INLS 384 midterm
Use decision tables to represent the logic of choice in conditional statements
A decision table is a diagram of process logic where the logic is reasonably complicated. All of the possible choices and the conditions the choices depend on are represented in tabular form. The Table has three parts: 1. Condition Stubs The part of a decision table that lists the conditions relevant to the description Example: Employee Type (hourly/salary-based) and Hours Worked (less than 40, 40, and more than 40). 2. Action Stubs Contain all the possible courses of action that result from combining values of the condition stubs Example: Pay base salary, Calculate hourly wage, calculate overtime, produce absence report. 3. Rules
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
A system that integrates individual traditional business functions into a series of modules so that a single transaction occurs seamlessly within a single information system rather than several separate systems. -One piece of software that consolidates different functions of a business -i.e. ConnectCarolina (handles payroll, schedules, business transactions, etc.) -ERP is dying quickly -it can't support all the data
Describe contemporary approaches to requirements determination
Bringing session users, sponsors, analysts, and other together in a JAD session to discuss and review system requirements. Using CASE tools during a JAD to analyze current systems to discover requirements that will meet changing business conditions. Iteratively developing system prototypes that refine the understanding of systems requirements in concrete terms by showing working versions of system features. Just for more information, traditional approaches are: Interview, observation, and document analysis.
In-House Development
Develop the software in-house! CON: requires staff to run software, might be cumbersome CON: requires a lot of time; "opportunity cost" CON: generally more expensive than using another type of software PRO: staff knows how the software functions like the back of their hand PRO: very customizable to your own company
Explain how computing can provide support for requirements determination
Finding patterns in data?
Explain how commercial project management software packages can be used to assist in representing and managing project schedule.
Having this software significantly helps ease the process for project managers to create these types of things without the software. For example, some project management software packages include powerful features such as enabling one to define things like standard costing rates and daily availability with a calendar that records holidays, working hours, and vacations. This is helpful for billing and estimating project costs. This can be a very time-consuming task for PMs, but the software greatly improves it and ensures maximum efficiency by the PM and his or her team.
Can a project have two critical paths? Why or why not? Give a brief example to illustrate your point.
Yes. An example given in the textbook on pages 68-69. If two activities can be done in parallel and have no slack (TL - TE = 0), then a network diagram will show two critical paths. All activities with a slack time equal to zero are on the critical path. Critical paths in the textbook are 1-2-4 and 1-3-4
Use case diagram
a picture that shows system behavior along with the key actors that interact with the system.
Actor
an external entity that interacts with the system
Describe the activities and participant roles within a structured walk-through
don't need to know!
Analysis step of SDLC
o Analyst thoroughly studies the organization's current procedures and the information systems used to perform organizational tasks. Two sub-phases: Requirements determination (analysts work to determine what the users want from the proposed system) Requirements structuring (structuring requirements according to their interrelationships and eliminate redundancies, often using process modeling with Data Flow Diagrams)
Design step of SDLC
o Convert description of recommended alternative solution into logical and physical system specifications o Physical specifics o Logical design. o Then, analysts turn logical specifications into physical ones, aka physical design. Analysts design the various parts of the system to perform the physical operations necessary to facilitate data capture, processing, and information output.
Packaged software providers (Off-the-shelf systems)
o Example: Microsoft o Software companies develop software to run on many different computer platforms. o They consult with system users after the initial software design has been completed and an early version of the system has been built o Turnkey systems are used when off-the-shelf software systems cannot be modified to meet the specific, individual needs of a particular organization. o Off-the-shelf software can meet 70% of an organization's needs. · Vendors of enterprise-wide solution software
Open-source software
o Final product and source code are freely available o Developed by a community of interested people instead of by employees of a company -PRO/CON: This would work if you have good staff to groom and maintain Example: MySQL (database system) Firefox (web browser) o Companies and individuals make money on the software by: -Providing maintenance and other services -Providing one version free and a selling a more full-featured version
Planning step of SDLC
o Identify the need for a new or enhanced system o Determine the scope of the proposed system; identity what resources are needed and how to divide them amongst various systems
IT service firms
o If a company needs an information system but doesn't have the expertise or the personnel to develop the system in-house, and a suitable off-the-shelf system is not available, the company can consult an information technology services firm. Examples: IBM HP Accenture Computer Sciences Corporation
Maintenance step of SDLC
o The final phase of SDLC, in which an information system is systematically repaired and improved.
