Midterm 1

Question 1

What are the 5 stages of the System Development Life Cycle

Answer 1

Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Maintenance

Question 2

What is the role of a systems analyst?

Answer 2

They are the bridge between organizational problem and a technical solution

Question 3

Which SDLC phases may be addressed by a “systems analyst”.

Answer 3

the first 2-3 phases (planning, analysis, and design)

Question 4

Desired Characteristics of a Systems Analyst:

Answer 4

Good combo of business and technical knowledge

good communication skills

can work well in a team

open to learning

Question 5

Explain the Planning stage of SDLC:

Answer 5

Identify potential projects

Feasibility of the project

see how well the potential project fits the company strategy.

Approval for project

Question 6

Explain the Analysis Stage of SDLC: (big question???)

Answer 6

The big question: what?

document system requirements

find where it can be built (in-house, outsource, or buy/rent a pre-built system)

Question 7

Explain the Design Stage of SDLC: (big question???)

Answer 7

The Big Question: How???

how are we going to organize the data
how do users interact with the system
how are we going to make the system requirements a reality

Question 8

Explain the Implementation Stage of SDLC:

Answer 8

Write the software/build the system

test the system

training/Education

get the system deployed out to the company

Question 9

Explain the Maintenance Stage of SDLC:

Answer 9

Upgrade hardware
tweaks to software
feedback from users

Question 10

What are the subphases of the planning stage of SDLC?

Answer 10

1. Project ID and Selection (3 steps)
2. Project initiation and planning (4 steps)

Question 11

Planning Phase: Project ID and Selection

Answer 11

1: identify potential projects for further review
2: classify and rank potential IS projects
(gain a basic understanding of each project and perform a screening assessment of each project).
3: select potential IS project(s)
(only projects that have the most potential to help the organization make the first cut. select projects for further consideration).

Question 12

What types of feasibility issues are explored during Planning?

Answer 12

Economic- do we have the money?
Technical- does the software exist? can the hardware handle it?
Operational- strategic fit (business strategy)? operational fit (how comfortable are people?
Scheduling- can we get it done by the time we need it to be.
Political- will the company culture be ok with this change?

Question 12

Planning Phase: Project Initiation and Planning

Answer 12

1: conduct a more detailed evaluation of the selected proposed IS project(s).
(business requirements “mini analysis”, costs, benefits, risks, resource management)

2: Assess feasibility: economic, technical, operational fit, scheduling, political.

3: present findings to the decision makers. “go/no go decision”. (standard review format).

4: If the project gets approval, prepare a detailed plan for project (scheduling, staffing, project management).

Question 12

What is the objective of the analysis phase?

Answer 12

conduct a very detailed “analysis”

find out exactly what the users want the system to do.

Question 13

What are the deliverables of the analysis phase:

Answer 13

detailed set of user requirements

recommended approach for system acquisition

Question 14

What is the orientation of the analysis phase?

Answer 14

business-oriented

Question 15

What are the key activities of the analysis stage:

Answer 15

1. fact-finding
2. document/communicate user requirements
3. clarification/Revision (review findings with users, modify?
4. investigate alternatives for system acquisition.

Question 16

What are the components of a DFD?

Answer 16

Processes
Data Flows
Data Stores
External Entities outside the system.

Question 17

What is a Context DFD:

Answer 17

“top level” dfd
only one process system (“black box”)
shows inputs and outputs of system

Question 18

What is a Level - 0 DFD?

Answer 18

decomposes the Context DFD

shows high-level details inside the “black box: of the context process.

Depicts the major processes and data store(s) of system

Question 19

Construction Steps of a Context DFD

Answer 19

Step 1: process symbol (round rectangle labeled 0- use the full name of the system)

Step 2: External Entities (generic names- i.e. customer, restaurant manager, etc)

Step 3: Data flows (use the generic name to describe the packet of data, simple, no verb)

Step 4: Diagram Information (Context DFD: Name of system, Prepared by: Version #1, Date)

Question 20

Construction Steps of a Level 0- DFD

Answer 20

Step 1: Process symbols (for each major sub-component of the system) (use verb-object name, update inventory, etc. NO MORE THAN 7).

Step 2: External Entities (generic names- i.e. customer, restaurant manager, etc) (SAME AS CONTEXT DFD)

Step 3: Data flows- make sure data flow labels are consistent. add data flows between processes.

Step 4: Data stores- add data stores and flows into and out. Describe the data in the store, not how it is stored (inventory file (good) vs black file cabinet (bad)). D1, D2, etc.

Step 5: Diagram Information (Level-0 DFD: Name of system, Prepared by: Version #1, Date).

Question 21

Definition of DFD Decomposition

Answer 21

Break DFD processes into smaller, more detailed pieces.

Question 22

DFD Decomposition: Functional Primitive:

Answer 22

Process that requires no decomposition

Designate a FP with a “*” or a “P” at the end of process label

Question 23

DFD Decomposition: Functional Primitive: When do we stop decomposing?

Answer 23

“one page” guideline: can process be described in one page or less?

Decomposition stops when all processes decomposed to FPs.

Question 24

How many levels should a dfd have? (dfd decomposition?)

Answer 24

depends on the complexity of system

How many levels should we expect?
Small system= 2-3 levels
Medium system = 3-6 levels
Large system= 5-8 levels

Question 25

How to show levels of a dfd decomposition to a user?

Answer 25

usually top down, start with context, then level -0, level -1, etc.

Question 26

What are the values of DFDs:

Answer 26

supports communication
user friendly
provides structure to the project
helps analysts and users better understand the system processes
etc.

Question 27

what are the limitations of DFDs:

Answer 27

may not always show sequencing of processing

do not indicate timing of processing

specifics about processing logic with functional primitives is not provided.

Specifics about the data components in data flows and data stores are not provided.

Question 28

Definition of Structured English:

Answer 28

Modified form of English

Similar to pseudocode, but more user oriented

Ex. Conditional statement, repetition.

Question 29

Structured English Conventions:

Answer 29

Concise Sentences

Pay attention to format and layout

mathematical operations are allowed (=,+)

use terms that are consistent with DFDs and project dictionary.

Question 30

Process Specification: Background

Answer 30

describes procedures associated with a functional primitive. (other names: mini-specification, transform description).

Question 31

Key requirements of a process specification:

Answer 31

key requirements must be expressed in a form that can be:

verified by the user and analyst
communicated effectively to a varied audience

SHOULD BE ONE PAGE OR LESS

Question 32

What does a process specification describe?

How many pages should each process specification take up?

Where are the process specifications saved?

Answer 32

the logic “inside” a functional primitive

one page

project dictionary.