Systems Analysis & Design

An external entity may be:

All of these: a person, another department, or another computer system.

Which of these is an advantage of open-ended questions?

Allows more spontaneity

Which of these statements concerning the systems development life cycle is true?

Although each phase is presented discretely, it is never accomplished as a separate step.

Which of following is not a specific criteria for project selection?

Backing from programmers. These are specific criteria: -appropriate timing of project commitment -practical in terms of resources for the analyst and organization -worthwhile project compared with other ways the organization could invest resources -possibility of improving attainment of organizational goals

Which kind of question is easiest to analyze?

Closed

Which of the following can be used to communicate ideas that would otherwise remain fuzzy or unshaped?

Coding

What are the elements that make up an organizational system called?

Entities

Which of the following is a goal of dividing a Web site into a series of Web pages?

Improve the ease of maintaining the Web site.

Each external entity is labeled with a noun.

True

Feedback is a form of system control.

True

In agile development, onsite customers write stories and communicate to team members.

True

In an interview, opinions may be more important and more revealing than facts.

True

It is necessary to set a sample size greater than one but less than the size of the population itself.

True

PERT is an acronym for Program Evaluation and Review Techniques.

True

Prospective projects should be examined from a systems perspective in order to consider the impact of the proposed change on the entire organization.

True

Sampling helps accelerate the process by gathering selected data rather than all data for the entire population.

True

Scrum is an agile approach based on rugby.

True

Signs serve as subtle reinforcements of values of those who read them.

True

Source code is the basis for a living system.

True

Systems and subsystems are interrelated and interdependent.

True

The agile philosophy suggests that system developers create a series of deadlines for many releases of the system.

True

The biggest advantage of the data flow approach lies in the conceptual freedom found in the use of the four symbols.

True

The first SDLC phase that the analyst enters into is that of determining information requirements for the particular users involved.

True

The interview is a valuable time to explore key human-computer interaction concerns.

True

The name of the data flow coming out of a process should be different than the name of the data flow going into the process.

True

The three primary roles of the systems analyst are as consultant, supporting expert, and change agent.

True

The word agile in agile modeling implies maneuverability.

True

Timeboxing is used in agile methodologies to encourage completion of activities in shorter periods.

True

Validity is the degree to which the question measures what the analyst intends to measure.

True

The agile approach is based on:

Values, Principles, and Practices

A Gantt chart contains:

a description of the activities on the vertical access.

Probing Questions:

are used to clarify, draw out and expand on the interviewee's point.

A good rule of thumb is to interview:

at least three people on every level of the organization and at least one from each functional area directly involved in the system.

Physical data flow diagrams:

include processes for adding, updating, changing and deleting records.

Which of these is a potential disadvantage of prototyping?

shapes systems before problem is thoroughly understood

Which of these are reasons for partitioning a system?

to keep transactions secure

Agile projects should begin with the simplest possible tasks.

False

An arrow is used to depict an external entity that can give and receive data from the system.

False

Analysts should have little interest in improving worker satisfaction with the system.

False

Anything which affects the functioning of an organization is considered to be an environment.

False

Corporate Web sites are not useful as an indication of organizational culture.

False

Each phase of the system development life cycle is accomplished as a discrete, separate step.

False

Judging the feasibility of a proposed systems project is usually a clear-cut decision.

False

Processes in a rectangle with rounded corners sometimes denote something other than a change in or transformation of data or a system/subsystem.

False

Reliability measures the degree to which the respondents may be trusted to complete the questionnaire.

False

Technical feasibility is dependent upon determining human resources for the project.

False

The critical path is defined as the most expensive path.

False

The highest level data flow diagram is called Diagram 0.

False

The length of the arrows in a PERT diagram has a direct relationship with the duration of the activity.

False

User involvement throughout the systems project is of little importance in the successful development of business information systems.

False

When analysts are hired specifically from outside the business to address information systems issues within a business, they are acting as supporting experts.

False

When deciding whom to interview, it is unnecessary to include all organizational levels which will be affected by the system.

False

In what kind of chart do bars represent each task.

Gantt Chart

Data-gathering bias can be reduced by sampling.

True

Which of the following is a core practice of the agile approach?

A 40-hour work week.

