week 6 - interview, performance management and evaluating evidence

Question 1

What is the purpose of performance management

Answer 1

obtain evidence of factors that affect system efficiency

Question 2

3 Classes of characteristics in systems

Answer 2

1. Performance indices
   - Output measures of a system eg. response time turnaround time
2. Workload parameters
   - Resource demands that are placed on the system eg. number of users
3. System parameters
   - Factors that affect the system’s ability to handle the workload parameters

Question 3

Tools in performance management

Answer 3

1. Hardware monitors
   - Devices that are connected to the computer to detect signals
   - Able to detect them in short intervals resulting in accurate measurements
   - limitation is cannot detect software related events
2. Software monitors
   - Programs installed into code or other programs that collect data about performance
   - Introduce artifacts which hinder system, take up computing space and memory space which affect results
3. Firmware monitors
   - code installed into the microcode of programs
   - less artifacts and still high frequency
   - limited as space in microcode is limited
4. Hybrid monitors
   - monitor that has components from all components
   - resolves issues from each of them

Question 4

How does auditor knowledge affect judgement

Answer 4

Knowledge is critical in the quality of judgement. Knowledge is dependent on experience and education

Question 5

How does auditor ability affect judgement

Answer 5

Judgement determined by heuristics that auditors use to detect issues, however research shows heuristics are key to good judgement but also inhibit it.

Question 6

How does auditor environment affect audit

Answer 6

Group processes
- Group of auditors is better than individual

Audit tech
- The tech actually overcomes the deficiencies in the auditors judgement which gives a better quality judgement

Prior involvement and famiiarity
- Improves quality

Accountability
- Proper accountability improves judgement but does not if auditor too preoccupied with it

Question 7

What are interviews for and who

Answer 7

To obtain info from personnel directly working from the system
EG. clerical staff that provide input,
system analysts and programmers who design and build system
operations staff who know the deployment of system
users who interact with the system as part of their work