Chapter 4

Question 1

What does an ‘Information System’ involve?

Answer 1

1. Processes
2. People
3. Digital systems (Software & Hardware)
4. Data

Question 2

What is a Design Brief

Answer 2

A simple document which outlines the core details and problems of your project.

Question 3

What is a ‘Mission Statement’

Answer 3

Statement which has a collective, ultimate goal.

Question 4

How are goals different from objectives?

Answer 4

A goal is an outcome that you want to achieve and is a broad statement, whereas an objective is a specific and measurable action which can be reached in a short period of time.

Question 5

What are the ways that data can be collected?

Answer 5

1.Interviews
2.Observing the information system
3.Surveys

Question 6

What are functional solution requirements?

Answer 6

What will the software solution is required to do, the inputs and outputs it must receive and generate.

Question 7

Types of Non-Functional requirements

Answer 7

M- Maintainability
U- Usability, Userfriendliness
R- Reliability, Robustness
P- Portability

Question 8

Types of Constraints in a solution

Answer 8

1.Cost
2.Speed of processing
3.Security requirements
4.Capacity
5.Equipment availability
6.Legal requirements

Question 9

What is the scope?

Answer 9

The BOUNDARIES of the solution, what it will and will not do.

Question 10

What does a Gantt chart allow you to do?

Answer 10

It allows tasks to be visually represented, resources allocated to each task and their progress monitored.

Question 11

The Waterfall Model

Answer 11

Moves through the PSM method in order, however once an activity/stage is completed, it isnt revisited, thus called the “Waterfall” model.

Question 12

Advantages of Waterfall Model

Answer 12

1.Simple linear progression which is easy to understand and follow.
2.Easier to concentrate resources on each task and complete it.
3.Works best for small projects
4.Easier to keep track of milestones.

Question 13

Disadvantages of Waterfall Model

Answer 13

1.Once an application is in the development or evaluation stage, changes to the design cannot be made.
2.Not suited to large scale projects

Question 14

What stages does the PSM include?

Answer 14

1.Analysis
2.Design
3.Development
4.Evaluation

Question 15

Agile Model

Answer 15

Makes a quick start and then rapidly performs all of the stages over and over, gradually improving the final product.

Question 16

Spiral Model

Answer 16

Has four phases:
1. Planning
2. Risk analysis
3. Engineering
4. Evaluation

Question 17

Advantages of Agile Model

Answer 17

1.Clients are more included in the development process
2.Agile development is able to adapt to changing circumstances

Question 18

Disadvantages of Agile Model

Answer 18

1.The scope of the project may not be fully evident at the start
2.Project can quickly go off track

Question 19

Advantages of Spiral Model

Answer 19

1.As it is focused on Risk analysis, the avoidance of risk is increased
2.Good for large projects
3.Additional functionality can be added later
4.Software is produced early in the development cycle

Question 20

Disadvantages of Spiral Model

Answer 20

1.Risk analysis requires a software developer with a high level of skill/experience
2.Doesn’t work well for small projects

Question 21

Detailed definition of information system

Answer 21

The combination of data, people, processes and digital systems that interact to create, control, and communicate ideas and data in digital solutions

Question 22

Robustness

Answer 22

Measure of how well a software solution responds to poor use of inputs.

Question 23

Maintainability

Answer 23

How easily a software solution can be fixed when problems occur.

Question 24

Advantages of using surveys as data collection

Answer 24

Easy to manage, cheap

Question 25

Disadvantages of surveys

Answer 25

Responses may not be legitimate, time-consuming

Question 26

Advantages of interviews as data collection

Answer 26

Provide richer data

Question 27

Advantages of observations as data collection

Answer 27

Give a view of the system that is unbiased

Question 28

Disadvantages of using observations

Answer 28

Time-consuming, expensive

Question 29

Describe Organisation goals

Answer 29

Statements that describe potential future principles that the organisation strives to achieve (NEVER QUANTITIVE)

Question 30

Describe Objectives

Answer 30

They support the goals by providing some TARGETS with MEASUREABLE results. (QUANTITIVE)

Question 31

Purpose of goals

Answer 31

1.Guidance
2.Assist planning
3.Inspire
4.Support evaluation process