(ii) Investigation and Analysis [11 marks]

(ii) Investigation and Analysis [11 marks]
This section is the ‘systems analysis’. The question is not how a system performs detailed tasks, but rather how the project progresses from the original data to the results. The candidate should describe how the user requirements were ascertained (including detailed planning of the investigation). The results of the investigation should be recorded accurately and analysed carefully to show how the candidate has arrived at the requirements specification. The specification must be detailed and should include the user, hardware and software requirements of the proposed solution. 

9–11 marks Excellent user involvement with detailed recording of the user’s requirements. All other items must be present, showing a thorough analysis of the system to be computerised. A detailed requirements specification, including full justification for the approach and hardware and software requirements, has been produced.

6–8 marks Good user involvement and recording of the data collection methods. Most of the necessary items have been covered. However, one or two items have been omitted. A requirements specification is present with some attempt to justify the approach based on the results of the investigations but with some omissions, eg hardware and software requirements.

3–5 marks Some evidence that an attempt has been made to identify the end-user requirements and some recording of it has been made. Attempts at some of the other items have been made. An attempt has been made to develop a requirement specification but with little attempt to justify this based on the results of the investigation.

1–2 marks Some elements have been discussed but with little or no user involvement.

Things to be included (taken from OCR spec):
a. define the nature of the task to be carried out;
b. identify methods by which to investigate the problem, including questionnaires, observation and structured interviews;
c. record information/data and gather sample documents currently used;
d. identify the current processes and current data; 
e. analyse the data and processes: candidates will be expected to use appropriate techniques such as structure diagrams/data flow diagrams/system flowcharts to illustrate their analysis;
f. specify any perceived problems and inefficiencies apparent from discussions with the user and the analysis work carried out;
g. derive the user and information requirements of a system;
h. specify and justify the required hardware;

i. specify and justify the required software.

Exemplar candidate work