SYSTEM LIFE CYCLE Theory
2. Why build new IT systems?
New IT systems are being developed all the time in almost every type of organisation from a small shopkeeper who wants a custom built stock control system to the NHS who want a national database on which they can keep the medical records of every person in the UK.
Here are a few other examples of IT systems:
- Banks - customer record systems, systems for ATM machines, systems for approving or rejecting mortgage applications
- Hospitals - pharmacy systems for keeping track of drugs and creating printed prescriptions, appointment systems for outpatients
- Government - online tax payment system, online census information
- Supermarkets - stock control systems, payroll systems
A new IT system may be commissioned for a number of reasons:
The current one is out of date and no longer doing its job effectively |
Technology might have moved on and new things are possible that couldn't be done with the previous system |
A competitor has developed a new system or process and the organisation needs something similar in order to offer the same service to customers |
The organisation has grown and the current system can't cope with the increased demands placed on it. Perhaps the company had only a few customers to start with but now it needs to be able to deal with hundreds of accounts. |
A new part of the company needs IT support e.g. a new customer service help desk. |
The company might want to improve the quality of a repetitive task. Doing the same thing over and over is very tiring and tedious for a person. A robotic system may be able to help with this. For instance the car industry makes heavy use of robots in their factories. |
challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you
Click on this link: System Life Cycle