ISDS-406 Midterm
How many elements of Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)?
- Process - Data Flow - Data Store - External Entity
What are some conveyance issues faced by teams?
- duplicated work - conflicting changes - unable to see others' work
Examples of Intrinsic Rewards
-Recognition -Achievement -The work itself -Responsibility -Advancement -Chance to learn new skills
What is a DFD fragment?
A DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a DFD diagram.
What is usually the first step of a new systems development?
A feasibility study
Which shape represents a process in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
A rounded rectangle
What defines a context diagram?
Business process or computer system interacts with its environment, mainly external.
What are the types of questions you can ask in an interview?
Close-ended, open-ended, and probing questions
What is a process model?
Formal way of representing how a business process operates.
What type of requirement is "Restrict access to profitability information?
Non Functional
What is a critical piece of SDLC?
Project Management
Three main things that project managers have to balance
Project size Project Time Project cost
Business needs
Reason for initiating system
What are ways to classify projects?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, and economic value
What is Analysis Strategy?
Studies the as-is system and envisions the design of the to-be system
Which phase of the SDLC includes requirements modeling, data and process modeling, and consideration of development strategies?
Systems analysis
What is business value?
The benefits that the system will create for the organization
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
To produce a complete requirements definition document
A data store has at least one output and input data flow? T/F
True
T/F: The project sponsor can be part of IT
True
Use cases are event-driven (T/F)
True
Where are user requirements documented?
Use Cases
Use cases can be simply described as
a means of expressing user requirements.
Which of the following is a functional requirement? a) Information-oriented b) Operational c) Performance d) Security
a) Information-oriented
what is operational cost?
are those tangible costs that are required to operate the system, such as the salaries for operations staff, software licensing fees, equipment upgrades, and cloud vendor fees
The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns occurs after the project is underway a. Timeboxing b. Scope creep c. Project charter d. Project teams
b. Scope Creep
which of the following is a way to manage risk? a.) adherence b.) advocation c.) acceptance d.) endure
c.) acceptance
operational costs
costs of operating the system
which of the following is a trigger type?a.) internal b.) temporary c.) foundational d.) external
d.) external
According to the textbook, there are five commonly used requirement gathering techniques. Which of the following is NOT one of those five? a. Document analysis b. Observation c. Interviews d. Questionnaires e. CASE tools
e. CASE tools
Which of the following is a way to characterize projects? a. cost b. scope c. length d. risk e. all of the above
e. all of the above
what type of questions are on broad concepts/opinions?
open-ended
What is scope creep?
refers to what happens when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined
This document includes: a project sponsor, business needs, requirements, values, and special issues/constraints. What kind of document is this?
system request
T/F Normal course includes actions of both actor and system in response
true
When would we show two data flows and use process description?
when a process could produce different data flows under different conditions
What is a "black hole" in DFD?
when data flows into a process but nothing happens or comes out
What is the purpose of a use case
• Depicts activities performed to produce some output result • Describes how an external user triggers an event which the system must respond • To help understand the situation and help convey the required user-system interactions
Operational: physical & technical operating environment Performance: speed, capacity, & reliability needs Security: Access restrictions, safeguards Cultural and Political: Legal requirements, cultural norm...
4 types of non-functional system requirements
a) Recognition
4. Which of the following is a good way to motivate technical people? a) Recognition b) Unrealistic deadlines c) Poor work condition d) Failing to recognize good effort
1. Project Sponsor: the person to initiate the project and is the person who serves as the primary point of contact on the business side 2. Business need: the business-related reason for initing the system 3. Business requirement: the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide 4. Business value: the benefits that the system will create for the organization 5. Special issues: issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
5 elements of a system request
Interviews, JAD, Questionnaire, Document analysis, Observation
5 gathering techniques
Task Dependencies
A minimum, the information should include the duration of the task, the current statuses of the tasks, and the _________________
A formal way of representing how a business process operates. It Illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them
A process model is
formal
A process model is a ___________ way of representing how a business system operates.
-Logical Process Model
A process model that describes processes without suggesting how they are conducted is?
A Logical Process Model is a depiction of a business process that provides in-depth information about all the activities required to achieve a specific outcome.
A process model that may be manual or computerized is
What is a miracle?
