Mgt 230 - Riordan Service Request

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Design Stage

As we move away from the analysis phase and into the design phase there is a high level of importance placed upon this phase. It is the most crucial phase in the development of a system. The logical system design arrived at as a result of system analysis and is converted into physical system design. In the design phase the SDLC process continues to move from the questions of the analysis phase to the how. Data structure, control process, equipment source, workload and limitation of the system, Interface, documentation, training, procedures of using the system, taking backups and staffing requirement are decided at this stage. There are several tools and techniques used for describing the system design of the system. These tools and techniques are: Flowchart, Data flow diagram (DFD), Data dictionary, Structured English, Decision table and Decision tree which will be discussed in detailed in the next lesson. (Payne,2014)

Architecture

When dealing with application architecture and process design you will need to define the interface between the businesses along with the technical view for information systems. The most important part of the process is important in order to build a consistent application through System Development Life Cycle phases. A key business goal of any architecture is to enable the addition of features without major effort, and in general the ability to sustain changes and ensure the application built on this architecture remains future-proof all along its life cycle. This is achieved by bridging customer and technical requirements through the development of use cases and scenarios that need to be implemented in the software. As stated by Microsoft, “The goal of architecture is to identify the requirements that affect the structure of the application. Good architecture reduces the business risks associated with building a technical solution. “In addition, it is critical to ensure that the architecture itself can stand the test of time, to some extent; it is equally critical for a business to realize that the activity of architecting is not something that is done once but instead is a repeated and continuous endeavor to retain flexibility and allow the products to handle the inexorable evolution in the software and RF and hardware technologies. (LeHelloco, 2011)

Riordan Ops Requirements

Since Riordan Manufacturing requires portability, thin client-server architecture must be used because it is easier to write HTML5 standards for this type of server. There are also many benefits to moving to a thin client over traditional methods. There are many advantages to using thin client over traditional methods. Lower operational costs, better security, lower malware risks, and better reliability are just a few of the benefits that this shift can create. (Cantoria, 2013) This then allows the system to conduct transactions via the internet through employees’ browser, which creates greater flexibility by the company in regards to space needed as well as having access to the data and system itself. Integration of the updated HR system with the existent software is a must. To meet system requirements for integration with employee desktop computers Riordan should use client server architecture.

Riordan Performance Requirements

Riordan Manufacturing is looking for a high tech system, one that can handle its Human Resources payload, forms, and documents. To meet system performance requirements this is why Riordan has chosen client-server architecture. The client-server architecture will allow better integration of hardware, and will handle the payload. This is because of client-server architecture reliability, scalability, response time, and availability. This client server architecture relies on the operating system used, and for this reason Riordan will likely want to upgrade to a more recent yet trusted version of Microsoft such as Windows 7 or 8.1.

Riordan Security Requirements and Controls

Part of the client-server architecture is to house all software in one location; this will in turn increase the security on the mainframe operating systems. Other techniques Riordan Manufacturing would be able use are advanced authentication and encryption controls. These security measures along with the advanced architecture will allow Riordan to be immune to potential virus issues, and malware. Since server-based architecture model will be used we can assume that threats will not spread to employee desktop computers. Cultural and Political Requirements are also very important to Riordan Manufacturing. Riordan needs to be able to divide the presentation from the application especially when considering logic and data. In order to provide a simpler development process when inserting numerous languages to support customer diversity and future growth expectations it is important Riordan is able to divide presentation from application. Riordan’s employees require a high level of assurance that their personal data is well protected and secure from various threats. Riordan’s Human Resources department needs to take threats against personal data seriously and be trained to handle these types of situation. Many security breaches happen from within an organization. It is important to not allow access to everyone but only those who are privy to such information and is required in order to complete their job. A few steps or precautionary measures that can be taken to ensure data integrity is a top priority and that systems are made more secure are: Educate and regularly train employees on security protocols, ensure that confidential data is protected, use screening processes to select new employees, provide non-threatening, convenient way to report suspicions, routinely monitor computers for suspicious activity, and ensure security personnel have the tools they need to do their jobs well and at a high level.

System Implementation

The implementation portion of the Riordan project could in fact, prove to be one of the most challenging parts. There will be a need to have a team of experienced developers in various different Information Technology fields to see the implementation portion stage through to completion. Several of the departments within the Riordan organization will have to be given priorities when it comes to implementing the new human resource management system. Since this type of system has been deemed automated and is on an Information Technology platform, the initial two departments to consider are human resource management, and Information Technology. The teams of professionals that