Chapter 1: The Systems Cycle

Question 1

Name the 5 methods of investigation to gather information?

Answer 1

1. Questionnaires
2. Interviews
3. Meetings
4. Observation
5. Document Analysis

Question 2

Give 2 advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires?

Answer 2

Advantages

1. Ask a large number of people
2. Responses can be anonymous

Disadvantages

1. Designed carefully to avoid ambiguous questions
2. Can’t guarantee a 100% return rate

Question 3

Give the 8 stages of the system life cycle?

Answer 3

1. Definition of the problem
2. Investigation and analysis
3. Design
4. Implementation
5. Testing
6. Installation
7. Documentation
8. Evaluation and maintenance

Question 4

What is prototyping?

Answer 4

A software development methodology
Gives the end user an incomplete, but working system
Can be changed following feedback from the client

Question 5

What are the 2 types of prototyping and what do they do?

Answer 5

1. Evolutionary
   Prototype keeps being developed and evaluated by end user until system meets all requirements
2. Throw-away
   Evaluated and then thrown away for quick feedback.

Question 6

Give 2 advantages and disadvantages of prototyping?

Answer 6

Advantages

1. Reduced time and costs
2. Increased user feedback

Disadvantages

1. End user may be confused with prototype and final system
2. Takes a long time to develop prototype

Question 7

What is RAD?

Answer 7

Rapid application development

Software development method to produce a software solution in less that 6 months

Question 8

What are the 2 main features of RAD?

Answer 8

1. Use of joint application design (JAD) workshops
   Aims to develop requirements that should not change before the system is implemented
2. Use of timeboxing
   Requirements defined in chunks that have a timescale that should not be exceeded. If the objective is not completed it can be added to another time box or dropped

Question 9

Give 2 advantages and disadvantages of RAD?

Answer 9

Advantages

1. End user involved at all stages
2. End user involved in evaluations so final system should meet requirements

Disadvantages

1. May meet requirements, but it may not function properly
2. Project manager needs to keep tight control to meet 6 month deadline

Question 10

What are the 3 specifications in the systems life cycle?

Answer 10

1. Requirements specification
2. System specification
3. Design specificiation

Question 11

Give 3 factors of the requirements specification?

Answer 11

1. Defined functional requirements - what the end user wants the system to do
2. Defined non-functional requirements - limitations for response time, hardware and software
3. Timescale for the project

Question 12

Give 3 factors of the system specification?

Answer 12

1. Operation requirements- what operations the system should carry out
2. Information requirements - what information the system should provide to end user
3. Volume requirements - how much volume of processing is to be handled

Question 13

Give 3 factors that the content of the design specification should include?

Answer 13

1. Purpose of the system
2. Inputs and outputs - documents and interface
3. Validation rules and error messages

Question 14

What are the 3 types of test data?

Answer 14

1. Normal
2. Extreme
3. Erroneous

Question 15

Give 3 things a test plan should cover?

Answer 15

1. Requirements
2. Pathways
3. Validation

Question 16

Name the 5 members of a project team and what they do?

Answer 16

1. Project manager - plans whole project & solves problems
2. Systems analyst - analyse old system
3. Systems designer - uses analyst to design new system
4. Programmer - creates code for software for the system
5. Tester - develops test plans to ensure no bugs or errors

Question 17

What is an entity relationship diagram and what 5 aspects does it have?

Answer 17

ERD represents the structure of data in a system

1. Entities - real life object that can be uniquely identified
2. Attribute - feature of an entity
3. Primary key - a unique field in a table
4. Foreign key - a primary key in another table
5. Relationships - how entities are linked - 1:1, 1:M, M:M

Question 18

What is a data flow diagram and what 3 aspects does it have?

Answer 18

DFD shows how data moves through a system

1. Shows what system interacts with by external entities
2. Shows the data stores used
3. Has rules about which components can be linked

Question 19

What is a flowchart and what 3 aspects does it have?

Answer 19

Flowchart is a graphical representation of processes involved in a system

1. Uses different shaped symbols to represent actions
2. Breaks down a process into small steps
3. Easily understood by anyone even if they don’t work in IT

Question 20

What is a critical path analysis and what 3 aspects does it have?

Answer 20

CPA shows the relationship between tasks in a system, showing how timings will fit together so it can be completed in a logical order

1. Identifies logical order to be completed in maximum time
2. Ensures project completed on time with lag time if slip up
3. Enables resources to be allocated

Question 21

What is a gantt chart and what 4 things does it contain?

