Software Engineering: Analysis (Definitions)

 "An investigation of a domain that results in models describing its static and dynamic characteristics. It emphasizes questions of 'what', rather than 'how'. architecture Informally, a description of the organization, motivation, and structure of a system. Many different levels of architectures are involved in developing software systems, from physical hardware architecture to the logical architecture of an application framework." (Craig Larman, "Applying UML and Patterns", 2004)

[systems analysis] "The craft of modeling the system's functions and data." (Suzanne Robertson & James Robertson, "Mastering the Requirements Process" 2nd Ed., 2006)

"The initial fact-finding process discovering what is to be done by a computer system." (Gavin Powell, "Beginning Database Design", 2006)

"The process of separating a problem into its constituent parts or basic principles so as to determine the nature of the whole and to examine it methodically. Related to planning." (Robert McCrie, "Security Operations Management" 2nd Ed., 2006)

[systems analysis] "Conducting a needs assessment to determine what a new or modified information system should do." (Jan L Harrington, "Relational Database Design and Implementation" 3rd Ed., 2009)

"The process of identifying the essential characteristics of a system or element." (Bruce P Douglass, "Real-Time Agility", 2009)

[system analysis] "A set of activities, methods, techniques, tools focused on the translation of the business requirements into systems requirements. It describes a system and its limitations to the environment and provides a well-founded understanding of the environment and the system requirements." (IQBBA, "Standard glossary of terms used in Software Engineering", 2011)

"Separation of the whole into its parts; an examination of a complex, its individual parts, and their relations; the separation of the ingredients of a substance; a statement of the constituents of a mixture." (DAMA International, "The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management", 2011)

[systems analysis:] "The process that establishes the need for and the extent of an information system." (Carlos Coronel et al, "Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management" 9th Ed., 2011)

"Process of breaking complex concepts into smaller component aspects in order to increase understanding of underlying issues." (Joan C Dessinger, "Fundamentals of Performance Improvement" 3rd Ed, 2012)

"Thoughtful investigation of real-world systems." (Meta S Brown, "Data Mining For Dummies", 2014)

"A common interaction with an organizing system." (Robert J Glushko, "The Discipline of Organizing: Professional Edition" 4th Ed., 2016)