Chapter 11 - Information System Development and Programming Languages

programming team

A group of programmers that may develop programs during the program development cycle

maintaining

Act of correcting errors or adding enhancements to an existing program

API

Application programming interface; collection of tools that programmers use to interact with an environment such as a Web site or operating system

project management software

Application software that allows a user to plan, schedule, track, and analyze the events, resources, and costs of a project

Ajax

Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. Method of creating interactive Web applications designed to provide immediate response to user requests

COBOL

COmmon Business- Oriented Language. Programming language designed for business applications, which evolved out of a joint effort between the United States government, businesses, and major universities in the early 1960s

phases

Categories into which system development activities are grouped: (1) planning phase, (2) analysis phase, (3) design phase, (4) implementation phase, and (5) support phase

documentation

Collection and summarization of data and information

information system (IS)

Collection of hardware, software, data, people, and procedures that work together to produce quality information

system development life cycle (SDLC)

Collection of phases in system development

phased conversion

Conversion strategy used by larger systems with multiple sites where each location converts at a separate time

pilot conversion

Conversion strategy where only one location in an organization uses a new system - so that it can be tested

parallel conversion

Conversion strategy where the old system runs alongside the new system for a specified time

direct conversion

Conversion strategy where the user stops using an old system and begins using a new system on a certain date

steering committee

Decision-making body in a company

system proposal

Document that assesses the feasibility of each alternative solution and then recommends the most feasible solution for a project

developer

Employee who converts the system design into the appropriate computer language, such as Visual Basic, Java, C#, and C+

IT consultant

Employee, typically hired based on computer expertise, who provides computer services to his or her clients

4GL

Fourth-generation language; nonprocedural language that enables users and programmers to access data in a database

project team

Group of people that consists of users, the systems analyst, and other IT professionals

outsource

Having a source outside a company develop software for the company. Some companies outsource just the software development aspect of their IT operation, while others outsource more or all of their IT operation

PHP

Hypertext Preprocessor; free, open source scripting language

IDE (integrated development environment)

Includes program development tools for building graphical user interfaces, an editor for entering program code, a compiler and/ or interpreter, and a debugger

JavaScript

Interpreted language that allows a programmer to add dynamic content and interactive elements to a Web page

scripting language

Interpreted language that typically is easy to learn and use

feasibility study

Investigation that determines the exact nature of a problem or improvement and decides whether it is worth pursuing

preliminary investigation

Investigation that determines the exact nature of a problem or improvement and decides whether it is worth pursuing

joint-application design (JAD)

Lengthy, structured, group meetings in which users and IT professionals work together to design or develop an application; aka focus groups

packaged software

Massproduced, copyrighted retail software that meets the needs of a wide variety of users, not just a single user or company

feasibility

Measure of how suitable the development of a system will be to the company

project manager

Member of a project team who controls the activities during system development

project leader

Member of a project team who manages and controls the budget and schedule of the project

Expression Web

Microsoft's Web page authoring program that enables Web developers to create professional, dynamic, interactive Web sites

.NET

Microsoft's set of technologies that allows almost any type of program to run on the Internet or an internal business network, as well as stand-alone computers and mobile devices

C#

Object-oriented programming language based on C++ developed primarily by Anders Hejlsberg at Microsoft

C++

Object-oriented programming language developed at Bell Laboratories that is an extension of the C programming language

Java

Object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems

system developer

Person responsible for designing and developing an information system

systems analyst

Person responsible for designing and developing an information system

programmer

Person who writes and modifies computer programs

implementation phase

Phase of the system development cycle during which the new or modified system is constructed, or built, and then delivered to the users. Four major activities performed include: (1) develop programs, (2) install and test the new system, (3) train users, and (4) convert to the new system

operation, support, and security phase

Phase of the system development cycle that consists of three major activities: (1) perform maintenance activities, (2) monitor system performance, and (3) assess system security

design phase

Phase of the system development cycle that consists of two major activities: (1) if necessary, acquire hardware and software and (2) develop all of the details of the new or modified information system

PowerBuilder

Powerful program development RAD tool developed by Sybase that is best suited for Web-based, .NET, and large-scale enterprise object-oriented applications

Delphi

Powerful visual programming tool that is ideal for large-scale enterprise and Web application development