A process that has outputs but no inputs
Black hole error; called a black hole error because the input is going through a process and not returning any value. Any process is supposed to turn inputs into outputs
A process without an output is sometimes called a
Answer: D, all of the above
A project manager's duties include: A) Selecting the best project methodology B) Developing a project work plan C) Establishing a staffing plan D) All of the above E) None of the above
e. CASE tools
According to the textbook, there are five commonly used requirement gathering techniques. Which of the following is NOT one of those five? a. Document analysis b. Observation c. Interviews d. Questionnaires e. CASE tools
C. Money Most times monetary motivation won't work. The more often you reward team members with money, the more they expect it.
According to the textbook, these methods are great ways to motivate employees, EXCEPT: A. Recognition B. Responsibility C. Money D. Learning new skills
False. A large number of staff members is more difficult to coordinate.
Adding staff resources translates into increased productivity. True or False?
Use case Use cases are created whenever we are reengineering processes or making any changes to business processes that will significantly alter the way people work.
For very simple processes that are well explained in the requirements definition, it is not necessary to create a
Planning - Determine how system is built Analysis - Who uses the system/how it will be used Design - Exactly how the system will operate in terms of hardware/software Implementation - System is built and purchased
Four Stages of SDLC
1. Planning phase - understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it 2. Analysis - answers who will use the system, what will the system do, where and when will it be used. Current systems are investigated, opportunities are identified, and development of a new system begins. 3. Design - decided how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software and network infrastructure that will be in place 4. Implementation - the final phase of the SDLC, this is when the system is actually built; tends to get the most attention because it typically takes the longest and is the most expensive part of the SDLC
Four Stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Process, Data Flow, External Entities, Data store
Four elements of DFD
- Process oriented is a process the system must perform - Information oriented is the information the system must contain
Functional of system requirement
More people on the project means more required coordination and communication, additional coordination means additional time.
If time is your main current priority for a project, why is it not optimal to add more staff to a project, even if you have flexibility in the budget?
The planning step
If you are making a project plan what step in the SDLC are you working on?
Trigger - the event that causes the use case to begin. Events triggers can be external or temporal Actor- refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The normal course - the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. Exceptions - error conditions encountered while performing use case steps. Preconditions - define what must be complete before beginning the use case. Postconditions - define what is complete when the use case ends.
Important components of a use case include:
d.) Data Store
In a DFD, a ______ is a collection of data that is stored in some way and is depicted as a rectangle. These should describe "Things" about which the business wants to store data. a.) Data Flow b.) Context Diagram c.) External Identity d.) Data Store
False; a process must at least have one output data flow and at least one input data flow
In a data flow diagram, a process at least must have one output data flow but does not require an input data flow
1)Perform Computations 2)Make decisions 3)Sort,Filter,or otherwise summarize data 4)Organize data 5)Trigger other processes 6)Use stored data
In a process model you should omit any processes that simply move data and leave data unchanged . However what type of logical processes should you include?
It lists the steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system. This is sometimes called the " happy path " because there are no problems or issues that arise when the steps are able to be followed normally.
In a use case, what purpose does the normal course serve?
No. Best practice is to have two separate arrows going in opposite directions.
In cases where a process has an input and output, is it best practice to do a double headed arrow?
What are the cons of an analyst's work?
Management's lack of communication/recognition End-user mistakes and demands Stress/pressure/burnout Ever-changing business technology Unrealistic deadlines
-High-paying salary -Work with new technology -Challenging but rewarding
Pros and Cons of Analyst's Work
The graphical representation is easy to understand It clearly shows how the data flow and transmitted through the process Takes time to generate, especially to expand the diagram to a higher level
Pros and Cons of DFD:
It helps the software developer design from a user's perspective It helps brainstorm the exceptions in the system But it has poor identification of structure and flow
Pros and Cons of Use Case:
1. Pros: - High paid salary - interact with variety fields - work with up to date Technology - Challenging and Problem Solving reward - Constantly changing 2. Cons: - Management's lack of communication/recognition - End-user mistakes and demands - Stress/ Pressure/Burnout - Ever-changing business technology - Unrealistic deadlines.
Pros and cons of an analyst's work
What are the "pros and cons" of an analysts work?
