MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEMS Flashcards
Systems Development Life Cycle is also known as?
Software life cycle or Application life cycle
refers to the stages in the conception, design, creation, and implementation of an information system
Systems Development Life Cycle
Describes a formal, integrated, and usually time-limited process of gathering data about the needs and opportunities of end users and their manager
Needs Assessment
Considers one or more alternate designs and
analyzes their advantages and disadvantages
Alternative Analysis
Creation of detailed specifications for the
proposed system
Design
Creation or purchase of the hardware and software necessary to implement the design and testing to ensure that it meets specifications
Development
Deactivating the old system and activating
the new one
Implementation
Fixing errors, or bugs, in the way that the system operates
Maintenance
Systems Development Life Cycle stages (NADDIM)
Needs Assessment
Alternative Analysis
Design
Development
Implementation
Maintenance
What is Output Analysis?
Describes the systematic identification of ways people in an organization use information
Refers to formal cataloguing and review of the information an organization collects, stores, and uses
Input Analysis
Attempts to determine whether the organization collects the information it needs, uses the information it collects, and has efficient process to address the organization’s information needs
Procedure Analysis
A person who provides an interface between information systems users and information systems developers
Systems Analyst
Methodologies and Tools for needs assessment (IOQSDR)
Interviews
Onsite Observation
Questionnaires
Structured Analysis
Data dictionary
Reverse engineering
determining ROI (ratio of the benefits of an
investment to the amount of the investment)
ROI Analysis
identifying where risks might arise and trade risk
against cost and benefits
Risk Analysis
– the specification of the media, content, and
form of input and output
Interface Design
The model of data supporting the system
Data design
The design of both the computational and logical processes underlying the system
Process design
The generation of an object model
Object Design
Decisions about the hardware used to deliver the system
Physical Design
Creation of tests that ensure the proper operation of developed systems
Test Design
Means for communicating the design to the programmers who will implement it
Design Specification
Development activities include:
- Making a develop-or-purchase decision
- Selecting and procuring hardware
- Selecting an appropriate language
- Testing
what are the three development tools (SRC)
- Screen generators
- Report generators
- Code generators
What are the levels of testing? (UCIS)
- Unit testing
- Component testing
- Integration testing
- System Testing
What are the two stages of systems testing?
1st stage - performance
2nd stage - usability
What are the implementation Strategies?
Direct cut-over
Pilot Implementation
Phased Implementation
Parallel Implementation
Replaces old system with new system overnight
Direct cut-over
Uses the new system in one or more parts of the organization and later in entire company
Pilot Implementation
Introduces components of the new system one at a time
Phased Implementation
Refers to all activities related to a system after its implementation and before a full-fledged needs assessment
Maintenance
Maintenance includes activities such as
Fixing Software that does not operate properly
Adding features to systems in response to new user demands
Performing periodic post-implementation reviews
What do post-implementation reviews entail? (ESD)
Evaluate how well the system meets user needs
Sets priorities for new development
Determine when to begin a new needs assessment
Four different development pathways (WSPA)
- Waterfall model
- Spiral approach
- Prototyping
- Agile Programming
This development pathway follows SDLC in sequence, moves in only one direction, highly inflexible, and no component of the system is delivered until the near end of the project
Waterfall model
This development pathway:
- implements systems according to the 80/20 rule of greatest need
- often use a time-box concept to pace development
- delivers the product rapidly
-constant rework of existing versions
Spiral approach
This development pathway:
- Focuses on the user interface through repetition of design and development stages
Prototyping
This development pathway has Several methodologies that focus on being reactive to changing user demands and that target small development and projects requiring minimal documentation.
It assesses needs and develops specifications during development
Agile Programming
This development pathway will be used on large, complex projects with many stakeholders
Waterfall
This development pathway will be used for dynamic organizations that can tolerate ambiguity and need results fast
Spiral approach
This development pathway will be used for small-to-medium orihects where the requirements are vague or unclear
Prototyping
This development pathway is used for small projects with experienced, competent developers and users willing to take part in the development process
Agile programming
Advantages of waterfall
no rework
easy to manage
Disadvantages of Waterfall
highly inflexible; no interim deliveries
Advantages of spiral
rapid product delivery; progress easy to see
Disadvantages of spiral
constant rework; high costs
Advantages of prototyping (SSAI)
Short time between analysis and implementation
System better meets needs
Avoids unnecessary costs
Increased interaction between users and developers
Disadvantages of prototyping (RCD)
Raises user expectations
Cost savings not guaranteed
Delays system functionality
Advantages of Agile Programming
Rapid product delivery; Responsiveness to user needs
Disadvantages of agile programming
Harder to apply quality concepts such as process measurement and improvement
Can fail dramatically with weak developers
describe the relationship among the elements of data that an organization uses
Data Models
Divide a process into its parts, show how
these parts relate to one another, and indicate which outputs of one process are input to other processes
Process Models
Examples of process models
Structure charts; Function boxes; Data-flow diagrams
Describe the properties of objects, their
relationship to one another, and the functions they perform
Object Models
Shows the relationship among the programs and subprograms that will comprise the finished system
Structure Charts
Lines show the relationships between the inputs and outputs of the procedures
Function boxes
This models the data flow between processes
Data-flow diagrams
Why Systems Development Projects Succeed or Fail? (RSMPR)
Risk
Scope
Management
Process
Resources
Types of organizational structures for locating control and resources (CDH)
Centralized
Decentralized
Hybrid
Advantages of outsourcing
Reduce costs
Allows more rapid or timely development
Consolidates operations
Frees management to focus on business
Offers improved reliability and stability
Disadvantages of Outsourcing
Locks company into a provider
Fails to guarantee responsiveness
Reduces control
Removes knowledge of processes from the company
Decreases ability to use IT strategically
Three different allocation methods
Unallocated cost center
Allocated cost center
Profit Center
All IS costs are considered in organizational expense
Unallocated cost center
IS department allocates costs to departments that use its services
Allocated cost center
IS charges internal and external users the same and attempts to get both kinds of businesses
Profit center
All staffs involved in technical functions
Chief Information Officer
Strategic Planner and Technology Assessment Specialist
Data Administrator and Database Administrator
Network Administrator
Web Master
Project Manager
Applications Development Manager
Systems Analyst
Software Engineer
Programmer
User Trainer and User Assistant
Operations and Technical Support Staff
Data Entry Clerks
help business managers trade off cost
against the level of service they want from their technology support staff
Service level agreements (SLAs)
a statement of the objectives of the agreement
Service objectives
The department, customers, vendors involved
Parties
The people who serve as the liaisons to the parties involved
Points of contact
The specific responsibilities of each jobholder
Responsibilities
The metric that reflect whether the objectives have been accomplished
Performance measures
The procedures for changing the contract or expediting the process
Escalation guidelines
The provisions for negotiating the service level agreement
Renegotiation
Ways in which organizations easily compromise their security (POLICY FAULTS)
Failing to create a security policy
Maintaining email and login accounts of terminal employees
Failing to assess importance of information assets and cost of their compromise
Failing to educate employees about proper security practices
Failing to install and use firewall hardware and software
Ways in which organizations easily compromise their security (FAULTY OPERATIONAL PRACTICES)
Failing to back up data regularly
Failing to secure servers and networks physically
Failing to update virus software regularly
Failing to install software patches regularly
Using easy-to-guess passwords and leaving passwords in easily found locations
Leaving the default passwords on newly installed systems
Leaving workstations logged in while unattended
