Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
Ramya is preparing an economic feasibility study. She has a calculation where she takes total benefits minus total costs and divides that answer by the total costs. She is calculating: a. Cash flow b. Return on investment c. Break-even point d. Net present value e. Internal rate of return
B
33. The SDLC moves from the current system (often called the "past system") to the new system (often called the "future system").
False
36. PMP is People - Management - Project - the three components of successful project management.
False
37. CIO is an acronym for "Chief Information Officer".
True
40. The most important purpose of the requirements definition is to define the scope of the system.
True
50. Yuri wants to interview both managers and staff in the accounting department for the updated credit analysis project. This is an appropriate group for first round interviews.
True
51. Extreme Programming (XP) stresses customer satisfaction and teamwork.
True
Anne has asked users and managers to identify problems with the as-is system and to describe how to solve them in the to-be system. She is probably doing Business Process Automation (BPA) in this case.
True
What things might happen in the requirements gathering step in the analysis phase of the SDLC?
Ans: interviews; questionnaires; JAD sessions; observation; document gathering; more
9. Throwaway prototyping is BEST characterized as: a. A 'Quick and Dirty' system b. A series of versions c. A method for exploring design alternatives d. A method for stressing customer satisfaction e. More explicit testing
C
Ramona is preparing an economic feasibility study. She is calculating the payback period. She is calculating: a. Cash flow b. Return on investment c. Break-even point d. Net present value e. Internal rate of return
C
TJ has prepared a spreadsheet where the total benefits are $182,000; the total cumulative costs are $120,000. The ROI would be:: a. $62,000 b. About 34% c. About 51.7% d. About 65.3% e. Less than 20%
C
The outcome of the design phase is the: a. Feasibility Analysis document b. System proposal document c. System specification document d. System request document e. Business Process document
C
14. A technique where the analyst watches how people perform their activities is _______ a. Document Analysis b. Interviews c. Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions d. Questionnaires / surveys e. Observation
E
45. The Waterfall Methodology breaks the overall project into a series of release versions.
False
58. A classic planning mistake mentioned in the textbook is motivating employees with financial rewards instead of recognition and genuine thanks.
False
When compared to a business analyst, the systems analyst will identify how the system will provide business value.
False
11. Extreme Programming (XP) is BEST characterized as: a. A 'Quick and Dirty' system b. A series of versions c. A method for exploring design alternatives d. A method for stressing customer satisfaction e. More explicit testing
D
13. A technique where a set of written (or online) questions are distributed to people (frequently to a large number of people) is: _____. a. Document Analysis b. Interviews c. Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions d. Questionnaires / surveys e. Observation
D
16. In the interview report, what will probably NOT be included? a. Summary of what the interviewee said b. Interview's name; interviewee's name c. Details from crucial areas of the interview relating to the project at hand d. The actual questions that were asked as a permanent record e. Any materials, documents, etc. that the interviewee gave you relevant to the project at hand
D
16. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: clear requirements; very familiar technologies; not all that complex; must be reliable; a somewhat longer schedule and the schedule visibility is not important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. V-model
E
23. Which of the following would BEST describe "system reliability"? a. The aspect of using technologies that analysts and developers are familiar with b. The aspect of what the business side really wants the system to do c. The aspect of how quickly the system can be developed and implemented d. The aspect of how complex the system must be e. The aspect of how accurate the system must be (such as medical equipment or for games)
E
33. Which of the following is NOT a classic planning mistake? a. Overly optimistic schedule b. Failing to monitor the schedule c. Failing to update the schedule d. Adding people to a late project e. Omitting key requirements
E
In BPA and BPI, analysis is generally divided into three steps: understanding the as-is system; developing a cost-benefit analysis; and understanding the technical feasibility.
False
Developing navigation methods, database and file specifications and what architecture to use would occur in the design phase of the SDLC.
True
The primary goal of a system is to create value for the organization.
True
The project sponsor should have an idea of the business value to be gained from the system.
True
1. Which of the following will probably NOT be at a system walkthrough? a. User representatives b. Management representatives c. Computer Center director d. Key decision makers e. Analyst who prepared the system proposal
C
18. Probably the first thing to do when conducting an interview is: a. Turn on your tape recorder b. Get started by asking the first question on your list c. Build rapport with the interviewee so he or she trusts you d. Ask a close ended question e. Ask a probing question
C
1. A critical success factor in project management is to: a. Say "no" to all requests as they add to 'scope creep' b. Use throwaway prototyping c. Use a CASE tool to delineate requirements from work tasks d. Start with a realistic assessment of the work that needs to be done e. Hire an outside project management consulting group
D
14. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: unclear user requirements; unfamiliar technologies; somewhat complex; needs to be reliable; time is not an issue and the schedule visibility is somewhat important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
E
2. The line between analysis and design is sometimes very blurry. One reason is that _____: a. Object-oriented methods are generally fuzzier as compared to waterfall methods b. there is inadequate funding for the analysis phase to do a complete analysis c. analysts are generally rushed to complete the system proposal d. scope creep has occurred e. the deliverables are really the first step in the design of the new system
E
27. Which of the following is true about a JAD facilitator? a. They can participate in the discussion to settle a disagreement b. They keep track of all discussions by entering information into the computer c. They allow sidebar discussions and unstructured activities d. They recognize that some people know more about the system and proposed system and will dominate the discussion and know that is a positive thing e. They set the meeting agenda
E
Systems analysts are generally experts in business, finance and application development.
