| Abstract: | General Electric's Apollo Systems has developed several information systems over the last eight years in support of the Apollo project. The expertise gained in these development efforts has shown the efficiency of a modularized approach to retrieval system design Systems analysts and programmers who design and build these systems should follow the normal systems engineering approach of requirements definition, system design, system implementation, test and verification and operational installation. Short-cutting any one of these phases leads to greater effort in one of the later phases, usually with a longer over-all schedule or greater developmental cost Project management, too, is a major factor in the success of such systems. The tracking of critical milestones in the schedule, consistent and up-to-date documentation, and comprehensive test and verification plans are necessary to a controlled approach to systems implementation Finally, the benefits of such an approach are reduced cost and implementation time, along with simplification of system maintenance, standardized software, adaptability to new environments, and a potential for continued growth to meet users' ever-expanding needs. |
