Tip #4: Systems Analysis and Design

The initial design of a system can make or break your business.
I am currently in the middle of developing an online textbook/classified system to be used by university and college students. Click here see a basic sample page.

Taking the RAD (Rapid Application development) approach to design, I set out certain milestones that i wanted to meet on a timely manor.

1.Setting up a log In system.
2.Setting up an add book / search book system
3.Creating some other features
4.Scale the system for use locally, provincially, nationally

Unfortunatly, what started out as a small system has cascaded into a large scale project taking more time then I had originally thought and pushing back milestones.
>
Where did I go wrong?
What I wanted from the system, and what I was designing were totally two different things. I wanted a perfect system where every section came together and worked and didn't interfere with other systems. I was designing the system not as a whole but in parts forgetting about the interaction between the parts.

I've learned alot developing this system and would like to share with you the most important tip!

TIP 1: Analysis, Analysis, ANALYSIS!
Sit down and thouroughly analysis your system.
Brainstorm all the non-functional requirements (System expectations, features you wish to implement, but nothing about the design or the technical aspects).

Once you have tabulated a list that you feel comfortable with, then develop a design that you wish to acheive. Remember, nothing is done on the computer yet. Create relationships between different parts of the system and try to create on paper a well planned out database design (Database tips coming soon).

This done, create on paper a UI, some general sketches to how the system should look.

Finally, once your have the system created in words and drawings. Analysis it again, make sure you have everything you want to do covered. If you are missing something, reevaluate each step illustrated here, until you are 100 percent satisfied.

If you take this tip into practice. You will have a larger success rate of reaching those milestones.

Thanks, graham.