Strategies for the determination of the information requirements of an organization: A discussion

Abstract

An attempt is made in this paper to clarify some of the ambiguities surrounding the topic of information requirements. Whereas current systems analysis practice is mainly concerned with determining the current and future information needs of the 'users' of the proposed information system, this study points out that the requirements process should begin much earlier - information requirements should indeed be derived from the overall strategic business plan of the organization. If an information system is to be successful over the longer term, it is not so much the needs of the user that should be determined, but rather the needs of the organization. For this purpose, strategic information system planning is indispensable. In effect this means that the development life-cycle of an information system starts earlier than indicated in current models. The consequences of this broader view of requirements definition for, inter alia, systems analysis are reviewed.