specializes in analyzing and designing business systems. Systems analysts play various roles
while interacting with the stakeholders and users, management, vendors and suppliers, ex-
ternal companies, programmers, and other IS support personnel (see Figure 12.1). Like an
architect developing blueprints for a new building, a systems analyst develops detailed plans
for the new or modified system. The
programmer
is responsible for modifying or developing
programs to satisfy user requirements. Like a contractor constructing a new building or ren-
ovating an existing one, the programmer takes the plans from the systems analyst and builds
or modifies the necessary software. The demand for systems analysts and computer pro-
about one-third the national average. According to the chairman of the Computer Science
Department at the University of Toronto, “The numbers are quite stark. It's clear the demand
in the workforce is there.”
The other support personnel on the development team are mostly technical specialists,
including database and telecommunications experts, hardware engineers, and supplier rep-
resentatives. One or more of these roles might be outsourced to outside experts or consultants.
Depending on the magnitude of the systems development project and the number of IS
systems development specialists on the team, one or more IS managers might also belong to
the team. The composition of a development team can vary over time and from project to
project. For small businesses, the development team might consist of a systems analyst and
the business owner as the primary stakeholder. For larger organizations, formal IS staff can
include hundreds of people involved in a variety of activities, including systems development.
Every development team should have a team leader. This person can be from the IS depart-
ment, a manager from the company, or a consultant from outside the company. The team
leader needs both technical and people skills.
Today, companies are using innovative ways to build new systems or modify existing
ones without using in-house programmers. Outsourcing, which is discussed later in the
another approach that asks programmers from around the world to get involved. The ap-
programmers that submit excellent code can be given from $500 to more than $2,000.
Constellation is hoping to save time and money by using crowd sourcing, but neither result
is guaranteed. In addition, the resulting programming code may not be consistent with what
the company is expecting.
systems analyst
A professional who specializes in
analyzing and designing business
systems.
programmer
A specialist responsible for
modifying or developing programs
to satisfy user requirements.