False
5. An example of a nonfunctional requirement is ____________ a. Supplier table is available b. The system must contain customer order history for three years c. System can be used in any of 100 offices worldwide d. SQL queries from customer table and order table are available e. Customer zipcode is formatted as character data
C
21. Michael, a systems analyst, is preparing a closed wiki site for Northstate Bank. He has written permission from eight other companies to view their internal wiki sites, and also has approval from his manager and the project team to use these other sites for ideas and structure. This would be a form of: a. Business Process Automation b. Business Process Improvement c. Informal Benchmarking d. Formal Benchmarking e. Technology Analysis
D
22. Paul is interviewing Ming. He first explains why he is there and what he wants to accomplish in the interview. This would be done in which step of the interview process? a. Selecting interviewees b. Designing interview questions c. Preparing for the interview d. Conducting the interview e. Post-interview follow-up
D
29. Marta wants to collect facts and opinions from a wide range of geographically dispersed people quickly and with the least expense. She would probably want to use: a. Document analysis b. Interview c. JAD session d. Observation e. Questionnaires
E
4. Which would generally NOT be taken into consideration for project portfolio management in an organization? a. The number of large projects b. The number of tactical projects c. The number of high risk projects d. The number of strategic projects e. The number of financially feasible projects
E
8. According to the authors, in moving "from here to there", an analyst needs: a. An understanding of corporate politics b. Knowledge on how to stop scope creep c. Joint Application Development facilitating skills d. Microsoft Project Management software skills e. Strong critical thinking skills
E
9. Myles is studying a system to lessen the number of complaints about the Help Desk. He has formally studied the service counter at Wal-Mart, Target and Kohl's department stores; as well as listened in to complaint phone calls to a hotel booking site. He is trying to see how other organizations work at lessening complaints and also how they handle complaints. This would be what type of analysis? a. Complaint processing b. Design analysis c. Problem analysis d. Outcome analysis e. Informal benchmarking
E
Online loan companies (like LendingTree) attempt to return quotes for loans within an hour. With more traditional banks, getting a quote on a loan may take weeks to a month. Two techniques that were probably carefully analyzed in creating online loan quotation systems would be duration analysis and activity elimination.
True
19. The interview process has gone well. There are a few things that need clarification and what really happens when specific financial analysts use the system. Which of the following might be the best way to verify what does happen? a. Observation of how the analysts do their work b. Document analysis of what the system was to do c. A JAD session with end users, financial analysts and top managers d. Additional interviews with top level managers in the finance area e. Questionnaires / survey of end users of the system
A
20. Which of the following methodologies is the historic standard, but is used less today because it takes the longest to complete all the SDLC steps? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
A
28. TJ is coordinating a project. Which would he probably NOT use to avoid conflicts? a. Encourage a competitive edge between team members b. Clearly defining plans for the project c. Develop a project charter d. Look at other projects and priorities and see how that might impact the project e. Communicate the business value to the team
A
30. Micah is a fairly new project manager. He estimated for a project plan (on the planning phase) that the project would cost $50,000 and take 20 weeks. According to the margin of error guidelines for well-done estimates, that could range from: a. $0 and $100,000 - and between 15 and 25 weeks b. $10,000 and $60,000 - and between 12 and 28 weeks c. $0 and $100,000 - and between 0 and 40 weeks d. $5,000 and $100,000 - and between 10 and 30 weeks e. $25,000 and $75,000 - and between 10 and 30 weeks
A
4. An example of a functional requirement is _________ a. Access to the customer order system b. System should be available in English and Spanish c. System can be accessed through a Blackberry device d. Output can be displayed in Internet Explorer, in Firefox, or in Google Chrome browsers e. System is automatically updated every 5 seconds
A
68. What considerations do you need to make when staffing a project team?
Ans: Size (generally 8 to 10 for a team; if you need more, break into subteams); setting up a reporting structure; have people with the right technical skills; have people with interpersonal skills (especially for controversial projects); possibly hire consultants or contractors or outsource some activities; give appropriate training if needed and help with mentoring if needed.
66. What is the difference between systems prototyping and throwaway prototyping methodologies?
Ans: Systems prototyping generally leads to a functional system; while throwaway prototyping generally leads to understanding the user requirements and design considerations more quickly.
67. What are the main differences between the Waterfall Development and the Rapid Application Development methodologies?
Ans: Waterfall methodologies stress thorough use of the SDLC and can lead to longer project completion times while RAD methods generally result in shorter time to develop and implement.
70. Why is it generally a problem to add more people to a late project?
Ans: With more people, the communication complexity grows. Also, with adding people to a late project, you will have to bring them up-to-speed on the project (and that may even delay you more as they have no idea of what has (and has not) been accomplished so far). Where you had a project that had a structure, now you are making it unstructured and harder to manage and keep on task and on time!!!
