- System Analysis and Design - Home
- System Analysis & Design - Overview
- Differences between System Analysis and System Design
- System Analysis and Design - Communication Protocols
- Horizontal and Vertical Scaling in System Design
- Capacity Estimation in Systems Design
- Roles of Web Server and Proxies in Designing Systems
- Clustering and Load Balancing
- System Development Life Cycle
- System Analysis and Design - Requirement Determination
- System Analysis and Design - Systems Implementation
- System Analysis and Design - System Planning
- System Analysis and Design - Structured Analysis
- System Design
- System Analysis and Design - Design Strategies
- System Analysis and Design - Software Deployment
- Software Deployment Example Using Docker
- Functional Vs. Non-functional Requirements
- Data Flow Diagrams(DFD)
- Data Flow Diagram - What It Is?
- Data Flow Diagram - Types and Components
- Data Flow Diagram - Development
- Data Flow Diagram - Balancing
- Data Flow Diagram - Decomposition
- Databases in System Design
- System Design - Databases
- System Design - Database Sharding
- System Design - Database Replication
- System Design - Database Federation
- System Design - Designing Authentication System
- Database Design Vs. Database Architecture
- Database Federation Vs. Database Sharding
- High Level Design(HLD)
- System Design - High Level Design
- System Design - Availability
- System Design - Consistency
- System Design - Reliability
- System Design - CAP Theorem
- System Design - API Gateway
- Low Level Design(LLD)
- System Design - Low Level Design
- System Design - Authentication Vs. Authorization
- System Design - Performance Optimization Techniques
- System Design - Containerization Architecture
- System Design - Modularity and Interfaces
- System Design - CI/CD Pipelines
- System Design - Data Partitioning Techniques
- System Design - Essential Security Measures
- System Implementation
- Input / Output & Forms Design
- Testing and Quality Assurance
- Implementation & Maintenance
- System Security and Audit
- Object-Oriented Approach
- System Analysis & Design Resources
- Quick Guide
- Useful Resources
- Discussion
Differences between System Analysis and System Design
Introduction
System analysis and system design are two critical phases in the development lifecycle of a software system. While they are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes and involve different methodologies. This article will delve into the key differences between system analysis and system design, their roles in the development process, and the techniques used in each phase.
System Analysis
System analysis is the initial phase of a software development project where the requirements of the system are gathered, analyzed, and documented. It involves understanding the problem domain, identifying the stakeholders, and defining the scope and objectives of the system.
Key Activities in System Analysis
Requirement Gathering− Identifying the needs and expectations of the users and stakeholders.
Requirement Analysis− Analyzing the gathered requirements to ensure consistency, feasibility, and completeness.
Feasibility Study− Assessing the technical, economic, and operational feasibility of the proposed system.
Process Modelling− Creating diagrams and models to represent the current and proposed business processes.
Data Modelling− Defining the data entities, attributes, and relationships within the system.
Techniques Used in System Analysis
Interviews− Gathering information from stakeholders through face-to-face or online interviews.
Surveys− Collecting data from a large number of respondents using questionnaires.
Observation− Observing the current system in operation to understand its processes and workflows.
Document Analysis− Examining existing documents, reports, and manuals.
Prototyping− Creating simplified models or mock-ups of the system to gather feedback and refine requirements.
System Design
System design is the subsequent phase where the detailed specifications of the system are developed. It involves designing the architecture, components, interfaces, and data structures that will implement the requirements defined in the analysis phase.
Key Activities in System Design
Architectural Design− Determining the overall structure and components of the system.
Component Design− Designing individual components and their interactions.
Interface Design− Specifying the interfaces between components and with external systems.
Data Design− Designing the database schema and data structures.
Detailed Design− Creating detailed specifications for each component, including algorithms and data flow.
Techniques Used in System Design
Unified Modelling Language (UML)− A standardized modelling language used to visualize, specify, construct, and document software systems.
Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)− Diagrams that illustrate the flow of data through a system.
Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs)− Diagrams that represent the entities and relationships between them in a database.
Decision Trees− Diagrams that show the possible outcomes and decisions in a process.
State Transition Diagrams− Diagrams that represent the different states a system can be in and the transitions between them.
Key Differences Between System Analysis and System Design
| Sr.No. | Feature | System Analysis | System Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Focus | Understanding the problem domain and gathering requirements. | Specifying the solution and designing the system. |
| 2 | Output | Requirements document | System design specifications |
| 3 | Techniques | Interviews, surveys, observation, document analysis | UML, DFDs, ERDs, decision trees, state transition diagrams |
| 4 | Level of Detail | High-level understanding | Detailed specifications |
The Relationship Between System Analysis and System Design
System analysis and system design are closely interconnected. The output of the analysis phase (the requirements document) serves as the input for the design phase. The design specifications must align with the requirements to ensure that the developed system meets the needs of the users and stakeholders.
Conclusion
System analysis and system design are essential phases in the development of software systems. While they have distinct roles and methodologies, they work together to ensure that the final product meets the desired requirements and delivers value to the users. By effectively conducting system analysis and design, organizations can develop high-quality, efficient, and user-friendly software systems.