Systems Analysis and Design (7th Edition)

Dynamic, comprehensive coverage makes this the perfect book on systems analysis and design, with a reader-friendly presentation of development, methods, tools, and techniques. A variety of review questions and problems, an ongoing case study, and an Internet-based case study offer learners an understandable and motivating look at the SAD field. For production supervisors and other business personnel in similar positions who want a working knowledge–without the in-depth command–of information systems.

While being well written, I feel that this text may be a bit overdone. Most sections are longer than neccessary, over-explaining fairly obvious concepts. So although the reader can never complain about being short-changed, I would be amazed if any reader needed ALL of the explanations to understand what was being discussed.

I have also noticed a few cases of dated information creeping through from previous editions. One example is a discussion on groupware that talks about features of Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT, and mentions the 'upcoming' Chicago release. Chicago was the working name for Windows 95, which was hardly 'upcoming' for a text published in 1999.

It feels as if the Kendalls have been adding new information to their revised editions, but not revising thoroughly enough to remove old or out of date references. If a really good job of revision was done here, I think this text could be reduced by at least a hundred pages or so without any real loss of useful content.

Since it emphasises practice more than theory, it may not appeal to all types, but for anyone who needs to know HOW to be a systems analyst, this is probably the book to read.


Doesn't Teach Much   April 29, 2000
 26 out of 31 found this review helpful

I used this book in my systems analysis and design course. First off, it is over priced. I understand that college books are expensive, but this one was too overpriced.

Second, it is not helpful. It spends chapters talking about how to get information from users. Did I really need several chapters to tell me to interview them, send out surveys, and observe them? That is kind of obvious information.

Following this course, I took a software development course. The two classes are in series. Techniques learned from this book did not help me. When it came time to write documents (project proposals, documents for external design and internal design phases, etc.) this book was no help. There were no examples of what should be in them.

Not helpful unless you are clueless as to where to begin. Even then it's not a tremendous help.