Pros: Challenging, Up-to-date technology, Variety of fields, Constant Change, Problem Solving, High paid salary Cons: Management's lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, Stress/pressure/burnout, Ever-changing business technology, Unrealistic deadlines
- Staying relevant and striving for improvement - Identifying and benefiting from new opportunities - Efficient performance of business function
Provide examples of business needs for a system
- Development team salaries - Consultant fees - Development training - Hardware and software - Vendor installation - Data conversion costs
Provide examples of development costs.
- Software upgrades - Software licensing fees - Hardware repair and upgrades - Cloud storage fees - Operational team salaries - Communication charges - User training
Provide examples of operational costs.
Focuses on problems first rather than solutions. Root Cause Analysis attempts to identify and deal with the problems, rather than the symptoms. This will produce a more robust solution.
Root Cause Analysis
True: Because the waterfall method requires each part to be completed to more on to the next step, the parallel method is made to allow multiple portions to be developed and tested at the same time
True or False: The parallel development methodologies evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development.
- helps us understand and clarify the users' required interactions with the system and can help us more fully understand the functional requirements of the new system. - used extensively in the analysis phase when working with the users in interviews and workshop settings as a means of discovering user and functional requirements - represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses - goal is to describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system - ensures that users' insights are explicitly incorporated into the new system - depicts a set of activities performed to produce some output result
Purpose of a use case
Describe business reasons for project Define systems expected value Forces sponsor to formalize his/her ideas List projects key elements
Purpose of system request
Which business value can be quantified and measured easily?
Tangible
Can be quantified and measured easily
Tangible Benefits
Tangible benefits: can be quantified and measured easily • Increased sales • Cost Savings • Reductions in staff • Reductions in inventory • Reductions in IT costs • Better supplier prices
Tangible benefits
easy to quantify and typically measured to determine the success or failure of a project
Tangible benefits
Risk = Probability x Potential Imp
Risk = ______ x _______
D.
Tangible benefits are: a) quantifiable b) measure easily c)hard to measure d) options a&b
Completely avoiding the activity that poses the risk (most attractive but usually least feasibile option)
Risk Avoidance (elimination)
Avoidance, Reduction(mitigation), Transfer(insure or share), and Retention(accept).
Risk Management Decisions
Reduce the probability or potential impact of the risk
Risk Reduction (mitigation)
Accept and retain the risk (usually for risks in the green area of a risk matrix)
Risk Retention (accept the risk)
Transfer or share the risk to/with a third-party
Risk Transfer (insure or share)
- Initial vision of the new system - Direct the project to the right direction - Main contact point for the project team - The sponsor should come from a person that has finance, marketing background, while IT is more responsible on hardware and software than taking care of the project.
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
Project sponsor generates the request for the project. Other departments such as accounting, booking does not have IT knowledge to develop the project. Therefore, they need to generate the request to IT. Projects sponsors provide inputs for the requirement gathering steps in analysis phase Project Sponsors review the system proposal and decide whether the project should continue to move forward. At the end of the design phase, the feasibility analysis and project plan are reexamined and revised, and another decision is made by the project sponsor and approval committee about whether to terminate the project or continue
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
The project sponsor: - often develops the initial vision of the new system - makes sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business - serves as primary point of contact for the project team One of the project sponsor's goal is to make sure the project is in line with the business perspective. Therefore the project sponsor should come from a business function such as marketing, accounting, or finance. This explains why IT is not always the project sponsor. An IT person may not be very knowledgeable about the business and its operation - the project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not familiar with all of the needs or processes in other departments. The project sponsor will usually have a great level of understanding which can help develop new systems for specific business purposes.
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
False the two types of triggers are External and Temporal.
True or False: The two types of triggers for Use Cases are External and Internal.
- Express and clarify user requirements. - Define the expected interaction between user and system requirements - Used extensively in the analysis phase. - Often a part of user interviews or JAD session
Role of use cases
- Increased sales - Reductions in staff - Reductions in inventory - Reductions in IT costs - Better supplier prices
What are some example of tangible benefits?
True. This can include managers, employees, staff members, and even some customers and suppliers.
T/F: Key stakeholders are the people who can affect the system or who will be affected by the system.
False - The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event.
T/F: Normal Course defines the state the system must be in before the use case commences.
False: Modifying one element requires adjusting the others.
T/F: Project Managers can adjust either the project time, cost, and size, but not all.
False. There is no best option when gathering information. It depends on the situation and how deep we want to gather the data.
