Feasibility Study and Feasibility Analysis Feasibility Study Describes
Feasibility Study and Feasibility Analysis
Feasibility Study: � Describes and evaluates the candidate systems and helps in the selection of best system that meets the system performance requirements.
System performance definition � The system’s required performance is defined by describing its output’s in the user-acceptable format. � It involves 3 steps: ◦ Statement of constraints. ◦ Identification of specific system objectives. �Find the benefits of the system ◦ Description of outputs.
Feasibility Analysis “A measure of how beneficial or practical the development of a software system will be to an organization. This analysis recurs throughout the life cycle. ”
Feasibility Checkpoints Existing System Planning Planned Project Support Analysis Production System Business Requirements Implementation Technical Design
Feasibility Checkpoints � systems analysis -- study ◦ urgency? rough cost estimate � systems analysis -- definition ◦ clearer scope, refined cost estimate � systems design -- selection ◦ adjust scope, schedule, costs � systems design -- procurement ◦ option check before letting contracts � systems design -- detail design ◦ one last chance to cancel or downsize
STEPS IN FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS � Note down deficiencies in current system found while preparing SRS Document � Set goals to remove deficiencies � Quantify Goals � Find alternative solutions to meet goals � Evaluate feasibility of alternative solutions taking into account constraints on resources. � Rank order alternatives and discuss with user. � Prepare a system proposal for management approval
STEPS IN FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS contd. . � Quantify the goals and sub-goals from the verbal statement of goal For example: Send bill soon after month end � Quantified statement of the same goal: Send bill within 5 days of month end � Find out whether it is possible to meet these goals. � Determine the cost of meeting each goal � Find cost benefit if quantified
Project Feasibility � Measure of how beneficial or practical the development of an information system will be to an organization. � Tests 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. of feasibility Technical--can system be developed? Operational--can organization absorb the change? Economic--what is business justification? Schedule--can system be implemented in time available? Legal -- copyrights, anti-trust laws
People Technology � Is Technical Feasibility the technology or solution practical? � Do we currently possess the necessary technology? � Do we possess the necessary technical expertise?
People Operational Feasibility � Is the problem worth solving? � Will the solution to the problem work? � How do the end-users and managers feel about the problem (or solution)?
Legal Feasibility �copyrights, �anti-trust laws (systems that share data across organizations), �financial reporting requirements, �contractual obligations, �software ownership, �outsourcing arrangements, etc.
People � Can Schedule Feasibility the project deadlines be met? � What will it cost to accelerate development?
Economic Feasibility � The most important is cost-benefit analysis. � Cost estimates ◦ acquisition or development costs ◦ operation and maintenance costs � Benefit estimates ◦ tangible benefits ◦ intangible benefits
Cost-Benefit Analysis � Developing an IT application is an investment. � Since after developing that application it provides the organization with profits. � Profits can be monetary or in the form of an improved working environment. � However, it carries risks, because in some cases an estimate can be wrong. � And the project might not actually turn out to be beneficial. � Cost benefit analysis helps to give management a picture of the costs, benefits and risks. � It usually involves comparing alternate investments.
� Cost benefit determines the benefits and savings that are expected from the system and compares them with the expected costs. � The cost of an information system involves the development cost and maintenance cost. � The development costs are one time investment whereas maintenance costs are recurring. � The development cost is basically the costs incurred during the various stages of the system development.
Each phase of the life cycle has a cost. Some examples are : � Personnel � Equipment � Supplies � Overheads � Consultants' fees
Cost and Benefit Categories There are several cost factors/elements. These are hardware, personnel, facility, operating, and supply costs. In a broad sense the costs can be divided into two types 1. Development costs that are incurred during the development of the system are one time investment. ◦ Equipment 2. Operating costs e. g. , Wages Supplies Overheads
Alternative classification of the costs: � Hardware/software costs: ◦ It includes the cost of purchasing or leasing of computers and it's peripherals. ◦ Software costs involves required software costs. � Personnel costs: ◦ It is the money, spent on the people involved in the development of the system. ◦ These expenditures include salaries, other benefits such as health insurance, conveyance allowance, etc. � Facility costs: ◦ Expenses incurred during the preparation of the physical site where the system will be operational. ◦ These can be wiring, flooring, acoustics, lighting,
� Operating costs: ◦ Operating costs are the expenses required for the day to day running of the system. ◦ This includes the maintenance of the system. ◦ That can be in the form of maintaining the hardware or application programs or money paid to professionals responsible for running or maintaining the system. � Supply costs: ◦ These are variable costs that vary proportionately with the amount of use of paper, ribbons, disks, and the like. ◦ These should be estimated and included in the overall cost of the system.
Benefits � We can define benefit as Profit or Benefit = Income - Costs Benefits can be accrued by : - Increasing income, or - Decreasing costs, or - both � Benefits can be tangible or intangible, direct or indirect. � In cost benefit analysis, the first task is to identify each benefit and assign a monetary value to it. � The two main benefits are improved performance and minimized processing costs.
