Iyana Lester

You bring a great point that the understanding should go back to the business requirements. However as you mention, the business requirements have the potential to be misunderstood. This reiterates the importance of not only have clearly defined business requirements but also working with all stakeholders during the collection of these to help…[Read more]

You did a great job pinpointing examples of the different forms of consideration that must be taken into account during the analysis phase. Things like structural information about data are just as essential. Data analysis helps to map the conceptual data requirements for a particular system.

I agree as the data model represents certain types of business rules that govern how the system will meets the needs of the organization. These business rules will ideally be enforced through the database and database management system for the system or application being designed.

You bring up a great point that people do not care about the format with big data. While you have the ability to put data of any type into a NoSQL repository, I think the process of making sense of those complicated mixes of information and producing something useful from it counts as a form of formal data analysis as well.

You bring up a good point that any issue found will need to be corrected anyway. However, the later you find these steps, the more effort it will require to fix them. The definition, structure, and relationships
within the data are some of the most complex aspects of many modern information systems so additional time should be taken upfront to…[Read more]

I agree that it is hard to define a cost-benefit without performing this process first. It is nearly impossible to do a thorough evaluation of how things will pan out from a cost or benefit perspective if you are not confident you know what you’re working with. As you mentioned, this often leads to ignorance or overestimation which are even more…[Read more]

I definitely agree with you in regards to managing complexity. As auditors documentation of these sort of consequences of chances becomes a vital part of our job. The inability to do so effectively, due to inefficient drawings, presents a challenge in our audit. DFDs should be complete and consistent across all levels. If we misinterpret a system…[Read more]

I agree, as presenting the monetary losses to an organization is always an effective way of getting everyone’s attention. Uniformity in data can also prove to be invaluable to not only an organization but the auditor. It allows auditors to benefit from the insights uniform data provides in order to focus the audit objectives. Uniform data also…[Read more]

You mention a key point that the use of a formal standard for process modelling makes the work of the auditor more efficient and effective. Audits need to look at the bigger picture and focus on higher business objectives. This cannot be efficiently done if the auditor must spend a lot of time simply trying to understand the organization’s…[Read more]

Ami I agree that having a formal technique is like having a designated language to complete the task. We have to assume that no technical knowledge is required to understand the diagram as these documents are presented to stakeholders as well. Formal techniques give guidelines as there a lot of room for misinterpretation otherwise. Having this…[Read more]

Pascal you bring up an important point with the mention of stakeholders. Formal model techniques help ensure understanding of the models among stakeholders and less time can be spent clarifying the models presented. What do you personally believe to be some of the potential cost associated with using informal model techniques?

James you bring up a great point about departments not being placed in silos. The connection of departments will allow for better communication within the organization overall. This will also improve the company culture as departments will be more in unison after realizing they are working towards one common goals. Organizations who establish this…[Read more]

I found your information on GEIT very helpful and agree that it a helpful framework for overall better strategic alignment and risk management. While GEIT provides a structured approach, I think it is important to remember that it is not a one-time initiative, but an ongoing activity that needs to be monitored an adjusted over time, as does an…[Read more]

I think in a case like this it is important to develop criteria and the true organizational requirements of the software to evaluate it. Otherwise it will be hard to come to any type of consensus between IT and the business executives. While everyone’s evaluations will differ, these differences may bring up some important points that one side had…[Read more]

I definitely agree with you that using an existing system for a new project may not be a bad thing however that it is important to understand the objectives and assess the viability of using such systems for such project just as you would for implementation of a new system. For example, the inclusion of top management may help identify when it is…[Read more]

Hi James,

I agree. I think when an organization follows a top down planning approach it becomes much easier to convince higher ups that IT is useful for the organization overall. Planning initiatives are viewed from the “top” and there is generally increased management acceptance of the role of information systems in helping them achieve…[Read more]

Derrick you make a great point on the importance of transparency in a project. Considering the level of transparency necessary for each stakeholder is an important thing to consider in the communication plan. In your example, being open about the plans and meetings helped to develop trust and ultimately worked in SKB’s favor. This helped to gain…[Read more]

It is great to hear about your personal experience in running a business first hand. It goes to show how the “steering committee” in all projects must work together to make decisions. This also shows a great example of how listening to the key users (i.e. your customers) can be critical in ensuring a successful roll out of a new product. You were…[Read more]

I agree that it is important to acknowledge that different types of stakeholders have different objectives and relate to different kinds of values within a project. Having these potential objectives and values identified upfront can help you prepare for future roadblocks these stakeholders may cause as the project goes on. I have found a related…[Read more]

Hi Folake,

You make a great point that buy-in is necessary from both the business owners and senior management. Your example reminds me of the importance of stakeholder management and ensuring that the relevant stakeholders are engaged in all project decisions/activities. These business units could have possibly been more involved with…[Read more]