T/F: Questionnaires is the best choice to go since it is inexpensive, can reach a wide range of people, and easy to analyze if developed properly.
FALSE: Salaries for operations staff are operation costs.
T/F: Salaries for operations staff are development costs.
False Level 0 diagram has an integral process number (ex. 1, 2, 3)
T/F: The level 0 diagram has a decimal process number. (ex. 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2)
False, Level 0
T/F: The second level in the DFD Hierarchy is the diagram called the level 2 diagram
FALSE
TRUE or FALSE: Questionnaires are the best requirement elicitation technique.
FALSE: Technical risk analysis strives to answer the question "Can we build it?"
TRUE/FALSE: Technical risk analysis strives to answer the question: "Should we build the system?"
Tangible Benefits: Can be quantified and measured easily. Intangible Benefits: Results from an intuitive belief that the system provides
Tangible vs Intangible benefits
Can we build it?Familiarity with technology, project size, compatibility with the existing technology
Technical Feasibility
What are the three categories of the feasibility analysis?
Technical feasibility (can we build it?) · The extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed Economic feasibility (will it provide business value?) · Identifies costs and benefits Organizational feasibility (if we build it, will it be used?) · Is the project strategically aligned with the business?
A) Can we build it?
Technical feasibility analysis is, in essence, a technical risk analysis that strives to answer what question? A) Can we build it? B) Will it provide business value? C) If we build it, will it be used?
a) Planning
Ted is creating a project plan. Which phase of the SDLC is he working in? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation e) Project plans are created in both Analysis and Design Phase
Temporal is a schedule or time-based reaction to an event. External is a response or action when a specific action occurs
Temporal Triggers vs External Triggers
Temporal- Events based on time or timing-related parameters i.e. scheduled updates/backups, email reminders for meetings External triggers: Events or conditions that come from outside the system i.e. security alarms, ordering, phone notifications.
Temporal triggers vs External triggers
External - not time-based; often initiated by user/customer or external factor ex: customer places an order Temporal - time-based; initiates actions or processes occurring at certain times or intervals ex: weekly payroll due date
Temporal vs External triggers
Temporal triggers are time-based, external triggers are those that require the input of an actor regardless of whether the actor is a person, or another system.
Temporal vs External triggers:
- trigger for the use case: the event that causes the use case to begin - external trigger: things outside the system to which the system must respond > e.g. customer placing an order, the fire alarm ringing, the LCA needing a chemical for a job, etc. - temporal trigger: where the event is time-based > e.g. a DVD becoming overdue at the video store, it's time to pay the weekly payroll, etc.
Temporal vs external triggers
Trigger: The event that causes the use case to begin Temporal: A time-based event • A video overdue at the video store • Time to pay the rent - Monthly Utility bills External Triggers: An event that is out of your control • A customer placing an order • The fire alarm ringing, customer has the final payment for the vehicle • A pending offer is created, and the sales manager is notified • Customer decides to make an offer on a vehicle
Temporal vs external triggers
xternal - events that occur outside system
Temporal vs external triggers
a) V-model
Testing pays explicit attention to a) V-model b) Waterfall C) Parallel D) Iterative
A) Analysis Phase
The Goal for _______________ is to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements. A) Analysis Phase B) Use Case Analysis C) Interviews D) Questionnaires
What are some of the JAD's biggest strengths and weaknesses?
The JAD is able to integrate information easily and receive high depth of information, but it requires heavy user and time involvement while being a bit more costly than other methods.
False. It is part of the Analysis Phase.
The System Proposal is part of the planning phase. True or False
c) Analysis
The deliverable, System Proposal, is the output of which phase of the systems development life cycle (SDLC)? a) Implementation b) Design c) Analysis d) Planning
1. Interviews 2. JAD sessions 3. Observation 4. Questionnaires 5. Document analysis
The five commonly used requirement gathering techniques are
A project work plan is the document project managers use to track scheduling, cost, and resources. It is also where they can tell whether the project is ahead or behind schedule, how well the project was estimated, & what changes need to be made to meet the project deadline. T/F
True
External entities do not perform information processing activities T/F
True
T/F: Top-down interview questions mean that the interviewer starts with broad, general issues and gradually works towards more specific questions.
True
True or False? Development costs and operational costs are both tangible.
True
False. Meetings and prototyping has been found to reduce scope creep to less than 5% on a typical project.