Implementation Step of SDLC
o Turned over to programmers as the first part of the implementation phase. o Analysts turn system specifications into a working system that is tested and then put to use. o Implementation includes coding, testing, and installation o Find and correct errors.
What are the steps of managing an information systems project?
project initiation, project planning, project execution, and project closedown.
Use Cases
shows the behavior or functionality of a system. It consists of a set of possible sequences of interactions between a system and a user in a particular environment, and possible sequences that are related to a particular goal
Cloud computing
- Software provided through remote site SaaS (Software as a service) -application offered in the cloud Who provides cloud services? Ex: google, amazon, Microsoft o Cloud Computing: The provision of computing resources including applications, over the Internet, so customers do not have to invest in the computing infrastructure needed to run and maintain the sources. o Organizations can obtain applications by renting or licensing them from a third party o Application provider buys, installs, maintains, and upgrades applications o Users pay on a per-use basis or they license the software, typically month to month Benefits for the company to use cloud computing: Freeing internal IT staff Gaining access to applications faster via internal development Achieving lower cost access to corporate-quality applications Speed to the market Cost-effective Disadvantages: SECURITY Company data stored on machines, others can access Concerns about unauthorized access to proprietary and customer information Reliability Networks of networks and therefore is vulnerable to unexpected risks Sarbanes-Oxley Act Government regulations regarding the understanding of security on the vendor's' end
Define Information Systems Analysis Design
-A complex, challenging, and stimulating organizational process that a team of business and systems professionals uses to maintain computer-based information systems -Result of systems analysis and design is application software -Software designed to support a specific organizational function or process, such as inventory management, payroll, or market analysis.
Explain the role of conceptual data modeling in the overall analysis and design of an information system
-A detailed model that captures the overall structure of data in an organization conceptual data model is a representation of organizational data. the purpose of a conceptual data model is to show as many rules about the meaning and interrelationship among data are possible -done in parallel with other requirements analysis and structuring as in previous chapters -analysts develop a conceptual data model for -current system and then build or refine a purchased conceptual data model that supports the scope and requirements for the proposed or enhanced system
Explain Outsourcing
-All or part of an organization's information systems, their development, and their maintenance are given over to another organization. Outsourcing: The practice of turning over responsibility for some or all of an organization's information systems applications and operations to an outside firm. Payroll is a very cost-effective operation when outsourced
Describe six different sources of software
-IT services firms -Packaged software providers (Off-the-shelf systems) -Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems -Cloud Computing -Open Source Software -In-House Development
Understand the use of prototyping during requirements determination
-Prototyping is an iterative process of systems development in which requirements are converted to a working system that is continually revised through close collaboration between an analyst and users. -Rudimentary versions of an information system is built and rebuilt according to user feedback. -Prototyping enables you to quickly convert basic requirements into a working, though limited, version of the desired system. -Viewed and tested by user -User can tweak designs, discover new requirements, etc. -Evolutionary prototyping.
Explain computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools
-Software tools that provide automated support for some portion of the systems development process -Helps programmers do their job more efficiently -CASE tools were developed to make systems developers' work easier and more consistent. They instructed a computer on what to do instead of how to do it. -Systems developer's job went from builder to integrator. -CASE tools can be used in all phases of the SDLC, but many organizations choose to only use it for some. They provide an integrated and standard database called a repository, which allows for the management of larger, more complex projects. -An example of a CASE tool would be a code generator
Describe the information systems development life cycle (SDLC)
-The traditional methodology used to develop, maintain, and replace information systems. It features several phases that mark the progress of the systems analysis and design effort. Planning → analysis → design → implementation → maintenance → planning → analysis → etc. The end of a useful life of one system can lead to the beginning of another project that will develop a new version or replace an existing system altogether. 5 steps: Planning, analysis, design, implementation, maintenance
Explain project initiation
1. Project Initiation: Assess the size, scope, and complexity of project Establish procedures to support subsequent activities, which include 1) Establishing the project initiation team 2) Establishing a relationship with the customer Thorough understanding of the customer builds stronger partnerships and higher levels of trust 3) Establishing the project initiation plan: defines the activities required to organize the initiation team while it is working to define the goals and scope of a project. 4) Establishing effective management procedure Team communication and reporting procedures Job assignments and roles Project change procedures How project funding and billing will be handled 5) Establishing the project management environment and project workbook Collect and organize the tools that you will use while managing the project and to construct the project workbook Diagrams, charts, and system descriptions An online or hard-copy repository for all project correspondence, inputs, outputs, deliverables, procedures, and standards that is used for performing project audits, orienting new team members, communicating with management and customers, identifying future projects and performing post-project reviews. 6) Developing the project charter The project charter is a short document prepared for the customer during project initiation that describes what the project will deliver and outlines generally at a high level all work required to complete the project Project charter ensures that both you and your customer gain a common understanding of the project Project initiation is complete once the above six are completed.