Answer 21

Gantt chart is a diagram that shows how long each task will take and the order

1. Milestones - important checkpoints
2. Resources - people and equipment needed
3. Status - progress of each task
4. Dependencies - tasks may be dependent on each other

Question 22

Identify the 5 flow chart symbols?

Answer 22

1. Start/end - oval
2. Input - oval with semi circle missing from right side
3. Output - square with wavy bottom
4. Process - square
5. Decision - diamond

Question 23

Give 2 benefits of interviews?

Answer 23

1. Questions can be adjusted or added

2. Rapport can be developed with the people who will use the system

Question 24

Give 2 disadvantages of interviews?

Answer 24

1. Time consuming and costly

2. May be impossible to interview everyone in a large organisation

Question 25

Give 2 benefits of meetings?

Answer 25

1. Body language can be seen | 2. Can be used to gather or give information

Question 26

Give 2 disadvantages of meetings?

Answer 26

1. Discussion may lose focus so questions may not be fully answered 2. Some staff may not attend if other work needs to be completed

Question 27

Give 1 benefit of document analysis?

Answer 27

Good for obtaining factual information such as inputs and outputs of a system

Question 28

Give 1 disadvantage of document analysis?

Answer 28

Cannot be used when input, output and other information is not document based

Question 29

Give 2 advantages of observation?

Answer 29

1. Work loads, methods of working, delays and bottlenecks can be identified 2. Effects of office layouts and working conditions can be assessed

Question 30

Give 2 disadvantages of observation?

Answer 30

1. Problems may not occur during observation | 2. Users may act differently due to nerves or put on a performance when being observed

Question 31

What 3 things will the analyst use to select the most appropriate method of investigation?

Answer 31

1. People 2. Type of information 3. Place in which information is being gathered

Question 32

What is the systems life cycle?

Answer 32

The stages that need to be completed to create a new or modified system. The cycle will have to be repeated after time

Question 33

In 2 steps, explain what the definition of the problem stage is?

Answer 33

1. Initial look at the existing system to see if it can be improved and if it meets end user requirements 2. For the project to continue, the new system must be viable in terms of hardware, software, budget and time scale

Question 34

In 3 steps, explain what investigation and analysis is?

Answer 34

1. Investigation is were information is gathered by the 5 methods 2. The results are analysed to gather a full understanding of problems 3. User requirements are defined and agreed with client

Question 35

What happens during the design stage?

Answer 35

Follows the requirements specification set in the investigation and analysis stage The methods and formats of data capture, input, outputs, validation routines, queries and reports are all designed

Question 36

Describe in 3 steps the implementation stage?

Answer 36

1. Using the design to build the system 2. A decision about software strategy based on the budget is made 3. Coding, macros and queries are created with backup and storage of data considered

Question 37

What happens in the testing stage?

Answer 37

A test plan is followed, with results recorded to ensure that the system is free of errors and that it meets user requirements

Question 38

Describe what happens during the installation stage?

Answer 38

The system is installed for the client and the installation strategy is chosen and training is carried out

Question 39

Name 4 things created during the documentation stage and then passed to the end user?

Answer 39

1. Test plans 2. User manuals 3. Program specification 4. Security and version details

Question 40

Give 2 things that the evaluation and maintenance stage may do which shows its iterative nature?

Answer 40

1. Forms the basis for the decision if to begin the system life cycle again 2. The solution should be evaluated after implementation and maintained to ensure that it continues to meet needs of end user

Question 41

Who in the project team creates the test plans?

Answer 41

The systems designer

Question 42

Name 3 things the project manager does?

Answer 42

1. Plans and controls the whole project, rectifying any problems 2. Consults with the project team and end user, creating a deadline and budget at the start of the cycle 3. Responsible for ensuring each stage is complete before moving onto the next

Question 43

Name 3 things the systems analyst does?

Answer 43

1. Analyses the existing system and creates a plan of inputs outputs, hardware software and training 2. Develops the feasibility report 3. Liase with the staff in the organisation and they know the current system the best

Question 44

Give 1 thing the systems designer should do?

Answer 44

1. Build on analysts findings to plan and design the new system

Question 45

Give 3 things the programmer should do?

Answer 45

1. Creating the code for the software for the system 2. They can be specialist in one language or many 3. Create the technical documentation

Question 46

Give 3 things the tester of the project team should do?

Answer 46

1. Carry out the test plan to find bugs and errors to correct them, 'deliberately' trying to break the system 2. Ensure a range of test data e.g. normal erroneous and extreme is being used 3. Record the results in the test plan to go in the technical document