Design

The Role of Design in the Systems Life Cycle

• Following the analysis phase, we move onto the Design stage in the systems life cycle.
• A key objective in this stage is to establish a detailed specification of how the new computer system will function.
• The process involves the creation of two distinct types of design: Logical design, which focuses on what the system must do, and Physical design which focuses on how the system will do it.
• Alongside this, the design phase also involves determining the data structures, input and output designs and algorithmic details of the new system.

Key Elements of Design

• The systems diagram or model that was created during analysis is evolved further to show how the new system will work.
• Physically, this could include the layout of hardware, and the required network infrastructure. Logically, this could involve data flow diagrams, entity relationship diagrams and decision trees.
• Another aspect of the design phase is the design of user interfaces. This is crucial to ensure that end-users can interact with the system conveniently and effectively.
• Additionally, designers need to consider possible contingency plans and backups to secure the new system effectively.

Importance of Design

• The quality of design directly influences the ease of implementation and the efficiency of the new system.
• Good design accelerates the subsequent programming, testing and installation stages, reducing the overall time needed for system development.
• The design phase plays a key role in fulfilling the requirements stated in the System Requirements Specification (SRS), prepared during the analysis stage.
• In essence, this stage translates the system requirements into a blueprint that engineers and programmers can follow to construct the new system. It’s a determining factor for whether the crisis will be a boom or bust.