List and describe various methods for assessing project feasibility
Economic Analysis, Technical Analysis, Operational Analysis, Legal and Contractual Analysis, Political Analysis, and Schedules, Time Line, and Resource Analysis Economic - Tangible Benefits vs Intangible benefits (morale)...Tangible Costs(Hardware,Labor) vs. Intangible Costs ***Differentiating between one-time costs and recurring costs is VERY important! **Economic Feasibility is the sum of all costs and benefits Technical - can your organization do this with current staff? Operational - does the system solve business problems or take advantage of business opportunities Scheduling - process for assessing the degree to which the potential time frame and completion date for all major activities within a project meet organizational deadlines and constraints for affecting change Legal and Contractual - what are the legal and contractual ramifications due to construction of system? Political- how do key stakeholders in the organization view the proposed system? The bigger and longer the project the riskier it is!
Describe the steps involved in the project initiation and planning process
Elements of Project Initiation: Establishing Project Initiation Team Establishing a Relationship with the customer Establishing the Project Initiation Plan Establishing the Project Initiation Procedures Establishing the project management environment and project workbook Creating the project charter Elements of Project Planning Process: 1) Describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility 2) Dividing the project into manageable tasks 3) Estimating Resources and Creating a Resource Plan 4) Developing a preliminary schedule 5) Developing a communication plan 6) Determining project standards and procedures 7) Identifying and Assessing Risk 8) Creating a preliminary budget 9) Developing a Project Scope Statement 10) Setting a Baseline Project Plan
Describe the activities needed to build and review the baseline project plan
Introduction, System Description, Feasibility Assessment, Management Issues BPP Contains Four Sections: Introduction Brief overview of the entire document and outline a recommended course of action for the project. Determination of scope Who's using it? What's the scale of use? What systems will it interact with? System Description Outline of possible alternative solutions If project is approved, you need to collect and structure information in a more detailed and rigorous manner during the analysis phase and evaluate in greater depth this and alternative directions for the system. Objective = identify the most obvious alternative solution. Feasibility Assessment Work Breakdown Structure Greatest amount of project planning effort is typically expended on these feasibility assessment activities. Management Issues Outlines number of managerial concerns related to the project Explain how the user will be kept informed of project progress.
Search computer magazines or the web for recent reviews of project management software. Which packages seem to be most popular? What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each software package? What advice would you give to someone intending to buy project management software for his or her own PC? Why?
