Integrating system analysis and project management tools

Currently, computer-aided tools for system analysis are distinct from project management tools. This study proposes and prototypes a model that integrates these two aspects of the Information System Life Cycle (ISLC) by automatically mapping system analysis objects into project management objects. To validate the feasibility of our model and without loss of generality, the conversion of Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) objects into Gantt and Pert diagrams is demonstrated in this study. Experiments with the prototype confirm that integrating common tools for system analysis and standard tools for project management, during system development, helps improve system building tasks and their management. In addition, project managers using the proposed mapping approach can better assess project duration and system performance parameters such as response time and data traffic. We address implications of our work to both academics and practitioners, discussing directions future research might take as well as opportunities and prospects for commercialization of the proposed approach. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd and IPMA. All rights reserved.