Based on your learning’s of chapter 1, identify and discuss some characteristics you have as a good Systems Analyst.
What is system analyst? A system analysis provides IT solutions to any business problems in which could be a new information system. They serve as a bridge between the end users and information technology professionals. They play an important role in business companies and like for they are responsible for the success or failure of the system being implemented with respond to the problems which the business encounters.
A system analyst must able to gather all possible details by most means which could help the success of the system designed. Being a system analyst, one should not only have good programming skills but should also have good communication skills. A system analyst must have an ear to every question, recommendations, suggestions and feedbacks that was been given by the system recipient for it helps with the proposed system’s development. There must be an open communication between the recipient and to those who will design the system. Also, communication plays a great part on data gathering where it could be a form of an interview directly to those who will be the end user of the system, their point of view with regards to the system proposed. In this way also, it provides another approach with regards to data gathering rather than just looking at the data presented by the company or business. Ever since I work as a part time employee, it does help me with improve my communication skills and be able to listen what are those feedbacks that are coming from our client. And if it talks with the programming skills, I am quite good in programming using C++, Java, PHP, HTML, CSS, javascript and jQuery. A system analyst must have accounting or business skills in order to relate and understand concepts to which is only in business can be found and bring out ideas which is beneficial to both sides. So by having the skills and knowledge on both programming and business part, the system analyst can deliver the details to both parties (company and to the system developer) efficiently.
A system analyst must be observant. Every discovery as of today roots from observations and it is proven through history. So every detail which could contribute to the propose system counts. The systems analyst should know what is the environment to which the propose system is to be implemented. By being observant, also, a system analyst is able to distinguish aspects that are not commonly found in business relating it to information technology and vice versa. As for me, I somehow able to be concern about what is happening on the world especially on information technology area, being eager to learn and try new things that are created through the innovations in science and technology.
A system analyst must have curiosity and should be a critical thinker. It should be a couple of what if’s that should run on a system analyst’s mind. By being curious, a system analyst is discovering new ideas that may relevant to the analysis and design of the system. It also helps for better defining the problem and to come up with a solid solution of the problem. A system analyst must be able to decide up to the most difficult decisions that may come up during the system’s development; it may be related to the system being designed or to the team in short a system analyst must have a common sense and good understanding on what is happen around him or her. An example of it is when a system analyst decides what approach to take in system development, the system analyst must weight all the possibilities that would affect the propose system during its development and implementation. It is very critical because once you started it wrong it is very hard to correct it in the middle way, and could be the only option to correct it is to rebuild the system design which is very expensive in terms of time and resources. As for me, even since is stated programming when I was still first year, I am always curious to what will happen in a piece of code in a program and what are possible problems that may arise with that piece of code. I assume all possible outcomes in a certain function or process that the code will do in order to formulate and build strategies that will help me in programming. One must be out of his or her box and take the risk to pursuit greater learnings and knowledge.
A system analyst must be a team player. “No one is an island, no one stands alone” as a song tells. A system could not be a success without its sub systems, same through with the system developer team. There should be a good work relationship within the team so that which member could deliver its assigned task accordingly. A system analyst must have a strong sense of leadership to set up the team to the right track and to be able to succeed whatever task is given to each one of them. As a system analyst, one must guide its team throughout the system development. When I was working part time, being a team player greatly improves not only our individual task but also brings the team into success. There is no solo play when it comes in system development, all must collaborate and share their ideas and point of view that may help them in working with the system in general. A system analyst must motivate its teammates especially on those times in system development that is very frustrating. It is not bad to show your weak side but one should show strength to keep the team from falling down. In my work, most of the time, we are pressured and more likely prone to sermons but after the day our supervisor would tells us that it is only a part of our job and in order for us to be more productive.
As a system analyst, he or she must separate work from is personal problems, professionalism in order words. It is not good to worry its personal problems when he or she is working. One should be able to focus itself to be able to deliver its full knowledge and ideas for the system’s development and to be a good model to the rest of the team. When I was working as a part time employee, it can’t be avoided that there are problems that arises throughout the work progress, but I manage to focus myself to my work even though there are problems with regards to my personal life with or even with regards to my workmates. One must take initiative in order carry or deliver his or her work effectively. Act one to be one, so one should embody the job as a system analyst to become one.
A system analyst must aim for the betterment of the business where the system is to be implemented. The main purpose of the system designed is to solve the problem that exist and set forward the business from where it is today and to what it will become in the future. A system analyst should be a problem solver and not a problem giver. Base on experience, it always comes in my mind that my work should beneficial to our clients and not only satisfy their needs but also to improve their working capabilities. It should be one of the main objectives of a system analyst to raise the quality of business with the use of technology and to make it globally competitive and it makes a clear goal for the system analyst and its team to accomplish its task.
