Ass.2 (SAD1)

Interview a Systems Analyst and ask what skills and characteristics must a systems analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process [include in your answer evidences (pix, ltrs, etc)]? at least 1000 words excluding your evidences.

This assignment require us to interview a System Analyst. Before I will reveal who was the System Analyst I've interviewed and discuss his answers, I will first define a System Analyst. First thing that came out on my mind about System Analyst is a solution provider and analyzing the system well. Based on my answers in assignment 1, a System Analyst has different characteristics which is very useful. I will now reflect it to the person I've interviewed, Mr. James Bautista, a System Analyst of the Sta. Ana Multi-Cooperative (SAMULCO). Many of us came there to interview him in order for us to answer and comply the assignment 2 and assignment 3. Sir James introduced also his co-workers the programmer and the technician of the organization (SAMULCO). First, we gave him a list of questions and start the interview session.

The question was what skills and characteristics must a system analyst develop in order to be more effective in any design modeling process?

Sir James Bautista asked us what kind of design modeling process, we said that the traditional and object oriented approach modeling like UML, Data Flow Diagram. Before he answered the question, Sir James defined a System Analyst on his own. According to him a System Analyst is a person who look to the overall scope or specification of a project, overall graph a system and making design modeling like flowcharts, UML. He also mentioned that a system analyst is a solution provider or a problem solver, he told us that becoming a System Analyst must see the problem first (see the problem alone) not the solution. After seeing the problem alone that's the time you think of some possible solutions to that problem. A system analyst also must be a global thinker. He cited one example why a System Analyst must think globally and a developer (programmer) think systematically. There's a 2 men who was digging, suddenly 1 man came and ask the first man what are you doing? The first man replied “I was digging” and the man asked the second man who was digging, what are you doing? The second man replied “I will build a house.” See the difference? According to Sir James the first man is the developer (programmer) who answered he was digging and the second man is the System Analyst who answered he was building a house. Why? Because a developer (programmer) have the systematic way of thinking or he is a systematic thinker and the system analyst thinks globally or wide. A System Analyst has a wide scope of thinking how a system must be develop and what are some details he need to put into it.

After the long conversation about what is a system analyst he cited some characteristics of a system analyst must develop to be more effective in design modeling process.

Observant, system analyst must observe and think broadly to have a nice output of the system. He must consider some details on it in order to less the waste of time and resources. To meet the client's need you must be flexible of some changes and also to your environment.

Has a basic programming skills, system analyst must have this kind of skills because a good system analyst are good also in terms of programming or coding. Programming skills is important in making a project or system because how can you implement the system without this skills. A system analyst must be flexible in anything which is related to his job.

Effective Communicator, according to Sir James it is one of the important characteristic of a system analyst because you must able to communicate well to your client in order to understand what the client want. And if the system analyst communicate well to the programmer they will understand each other and has a good output to the system they are developing.

Sir James asked each one of us to add some characteristic of a system analyst. When its my turn to answer the question, I gave him a basic characteristic of a system analyst which is being patience to your work. It possibly occurs when the project he made is failed and his team member are lazy or not properly participating in the said project. System Analyst must control his temper and mood when facing or interacting people especially his client and team members. When hearing that answer Sir James laughed and say that he almost forgot some basic characteristics of a system analyst. We also asked him about the feeling of being a system analyst, he said it was a great job but quiet stressful because all the time he use his mind to think and think and think for developing a system and provide solutions to the problem. When the organization demand to him to make this kind of system he already start thinking of the possible design and solutions in order to meet the needs of the organization he is working.

This interview is one of my very great experienced as a Information Technology student because Sir James shared a lot of his experienced being a system analyst and by that I got some lessons or learning's from his experienced. It almost takes 2 hours before the interview was done. After Sir James answered all the questions , he let us speak and ask some follow up questions. But when there's no one asking him some follow up questions, he asked us if we were already experiencing a system development, we said yes, and we shared our system we'd develop in DBAD 3 the “cashiering system” he said it was a good start for us. He also gave some advise in developing a system and being a good system analyst someday.