Entry Level Systems Analysts: What Does the Industry Want?

Informing Science Pub Date : 2016-05-23 DOI:10.28945/3517
E. Karanja, Donna M. Grant, Shinetta Freeman, David Anyiwo
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引用次数: 9

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the skill sets necessary for entry level systems analysts. Towards this end, the study combines two sources of data, namely, a content analysis of 200 systems analysts' online job advertisements and a survey of 20 senior Information Systems (IS) professionals. Based on Chi-square tests, the results reveal that most employers prefer entry level systems analysts with an undergraduate Computer Science degree. Furthermore, most of the employers prefer entry level systems analysts to have some years of experience as well as industry certifications. The results also reveal that there is a higher preference for entry level systems analysts who have non-technical and people skills (e.g., problem solving and oral communication). The empirical results from this study will inform IS educators as they develop future systems analysts. Additionally, the results will be useful to the aspiring systems analysts who need to make sure that they have the necessary job skills before graduating and entering the labor market. Keywords: System Analysts, Information Systems, Education, Skills, Content Analysis, Empirical Study Introduction The Information Systems major (we hereafter use IS to refer to Management Information Systems, Information Systems, Computer Information Systems, as well as the other variants of the IS related majors) is characterized by rapid growth and constant evolution. Likewise, systems analysts are required to have a range of skills and knowledge and to constantly update their skills and knowledge in order to remain competent (Joseph, Ang, Change, & Slaughter, 2010). The skills and knowledge requirements for system analysts are encapsulated in the IS 2010 model curriculum (Topi et al., 2010), in which System Analysis & Design (SA&D) is described as the course that, "....discusses the processes, methods, techniques and tools that organizations use to determine how they should conduct their business, with a particular focus on how computer-based technologies can most effectively contribute to the way business is organized. The course covers a systematic methodology for analyzing a business problem or opportunity, determining what role, if any, computer-based technologies can play in addressing the business need, articulating business requirements for the technology solution, specifying alternative approaches to acquiring the technology capabilities needed to address the business requirements, and specifying the requirements for the information systems solution in particular, in-house development, development from third-party providers, or purchased commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) packages.... " Based on the course description, it is apparent that students enrolled in the SA&D course(s) should have a myriad set of both technical and business oriented skills and knowledge. Thus, the aim of this research is to find out if there is consensus between IS professionals and the labor market on the skills and knowledge requirements for entry level system analysts. The answer to this question is important to the prospective students as well as graduating seniors who are getting ready for the job market. The question should also enable those who teach SA&D to gauge whether they are adequately preparing system analysts to take advantage of the open positions in the job market. The following section provides a brief review of the literature on systems analysts. Thereafter, the research method, analysis, discussion, and conclusions are presented. Literature Review The current Information Systems 2010 (IS2010) model curriculum has designated Systems Analysis and Design (SA&D) as one of the seven core courses in the IS curriculum (Topi et al., 2010). The designation of SA&D as a core course is a slight deviation from the previous curricula - IS97 and IS2002--in which the SA&D course was closely matched with the Analysis and Logical Design course (Gorgone, Davis, Valacich, Topi, Feinstein & Longenecker, 2003). …
入门级系统分析师:行业需要什么?
摘要本研究调查了入门级系统分析师所需的技能集。为此,该研究结合了两个数据来源,即对200名系统分析师在线招聘广告的内容分析和对20名高级信息系统(IS)专业人员的调查。基于卡方检验的结果显示,大多数雇主更喜欢具有计算机科学本科学位的入门级系统分析师。此外,大多数雇主更喜欢有多年经验和行业认证的入门级系统分析师。结果还显示,具有非技术和人际关系技能(例如,解决问题和口头沟通)的入门级系统分析师更受青睐。本研究的实证结果将为信息系统教育者培养未来的系统分析师提供信息。此外,研究结果对那些有抱负的系统分析师也很有用,他们需要确保自己在毕业进入劳动力市场之前具备必要的工作技能。信息系统专业(以下简称信息系统专业,包括管理信息系统、信息系统、计算机信息系统以及其他信息系统相关专业的变体)具有快速发展和不断发展的特点。同样,系统分析师需要具备一系列的技能和知识,并不断更新他们的技能和知识,以保持竞争力(Joseph, Ang, Change, & Slaughter, 2010)。系统分析师的技能和知识要求被封装在IS 2010模型课程中(Topi et al., 2010),其中系统分析与设计(SA&D)被描述为“....”讨论组织用来确定他们应该如何开展业务的过程、方法、技术和工具,特别关注基于计算机的技术如何最有效地促进业务组织方式。本课程涵盖了分析业务问题或机会的系统方法,确定基于计算机的技术在解决业务需求方面可以发挥的作用(如果有的话),阐明技术解决方案的业务需求,指定获取解决业务需求所需的技术能力的替代方法,并指定信息系统解决方案特别是内部开发的需求。第三方提供商的开发,或者购买的商用现货(COTS)包....”根据课程描述,很明显,参加SA&D课程的学生应该拥有大量的技术和业务导向的技能和知识。因此,本研究的目的在于找出资讯系统专业人员与劳工市场对入门级系统分析师的技能和知识要求是否有共识。这个问题的答案对未来的学生和即将毕业的大四学生都很重要,他们正在为就业市场做准备。这个问题还应该使那些教授SA&D的人能够衡量他们是否为系统分析师做好了充分的准备,以利用就业市场上的空缺职位。下面的部分提供了关于系统分析师的文献的简要回顾。然后,给出了研究方法、分析、讨论和结论。当前的信息系统2010 (IS2010)模型课程将系统分析与设计(SA&D)指定为信息系统课程的七门核心课程之一(Topi et al., 2010)。将SA&D指定为核心课程与之前的课程(IS97和IS2002)略有偏差,在IS97和IS2002中,SA&D课程与分析和逻辑设计课程紧密匹配(Gorgone, Davis, Valacich, Topi, Feinstein & Longenecker, 2003)。...
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来源期刊
Informing Science
Informing Science Social Sciences-Library and Information Sciences
CiteScore
1.60
自引率
0.00%
发文量
9
期刊介绍: The academically peer refereed journal Informing Science endeavors to provide an understanding of the complexities in informing clientele. Fields from information systems, library science, journalism in all its forms to education all contribute to this science. These fields, which developed independently and have been researched in separate disciplines, are evolving to form a new transdiscipline, Informing Science.
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