Feasibility*

Technical Feasibility | Economic Feasibility| Operational Feasibility

Technical Feasibility.  A large part of determining resources has to do with assessing technical feasibility.  The analyst must find out whether current technical resources can be upgraded or added to in a manner that fulfills the request under consideration.  However, sometimes "add-ons" to existing systems are costly and not worthwhile, simply because they must meet needs inefficiently.  If existing systems cannot be added onto, then the next question becomes whether there is technology in existence that meets the specifications.

This is where the expertise of system analysts is beneficial, since using their own experience and their contact with vendors they will be able to answer the question of technical feasibility.  Usually the response to whether a particular technology is available and capable of meeting the users' request is "yes," and then the question becomes an economic one.

Economic Feasibility.  Economic feasibility is the second part of resource determination.  The basic resources to consider are: your time and that of the systems analysis team, the cost of doing a full systems study (including time of employees you will be working with), cost of the business employee time, estimated cost of hardware, and estimated cost of the software and/or software development.

The concerned business must be able to see the value of the investment it is pondering before committing to an entire system study.  If short-term costs are not overshadowed by long-term gains or produce no immediate reduction in operating costs, then the system is not economically feasible, and the project should not proceed any further.

Operational Feasibility.  Suppose for a moment that technical and economic resources are both judged adequate.  The systems analyst must still consider the operational feasibility of the requested project.  Operational feasibility is dependent on human resources available for the project and involves projecting whether the system will operate and be used once it is installed.

If users are virtually wed to the present system, see no problems with it, and generally are not involved in requesting a new system, resistance to implementing the new system will be strong.  Chances for it ever becoming operational are low.

Schedule Feasibility.  The client will want assurance that the schedule for developing and installing the proposed system is realistic and reasonabile in light of the business requirements. Business cycles should be taken into consideration.

* Adapted from Kendall & Kendall, Systems Analysis and Design, fourth edition, 1999, pp. 56-57.