Feasibility Report

The culmination of the feasibility study is a feasibility report directed to management; it evaluates the impact of the proposed changes on the area(s) in question. The report IS a formal document for management use, brief enough and sufficiently nontechnical to be understandable, yet detailed enough to provide the basis for system design.

There is no standard format for preparing feasibility reports. Analysts usually decide on a format that suits the particular user and system. Most reports, however, begin with a summary of findings and recommendations, -followed by documented details. Starting with summary information high­ lights the esse/1ce of the report, giving management the option of reviewing the details later. The report contains the following sections:

1. Cover letter formally presents the report and briefly indicates to management the nature, general findings, and recommendations to be considered.
2. Table of contents specifies the location of the various parts of the report.
Management quickly refers to the sections that concern them.
3. Overview is a narrative explanation of the purpose and scope of the project, the reason for undertaking the feasibility study, and the department(s) involved or affected by the candidate system. Also included are the names of the persons who conducted the study when it began, and other information that explains the circumstances surrounding the study.
4. Detailed findings outline the methods used in the present system. The system's effectiveness and efficiency as well as operating costs are emphasized. The section also provides a description of the objectives and general procedures of the candidate system: A discussion of output reports, costs, and benefits gives management a feel for the pros and cons of the candidate system.
5. Economic justification details point-by-point cost comparisons and preliminary cost estimates for the development and operation of the candidate system. A return on investment (ROl) analysis of the project is also included.
6. Recommendations and conclusions suggest to management the, most beneficial and cost-effective" system. They are written only as a recommendation, not a command. Following the recommendations, any conclusions from the study may be included.
7. Appendixes document all memos and data compiled during the investigations. They are placed at the end of the report for reference.

Disapproval of the feasibility report is rare if it has been conducted properly. When a feasibility team has maintained good rapport with the user and his/her staff it makes the recommendations easier to approve. Technically, the report is only a recommendation, but it is an authoritative one. Management has the final say. Its approval is required before system design is initiated. Chapter 9 covers in detail the .design phase of the system .life cycle.