Unit 3.1: System Analysis Methodologies Flashcards
Imagine you are a system analyst and have been asked by a customer to develop a website for a small group of artists. This small group of artists want to be able to sell their artworks on the Internet.
The waterfall lifecycle model will be used to develop this system.
What questions would you ask the customer?
- VOLUMES: How many artists, and how many artworks per artist?
- SCOPE of the project: Do you want to accept online orders and credit/debit cards/Paypal payments, or is this simply a showcase for the artists’ works, with information about how they can purchase an artwork?
What tabs would you like for users to explore on the website (i.e. FAQs)?
Would you like to display live information on art events or exhibitions?
How would you want to format this website? How would you like it to appeal to your needs and desires?
State and correctly order the distinct stages of the systems development life cycle.
- Analysis
- Design
- Implementation
- Evaluation
- Maintenance
Describe the stage of ‘analysis’.
The systems analyst gathers information about purpose of the current system (if there is one); or finds the purpose of what the new system needs to do.
List ways for which an analyst can gather information, according to the analysis stage.
. Interviewing the target audience who would use the software
. Use questionnaires from large groups of people
. Observe how the current system works (if there is one)
. Look at any existing documentation
Describe the most vital form of output from the analysis stage?
The systems analyst will produce a document under the name of: “System Specification” or “User Requirements”. This document defines what the system will do.
This document is used to create the design, and to evaluate the finished product.
Describe the stage of ‘design’.
The software design will include:
- Data types, formatting and validations (description of the data - metadata)
- Database design, if appropriate
- Input and output screens, and reports
- How the data will be processed
- How the software will be tested
Describe the stage of ‘implementation’.
This stage includes:
- Coding and testing the software
- Writing user and technical documentation
- Installing the software for the user
Describe the difference between the two testing strategies of software.
White box testing is dependant on the logic of code; it devises tests for each possible path through the code at least once.
However, black box testing is carried out independently. Specifically, this looks at the test data for every input, output and program subroutines (functions and procedures)