True / False: Meetings and prototyping increases scope creep by at least 5% on a typical project.
False. The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built.
True / False: The analysis phase is when we should be understanding why an information system should be built.
True.
True of False, risk and cost are two way to classify a project.
False, a data flow includes a name (noun), description, and one or more connections to a process.
True or False : In data flow diagrams, a data flow includes a name (noun), description, and one or more data flows.
False - "to-be" system is future state
True or False, A "to-be" system is a system that has already been created.
False, A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model). Every data store is named with a noun and is assigned an identification number and a description. Datastores form the starting point for the data model (discussed in the next chapter) and form the logical connection between the process model and the data model.
True or False, A Data Store is a business where you can buy data from other people and companies.
True - RAD was developed to address the shortcomings of waterfall by becoming more flexible and allowing for a better customer approach.
True or False, Rapid application development is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations.
FALSE - systems development life cycle, also referred to as the application development life-cycle, is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system
True or False, Systems development life Cycle is the process of determining how an information system can improve business needs, system design, structure, and delivery.
False. The Major Outputs section on a use case will give the destinations of that input.
True or False, The Major Outputs section on a use case will give the destinations of that output.
False.
True or False. A context diagram shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system.
Answer: True, when conducting a technology analysis to identify business needs, it is crucial to list all relevant technology considerations
True or False: When conducting a technology analysis to identify business needs, it is important to list all technology considerations.
False, a use case if a written description of how the user will interact with the system, from the user's point of view, as the system responds to a request.
True or False: A use case is a written description of how a developer build tasks within a system. It describe all the tasks that the developer needs to include in the system from the developer point of view.
False, Open-ended questions seek for a wider-ranging response for the subject.
True or False: An open-ended questions seek a more narrow focus response from the interviewee.
True Data must always be flowing into each process.
True or False: Every DFD process has at least one input data flow?
False, Agile development is the methodology that provide the fastest result.
True or False: The Waterfall model is the methodology that provide the fastest result for a project.
False(refers to V-Model)
True or False: The goal of iterative development is to emphasize system quality through test plan development
False(Analysis)
True or False: The planning phase involves requirement gathering
False. This an external trigger because there is an actor (e.g. the customer) and a system (e.g. Postmates) that both respond one after the other. Or without the customer, there is no order through the system. Thus, this is external. External triggers are events that occur outside the system. Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time.
True or False: A customer placing an meal order through Postmates is a temporal trigger because you are ordering food for the next available delivery.
False, level 2 DFDs only have 2 periods.
True or False: A level 2 DFD has numbers with 3 periods.
False it is a non-functional requirement.
True or False: Creating a password for the system is a functional requirement.
False. Operational cost involves hardware repair and upgrades.
True or False: Development costs include hardware repair and upgrades
False, Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the case.
True or False: In a Use Case Preconditions define what must be complete after beginning the case
False: It does not belong in the data flow diagram if it is not directly using the system.
True or False: In a data flow diagram an arrow between two entity is okay because they are talking to each other.
False Iterative Development Goal is to get some portion of system developed quickly and in the users' hands. Waterfall Development Goal is doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes.
True or False: Iterative Development, Waterfall Development have the same goal.
False; Level 0
True or False: Level 1 DFD shows all major processes that comprise the overall system
False
True or False: Level 2 processes always have one parent number "dot" unique number
False. (Operational Costs occur in the 2nd year in a Cost-Benefit Analysis)
True or False: Operational Costs are made in the first year in a Cost-Benefit Analysis.
False, Outcome analysis focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide values to customers
True or False: Outcome analysis is an analysis that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken.
False - Preconditions are defined as the state of the system before the use case can commence. Postconditions are defined as what is completed when the use case ends.
True or False: Preconditions are defined as what is completed when the use case ends.
False: It continues as the System becomes obsolete and steps into on-going systems planning, where a new project is launched to create a new system.
True or False: The SDLC ends after the implementation phase.
False It is a operational cost.
True or False: The cost to do a routine check up on the software is a development?
True: The number of level = number of dots. It is supposed to make it easer when people are looking at different level diagrams.
True or False: The numbering in a DFD Level 2 would include two dots like this 1.3.2
Motivators: use intrinsic rewards, recognition, achievement, responsibility, advancement, chance to learn new skills. De-motivators : assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore good efforts, accept low quality products
What are some examples of motivators and de-motivators
-Meet in person / Google Docs / Skype with screen sharing -Benefits: Concurrent feedback, creativity, full input
What are some examples of working synchronously with a team?
