Business Systems Planning IBM Corporation Initial work on

Business Systems Planning (IBM Corporation) • Initial work on BSP began in the early 1970 s. • At first, it was for IBM internal use only; later it was made available to customers. • Its focus on data and especially on processes was an entirely new way to view the firm and to build systems; this process approach has since been copied by many others. • BSP is very comprehensive – and thus time consuming and expensive. Computer Information Systems • Robinson College of Business • Georgia State University

Business Systems Planning Designed to define an Information Architecture for the firm. The basic building blocks of the architecture are: • Data Classes – Categories of logically related data that are necessary to support the business • Business Processes – Groups of logically related decisions and activities required to manage the resources of the business Computer Information Systems • Robinson College of Business • Georgia State University

Business Systems Planning Steps in the BSP process 1. Obtain authorization for the study 2. Assemble the study team 3. Define the data classes 4. Define the business processes 5. Using these data classes and business processes, define the information architecture 6. Compare this architecture with the present systems and identify missing and/or needed systems 7. Interview senior management to ensure the architecture is correct and to identify any problems 8. Establish priorities for each of the major systems contained in the architecture 9. Prepare the final study report and present it to top management 10. If approved, initiate the construction of the architecture Computer Information Systems • Robinson College of Business • Georgia State University

Business Systems Planning BSP, in addition to its value for I/S planning, also made two other important intellectual contributions: 1. It helped introduce the process view of the firm. The popular Business Process Re-engineering of the 1990 s was built on this concept. 2. It pointed out the need to de-couple data from the applications that use these data, i. e. , data independence. This supported the database approach to systems development. Computer Information Systems • Robinson College of Business • Georgia State University