We develop information systems

The above is an overview data flow diagram of our services. In summary, we are what is called a full life cycle developer of information systems. This means that we provide analysis, design and construction of the systems. It just so happens that we specialize in web development using Microsoft tools and technologies so the end product is a web site and supporting procedures. We can work alone or in a team with your staff or other consultants. We prefer to participate in all three phases but we are flexible about that and will do any one phase. For example, we can design a system and you can do the programming yourself. The following is a very simple overview of the three phases required for development.

First, the most important thing to remember is that a system is more than computer programs - it is equipment, procedures, manuals, forms and most important, it is people. When we design a system it has to solve the problems in a way that satisfies the people who use it. I have seen millions of dollars wasted on systems that ultimately could not be used by the people that it was supposed to help. That is why we work closely with you and your staff to build something that you can use. It is also why we have three very distinct phases -- Systems Analysis, Systems Design and Systems Construction.

Systems Analysis

When you hear about the design of a new building you often hear the phrase "form follows function". In the design of a new information system we define the "function" in Systems Analysis. The deliverable of this phase is the Systems Analysis Report and it contains the "Functional Specifications". These specifications contain a data model and a process model. The data model describes the informational requirements and the logical relationships of that data. The process model defines the flows of information within the system and the external world.

Systems Design

The Systems Design Phase is where we create a physical solution to the Functional Specifications from the Systems Analysis phase. This is where we design web pages, program logic, network requirements, forms (for example pay checks and shipping labels), hardware requirements (for example computers and internet routers), software from other vendors (for example Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Internet Information Server, Database and .NET platform).

It is very important that the design phase maps back to the Functional Specifications. For example, if there is a "pay employee" function, the design may be a web page for the supervisor to request a check, a web page for the payroll department to authorize the check, a check to be printed in the payroll department, a procedure on how to send the check to the employee in the mail, an electronic message sent to the accounting system to record the transaction, a database to be updated and an electron funds transfer message to the bank for transfer the tax to the IRS.

Systems Construction

Construction is largely the programming the software. Since we are building web sites, that includes the construction of the graphic files by artist. The database has to be constructed and that is done with a special database language. Manuals are needed to help the users and that frequently takes the form of more web pages. Not everything can be done with a computer so procedures have to be written to solve those problems. Finally, we document the system so that it can be maintained.