Further costs and benefits can be categorized as: 1. Tangible or Intangible Costs and Benefits ◦ Tangible cost and benefits can be measured. ◦ Hardware costs, salaries for professionals, software cost are all tangible costs. ◦ They are identified and measured. . ◦ The purchase of hardware or software, personnel training, and employee salaries are example of tangible costs. ◦ Costs whose value cannot be measured are referred as intangible costs. ◦ The cost of breakdown of an online system during banking hours will cause the bank lose deposits.
� Benefits are also tangible or intangible. ◦ For example, more customer satisfaction, improved company status, etc are all intangible benefits. ◦ Whereas improved response time, producing error free output such as producing reports are all tangible benefits. � Both tangible and intangible costs and benefits should be considered in the evaluation process.
2. Direct or Indirect Costs and Benefits ◦ From the cost accounting point of view, the costs are treated as either direct or indirect. ◦ Direct costs are having rupee value associated with it. ◦ Direct benefits are also attributable to a given project. ◦ For example, if the proposed system that can handle more transactions say 25% more than the present system then it is direct benefit. ◦ Indirect costs result from the operations that are not directly associated with the system. ◦ Insurance, maintenance, heat, light, air conditioning are all indirect costs.
3. Fixed or Variable Costs and Benefits ◦ Some costs and benefits are fixed. ◦ Fixed costs don't change. ◦ Depreciation of hardware, Insurance, etc are all fixed costs. ◦ Variable costs are incurred on regular basis. ◦ Recurring period may be weekly or monthly depending upon the system. ◦ They are proportional to the work volume and continue as long as system is in operation. ◦ Fixed benefits don't change. ◦ Variable benefits are realized on a regular basis.
Example: Performing Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) � Cost for the proposed system ( figures in USD Thousands)
� Benefit � Profit for the propose system = Benefits - Costs = 300, 000 -154, 000 = USD 146, 000
Select Evaluation Method � When all the financial data have been identified and broken down into cost categories, the analyst selects a method for evaluation of cost and benefits. � There are various analysis methods available. Some of them are following. � Present value analysis � Payback analysis � Net present value � Net benefit analysis � Cash-flow analysis � Break-even analysis
Present value analysis: � It is used for long-term projects where it is difficult to compare present costs with future benefits. � In this method cost and benefit are calculated in term of today's value of investment. � To compute the present value, we take the following formula Where, � i is the rate of interest & n is the time � Example: Present value of $3000 invested at 15% interest at the end of 5 th year is calculates as � P = 3000/(1 +. 15)5 = 1491. 53
Net Benefit and Net Present Value � The net benefit value is equal to total benefits minus total costs. � Net Benefit Value=Costs - Benefits Net Present Value- is expressed as percentage of the investment and given by: � % = Net Benefit Value/Investments � � Example: Suppose total investment is $50000 and benefits are $80000 � Then Net Benefit Value = $(80000 - 50000) = $30000 � Net present value-% = 30000/80000 =. 375
Break-even Analysis: � Once we have determined what is estimated cost and benefit of the system it is also essential to know in what time will the benefits are realized. � For that break-even analysis is done. � Break -even is the point where the cost of the proposed system and that of the current one are equal. � Break-even method compares the costs of the current and candidate systems. � In developing any candidate system, initially the costs exceed those of the current system. This is an investment period. � When both costs are equal, it is break-even. � Beyond that point, the candidate system provides greater benefit than the old one. This is return period.
Pay-Back Analysis � Consider a five year investment whose cash flow consequences are summarized in the table below. The primary data for payback calculation are the expected cash inflows and outflows from the investment: � Cash Inflows: The investment will bring $300 cash inflow each year, for years 1 - 5. � Cash outflows: The initial cost of the investment is a cash outflow of $800 in year 1, followed by a cost (outflow) of $150 in year 2. There are no expected costs in years 3 - 5.
� We know that payback(return) occurs in Year 4 because cumulative cash flow is negative at the end of Year 3 and positive at the end of Year 4. � But where, precisely, is the payback event in Year 4? � The answer can be seen roughly on a graph, showing the payback event as the "break even" point in time, when cumulative cash flow crosses from negative to positive:
� Using the tabled data above, where the payback year is clearly Year 4, payback period can be calculated (estimated) as follows; � Payback Period = Y + ( A / B ) where ◦ Y = The number of years before final payback year. In the example, Y = 3. 0 years. ◦ A = Total remaining to be paid back at the start of the payback year, to bring cumulative cash flow to 0. In the example, A = $50. ◦ B = Total (net) paid back in the entire payback year. In the example, B = 300. For the example, Payback Period = 3+ (50) / (300) Payback Period = 3 + 1/6 = 3. 17 Years
Cash-Flow analysis: � Some projects produce revenue after investing in computer systems mainly the projects based on computer and word processing services. � Cash flow analysis keeps track of accumulated costs and revenues on regular basis.
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