Design , implementation and management of secured lan

1.4. 2.3 Purpose of the Research

The purpose of the research was to find out how the current systems function and to get a clear picture on the impact the proposed system would bring.

The research was also aimed at eliciting user challenges with the current system and what improvements they would like to see.

2.4 Research Techniques/ methods used

There are a variety of data collection and analysis techniques that I considered before selecting the most suitable method for this project. These techniques included:

a) Questionnaires

b) Interviews

c) Observation

d) Record Inspection / Document Review

e) Sampling

f) (a) Use of questionnaires

A questionnaire is a special document that allows the analyst to ask a number of standard questions set to be asked to a large number of people in order to gather information from them. It is used when:

· The system analyst is located at a considerably long distance from the respondent.

· There is a large number of respondents such that interviewing them will be limited by time.

· The questions to be asked are simple and straight forward and require direct answers

· It is used as a means to verify facts found using other methods.

Advantages of using questionnaires are:

· They provide a cheap means of gathering information / data from a large number of people.

· They encourage individuals to provide response without fear, intimidation or victimization.

· The respondents can complete the questionnaire at their own convenience with minimal or limited interruption of their work.

· Questions are presented consistently to all without bias.

Disadvantages of using questionnaires are:

· Response is often too slow since the respondents complete and return the form at their own convenience.

· They don't provide an opportunity for respondents to obtain clarification of questions which may appear vague or ambiguous.

· Does not provide an opportunity for the analyst to observe respondents' reactions.

· The design of the questionnaire requires an expert who may charge expensively and may not be economically when used for a small group of users.

· All forms may not be returned and also not all questions may be answered which leads to incomplete data for analysis.

Requirements for preparing a questionnaire include:

· Questions should be simple and clear

· The questions should be objectively oriented and one should avoid leading questions.

· The questions should be logically organized

· The form should be neat.

(b) Interviewing

This is a direct face-to-face conversation between the system analyst (the interviewer) and users (interviewees). He obtains answers to questions he asks the interviewee. He gets the interviewee's suggestions and recommendations that may assist during the design of the proposed system.

Interviews serve the following purposes:

· Acts as a method of fact-finding to gather facts about the existing system.

· Used for verifying facts gathered through other methods.

· Used for clarifying facts gathered through other methods.

· Used to get the user involved in the development of the new system.

Interviews are used in the following circumstances:

· When the respondents are few e.g. corporate managers

· When the respondents are physically available and accessible

· When the main emphasis of the system investigation is people

· When the analyst wishes to seek direct answers, opinions, suggestions and detailed information.

· When the analyst wishes to verify validity of facts collected through other techniques.

· When immediate response is required

Interviews have the following advantages:

· The analyst can frame questions differently to individuals depending on their levels of understanding. Thus it allows detailed facts to be gathered.

· The analyst can observe non-verbal communication from the respondents or interviewees.

· The response rate rends to be high

· Provides immediate response

· The analyst can get detailed facts from each respondent

Disadvantages of interviews are:

· Costly and time consuming when used on a large number of people

· Success highly depends on the analyst human relation skills, expertise and experience

· May not be practical due to location of respondent

· May make the respondents to feel that they are being summoned or grilled by analyst

· Interviews can fail due to:

- Ambiguous questions being asked

- Personal questions being asked

- Inadequate time allocation for the exercise

- Lack of earlier preparation by both parties

- When the analyst is biased on using technical jargon

(c) Observation

Observation is the most effective fact-finding technique but requires the analyst to participate in performance some activities carried out by the user. He may choose to watch them as they perform their activities and gather the facts intended.

This method is best used in the following circumstances:

· When the validity of facts gathered through other methods is questionable

· When complexity of certain aspects of a system prevent a clear explanation by the respondents or the user

· Used to confirm that the procedures specified in the manuals are being followed.

· When one needs to obtain first hand and reliable information

Guidelines when using the observation method include:

· There should be permission from concerned authorities before the exercise

· Gathered facts should be recorded

· Those to be observed should be notified and the purpose of the exercise explained

· The analyst should be objective and avoid personal option. He should have an open mind

· The analyst should also be record ordinary events

Advantages of observation method include:

· Data gathered is highly reliable thus the method can be used to verify facts collected through other methods

· The analyst can see what is being done clearly including the tasks which are difficult to explain clearly in writing or in words.

· Inaccuracy or inaccurately described tasks can easily be identified.

· It allows the analyst to easily compare gathered facts through other methods and what actually happened on the ground

· Relatively cheap compared to other methods

Disadvantages of observation are:

· People feel uncomfortable when being observed and behave abnormally thus influence the analyst's conclusions

· The exercise may take place at odd times inconveniencing those involved

· The analyst may observe exceptional activities, leaving some critical areas. His patience and expertise play a great role

· The tasks being observed may be interrupted and the analyst may gather wrong facts

(d) Record inspection / Document review

This method involves perusing through literature or documents to gain a better understanding about the existing system. Examples of documents that are perused include sales orders, job descriptions, existing systems documentation, management reports, procedure manuals, organized structure charts, trade journals etc.

This method is best used when:

· The analyst needs to have a quick overview of the existing system

· The information required cannot be obtained through any other techniques

Advantages of this method are:

· It is comparatively cheap compared to other techniques

· It is a faster methods of fact finding especially when documents to be considered are few

Disadvantages of this method are:

· Time consuming if the documents are many or if they are not within the same locality

· Unavailability of relevant documents makes this method unreliable

· Its success depends on the expertise of the analyst

· Most of the documents or information obtained may be outdated

(e) Sampling

Sampling is the systematic selection of representative elements of a population. The selected elements are examined closely and the results assumed to reveal useful information about the entire population.

This method is used when the target population:

· Is too large and it is impractical to study every element of the population

· Contains homogenous elements (elements with similar characteristics)

Advantages of sampling are:

· It reduces the cost e.g. by avoiding to examine every document or talking to everyone in the organization to gather facts

· It spends up fact finding process

· It improves effectiveness since one can concentrate on few people and fewer documents and get adequate accurate information

· May reduce biasness, if a representative sample is taken. All the elements of the population stand a chance of being selected.

Disadvantages include:

· The sample may not be representative enough which may lead to incorrect and bias conclusions.

· The expertise of the analyst is required since sampling involves a lot of mathematical computation