What is the difference between a systems analyst and a business analyst?
Ans: a systems analyst interfaces between the business side and the development / technical site; while a business analyst focuses on the business side of a project
34. If the skills required by a project cannot be met by the available project team, which would probably NOT be a reasonable solution? a. Use a consultant b. Use a contract employee c. Modify the project to use skills inherent on the project team d. Train the project team (or some of the team) on the skills needed e. Mentor a team member (like sending a person to work on a similar project to acquire the necessary skills)
C
7. Which of the following might result in version 1; version 2 (etc.) of a system? a. System Prototyping b. Waterfall Development c. Iterative Development d. System Prototyping e. Parallel Development
C
Because the cost can be immense, _________ is one of the most critical steps in implementation. a. Documentation b. Coding c. Testing d. Developing a conversion strategy e. Training
C
Chang is working on "How will this system work". What SDLC phase is he in? a. Planning b. Analysis c. Design d. Implementation e. Transition
C
10. Parallel methodology is BEST characterized as: a. A 'Quick and Dirty' system b. A series of versions c. A method for exploring design alternatives d. A method for stressing customer satisfaction e. More explicit testing
B
12. When gathering requirements, the most commonly used technique is: __________ a. Document Analysis b. Interviews c. Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions d. Questionnaires / surveys e. Observation
B
15. Which is NOT a good practice in conducting interviews? a. Be happy - happy people radiate confidence b. Explain thoroughly - it is estimated that in a strong interview session, the interviewer (you) should talk and explain about 60% of the time; and the interviewee should answer about 40% of the time c. Watch interviewees' facial expressions, how they sit and their body language; do they cross their arms; do they lean forward? d. Pay attention to what the interviewee is saying e. If the interviewee ask you a question, answer it truthfully - and if you don't know an answer, say so
B
15. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: clear requirements; very familiar technologies; not all that complex; reasonably reliable; a short time schedule and the schedule visibility is not important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
B
27. Suggestions for motivation might include all of these EXCEPT: a. Setting realistic deadlines b. Giving all team members the same bonus on a project c. Recognize and reward good efforts d. Reward those with outstanding quality and effort e. Having a good working environment
B
The outcome of the analysis phase is the: a. Feasibility Analysis document b. System proposal document c. System specification document d. System request document e. Business Process document
B
22. Which of the following would BEST describe "system complexity"? a. The aspect of using technologies that analysts and developers are familiar with b. The aspect of what the business side really wants the system to do c. The aspect of how quickly the system can be developed and implemented d. The aspect of how intricate and difficult the system must be e. The aspect of how accurate the system must be (such as medical equipment or for games)
D
25. A team of developers and customers are in close communication, with frequent communications, simplicity, feedback and courage. This would best describe: a. The parallel development methodology b. The waterfall development methodology c. The iterative development methodology d. The Extreme Programming methodology e. The throwaway prototyping methodology
D
26. Kumar is the project manager for a revised TTP system. Which of the following most likely would NOT be considered in developing a work plan? a. Identifying tasks that need to be completed b. Estimating the time that will be needed on tasks c. Creating a dependency chart d. The organizational readiness for the project e. Key milestones that need to be met
D
10. The authors suggest that an analyst is 'very much like a ____________' and business users are like elusive suspects. a. Police professional b. Politician c. Forensic scientist d. Air traffic controller e. Detective
E
18. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: unclear requirements; very familiar technologies; not all that complex; reasonably reliable; a short time schedule and the schedule visibility is somewhat important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Extreme Programming
E
19. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: unclear user requirements; unfamiliar technologies; very complex; must be reliable; a short to medium time schedule and the schedule visibility is somewhat important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
E
23. Rafael, Fraud Unit Manager, has just received an interview report from Stefano, a systems analyst. Rafael was interviewed by Stefano, and was asked to make corrections and clarifications to the interview report. In what interview phase would this occur? a. Selecting interviewees b. Designing interview questions c. Preparing for the interview d. Conducting the interview e. Post-interview follow-up
E
30. Blaine is using a requirements gathering technique that begins with non-threatening questions, avoids abbreviations, groups items into logically coherent sections, and might best be used with outside users. He probably is using: a. Document analysis b. Interview c. JAD session d. Observation e. Questionnaires
E
6. RAD is an acronym for: a. Real Application Development b. Rapid Application Design c. Rapid Authentic Development d. Real Autonomous Development e. Rapid Application Development
E
6. Which is generally NOT true of non-functional requirements? a. Cultural differences can be considered b. Color interpretations on screens and forms may be different in different geographical places c. Multi-lingual interfaces many be needed d. Systems may need to adapt from global solutions to local realities e. Systems may need to have actual expenses from global operations
E
7. Which is NOT a requirements analysis strategy? a. Understanding of the as-is system b. Identifying improvements c. Developing requirements for the to-be system d. Root cause analysis e. Understanding of screen design, layout and navigation
E
Determining business requirements is generally done in the planning phase of the SDLC.
False
If the development team of an organization is not familiar with the technologies that may be used, the project should be cancelled.
