Assignment: Database Concepts and Programming

Research Paper Details

Description

This research paper requires you to compare and contrast the impact of using "hard systems methodology" (HSM) versus "soft systems methodology" (SSM) on the areas relevant to the process of design and development of databases. You need to investigate what SSM is as well as to understand its underlying assumptions. I have included an overview of HSM below.

Hard System Methodologies (HSM) Overview

Database design and development projects are commonly undertaken within the context of process improvement & process engineering projects, and represent one of the very important components of the overall information systems development (ISD) effort of an organization. A common characteristic of various ISD projects is the use of an ISD methodology, which is commonly defined as a collection of procedures, techniques, tools and documentation aids used by IS developers to build Information Systems (IS). Despite the presence of some common traits, existing methodologies differ widely in their concepts, methods, beliefs, values, and normative principles.

The complexity of the ISD process is inextricably linked to the complexity of the organizational environment. In order to reduce the complexity of the context and the complexity of the process of ISD, IS developers build a model of the environment of the future IS, and rely on that model in designing the new IS. Clearly, the choice of a particular modeling approach is linked to the ontological, epistemological, social-contextual, and representational assumptions that IS designers make about the environment they seek to represent via these models. Consequently, no two methodologies would lead the developers along the same ISD path, and each path, in turn, would result in a different IS. As a result of the underlying differences no two projects, guided by the different methodologies, will produce the same IS, same process models, and the same data/information models.

Currently, the majority of ISD methodologies employed to build IS are so-called functionalist methodologies, characterized by the relatively high level of complexity and formality in their diagrams, notations, and models. These functionalist methodologies are often selected due to their maturity, popularity, and widespread acceptance. Moreover, these methodologies have proven their ability to be used effectively in a wide range of development situations, including large-scale complex projects.

The problems of the traditional functionalist methodologies, however, are many. In general, the pitfalls are associated with an objectivist approach to the organization and organizational data. Specifically, functionalism views an organization as a collection of distinct physical structures and boundaries that rarely undergo radical change and with a visible hierarch and fixed job titles. Organizational success is considered a function of rational decision-making, which is based on standards and techniques.

The functionalist paradigm-driven process of ISD grants an objective existence to organizational goals, requirements, and information that can be determined through rational and systematic techniques. The success of the resulting IS depends its alignment with the organizational goals, which are based on objective principles such as efficiency, rationality, need for improvement in job production and maintenance of balance within the organization. Inherently, members of the organization are viewed as being biased and irrational. Therefore, system requirements should be determined by the experts, the IS developers, with the help of management. Some of the better-known traditional functionalist methodologies are the original waterfall methodology, phased development and prototyping methodologies. Functionalism-based methodologies are commonly known as "hard systems methodologies".

Questions

Specifically, in this research paper you need to answer the following questions:

1. What are the main differences between the assumptions underlying HSM and SSM?

a. What are the cases where HSM is a better choice? Why?
b. What are the cases where SSM is a better choice? Why?
c. Are there any similarities between HSM and SSM?

2. How will the differences between HSM and SSM impact the overall effort of database development?

a. Database design?
b. Database implementation?

3. Discuss the implication of the differences between HSM and SSM on the process of information engineering.

a. What are the differences in regard to the gathering of information requirements?
b. Are there any similarities?

4. Is there any impact on data identification and acquisition that comes from choosing HSM vs. SSM?

5. Discuss the process of conversion of data into information and into knowledge as it is modeled by HSM and SSM.

a. What are the differences?
b. What are the similarities?
c. What approach captures the process better in your opinion? Why?

6. What are some of the possible differences between the conceptual data models (e.g., ERD) produced by HSM vs. SSM?

7. Which conceptual model will be easier to convert into logical/implementation model (e.g., normalized ERD)?

8. Is there any difference in terms of the information that could be provided to the decision maker by an IS that was created using HSM and an IS that was created using SSM?