The purpose of this document is to give the readers an overview of SSADM and how it is applied in OGCIO. It covers a brief description of what SSADM is, a brief history of SSADM and the position of SSADM in the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) of OGCIO, the benefits which can be achieved by using SSADM, and a summary of the SSADM Structural Model.

SSADM is an integrated set of standards and guidelines consisting of "Structural Standards", "Techniques Guides" and "Documentation Standards". Structural Standards define the structure of a development project in the form of explicitly defined tasks, with clearly defined interfaces between them, and clearly defined tangible products. Techniques Guides provide development staff a set of proven usable techniques and tools, and detailed rules and guidelines on when and how to use them. Documentation Standards provide the means of recording the products of development activity at a detailed level.

These benefits can be gained from using SSADM: deliver the system to users on time, deliver systems that meets user's needs, deliver systems which respond to changes in the business environment, improve the effective and economic use of the skill available, improve quality by reducing error rates, improve flexibility, improve productivity, avoid lock-in to a single source of supply, and avoid IT developers' bureaucracy.

In SSADM, there are seven stages to cover the whole system analysis and design process. These stages are Feasibility, Investigation of Current Environment, Business System Options, Definition of Requirements, Technical System Options, Logical Design and Physical Design.

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