False
Systems Analysis and Design projects are highly effective, with less than 3% of all projects cancelled or abandoned
False
The question 'Can we build it' is asked in the design phase.
False
What are the four phases of the SDLC and what is the major deliverable from each of the phases?
Planning - deliverable is the system request (also feasibility study and project plan) Analysis - deliverable is the system proposal Design - deliverable is the system specification (also Alternative Matrix) Implementation - deliverable is the installed system (including documentation, migration plan, and support plan)
63. The JAD session you have been facilitating has generally gone well. But you are noticing (on this the sixth day) that people are getting a bit irritated with each other; there are too many sidebar conversations; people are calling into their office on the breaks; and in general, the 'can-do' attitude that was present in the first few days seems to be deteriorating. How might you get the group back to focusing on the topics and work at hand?
Take a break, use some humor, help them understand what is left to accomplish and how valuable this is to the company. Get their 'buy-in' back
46. Cindi Flores distributed 'white-papers' on RFID, ERP, GPS and SOA to a user-management group. She then asked them to 'think outside the box' on where these technologies could be used in the company. This would be an example of 'technology analysis'
True
46. The Iterative approach of the RAD methodology breaks the overall project into a series of release versions.
True
47. The Throwaway Prototyping methodology is especially good for exploring design alternatives.
True
48. The most commonly used requirements gathering technique is the interview.
True
49. Throwaway Prototyping balances the benefits of well-thought-out analysis and design phases with the advantages of using prototypes to refine key issues before a system is built.
True
52. In preparing for an interview, TJ does research as to areas in which the interviewee has knowledge so that he does not ask questions that an interviewee cannot answer.
True
53. Generally beginning analysts should avoid unstructured interviews and likewise should avoid "winging it".
True
53. Scope creep is when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined and 'frozen'.
True
56. Rebecca, a fairly new employee in the company and Matt, her boss (who has been with the company for 22 years) are in your JAD session. It would probably be expected that Rebecca would not share much in the session.
True
56. Wendy has been informed by the CIO that the project she is managing MUST be done by December 20th and must be fully tested and implemented by December 31st. She realizes that will mean she will have to prioritize the functionality and build the system to meet the core functions, even if that means something gets delayed until the next release of that system. She is practicing the 'timeboxing' approach to scope management.
True
57. A classic planning mistake mentioned in the textbook is having an 'overly optimistic schedule'.
True
57. Online questionnaires (using tools like SurveyMonkey and similar sites) are growing in use, but generally online questionnaires have a lower completion rate.
True
58. Your company updated its processes for financial reporting when Sarbanes-Oxley became law. Additional changes in Sarbanes-Oxley reporting have been mandated to start in one year. To help you understand the as-is system, you should review the documentation, processes and procedures that were developed with the initial Sarbanes-Oxley project.
True
61. Using industry standards, the general estimated project time for the Implementation phase is 30%.
True
62. Using industry standards, the general estimated project time for the Planning phase is 15%.
True
63. Using industry standards, the general estimated project time for the Analysis phase is 20%
True
64. Scrum, XP and Dynamic systems development method (DSDM) are all classified as 'agile development' concepts.
True
65. Either systems prototyping or throwaway prototyping are generally a good methodology choice when the project has unclear user requirements.
True
A support plan for the system is established in the implementation phase of the SDLC.
True
Interviewing is generally done in the analysis phase of the SDLC.
True
The key person in the SDLC is the systems analyst who analyzed the business situation, identifies opportunities for improvements and design an information system to implement the improvements.
True
The normal sequence of SDLC phase outputs (from beginning to end) would be: System Request; System Proposal; System Specifications; and Installed system.
True
The primary output of the analysis phase is the System Proposal.
True
The three factors in the text for a Feasibility analysis are: Technical Feasibility; Organizational Feasibility and Economic Feasibility.
True
User frustration with a proposed system would fall under intangible costs.
True
67. Your project sponsor has suggested several key people to involved in a JAD session. You cannot include all of the people, so you pick and choose those to invite to the session. You hear from the informal grapevine that one person that was not invited is upset and feels left out. This person has been with the company for 12 years and had a lot of expertise. What should you do? Why?
Try going to the person and defusing the situation. If need be, add him/her to the JAD session. Do an interview with him. Also check with his/her manager to see if this is a normal behavior (for example, he/she tends to be a 'hot-head').
20. Danielle has asked some closed ended questions to start an interview; then some open ended questions. Now she wants to really wants to get a greater depth of information about the process. She would probably use _________ questions. a. More closed ended b. More open ended c. Probing d. Structured
C
26. An interview report is prepared in which step of the interview process? a. Conducting the interview b. Designing interview questions c. Post interview following-up d. Preparing for the interview e. Selecting an interviewee
C
31. The science (or art) of project management is in making ___________ of size, time and cost. a. Benchmark comparisons b. Analytical and educated estimates c. Trade-offs d. Maximum calculations e. Minimum calculations
C
The primary output of the planning phase is the System Request.
