System Analysis and Design: A Proposal for College Lab Renovation

This report presents a system analysis and design proposal for renovating a college computer laboratory facing performance issues due to outdated equipment. The proposal outlines key features of the renovation, including new computers with updated software, faster internet, antivirus programs, and improved printers. It discusses the pros and cons of the renovation, highlighting benefits such as improved student motivation, reduced help desk pressure, and enhanced system security, while also addressing potential drawbacks like increased student traffic and temporary disruptions during mid-term exams. The report includes a schedule estimating a ten-week completion time and a cost-benefit analysis demonstrating the long-term value of the investment. The renovation aims to resolve existing problems like frequent printer malfunctions, data security risks, and recurring maintenance costs, ultimately creating a mutually beneficial environment for students and college authorities; students can find similar solved assignments and study tools on Desklib.

Running head: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Table of Contents
Proposed plan:.................................................................................................................................2
Pros and cons of the proposed approach to be considered:.........................................................2
Schedule:......................................................................................................................................5
Cost benefit analysis:...................................................................................................................5
Reference:........................................................................................................................................6

2SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Proposed plan:
Presently the computer laboratory is having issues regarding the performance of the old
and obsolete systems. The students are complaining about the slow performance of the systems
and they are frustrated. The help desk is always in a process to address the complains form the
students. Therefore, the college management has decided to renovate the computer laboratory to
ensure smoother and better service for the students as well as to address the issues faced by the
lab assistants and help desk authorities. Some of the key features of the renovation should be:
- New Computers equipped with a more recent version of windows operating system
that have Microsoft office student edition installed in them.
- Faster internet connection and better technical performance of the upgraded systems.
- Proper antivirus programs on each systems.
- Incorporating better printers and other hardware within the lab to ensure smoother
functioning of the systems to reduce pressure on the help desk for minor issues.
- Incorporating a better and faster communication information systems that can enable
the lab coordinate better with the IT department in case of issues like transferring
licenses.
Pros and cons of the proposed approach to be considered:
Pros:
- Incorporating the new approach will just not ensure an improved laboratory for the
students but also motivate the students to work better. They will develop a sense of
trust within the college authorities.

3SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
- A renovated computer lab will also release the pressure on the help desk for minor
issues for which it still keeps spending as much as $30 per hour in the lab. Therefore,
it will save cost and time.
- The newer approach will also ensure that the systems are well protected from virus.
This will again instil a sense of trust within the students.
- The major advantage of renovating the laboratory lies in the fact that once and for all,
the problems will be resolved and the college management will not have to worry
about these problems again for at least the next five to seven years. The students who
are presently learning are not the only batch of the college. Many future batches are
about to be admitted in the coming years (Judi and Mohamed 2016). They will
eventually face the same issues in the future, provided the laboratory does not take
necessary actions at the present. Therefore, in a way it is beneficial as well as
profitable for the college management to resolve the issues now so that the present
students also benefit in their upcoming mi term exams as well as it is beneficial for
the management for the future.
Cons:
- The lab can only accommodate 12 students. Once the laboratory is renovated, the
student rush will considerably increase than what it is now, since all students would
want to get their assignments and other tasks done on a priority basis using the
improved and better facilities. This might cause issues in the effective management of
the laboratory.
Another drawback lies in the fact that the college management has decided to renovate the
computer lab at a time when most of the mid-term papers are due and the students are heavily

4SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
accessing the laboratory. The lab authorities are already finding it difficult to manage the heavy
rush of the students even in the existing old system. However, that is going to be a tough task for
the laboratory authorities since the middle term dates are approaching. The renovation will itself
take up a lot of time. This has to be considered by the management (Zuhairi et al., 2016). Even
though it is a once time investment of time for the college management, the midterm paper dates
for the present students also have to be considered and it should be ensured that no present
students are hampered in their course works or assignments in the process of the present
renovation that is being proposed.
It has to be noted that the consolidated and recurring maintenance cost for the present old
systems within the laboratory is much higher than what is to get them replaced with a onetime
investment with comparatively lesser recurring maintenance costs. Most importantly, the old
CPUs with limited RAM have a high risk of crashing at any given time, which can cause huge
loss and source of frustration for the students since they store their important assignments and
other data in these vulnerable systems. There are total five printers that never work and causes
paper jams. In some interviews, students have said that ultimately they have to spend their own
money and get them printed from elsewhere even after having printers in their own college
laboratories, in order to meet assignment deadlines.
Additionally, there are also risks of data and security breach by the hackers that the help
desk as well as the laboratory officials are aware of, and in spite of knowing that they had not
really done anything about it for all these days. This is a major source of frustration for the
students at the present (FAQ's Kaspersky renewals and upgrades 2018). The present approach of
renovation aims to eliminate all these issues and make the laboratory a mutually beneficial place,
both for the students and as well as the college authorities.

5SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Schedule:
Newer systems and other laboratory necessities for the renovation need to be ordered.
Prior to that, the college management needs to approve the project budget, which is a time taking
process.
The disaster recovery plan should be implemented so that the midterm exams of the present
students are not hampered and the normal laboratory operations continue. During the time of
renovation, the operations can be shifted to the statistics laboratory that uses computers too and
is presently up to date with latest systems and other hardware (Hoag 2015). This initiative by the
college management can also ensure student satisfaction. All of these can take up considerable
time and the entire process is estimated to get over by ten weeks.
Cost benefit analysis:
Figure: Cost benefit analysis for the Computer laboratory renovation (Source: As used by the
author).
By the proper renovation of the computer laboratory the help desk can also provide much
of its useful time to the other departments of the college. The students will also be satisfied with
the kinds of improved service in the computer laboratory.

6SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Reference:
Al-Zuhairi, A.J., Al-Dahhan, W.H., Hussein, F.H., Rodda, K.E. and Yousif, E.Y., 2016.
Teaching Laboratory Renovation. Oriental Journal of Physical Sciences, 1(1-2).
FAQ's Kaspersky renewals and upgrades. (2018). Retrieved from
https://usa.kaspersky.com/renewal-upgrade-faq
Hoag, H., 2015. Lab budgets: A numbers game. Nature, 524(7563), pp.127-128.
Judi, H.M. and Mohamed, H., 2016. Optimising Computer Laboratory Layout Based on Multiple
Performance Measures. International Journal of Information and Education
Technology, 6(9).