Comparing roles of a System Analyst and other IT professionals
A system analyst is a person of multifaceted role who has to deal with each and every function of a system. He is involved in...
Attributes of a Good System Analyst
A system analyst is a person who conducts a methodical study and evaluation of various aspects related to business to identify the desired objectives and...
Decision Table
A decision table represents the comlex decision logic associated with a data-processing job. A decision table summarized the action to be taken depending on the...
System Life Cycle – Classical definition
A system is a set of interacting elements that responds to inputs producing outputs. The events which together make up the development, operation and maintenance of...
Find a root of x = e-x using Regular Falsi Method
Regular Falsi method is a numerical method to derive the root of a polynomial. The advantage of Regular Falsi over Bisection method is that the convergence...
Find a root of x = e-x using Bisection Method
Bisection method is the most simplest method of solving algebraic or transcendental equations. It involves selecting an interval [a,b] in which the root lies such...
What is the backbone of SOA connectivity?
This is a core question that we need to ask when we talk about SOA (Service oriented architecture). SOA connects enterprise components within and outside...
Newton Raphson Method Example – Find root of e-x = Sin X
Newton Raphson method is the core in computer Numerical analysis software programs to find root of equations such as e<sup>-x</sup> = Sin X. Complete solution is...
Best Wire-framing / Prototyping tools
One of the most sought tools for a web designer / UI expert / anyone who wants to mock up a user interface based IT...
Which REST framework should I use
There are multiple Java based REST frameworks that is use today. Some of the top players are as below – 1. Reslet – http://www.restlet.org/...
HTTP Methods – Which HTTP method should I use and what methods are used in REST
HTTP methods are convenient methods that an outside process can use over simple http transport layer. For example REST (Representational transfer technology) uses http methods...
SOA – Service Oriented Architecture explained in layman’s terms
The core concept behind Service oriented Architecture (SOA) is that it is focused on enabling design and implementation of business process as individual service components...
Treating product requirements – The ideal way
Product requirements need to be treated with suspicion as if they really needed for the essential capability for a product release. Always prioritize product requirements...
Product Vision – Rule of Thumb – Simplicity
One would think that the a product’s success is directly proportional to the amount of complexity that it offers. In other words, majority of people...
Agile / Scrum methodology – Explained simple
Agile software development methodology is suitable for time-boxed iterative system development scenarios. The software product is released as various versions or releases, typically in time-boxes...
Numerical solution of a transcendental equation 1.5x – tanx – 0.1 = 0
Solving 1.5x – tanx – 0.1 = 0, using iteration method – Iteration is a method of solving algebraic or transcendental equation and is widely used...
Numerical solution by method of Iteration
Solving x = 1/ (1+x)1/2 using iteration method – Iteration is a method of solving algebraic or transcendental equation and is widely used in computer...
Events and States
Events and States are differentiated below – Events States Anything that happen in time Shows the attributes values of object at a particular point in...
Actors and Data Stores
Actors: Actors are objects represented in the functional model that produce or consume data. An actor may store some data for further processing steps. Data...
State Diagram – Car
The state diagram may be drawn by considering the concurrency property of the aggregate objects that make up the car object ie. each aggregate object...
Object Diagrams with Multiple Inheritance
Below is an example of implementation of multiple inheritance – The Class ‘Universal’ inherits from two classes A/ and D/C, thus exhibiting multiple inheritance. Mutiple...
Main features of Object Oriented Languages – Classes, Objects, Encapsulation, Polymorphism, Inheritance
1. Classes and Objects In an object oriented programming language, we code the program as a corporate collection of objects which are instantiated from various...
Abstraction
Abstraction may be defined as all those essential characteristics features of an object class which makes it different from other object classes. Abstraction as applied...
Multiplicity
Multiplicity refers to the number of object class instances of one class may be associated to the other class. An n+ symbol indicates that there...
Inheritance
Inheritance is the most basic feature of any Object Oriented programming language. It refers to the derivation of sub classes from a base/super class. The...
Qualification
Qualification is an association which involves an association and a qualifier which uniquely identifies certain features of one of the associated classes. Below example explains...
Object Modeling Technique (OMT)
Object Modeling Technique used in object oriented modeling and design which use the usual principles of system development like analysis, design an implementation but applying...
Instance Diagram
A sample instance diagram is as shown below. The diagram represents a expression evaluator –...
Aggregation
Aggregation refers to combining the assembled parts of a single part. In terms of Object Management Technology, aggregation may be defined as representing the object...
Reengineering Principles
The standard Reengineering principles are as follows – 1. Organize work around its end results, not tasks According to this principle, it is optimal to...
Why Companies Do Reengineering?
