Understanding of Business Processes
Prior to developing a new information system, it is important to understand how its business processes work. Business process refers to a set of activities performed in an organizational. These activities are maintained on a daily basis to achieve a business goal. Each organization has its own business processes.
However, broadly they can be classified into management, operational and supporting processes (Bicevkis & Bicevska, 2015). An information system is a system which captures, transmits, stores and displays information. Its purpose is to support people and the organization. Analysis of business environment is among the most important steps in the information system development cycle. This step presumes that users and IT specialists collaborate to better understand the business requirements and work processes. It is crucial to have a decent understanding of business processes for several reasons. Firstly, any information system is designed to serve the business needs. Without understanding of business processes and workflow, cooperation n between departments, as well as organizational structure, it is not possible to design a system that will meet business objectives (Bicevkis & Bicevska, 2015). In addition, new system is usually designed to simplify or improve the existing processes. To do this, it is required to properly assess flaws in the current system, as well as understand the company’s goals and needs.
Assessing the existing system also allows to conclude which functionality of the existing information system should be preserved in the new one. Without analysis of the business process it is not possible to shape requirements to the system, which cover costs, maintenance and reliability. Last but not least, understanding of business processes enable IT specialists to suggest users to implement certain changes or extend the scope of the system to enhance productivity and overall efficiency. Without understanding how business process are shaped, such suggestions are not possible.
References
Bicevkis, J. & Bicevska, Z. (2015). Business Process Models and Information System Usability, Procedia Computer Science, 77, pp. …
