1. Who? Who performs each of the procedures within the system? Why? Are the
correct people performing the activity? Could other people perform the tasks
more effectively?
2. What? What is being done? What procedures are being followed? Why is that
process necessary? Often, procedures are followed for many years and no one
knows why. You should question why a procedure is being followed at all.
3. Where? Where are operations being performed? Why? Where could they be performed? Could they be performed more efficiently elsewhere?
4. When? When is a procedure performed? Why is it being performed at this time?
Is this the best time?
5. How? How is a procedure performed? Why is it performed in that manner?
Could it be performed better, more efficiently, or less expensively in some other
manner?
There is a difference between asking what is being done and what could or should be
done. The systems analyst first must understand the current situation. Only then can he
or she tackle the question of what should be done. Figure 4-16 lists the basic questions
and when they should be asked. Notice that the first two columns relate to the current
system, but the third column focuses on the proposed system