True
Another outcome of the planning phase is the: a. Feasibility Analysis document b. Project Plan c. System specification document d. System proposal document e. Business Process document
B
17. After creating the interview report you should: a. Send a copy to the interviewee with a request to read it and correct or clarify b. Change the document into a unchangeable format (like a pdf file) so that it cannot be changed or edited c. Distribute the interview report to all others that are on the interview schedule so they will not have to go over the same materials d. Edit the report into a bulleted format for easier analysis e. Distribute the interview report to the interviewee's manager.
A
42. Projects can be classified by: size, cost, purpose, length, programming language and hardware platform.
False
Which of the following project roles would analyze the key business aspects of the system? a. Systems analyst b. Business analyst c. Infrastructure analyst d. Change management analyst e. Project manager
B
Which would normally NOT be a reason for a project? a. When a business need has been identified b. A consultant has suggest a new customer relationship management system c. An open source platform has just come on the market d. An existing system just isn't working properly and the workaround is tedious e. To support a new business initiative
C
44. In RAD or agile development methodology (especially with BPR), a significant amount of time and effort is spent in understanding the as-is system
False
Which of the following project roles would probably make a presentation about the objectives of a proposed project and its benefits to executives who will benefit directly from the project? a. Business Analyst b. Systems Analyst c. Project Manager d. Champion e. Chief Information Officer (CIO)
D
Which phase is generally the longest and most expensive part of the development process? a. Planning b. Analysis c. Design d. Implementation e. Feasibility
D
35. When dealing with a global information supply chain, functional requirements generally increase exponentially, while nonfunctional requirements tend to stay about the same.
False
One of the skills needed for a systems analyst is to be ethical. Why do you think that is important?
Ans: Analysts must deal fairly, honestly, and ethically with other project team members, managers and systems users. Analysts frequently have confidential information and must not share that information with others.
69. What can you do to manage scope creep?
Ans: Make it clear to users and managers that adding requirements is very difficult and make sure that requirements are all specified in advance; work hard to keep the project tight and focused; understand that there are some things that are truly required in the current project - but limit those and put other wants / needs / requirements off to the next project / next release; attempt to keep the schedule accurate - communicate the time line and the business need / business value - and that completing the project on time is also significant to the business.
31. What information-gathering strategy enables the analyst to see the reality of the situation rather than listen to others describe it? a. Document analysis b. Interviewing c. Joint application design (JAD) sessions d. Observation e. Questionnaires
D
24. One of the major differences between a JAD session and an interview is: a. Selecting participants b. Figuring out what is to be done c. Preparing for the session d. Writing up results and a report e. All JAD sessions are structured and must be carefully planned
E
38. Generally 'system requirements' are developed in the analysis phase and evolve to more technical 'business requirements' in the design phase.
False
40. In most IT departments, the demand for IT projects is generally about the same as the department's ability to supply them.
False
55. The science (or art) of project management is setting a schedule and sticking to it no matter what - even if that includes working weekends and adding staff to reach the deadline on time.
False
Systems that are not cancelled or abandoned are frequently delivered to the users significantly late or costing more than expected.
True
Becky is a systems analyst for Laswell Consulting. She is attending a three day intensive workshop on developing applications in php. What systems analyst skill is she working on? a. Technical b. Business c. Analytical d. Interpersonal e. Ethical
A
Which is an activity the users probably will NOT do on a project? a. Make decisions that influence the project b. Budget funds for the project c. Perform hands-on activities for the project d. Be assigned specific tasks to perform (with clear deadlines) e. Have some official roles on the project team
B
Alice is calculating whether a system will lower costs or increase revenues. What SDLC phase is she in? a. Planning b. Analysis c. Design d. Implementation e. Evaluation
A
Robert is doing an economic analysis using today's dollar values. He is doing: a. Cash flow analysis b. Return on investment analysis c. Break-even point analysis d. Net present value analysis e. Internal rate of return analysis
D
Rocky is dealing one-on-one with users and business managers (including some that have little experience with technology). He is demonstrating what system analyst skill? a. Technical b. Business c. Analytical d. Interpersonal e. Ethical
D
The outcome of the planning phase is the: a. Test plan b. System proposal document c. System specification document d. System request document e. Business Process document
D
A system request will generally have these items: project sponsor; business need; business requirements; business value; special issues or constraints.
True
The Champion supports the project with resources and political clout.
True
The SDLC generally can be broken into four phases: planning, analysis, design and implementation.
True
61. You have interviewed Chang and Bridget about some radical changes to the CRM system. They both have been with the company for over 10 years. Yet, in their interview, there were discrepancies in what they told you. You also sensed from the interview with Bridget that her body language was 'tight'. How should you try to reconcile this?
You can do another interview with somebody other than Bridget to see if you get the same results; you can do observation to see what seems to be the process; you can go back to Chang and Bridget and ask for clarification (in a friendly way of course). Comment: There may be other issues - maybe just before you got there, Bridget got a serious phone call about the health of her mother or some other issue that made her distracted and not pay attention to you.
Which types of people (or specific people) are important in "Organizational Feasibility" and why?
Ans: Champion (or project sponsor) - initiates the project / promotes it / allocates time to the project; provides resources; Organizational Management - knows about the project / budgets funds ; encourages users; Systems Users - make decision about the project / does hands on work for the project (testing, giving input through interviews, JAD sessions, etc.) / ultimately determine if the project is successful by using it!!!
