Systems Analysis and Design Methods [Hardcover]

Jeffrey Whitten (Author), Victor M. Barlow (Author), Lonnie Bentley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1994 | ISBN-10: 0256093601 | ISBN-13: 978-0256093605 | Edition: 3rd

Designed to support the core systems and design course, this book presents concepts and the support of those concepts through the practice of techniques and their application to systems development.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeff Whitten is Professor and department Head of Computer Technology (CPT). CPT offers baccalaureate degrees in both information systems development and telecommunications & networking. Professor Whitten is heavily involved in curriculum development and outreach. His main interests include systems analysis and design, computer-aided software engineering, rapid application development, and database development.

Lonnie Bentley is Professor and Associate Department Head of Computer Technology (CPT). CPT offers baccalaureate degrees in both information systems development and telecommunications & networking. As Associate Head, Professor Bentley is primarily responsible for academic affairs of the department. His main teaching and scholarly interests include systems analysis and design, computer-aided software engineering (CASE), rapid application development (RAD), and graphical user interface (GUI) design. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 868 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies; 3rd edition (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0256093601
• ISBN-13: 978-0256093605
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,444,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Systems Analysis & Design Methods (Hardcover)

I've used this textbook to teach a Systems Analysis course. There are a few "fluffy" chapters here and there, but overall the textbook is excellent. This edition focuses exclusively on the Analysis and Design phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle. There are also two chapters that introduce Object Oriented Analysis, but the treatment here is very high-level.

Some of my students have complained about the wordiness of the textbook. The authors have opted to explain several of the key concepts in several different ways. Some students will feel as if the book has repeated itself, but I've found the pedagogical use of varied approaches to explain a concept to be quite effective.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great Introduction to SDLC, November 15, 2002

By 

Erin P. Quick-laughlin (Nth Penguin LLC, Appleton, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Systems Analysis and Design Methods 5e (Hardcover)

(based on 4th edition, 692pp)
If you've never studied the fundamental concepts of SDLC, this book will teach you standards when using CASE tools/Project Management software, how to create your first Requirements Statement and how to facilitate between Users, Owners, Vendors, Steering Committees, Programmers, Network Admins, Interface Designers, DB Admins and misc Managers.

Examples of Gane & Sarson (the book's standard), DeMarco/Yourdon and SSADM/IDEF0 shapes and diagramming methods are used for diagramming Data, Processes, Networks and Objects. The redudancy of the text prevented me from madly flipping back and forth to try and keep everything in memory - THANK YOU! It's like having a pre-hyperlink referal manual.

While SAaDM 4th ed. also thoroughly delves into the core theory & logic of Database/Process/Network modeling, Object Modeling, Input/Output/Interface Prototyping and Project Management, it is not a replacement for experience. Consider it a comprenhensive, illustrated encyclopedia or HOWTO that builds off of the project's Objectives/Constraints by cross referencing the technology behind Data, Process, Interface and Geography with human Owners, Users, Designers and Builders. Each cell of that cross reference has requirements, methods, an outcome & a deliverable which compiles to a standardized, template-based Requirements Statement that you would be proud to submit to the boss.

The downfalls:
A) It can't cover the remaining SDLC phases (part 3: Implementation & Support is covered in about 35 pages), but the title already tells us that.
B) Many of the methods use very similar terms and templates, (e.g. the difference between a Data Flow Diagram & a Data Model, or the reason we have a Decomposition Diagram AND a Context Diagram). With experience, every part of this book reveals neccessity, but a first-time reader would benefit from sidebars like "Why Decomp Diags differ from Context Diags" or "Common mistakes of translating an Entity Relationship Diagram into a Data Flow Diagram".

Finally, 140 pages of the book reveal essential Organizational Behavior habits that every System Architect should learn: Project & Process Management Techniques, Fact-finding, Feasibility & Cost Analysis, Joint Application Development and Interpersonal Skills.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" tool for Systems Developement, November 22, 1998

By 

Earl W Bentley (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Systems Analysis & Design Methods (Hardcover)

I was introduced to the 1994 version of this book during a Systems Analysis and Design class as part of a Master's Degree program. I was impressed with its thoroughness, and although, not necessarily written at an "entry-level", it is understandable to people possessing some background & experience in the systems development arena. I am a Quality Improvement Manager for a major telecommunications and system/software development company and I use it almost daily. This new version expands and updates information supplied in earlier versions of the book and incorporates a very thorough indoctrination into Object-Oriented (O-O) methodologies. I've seen this book being used as a text book in Mid-West and East coast Universities and colleges--in various areas of educational pursuit!! This is a cornerstone reference book in my library. Anyone serious about learning and maintaining sound methodologies, processess, procedures, and techniques in systems analysis and design should keep an updated version of this book handy--I do!