1. Clarity of User Requirements 2. Familiarity with Technology 3. System Complexity 4. System Reliability 5. Time Schedules 6. Schedule Visibility
What are some factors to consider when selecting a development methodology?
-JAD participants have to be away from their offices, and ideally, participants of JAD sessions are the very best people in the business -JAD sessions can be lengthy and can run from as little as a half day to several weeks -Without strong management support, JAD sessions can fail
What are some issues with a JAD session?
Reduce maintenance costs, improve software quality, and enforce discipline; and some project teams use CASE to assess the magnitude of changes to the project.
What are some potential benefits of CASE tools used in a project?
- Meet face-to-face (or through video) at beginning of the project - Set expectations upfront about who does what - Establish multiple ways to get in touch - Be professional: Address concerns openly, and respond to teammates within a reasonable amount of time
What are some processes to help communication issues for teams?
* Researches Problems * Plans Solutions * Recommends Software and Systems * Coordinates Development
What are some roles of a Systems Analyst?
- Users get a system to use quickly - Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with current version
What are some strengths of Iterative Development Methodology?
Users get a system to use quickly, Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with current version
What are some strengths of Iterative Development Methodology?
- Users get to work with prototype very quickly - Feedback cycles let users identify changes and refine real requirements
What are some strengths of System Prototyping Methodology?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, and economic value.
What are some ways to classify projects?
- Users faced with using an incomplete system for a time - Users must be patient and wait for fully-functional system
What are some weaknesses of Iterative Development Methodology?
- Superficial analysis may cause problems - Initial design decisions may be poor - Overlooked features may be hard to add later
What are some weaknesses of System Prototyping Methodology?
Strengths: quick answers, relatively inexpensive, anonymity, can be quickly analyzed and tabulated. Weaknesses: low response, incomplete ones may be useless, usually inflexible, cannot observe individual, no clarification if necessary, may be improperly designed.
What are strengths and weaknesses of using questionnaires?
Easy to find nonfunctional requirements and easy to find information-based functional requirements
What are strengths that Document Analysis has to offer over other techniques?
What the system needs to do in order to satisfy business user needs.
What are system requirements?
Increased sales, Reductions in staff, reductions in inventory, Reductions in IT costs, Better supplier prices
What are tangible benefits?
Pros: -Challenge -Technology -Variety -Constant Change -Problem Solving Cons: -Management's lack of communication/recognition -End-user mistakes and demands -Stress/pressure/burnout -Ever-changing business technology -Unrealistic deadlines
What are the "pros and cons" of an analyst's work?
1. Business Process Automation 2. Business Process Improvement 3. Business Process Reengineering
What are the 3 BPM techniques?
Communication, conveyance, convergence
What are the 3 C's from a team member expectations?
Conveyance, Convergence, Communication
What are the 3 C's of teamwork?
A. Iterative, System Prototyping, and Throwaway Prototyping
What are the 3 approaches to RAD (Rapid application Development)? A. Iterative, System Prototyping, and Throwaway Prototyping B. Agile Development, Progress Development, Iterative Development C. V-Model, Parallel, Perpendicular D. System Prototyping, Design Prototyping, Throwaway Prototyping.
Technical Feasibility(can we build it), Economic Feasibility(should we build it), Organizational Feasibility(if we build it, will they come?)
What are the 3 categories of a feasibility analysis?
1. Technical feasibility 2. Economic feasibility 3. Organizational feasibility
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
-Data flow (arrow) -data store( open rectangle) -external entity/agent (rectangle) -process (rounded rectangle or circle)
What are the four main elements/symbols in DFD?
The 4 parts of a systems development life cycle are Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
What are the four parts to the systems development life cycle?
technical feasibility (can we build it?) economic feasibility (will it provide business value?) organizational feasibility (if we build it, will it be used?)
What are the key aspects of what the feasibility analysis examines?
Key elements of a System Proposal include: detailed requirements definition, use cases, process models, data models, a revised feasibility analysis and a work plan
What are the key elements of the system proposal?
