What are the tools and techniques for conducting a gap analysis in systems analysis?

1 Document Review

One of the first steps in conducting a gap analysis is to review the existing documentation of the system, such as business processes, user manuals, technical specifications, test cases, or feedback reports. This can help you understand the current system functionality, performance, quality, and user satisfaction. You can also identify the system stakeholders, their roles, needs, and expectations. Document review can also reveal any gaps, errors, inconsistencies, or ambiguities in the system documentation that need to be addressed.

2 Interviews and Surveys

Another way to gather information for a gap analysis is to conduct interviews and surveys with the system stakeholders, such as users, customers, managers, developers, or testers. Interviews and surveys can help you elicit the requirements, preferences, opinions, and feedback of the stakeholders regarding the system. You can also ask them to rate the system on various criteria, such as usability, reliability, security, or functionality. Interviews and surveys can help you validate, clarify, or refine the information obtained from document review, as well as discover any new or hidden gaps or issues in the system.

4 Gap Matrix

A gap matrix is a tool that can help you quantify and prioritize the gaps in the system. A gap matrix is a table that compares the current and desired state of the system on various dimensions, such as features, functions, attributes, or criteria. For each dimension, you can assign a score or a rating to the current and desired state, and calculate the gap as the difference between them. You can also assign a weight or a importance to each dimension, and calculate the weighted gap as the product of the gap and the weight. A gap matrix can help you visualize and rank the gaps in the system, as well as estimate the effort or cost to close them.

5 Gap Chart

A gap chart is a tool that can help you illustrate and communicate the gaps in the system. A gap chart is a graph that plots the current and desired state of the system on a common scale, such as percentage, score, or rating. For each dimension, you can draw a line or a bar that represents the gap between the current and desired state. You can also use different colors or symbols to indicate the severity or priority of the gap. A gap chart can help you highlight and compare the gaps in the system, as well as show the progress or improvement over time.

6 Gap Report

A gap report is a tool that can help you document and present the results of the gap analysis. A gap report is a written document that summarizes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the gap analysis. It typically includes an introduction, a background, a methodology, a gap matrix, a gap chart, and a discussion section. A gap report can help you communicate and justify the need for a system improvement project, as well as propose the scope, objectives, and deliverables of the project.