The world can be seen as a vast number of systems.
We have systems of work, telecommunication systems, legal systems, billing systems and countless other examples. In order to get the best from these systems, we need to understand them.
We need detailed and accurate knowledge on how they work, their scope, limitations and interconnections with other systems. Determining the latter is the role of the systems analysis.
The systems analyst studies for example, how a business functions, what drives it, how it works, what problems make it stop working and the internal interactions between systems. Equipped with an excellent understanding of these mechanisms, the systems analyst is then for example able to inform programmers of the requirements of computer software should that be necessary. In fact, starting a software project without this key information is largely a waste of customers money.
At Meadowlark we have seventeen years of experience of systems analysis. We passionately believe that this stage of software development (the first stage) is the most important in a software development project. Sound systems analysis allows us to see the outlying issues of a project, the potential stumbling blocks, and opportunities for improved competitive advantage. In short it means we write better quality software, that better models a business current business practices and desired business practices.
1. Smaller faster, cheaper, lighter computers for the desktop. They will be no larger than a DVD drive. They will be silent, and run free software, and much of this will be web based. They will use solid state disks, and large quantities of cheap memory.
2. More powerful mobile phones will largely replace traditional PCs. The screens of mobiles will occupy as much of the phone as physicallly possible. "Soft buttons will have largely replaced mechanical buttons in top of the range phones.3. Sophisticated screen display technology will be available that will allow us to use bigger computer monitors in smaller less likely workplaces.
4. Micro-factories: places of work no bigger than a loft
extension, where budding entrepreneurs labour in their free time
"printing" products with 3D printers and selling their wares
by the internet.