Microsoft Project It has Budget management Collaboration Gantt Charts Milestone Tracking Does not have: Bug tracking File sharing Idea management Issue management Percent-complete tracking Atlassian Has a TON more features than Microsoft Project More expensive o 24/7 support service · Podio o Almost as many features as Atlassian o A little cheaper than Atlassian o Big businesses have used it · Write · Basecamp · Smartsheet
Describe how to represent and schedule project plans using Gantt charts and network diagrams
Planning documents can be graphical or textual reports Gantt charts and network diagrams Gantt charts show when a task should begin and when it should end Useful for depicting relatively simple projects or subparts of a larger project Monitors progress of activities compared to schedules Key differences between a Gantt chart and a network diagram: Gantt Chart -Shows duration of tasks -Visually show time overlap of tasks ·-Show slack time available within an earliest start and latest finish duration · Network Diagram -Shows sequence dependencies between tasks -Does not show time overlap, but shows which tasks could be done in parallel -Shows this data within activity rectangles Project manager will periodically review the status of all ongoing project task activities to assess whether the activities will be completed early, on time, or late. Duration of the activity can be changed and then the scheduled start and finish times of all subsequent tasks will also change. Resources can include any person, group of people, piece of equipment, or material used in accomplishing an activity. Network diagramming is a critical path scheduling technique used for controlling resources Critical path scheduling: A scheduling technique whose order and duration of a sequence of task activities directly affect the completion date of a project. One of the most widely used scheduling methods. You would use it when: Tasks are well defined and have a clear beginning and end point Tasks can be worked on independently of other tasks Tasks are ordered and serve the purpose of the project Strength: Ability to represent how completion times vary for activities Because of this, it is more often used than Gantt charts to manage projects such as information systems development, where variability in the duration is common There are two types of slack Free slack refers to the amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the early start of any immediately following tasks Total slack: refers to the amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the completion of the project.
Describe the project identification and selection process
Project identification and selection consists of three primary activities: 1) Identifying potential development projects: Identification from a stakeholder group: each stakeholder brings their own perspective and motivation to the IS decision Top-down source: projects identified by top management or by a diverse steering committee (these are more strategic planning) Bottom-up source: project initiatives stemming from managers, business units, or the development group (this is more tactical planning) The process varies substantially across organizations 2) Classifying and ranking IS development projects Can be performed by top managers, a steering committee, business units, or the IS development group. A common project evaluation method is the value chain analysis which is the process of analyzing an organization's activities for making products and/or services to determine where value is added and costs are incurred. IS projects providing greatest benefit to the value chain will be given priority 3) Selecting IS development projects Process of considering both short-term and long-term projects and selecting those most likely to achieve business objectives. Projects can be accepted, rejected, delayed, refocused, given end-user development, or proof of concept.
Which of the four phases of the project management process do you feel is most challenging? Why?
Project planning: It focuses on defining clear, discrete activities and the work needed to complete each activity within a single project This builds the foundations for project execution: if you don't have a clear plan with each activity laid out, how are you supposed to do a good job in execution?
Discuss how to evaluate off-the-shelf software
The most common criteria include: -Cost -Functionality (ie can the software package perform all or just some of the tasks your users need?), -Vendor support: Refers to whether vendor can provide support, and how much it can provide -Flexibility: how easy it is for you or the vendor to customize the software -Documentation: includes the user's manual and technical documentation Response time: how long it takes the package to respond to the user's request in an interactive session -Ease of installation ** Most important could be vendor viability and support For each criteria, an explicit comparison should be made between the software package and the process of developing the same application in-house -Cannot evaluate packaged software until user requirements have been gathered and structured (figure out requirements and then structure them! Systematic systems view!!) o Criteria for software acquisition will vary with type of system -Licensing ERP system, you will also take additional criteria regarding ERP systems into account
Describe options for designing and conducting interviews and develop a plan for conducting an interview to determine system requirements
Requirement- information that people have about the business process we are trying to do Pieces of info are scattered about and systems analyst needs to find them to create a complete picture(markers) Interviews can include surveys. Survey are quick, cheap, and people may be more likely to tell the truth because they are anonymous and not face-to-face with another person Table 6-2 Traditional Methods of Collecting System Requirements • Individually interview people informed about the operation and issues of the current system and future systems needs - Listening/observing body language - Structured by not 100%...come up with questions and follow up questions o Open ended questions o Closed-ended questions -Questions in interviews that ask those responding to choose from among a set of specified responses. - PROS; in depth(can follow up), may or may not be more reliable - CONS: more expensive, more time consuming, difficult to choose sample, One drawback to using interviews to collect systems requirements is the need for the analyst to reconcile apparent contradictions in the information collected. • Interview groups of people with diverse needs to find synergies and contrasts among system Requirements - Important how group is managed - Structured questions - One, it is a much more effective use of your time than a series of interviews with individuals (although the time commitment of the interviewees may be more of a concern). Two, interviewing several people together allows them to hear the opinions of other key people and gives them the opportunity to agree or disagree with their peers. Table 6-3 Guidelines for effective Interviewing Plan the Interview • Prepare interviewee: appointment, priming questions • Prepare checklist, agenda, and questions Listen carefully and take notes (record if permitted) Review notes within 48 hours of interview Be neutral Seek diverse views
What are some sources of risk in a systems analysis and design project and how does a project manager cope with risk during the stages of project management?
