When problems of an existing system have been identified along with possible solutions, what is the next step in the systems analysis process?

• A. Requirements gathering
• B. A feasibility study
• C. Systems design
• D. Systems testing

Answer: (B)

When problems with an existing system are identified and possible solutions are proposed, the next step is to assess whether moving forward is viable through a feasibility study. This step asks: can these solutions be realistically implemented given our resources, technology, workflow, and timelines? It weighs several factors—economic feasibility (costs, benefits, return on investment), technical feasibility (existing hardware, software, data compatibility, security and privacy), operational feasibility (how the change will fit into clinical workflows and staff acceptance), and schedule feasibility (whether the project can be completed in a reasonable timeframe). The goal is to decide whether to proceed, modify, or even abandon the proposed solutions before investing in detailed requirements work or design.

In nursing informatics, this means evaluating whether the proposed changes will actually improve care without compromising safety, whether the organization has the necessary IT infrastructure and governance, and whether the changes align with regulatory and interoperability considerations. Requirements gathering and systems design come after a decision to proceed, and testing occurs later in the development lifecycle.