Perl

Practical Extraction and Report Language; scripting language developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a procedural language similar to C and C++

code snippets

Prewritten code and templates associated with common programming tasks

project management

Process of planning, scheduling, and then controlling the activities during the system development cycle

bugs

Program errors

source program

Program that contains the language instructions, or code, to be converted to machine language

application generator

Program that creates source code or machine code from a specification of the required functionality

beta

Program that has most or all of its features and functionality implemented

program development tool

Program that provides a userfriendly environment for building programs

interpreter

Program used to convert a source program into machine language and then executes the machine language instructions

C

Programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie in the early 1970s at Bell Laboratories used for business and scientific applications

assembly language

Programming language in which a programmer writes instructions using symbolic instruction codes

F#

Programming language included with Visual Studio 2010 that combines the benefits of an object-oriented language with the benefits of a functional language

object-oriented programming (OOP) language

Programming language used to implement an object-oriented design

SQL

Query language that allows users to manage, update, and retrieve data in a relational DBMS

Rexx

REstructured eXtended eXecutor. Procedural interpreted scripting language for both professional programmers and nontechnical users

RAD

Rapid application development; method of developing software in which a programmer writes and implements a program in segments instead of waiting until an entire program is completed

RSS 2.0

Really Simple Syndication. Specification that content aggregators use to distribute content to subscribers

compiler

Separate program that converts an entire source program into machine language before executing it

macro

Sequence of keystrokes and instructions that a user records and saves

computer program

Series of instructions that directs a computer to perform tasks

program development

Series of steps programmers use to build computer programs

program development life cycle (PDLC)

Series of steps programmers use to build computer programs, consisting of six steps: (1) analyze requirements, (2) design solution, (3) validate design, (4) implement design, (5) test solution, and (6) document solution

system development

Set of activities used to build an information system, including planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support

system

Set of components that interact to achieve a common goal

programming language

Set of words, abbreviations, and symbols that enables a programmer to communicate instructions to a computer

standards

Sets of rules and procedures a company expects employees to accept and follow

training

Showing users exactly how they will use new hardware and software in a system

change management

Skill required for project leaders so they can recognize when a change in a project has occurred, take actions to react to the change, and plan for opportunities because of the change

multimedia authoring software

Software that allows users to combine text, graphics, audio, video, and animation in an interactive application and that often is used for computerbased training and Web-based presentations

custom software

Software that performs functions specific to a business or industry, developed by a user or at a user's request

HTML

Special formatting language that programmers use to format documents for display on the Web

analysis phase

Step in system development that consists of two major activities: (1) conduct a preliminary investigation, and (2) perform detailed analysis

planning phase

Step in the system development cycle that begins when a steering committee receives a project request

hierarchy chart

Structure chart; Structured design tool that shows program modules graphically

entity-relationship diagram (ERD)

Systems analysis and design tool that graphically shows the connections among entities in a system

benchmark test

Test that measures the performance of hardware or software

scope

The goal, required activities, time estimates for each activity, cost estimates for each activity, order of activities, and activities that can take place at the same time during system development

machine language

The only language a computer directly recognizes, using a series of binary digits or a combination of numbers and letters that represent binary digits

Tcl

Tool Command Language; interpreted scripting language maintained by Sun Microsystems Laboratories

dynamic HTML (DHTML)

Type of HTML that allows Web developers to include more graphical interest and interactivity in a Web page

repetition control structure

Type of control structure that enables a program to perform one or more actions repeatedly as long as a certain condition is met

sequence control structure

Type of control structure that shows one or more actions following each other in order

selection control structure

Type of control structure that tells the program which action to take, based on a certain condition

nonprocedural language

Type of programming language in which a programmer writes English-like instructions or interacts with a graphical environment to retrieve data from files or a database

procedural language

Type of programming language in which a programmer writes instructions that tell the computer what to accomplish and how to do it using a series of English-like words to write instructions

third-generation language (3GL)

Type of programming language in which a programmer writes instructions that tell the computer what to accomplish and how to do it using a series of English-like words to write instructions

case control structure

Type of selection control structure that can yield one of three or more possibilities

control structure

Used during program design, a depiction of the logical order of program instructions

Dreamweaver

Web page authoring program by Adobe Systems that allows Web developers to create, maintain, and manage professional Web sites

Flash

Web page authoring program by Adobe Systems that enables Web developers to combine interactive content with text, graphics, audio, and video

SharePoint Designer

Web page authoring program that is part of the Microsoft Office and SharePoint families of products

prototype

Working model of a proposed system

computer security plan

Written summary of all the safeguards that are in place to protect an organization's information assets

project request (request for system services)

Written, formal request for a new or modified system

ATOM

XML application used by content aggregators to distribute content to subscribers