Companies are doing reengineering since they want to remain stable in the dynamic business environment while facing changing strategies, financial crisis due to weak /...
Reengineering an accounts payable function
Consider the case of approving a loan application. In the manual process, it takes 6 persons and considerable amount of time to accept the details,...
Creating Process based Organizations via Reengineering
While reengineering a business enterprise, we create a process based organization structure for the enterprise to avoid the inefficiencies and time wasting business process cycles...
Basic approaches to Reengineering
The three basic approaches to reengineering are as follows – 1. STREAMLIING 2. INTEGRATING 3. TRANSFORMING 1. Streamlining – Streamlining approach to reengineering the business...
Basic steps in Business Process Reengineering
We can generalize Business Process Reengineering (BPR) efforts as an eight step process as follow – Step 1: Formulate / Modify business visions, policies, objectives...
What is Re-engineering? Why companies are doing re-engineering?
Re-engineering or Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is way of rethinking or redesigning the existing business systems both in technical and behavioral terms. The ultimate goal of...
Lack of Risk Management and an affected project
A classic example would be the project my company executed before the formal PM processes were implemented. The project’s core requirement was to generate reporting...
Managing the Managers – Showing importance of Risk Management
Suppose you called a meeting with your project team, various experts and the stakeholders, to start the risk planning process. One of the senior people...
Decision Tree / Expected Monetary Value model for risk analysis
EMV is a statistical concept (with a defined formula) which calculates average outcome when there is uncertainty in the final outcome (more than one possible...
Project size driving Project risk
Project size and Project Risk: Another interesting topic in Project Management world. From my experience with software development, I think that project risk increases with...
Addressing risk due to interpersonal issues and incorrect project communication
Interesting question as I wonder this situation (Risk of failure due to interpersonal issues) is often less addressed anywhere. I shall address the situation using formal...
Team Building/Motivation practices
What kind of team-building exercises and/or motivational practices have you used, or participated in? Would you recommend them for use by others? Have you been...
Sample Software Quality Issue
One of the major Software Quality issue that I experienced is with product xyz which my current employer deployed as the Version control and Change...
Quality considerations for software projects
Define one or two aspects of IT product quality that should be considered when planning software project activities. How can they be measured? What are...
Quality Program in a typical organization
What quality programs, formal or informal, have you experienced in your work? How well do you feel they were implemented? What was the level of...
Finding root cause of unsatisfactory Earned Value measurements
Describe how you would go about finding the root cause of unsatisfactory Earned Value measurements on a project, and what measures you might take to...
Time reporting for technology professionals?
How do you feel about the concept of such time accounting for technology professionals? (e.g. compared to just reporting progress via e-mail or a progress...
Need for better time reporting systems
System Background (circumstances):Most of the employers uses a web based time logging application that falls into the category of time attendance systems that we are...
Schedule Compression – Scenario#2 – Less Time at hand
I guess, since we have lesser amount of time left (6 weeks as opposed to 1 year), I would certainly let the sponsor know that...
Schedule Compression Determination
If you were managing a software development project that was a year away from completion and the project sponsor asked you to cut a month...
Importance of formal project planning
One of the projects that I executed for one of my employers was an internal employee goal tracking system. The system enables employees from CEO...
Importance of following well-integrated change control process (CCP) on IT projects
Change in IT projects’ life cycle is inevitable. This points at the importance of establishing means to identify, control and document change in a formal...
Gotchas When a Technical Person is Promoted to Management Position
Scenario: Nicek is a senior technical leader and got a recent promotion as Project Manager, but was not given appropriate training in PM process. Below...
Sample WBS (Work Break Down Structure)
Below is a sample work breakdown structure for an online attendance management system that I worked on in the past –...
Project Scope Change And its Impacts
Project background: Developer xyz was in the middle of a project that went several scope changes while in UAT. The project is about implementing capability...
Mind Mapping Technique to Prepare WBS
I would prefer the mind mapping technique to arrive at WBS (work break down structure), due to my liking for problem solving by visualization and...
Sample Project Management Problem Resolution
Project description: Project for xyz that included development, maintenance and enhancements to the official web site and web-based intranet applications that supported integrated work flows...
Sample PM Day to Day Work
Project Management skill is very important in information management area. Let me paint a historical (early 2000) projet lead role where I was responsible for managing the...
Information Architecture for a web site – Sample Web site Concept Draft
XYZ Company Web Site Concept Draft “Becoming industry’s premier outsourcing solution for managed care services” Overview For the past decade, xyz.coom (fictitious) has been the major online...
Strategic alignment of IT resources – A case study in Grocery industry (Part 2)
Strategic alignment of IT resources – A case study in Grocery industry (Part 2) Japan UK Spain US Effect of economic situation The...