Information Systems
College of Business Administration
University of Missouri - St. Louis
Look Before You Leap

Once upon a time, there were two frogs lived together in a marsh. Everyday, they were happy in such a cool damp place. But, when it came to the summer, the marsh was getting drier and drier. And one hot day came, the marsh dried up, and they left it to look for another place to live in. Day by day, they were looking for a new marsh to live in. By and by they came to a deep well, and one of them looked down into it and said to the other, "Hey, this looks like a nice cool place. Finally we found one. Let us jump in and settle here." But the other, who is wiser, shook his head and replied, "Not so fast, my friend. Supposing this well dried up like the marsh how should we get out again?"


Moral: Look before you leap provides the fact that the frogs knew nothing about the well they found. The well can get dried if there wasn't enough water and they might be a hotter day later on. If they jumped in without considered how deep of the well is, it won't be very difficult to get out, or they might not be able to get out of the well and died. This moral can be applied to the principle of system analysis as a feasibility study concept. The feasibility study is to determine if the information system makes sense for the organization from an economic and operation standpoint. The feasibility study is taking place before the system is constructed. It studies to determine whether the project is feasible based upon the scarcity resources. This means that it is important for analysts to conduct a feasibility study in their system analysis. A feasibility study would cite the cost and benefit of the system so that the developer can determine whether the cost can be outweighed by the benefit of the system. The feasibility study, also present the likelihood of the system based upon the scarcity resources. Thereby the developers can determine whether or not the system should be implemented. Without the feasibility study, a poor system can be implemented, which results in the failure of the system to meet the requirement/needs.


These stories are adapted examples written in my class, IS 6840 (formerly MSIS 488).
© Vicki L. Sauter. All rights Reserved.


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© Vicki L. Sauter. All rights Reserved.