request. For example, if a department wants an existing report sorted in a different
order, the analyst can decide quickly whether the request is feasible. On the other
hand, a proposal by the marketing department for a new market research system to
predict sales trends requires more effort. In both cases, the systems analyst asks these
important questions:
• Is the proposal desirable in an operational sense? Is it a practical approach that will
solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity to achieve company goals?
• Is the proposal technically feasible? Are the necessary technical resources and
people available for the project?
•Is the proposal economically desirable? What are the projected savings and costs? Are
other intangible factors involved, such as customer satisfaction or company image? Is
the problem worth solving, and will the request result in a sound business investment?
•Can the proposal be accomplished within an acceptable time frame?
To obtain more information about a systems request, you might perform initial factfinding by studying organization charts, performing interviews, reviewing current documentation, observing operations, and surveying users. If the systems request is approved,
more intensive fact-finding will continue during the systems analysis phase