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A systems development process is needed to create any functional and efficient business system. To ensure the system will meet the needs of the user, a methodological approach is taken using techniques to ensure work is well thought out, complete and comprehensible. Whether the reason for the system development project is to take advantage of a business opportunity or to solve a problem, a successful systems development project depends significantly on each step in the process.

There are several approaches to the development of the information system. Each approach has a step-by-step process that the project team must follow. If a step is skipped or not fully completed, the next steps will also be faulty, resulting in a failed project. Excellent project management is a vital factor to the success of the project. Even a well-designed system can fail if a step in the process is mismanaged. Other problems that could cause the failure of a project include uncommitted clients or a shortage of support, financially or otherwise.

Project success often depends on the soundness and accuracy of the decisions of the project team. Heuristics are helpful when used as a guide, however should not be used as a way to take a short cut. Problems can occur when heuristics are used instead of fully completing a step in the systems development process. If, for example, an analyst is conducting interviews with accounting faculty, he or she should not have reached a foregone conclusion based on the first two interviews or any previous experience, no matter how extensive, with other accounting faculty. However, drawing upon knowledge from previous experience can better help the analyst to ask the correct questions to fully understand the needs of the new system.

The most influential factors for success to use as a general rule of thumb, in my experience, are to listen carefully and pay attention to detail. This is especially true when making a decision that will affect another person....