Sources of risk include budget feasibility, not meeting due dates, hiring the wrong people Project manager could reallocate budgets, set a realistic deliverable completion time, hire and fire appropriate staff. Staff could get bored, give them other tasks to do without losing focus.
Explain project closedown
The final phase in the project management process that focuses on bringing a project to an end 1) Closing down the project reassigning people to different jobs after completion of tasks write letters to superiors job termination finalize documentation 2) Conducting post-project reviews Determine strengths and weaknesses of project deliverables, the processes used to create them, and the project management process. 3) Closing the customer contract ensure all contractual terms have been met.
Describe the corporate strategic planning and information systems planning process
The process of developing and refining models of the current and future enterprises as well as transition strategy During corporate strategic planning, executives typically develop a mission statement, statements of future corporate objectives, and strategies designed to help the organization reach its objectives Information systems planning is the second planning process. It's the orderly means of assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases, and technologies that will best satisfy those needs. During ISP you must model current and future organization informational needs and develop strategies and project plans to migrate the current information systems and technologies to their desired future. ISP is a town-down process. It's a three step process: 1) Assess current IS-related assets (HR, data, processes, and technologies) 2) Develop target blueprints of these resources. These blueprints reflect desired future state of resources needed by the organization to reach its objectives as defined during strategic planning. 3) Define series of scheduled projects to help move the organization from its current to its future desired state.
Explain project planning
The second phase of the project management process that focuses on defining clear, discrete activities and the work needed to complete each activity within a single project. 1) Describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility -understand the content and complexity of the project Also discuss feasibility of alternatives 2) Dividing the project into manageable tasks Work breakdown structure: The process of dividing the project into manageable tasks and logically ordering them to ensure a smooth evolution between tasks. Some can be performed in parallel or others must follow one another sequentially. Gantt chart: A graphical representation of a project that shows each task as a horizontal bar whose length is proportional to its time for completion. Need to find the optimal amount of work breakdown without getting too complex for management to handle 3) Estimating Resources and Creating a Resource Plan estimate resource requirements for each project activity and use this information to create a project resource plan Assemble and deploy resources in the most effective manner COCOMO: The Constructive Cost Model is an automated software estimation model that uses historical project data and current as well as future project characteristics to estimate project costs. People are the most important and expensive part of project resource planning Ex: assign one person to a single task type (one person in charge of all system reports) 4) Developing a preliminary schedule time estimates on each activity network diagram: A diagram that depicts project tasks and their interrelationships. 5) Developing a communication plan when and how oral reports will be developed coordinate work open communication between management, employees, and customers. 6) Determining project standards and procedures specify how various deliverables are produced and tested by you and your project team. Decide which tools to use, how the standard SDLC might by modified, which SDLC methods will be used, documentation styles, how team members will report the status of their assigned activities, and terminology 7) Identifying and Assessing Risk Estimate consequences of potential risks 8) Creating a preliminary budget 9) Developing a Project Scope Statement developed primarily for the customer outlines work that will be done and clearly describes what the project will deliver 10) Setting a Baseline Project Plan provides an estimate of the project's tasks and resource requirements and it's used to guide the next project phase - Execution.
Explain project execution
The third phase of the project management process in which the plans created in the prior phases are put into action 1) Executing the Baseline Project Plan Project managers oversee the execution of the baseline plan Initiate execution, acquire and assign resources, orient and train new members, keep the project on schedule, and ensure the quality of project deliverables. 2) Monitoring Project Progress against the Baseline Project Plan Monitor your progress throughout execution Adjust resources if project gets ahead or falls behind schedule May have to adjust resources, activities, and budget 3) Managing Changes to the Baseline Project Plan Numerous events may initiate a change: A slipped completion date for an activity Identification of a new activity that becomes evident later in the project Unforeseen change in personnel 4) Maintaining the project workbook 5) Communicating the project status Project manager keeps all stakeholders (system developers, managers, customers) informed on project status Focuses on the execution of the project communication plan