11. When gathering requirements from processing clerks and lower level managers about 'how' a system works, the best approach might be: _____. a. JAD session b. Document analysis c. Closed ended interview questions d. Probing interview questions e. Root cause analysis
C
17. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: somewhat unclear requirements; somewhat unfamiliar technologies; that is complex; reasonably reliable; a short time schedule and high schedule visibility? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
C
21. The main difference between the Parallel Development Methodology and the Iterative Development Methodology is that: a. The Parallel Development Methodology will have various releases (like version 1.0; 2.0, etc.) and the Iterative will not b. The Iterative Methodology will break the system project into sub-projects for analysis, design and implementation and then merge them into a final system and the Parallel will not c. The Parallel Methodology will have sub-projects and the Iterative Methodology will have various releases d. The Parallel Methodology will create various models or prototypes with user involvement before setting on design concepts and the Iterative will not e. The Iterative Methodology will create various models or prototypes with user involvement before setting on design concepts and the Parallel Methodology will not
C
25. One difference between the reports from interviews and from a JAD session is that: a. It describes information from the interview or JAD session b. The interview report will give a complete project management timeline; while the JAD session report will not c. The interview report is generally written within 48 hours of the interview; while the JAD session report may take a week or two after the JAD session. d. The JAD report will include results from questionnaires while the interview report will not e. JAD reports will include technology analysis while interviews will only include root cause analysis
C
28. Hamid has selected one middle manager from each department that will be affected by the updated system and one lower-level manager from each department, along with a few senior staff as well as the project sponsor for a JAD session. He is trying to: _________ a. Balance the work load for departments so the regular day-to-day functions can still continue while the JAD team is off-site b. Create a new hybrid department that will beta test the final system c. Prevent domination by only a few individuals in the JAD session d. Have a broad mix of organizational levels in the JAD session e. Reduce the time necessary for the length of JAD session meetings
D
29. The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns is ___________ a. Team conflict b. Lack of communication from project manager to project team c. Lack of support by sponsor and champion d. Scope creep e. Adding people to a late project
D
3. Which is NOT a purpose of the requirements definition? a. To give a very high-level explanation of the business requirements b. A more precise list of requirements that can be used as inputs to the rest of analysis c. Create functional requirements d. Create cost/benefit analysis e. Create non-functional requirements
D
32. Garrett has been told by management that his project MUST be completed on time. His best estimates are more than two weeks after the absolute deadline. Which technique could he use to get a functional system on time? a. Risk management b. System prototyping c. Benchmarking d. Timeboxing e. Activity elimination
D
35. Interpersonal skills for a project manager might be important when: a. Making assignments for a project b. Creating a cost/benefit spreadsheet c. Creating the system proposal d. Working with a highly controversial project that may have political implications e. Using the V-model variation of the Waterfall Methodology.
D
The type of skill that is common to systems analysts to deal fairly and honestly with other project team members is: a. Technical b. Business c. Analytical d. Interpersonal e. Ethical
E
Which is NOT an attribute of a systems analyst? a. Understanding what to change b. Knowing how to change it c. Convincing others of the need to change d. Serving as a change agent e. Selecting which projects to approve
E
Which is NOT true for systems analysts? a. They create value for an organization b. They enable the organization to perform work better c. They do things and challenge the current way that an organization works d. They play a key role in information systems development projects e. They are the project sponsors for system proposals
E
44. The project methodology that takes the longest to complete is Extreme Programming Methodology.
False
45. Marta wants to focus on 'why' a particular lockout situation occurs on a customer relationship management system, rather than just developing a work-around fix. She is doing activity elimination
False
47. The requirements-gathering process is used for building financial support for the project and establishing common understanding of technologies and rapport between the project team building the system and the users of the system.
False
48. The Throwaway Prototyping methodology is good at creating release version 1.0 for users; and then the methodology shifts to system prototyping to finish the system.
False
49. In terms of reaching the most number of people in requirements gathering, interviews are considered better than questionnaires.
False
50. Agile Development stresses analysis, modeling and documentation over programming.
False
51. The three types of interview questions are: multiple choice, fill in the blank and short answer.
False
52. If you had a project with very clear requirements; familiar technologies; not super complex; reliable; a very long time schedule and where the need for schedule visibility is low - the best methodology might be Extreme programming
False
54. Gary has eight interviews to conduct over the next week. Once he has completed all interviews, he should then write up a summary report. Preparing interview reports prior to completing all interviews will generally be premature until Gary has talked to all interviewees.
False
54. The margin of error in cost and time estimates can be as much as 20% in the planning phase for the system proposal deliverable.
False
55. Unless ordered by the lead analyst for a project, you should not share your interview report with those that you interviewed. Doing so will almost always result in scope creep and changes in the requirements.
False
59. Nate is managing a project that is behind by one month with five months to go. He should add four to six staff persons to the project to get it back up to speed.
False
59. To get to more depth in understanding the as-is system, document analysis and observation generally are more beneficial as compared to interviews and JAD sessions.