A system analyst must be optimistic and patient. Most commonly, it is impossible for a system to be finish for at least a month so therefore a system analyst should build up patience especially on those phases in system development that requires repetitions. A system analyst must not give in into frustration for it could not only affect his/her performance but also to his/her team mates as well. A system analyst should think about the positive results that come up throughout the system development cycle which leads in finishing the work despite of adversaries the team or the analyst faces. In my side, this is the characteristic that greatly needs to be improved. Nobody wants wait for long but it should not be in the case when you are a system analyst, one should extend its patients in order to deliver the project efficiently and effectively. Lack of patient causes burst of anger and frustration which must not be in the characteristic of a system analyst. With regards to patient and being optimistic, there is no better training ground than University of Southeastern Philippines especially during enrollment period. During that period, if the student wants to be enrolled, he or she must go to school early and fall in line that always reaches up to the second floor of the College of Arts and Sciences building and arrives at the window when it is lunch break. While in other scenario, students in USeP during end of the semester are still very optimistic when it comes with their grades especially when they failed. You can still see the smiles in the student’s faces and even cracks jokes to uplift their classmates and you can always hear students saying, “Ok rana bay, naa pay next year, kaya pa lagi na”. Being optimistic is one of the characteristics of USePians so it is not impossible for the students in Institute of Computing to become a good system analyst.
A system analyst should be self sacrificing. It is not the idea that one should give its full attention to the system development and its other components but to give it enough time to finish it. In this characteristic, time is the most crucial resource that should be use efficiently. A system analyst must not think on the things what could only be beneficial to her or himself, he or she must also thinks about his or her teammates and his or hers project recipients. And as much as possible and it is reasonable, a system analyst should be available when he or she is needed by the team or by the company.
A system analyst must be excellence driven. A system analyst must not be contented only to what is average or good enough, it should be the best that should defines the system at its implementation and design. By being excellence driven, the system analyst uplifts the standard of the business competitiveness in this modern world. It was always in my mind to accomplish the task in which I am good at with excellence because in my own perspective, since I was able to do the task and I am good at it, I must do it with my full effort and passion and I consider those who work just to satisfy the given requirement as lazy persons. It comes with the concept that if you could do it, why would do it with your full effort. Ever since when I was working, I always do my task in the way that my boss or supervisor would be pleased and they do acknowledge it. One should love and enjoy its work or task in order to bring excellence on it as a result and it brings the feeling of happiness and contentment in itself. But despite of all of the acknowledgement and recognition one must always be humble and keeps its feet on the ground otherwise the time will come that one will fall flat on the ground and could not stand back.
A system analyst must have values. It is the characteristic that could be applied only to work but also to one self as person. Knowledge can be easily disregarded if one does not have values. It does not make any sense to others what you are doing because it will be covered with negative impressions and feedbacks. It is not bad about being true to one self but if it does not coincide with the fundamentals of values it will out that way. There are ethical standards that are present as of today that we should follow it otherwise we are bad in the looks of other and it would not help us to grow. Take for an example, if one wants to apply as an on-the-job trainee in a company; he or she must show values to the human resource person like answering politely and use appropriate words to the questions that are ask to him or her.
A system analyst must have integrity. As a system analyst, one must protect the data that was provided by the company or organization for it may contains important information’s that should only be available to those who belong in the company. It is unethical for a system analyst to expose information of the company especially to its co competitors. A system analyst must not break the trust that the company has given to it either there is a contract or none. By having integrity, a system analyst uplifts the credibility not only to him or herself but also to his or her teammates. It’s not just having integrity for nothing, if you have integrity the company or business notice that it will help the system analyst to continue it job by recommendations and promotions or even to those who are just starting as a system analyst to be absorb and work in the company or in the business.
A system analyst should be flexible and prepared in the rapid change of technology. A system analyst should have a holistic approach, must have greater view of the system under development in order to help a lot in understanding cases that might not be understood by the team is one of the skills needed by the system analysts to come up a better system at near future not only that a system analyst should be systematic in approach, a philosophical side might helpful in finding solution in a systematic manner. It is a mixture of philosophical views and technical aspects that makes a good system analyst. As to what is said by in a quotation, “The only constant in this world is change” so a system analyst must think ahead and foresee possible changes in technology trends.
And lastly as I could think, a system analyst must be wise in using technology. A system analyst should be mindful of the requirements that a system should have. For an instance, the company wants to connect its entire department to a shared network. For this problem, there are many ways to connect the entire department. In hardware part, the connection could be wired or wireless, either to use a router or a switch, etc. a system analyst should provide projects or solutions that are not only good for one to two years range because technology as of today is rapidly changing.
No comments:
Post a Comment