Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE) Tools
Computer-aided systems engineering (CASE), also called computer-aided software
engineering, is a technique that uses powerful software, called CASE tools, to help
systems analysts develop and maintain information systems. CASE tools provide an overall framework for systems development and support a wide variety of design methodologies, including structured analysis and object-oriented analysis. Because CASE tools make it easier to build an information system, they boost IT productivity and improve the quality of the finished product. Part B of the Systems Analyst’s Toolkit explains how analysts
use CASE tools to create business profiles, build business models, and document
complex processes. After developing a model, many CASE tools can generate program code, which speeds the implementation process. Figure 1-24 shows the Web site for Visible Systems Corporation, a leading vendor of CASE tools.
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Prototyping
Prototyping tests system concepts and
provides an opportunity to examine input,
output, and user interfaces before final decisions are made. A prototype is an early
working version of an information system.
Just as an aircraft manufacturer tests a new
design in a wind tunnel, systems analysts
construct and study information system prototypes. A prototype can serve as an initial
model that is used as a benchmark to evaluate the finished system, or the prototype
itself can develop into the final version of the system. Either way, prototyping speeds up
the development process significantly.
A possible disadvantage of prototyping is that important decisions might be made too
early, before business or IT issues are understood thoroughly. A prototype based on careful fact-finding and modeling techniques, however, can be an extremely valuable tool.