False
60. Using industry standards, the general estimated project time for the Implementation phase is 15%.
False
62. The proposed TTR system makes some sweeping changes to how business is done. Upper management from the CEO / CIO down have encouraged this project. There is a team of 12 people working on various aspects of the project. You think the best solution is to have a JAD session of significant players on the project, but it is not going well. Several just cannot get away from other projects and responsibilities. How should you approach this?
Get top management, project sponsor and project champion involved. See what the particular issues are - maybe there IS a real problem that certain people just cannot leave behind to be involved (people do have real job functions at the company). See what can be done to reschedule this at a time when you can get the significant players involved. See if there are other underlying issues - such as political issues.
60. Ralph is known throughout the company as being an old curmudgeon. But, he is without a doubt the most knowledgeable person in the fraud analysis department. The system project you are working on has to have an interface to various fraud applications. How should you prepare for an interview with Ralph?
Make Ralph understand WHY he needs to be interviewed. Make sure he understands the business value of the proposed system and why his input is vital. Send him questions in advance; talk to somebody who knows him so you can understand him more
66. During an interview, the interviewee expresses a strong opinion on a topic, like "SOA will not work here". What should you do? How would you approach this?
This is an opinion - ask probing questions like "why not"? Find out his understand of SOA (he may not fully understand it's benefits); Keep the discussion open and non-threatening.
32. One of the first activities of an analyst is to determine the business requirements for the new system
True
34. Some people have suggested that the 'analysis' phase could be clearer if it was called the 'analysis and initial design' phase.
True
36. Jorge, Vice President of Operations, has requested that the updated supply chain system keep a record of all 'stock-outs' for six years. This is an example of a functional requirement.
True
37. Maria, a systems analyst, is tweaking the high-level explanation of the business requirements into a more precise list of requirements. This is called 'requirements detemination'.
True
38. A critical success factor for project management is to start with a realistic assessment of the work that needs to be accomplished.
True
39. In interviews, Ross has learned that the new order entry system must be available in at least three formats (mobile, web browser, and local area network based); that it must function in either English or Spanish; and that the system must return order forms and data in less than 2 seconds. He recognizes these as nonfunctional requirements.
True
39. Investments in information systems projects today are evaluated in the context of an entire portfolio of projects.
True
41. The corporate IT department carefully needs to prioritize, select and manage a portfolio of projects.
True
41. To create the requirements definition, the project team first should consider the kinds of functional and non-functional requirements that they will collect about the system.
True
42. Miski has modified an existing time reporting system for hourly employees to be more efficient as they can text message when they are leaving a job site. This would be an example of Business Process Automation.
True
43. Management of requirements and system scope is one of the hardest parts of managing a project.
True
43. The project methodology that takes the longest to complete is the Waterfall Development Methodology.
True
64. You are on an analysis team for a SOA (service oriented architecture) project that may impact how the systems development group develops systems. This is a challenge for some of the development team who are used to more traditional approaches. You are focusing less on the as-is system and more on the to-be system. You really want to understand the fears and reluctance within the development team. Develop an interview plan: who would you interview? Why? What kinds of questions would you use? How might you get to the real depths of concerns?
You would want to understand what the reluctance is - and try to overcome it. Reassure them that their jobs are not in jeopardy (if that is true); make sure that they know that you are not a spy trying to get them fired. Make sure they know the business value of the system and why you are doing this analysis.
65. Juan has tried observing how clients in the claims department handle requests. He has a chair near the counter and has his laptop open taking notes. He senses that his presence is really a giant interruption to the claims processors. They seem to be taking glances at him to see if he is writing down comments about their processes. He has insisted he just wants to know how their work is accomplished and ultimately the project team will deliver a system that is better and easier to use for them. He has heard from a 'friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend' of one of the claim workers that they suspect that he is also connected to the HR department and that their jobs are on the line. How might he accomplish his observation activity?
reassure them that he is NOT connected to HR; reassure them about the value of the system; and he also needs to be a little less obtrusive. It might be possible to have a webcam installed to do the observation remotely
To be compatible, all costs and benefits should use the current value of money since variations over time will (a) not affect the return on investment and (b) it is difficult (or impossible) to estimate future value of money.
False
13. Which of the following methodologies might be most appropriate if you have a system project with: clear requirements; very familiar technologies; not all that complex; reasonably reliable; a very long time schedule and the schedule visibility is not important? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Iterative d. System prototyping e. Throwaway prototyping
A
2. Which is a true statement about IT projects? a. Most IS departments face a demand for IT projects that far exceed the ability to do them. b. Project Managers must be certified as PMP (Project Management Professionals) c. Project estimates tend to have a built-in buffer of time d. Project teams of 12 to 15 are generally considered optimum e. The majority of projects taken on by IT departments are not strategic to the business
A
8. System prototyping is BEST characterized as: a. A 'Quick and Dirty' system b. A series of versions c. A method for exploring design alternatives d. A method for stressing customer satisfaction e. More explicit testing
A
Jona's project is to take a fairly straight-forward manual process and make it an electronic process. This will make the processing more efficient. Which of the following requirements analysis strategies is she using? a. Business Process Automation b. Business Process Improvement c. Business Process Internalization d. Business Process Reengineering e. Business Process Renovation
A
PCM Incorporated will need to purchase new servers for a system. This would be a: a. Development cost b. Operating cost c. Ongoing cost d. Intangible cost e. Intangible benefit
A
Which of the following project roles would identify how technology can improve business processes? a. Systems analyst b. Business analyst c. Infrastructure analyst d. Change management analyst e. Project manager
A
Which of the following project roles would insure that the system conforms to information systems standards? a. Systems analyst b. Business analyst c. Infrastructure analyst d. Change management analyst e. Project manager
A
Which was NOT given as a method for determining business requirements? a. Benchmarking b. Interviewing c. Observation d. Document analysis e. Questionnaires and surveys
A
The planning phase of the SDLC will have two steps: project initiation and requirements determination.