In a CRUD matrix, each row represents the data stores used for each:

Activity

Which is not one of the four basic symbols used to chart data movement on data flow diagrams?

An Oval These are: -Arrow -Rectangle with rounded corners -Open-ended Rectangle

Which of these is not a guideline for developing a prototype?

Buffers users against computer malfunctioning. These are guidelines: - affords opportunity to change the system early in its development -helps prevent the adoption of inadequate systems -presents more opportunities to improve the user's needs and expectations

Which of these is not an advantage of prototyping?

Buffers users against computer malfunctioning. These are: -affords opportunity to change the system early in its development -helps prevent the adoption of inadequate systems -presents more opportunities to improve the user's needs and expectations

Which is not one of four steps that a systems analyst must follow to design a good sample?

Choose the type of population. These are: -Determine the data to be collected or described. -Determine the population to be sampled. -Describe the sample size.

System maintenance must be performed to:

Correct software errors.

What is the longest path through a PERT diagram is referred to as?

Critical Path

Which graphically characterize(s) data processes and flows through a business system?

Data Flow Diagrams

The process of creating a simple data flow diagram fragment for each unique system trigger is called:

Event Modeling

Which of these is not used by analysts when adopting CASE tools?

Expediting the local area network. These are used: -communicating more effectively with users -increasing productivity -integrating the work done during life cycle stages

A 60-hour work week improves effectiveness.

False

A commitment from management to conduct a feasibility study means that the proposed system is accepted.

False

A context level data flow diagram includes many detailed processes representing the computer programs within the system.

False

Which of these is most closely associated with system control?

Feedback

Which of the following is not an advantage of using cloud services?

Full control over hardware and software. These are advantages: -Maintenance and upgrades are performed by provider -consistency over multiple paltforms

Which of these interview structures begins with the general and ends with the specific?

Funnel

Which of the following is a reason given by programmers for failed projects?

Impossible or unrealistic completion dates.

Improvements to systems include all the following except:

Increasing redundant output.

Which of these software packages are not open source software (OSS)?

Microsoft Windows These are: -Mozilla Firefox -Apache Web Server -Linux OS

What chart or diagram has the advantage of allowing easy identification of the order of precedence and easy determination of slack time.

PERT Diagrams

Which of the following is not a way in which systems projects are considered to be feasible?

Physically (Operationally, Technically, and Economically are feasible)

Which of these characteristics is most important to a systems analyst?

Problem Solver

Which of the following is a reason why a systems analyst would want perform sampling?

Reducing bias

Which prototype includes only some, but not all, of the components of the final system?

Selected features prototype

Which sampling technique is usually the most important to the systems analyst?

Stratified sampling

Which determines the sample size?

Systems analyst

When doing pair programming, which person(s) chooses a partner programmer?

The Programmers.

The context level data flow diagram depicts:

The boundaries of a system.

Which of these statements about PERT diagrams is not true?

The length of the arrow indicates activity length. These are true: -An arrow represents activities. -A circle represents events. -Pseudo activities must occasionally be shown.

When doing pair programming, which person(s) chooses a partner programmer?

The programmers

Which of the following symbols is not used on the context level data flow diagram?

Triangle These are used: -Rectangle with rounded corners -Arrow -Shaded Corner Square

A CRUD matrix is a tool used to represent where master files are read, updated, created, and deleted within the system.

True

A feasibility study is used to gather broad data for the members of management that in turn enables them to make a decision on whether to proceed with a systems study.

True

A logical data flow diagram shows how the business operates.

True

A physical data flow diagram shows how the system will be constructed.

True

A rectangle with rounded corners is used to show the occurrence of a transforming process.

True

A risk to the adoption of agile methodologies for organizations is the cost involved in education and training of systems analysts and programmers in the new approach.

True

Along with managing time and resources, systems analysts must also manage people.

True

An open system allows free passage of resources (people, information, materials) through its boundaries.

True

Analysts can best reflect all of the four values through an attitude of humility.

True

The advantage of building data flow diagrams based on events is that:

Users are familiar with the events within their business and know how the events drive other activities.

A logical data flow diagram:

is a model of how the business operates.

Which of these is an advantage of closed interview questions?

keeps interviewer in control of the interview

Transaction files:

may be used to link processes that execute at different times.