Users must review and approve the interface design, report and menu designs, data
entry screens, source documents, and other areas of the system that affect them. The
review and approval process continues throughout the systems design phase. When
you complete the design for a report, you should meet with users to review the prototype,
adjust the design if necessary, and obtain written approval. Chapter 8 contains
guidelines and suggestions about report design.
Securing approvals from users throughout the design phase is very important. That
approach ensures that you do not have a major task of obtaining approvals at the end,
it keeps the users involved with the system’s development, and it gives you feedback
about whether or not you are on target. Some sections of the system design
specification might not interest users, but anything that does affect them should be
approved as early as possible.
Other IT department members also need to review the system design specification.
IT management will be concerned with staffing, costs, hardware and systems software
requirements, network impact, and the effect on the operating environment when the
new system is added. The programming team will want to get ready for its role, and the
operations group will be interested in processing support, report distribution, network
loads, integration with other systems, and any hardware or software issues for which
they need to prepare. You must be a good communicator to keep people up to date,
obtain their input and suggestions, and obtain necessary approvals.
When the system design specification is complete, you distribute the document to a
target group of users, IT department personnel, and company management. You should
distribute the document at least one week before your presentation to allow the recipients
enough time to review the materia