False
The type of skill that is common to systems analysts to understand how IT can be applied to business situations and to ensure that the IT delivers real business value is: a. Technical b. Business c. Analytical d. Interpersonal e. Ethical
B
What calculations are used in economic feasibility?
Ans: Return on investment; NPV - net present value of money; break-even analysis; cost/benefit analysis
Can the project sponsor and the project champion be the same person? Explain
Ans: Yes. On smaller projects they might be, on larger projects you might have more than one sponsor or more than one champion; or they might just be different people
24. Bob is selecting a systems analysis and design methodology. What might be the first step? a. Selecting the shortest methodology b. Researching the organizations standards and policies for 'approved' methodologies c. Interviewing senior management as to their suggestions on methodologies d. Do a quick 'cost/benefit' analysis on which methodology will provide the most benefits at the lowest cost e. Do an analysis on which methodology might lessen or eliminate scope creep
B
Anny is planning on talking with a clerk and a manager in the accounts payable area, a manager in the procurement department, and two vendors. She is probably doing: a. Observation b. Interviews c. JAD d. Documentation analysis e. Organizational Feasibility
B
Kallie is creating use cases, data flow diagrams and entity relationship diagrams. In what phase of the SDLC would she do this? a. Planning b. Analysis c. Design d. Construction e. Implementation
B
Michaela is a systems analyst who is determining business requirements. What would most likely be the SDLC phase for her? a. Planning b. Analysis c. Design d. Implementation e. Business requirements are not developed by systems analysts, but by business analysts
B
Moderate changes to existing processes falls under the _________ analysis. a. Business Process Automation (BPA) b. Business Process Improvement (BPI) c. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) d. Business Process Blue-skying (BPB) e. Business Process Efficiency (BPE)
B
Jack is going over financial numbers for a proposed project. Which of the following system analyst skills is he exhibiting currently? a. Technical b. Business c. Analytical d. Interpersonal e. Management
C
12. What the MAIN difference between systems prototyping and throwaway prototyping? a. Systems prototyping involves users while throwaway prototyping does not b. Throwaway prototyping involves users while systems prototyping does not c. Systems prototyping is a rapid application development methodology; while throwaway prototyping is not d. Systems prototyping works with users to quickly develop a simplified working version of the proposed system; while throwaway prototyping focuses more on exploring design alternatives e. Throwaway prototyping develops systems that will be use as 'stop-gap' systems - and generally for less than six months; while systems prototyping results in systems that will be used extensively for several years.
D
3. Which is NOT suggested for IT development projects? a. Projects need to be prioritized b. Projects need to be carefully selected c. Projects need to be carefully managed d. Projects need to give a positive return on investment within four years e. Projects need to give value to the business
D
5. The V-model pays more explicit attention to ___________: a. Iteration b. Return on investment (ROI) c. Business Value (the "V") d. Testing e. Prototyping
D
Linda is a clerk in the accounting department. She was interviewed by David and is excited about the proposed system that will utilize electronic funds transfer. This would be an example of ______. a. Tangible benefit b. Cash flow c. Break even analysis d. Intangible benefit e. Return on investment
D
Wayne is a senior director of finance. His company only recently came under Sarbanes-Oxley regulations and is the project sponsor to become compliant. He realizes that examining the as-is system may not be much help as the regulations are so radical that a major analysis and design project must be completed to make the company compliant. He is leaning towards: ______________ a. Business Process Automation b. Business Process Improvement c. Business Process Internalization d. Business Process Reengineering e. Business Process Renovation
D
Which of the following project roles would assign resources to a project? a. Systems analyst b. Business analyst c. Infrastructure analyst d. Change management analyst e. Project manager
E
Which of the following project roles would serve as a primary point of contact for a project? a. Systems analyst b. Business analyst c. Infrastructure analyst d. Change management analyst e. Project manager
E
Because of the need to be focused on providing information about the business value of a system, a systems analyst will probably have much training or experience in programming or application development.
False
Juan is creating use cases. He is working in the design phase of the SDLC.
False
The document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide is called the "System Proposal".
False
The three feasibility analyses in the text were: organizational feasibility, technical feasibility, and economic feasibility.
True
Using 'net present value' in calculating economic feasibility will allow for variations in the time value of money.
True
When compared to a systems analyst, the business analyst will probably have more responsibility for determining business value.
True