Project sponsor, Business need, Business requirement, Business value, and Special issues or constraints
What are the key elements of the system request?
the key factors in selecting a methodology are: - Clarity of the user requirements - Familiarity with the base technology - System complexity - Need for system reliability - Time pressures & - Need to see progress on the time schedule
What are the key factors in selecting a methodology?
Managements lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, stress/pressure/burnout, ever-changing business technology, and unrealistic deadlines.
What do system analysts dislike about their work?
-Challenge -Technology -Variety -Constant Change -Problem Solving
What do system analysts like about their work?
Challenge, Technology, Variety, Constant Change, and Problem Solving.
What do system analysts like about their work?
1. Defining and mapping the steps in a business process. 2. Creating ways to improve on steps in the process that add value 3. Finding ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that do not add values. 4. Creating or adjusting electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What does Business Analysts important roles in Business Process Management (BPM)?
JAD (Joint Application Development) is a methodology that involves the client or end user in the design and the development of an application, through a succession of collaborative workshops called JAD sessions. It's thought to lead to faster development times and greater client satisfaction, because the client is involved throughout the development process.
What does JAD mean and what is it used for?
A context diagram is the top-level DFD in a process model that shows: - The entire system in context with its environment - The overall business process as just one process (process 'zero') - All the external entities that receive information from or contribute to the system
What is a context diagram?
Project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, special issues or constraints
What elements are in the system request form?
Technical Feasibility - Familiarity with application, familiarity with technology, project size, and compatibility.
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "Can we build it?" Explain the factors of this approach.
Organizational Feasibility - Is the project strategically aligned with the business goals? Stakeholder, champion, management, and user support / effort, understanding, and congruence.
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "If we build it, will they come?" Explain the factors of this approach.
Economic Feasibility - Development costs, operating costs vs benefits, intangible costs and benefits.
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "Should we build it?" Explain the factors of this approach.
C. Outcome analysis
What gathering strategy is NOT best for finding small improvements over current the situation of the system? A. Problem Analysis B. Root Case Analysis C. Outcome Analysis D. All of the above
Outcome Analysis, technology analysis, Activity Elimination
What gathering strategy is best for redesigning whole process?
Questionnaire and Document Analysis
What gathering technique is best to use when you want broad range of information?
The system is built and tested to make sure it performs as designed.
What happens during System Construction?
Planning/Investigation - feasibility study conducted Analysis - Requirements of info system defined/what the system will do Design - How the system will work Implementation - Creation/testing of all components to ensure that they work Maintain - maintain until the system is no longer in use
What happens in each stage of SDLC?
Joint Application Development (JAD)
What information gathering technique allows the project team, users and management to work together to identify system requirements?
Joint Application Development (JAD) is helpful in accelerating the system requirements process.
What information gathering technique allows the project team, users and management to work together to identify system requirements?
Exceptions, Trigger, Actor
What information is usually included in a use case?
B. Credit card statement is overdue
What is a correct example of a temporal trigger? A. Customer places an order B. Credit card statement is overdue C. The fire alarm is ringing D. An order is placed into a shopping cart
It is when several fields are combined, or concatenated, to uniquely identify an instance.
What is a concatenated identifier?
False. Closed-ended questions are rarely used during JAD sessions because they prevent participants from having a frank and open discussion. The top down approach is preferred when gathering information via JAD sessions.
Closed-ended questions are typically used in JAD sessions. T/F
A trigger can also be a temporal trigger, where the event is time-based , such as a DVD becoming overdue at the video store or its time to pay the weekly payroll.
Define external trigger, give example
Functional requirement is what the software should do. Nonfunctional requirement are characteristics the software should have.
Define functional requirement and nonfunctional requirement?
A process model is a formal way of representing how a business system should operate. It also illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data moves between them.
Define process model.
Analysis, design, and implementation are performance concurrently to quickly develop a simplified version of the system that's given to the user for feedback
Define system prototyping.
The extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT Group. It basically measures how well the proposed system solves the problems stated by the customer. Strives to answer the question, "Can we build it?"
Define technical feasibility.
A trigger can be an external trigger, such as a customer placing an order, the fire alarm ringing, or in the LCA example, needing a chemical for a job.
Define temporal trigger, give example
Process - Rounded square numerated at the stop; Defines an action that the system does within the scope of the system itself. Data Flow - Arrow pointing in one direction; Used to name the content that is moving from one element to another. Data Store - Rectangle labeled using D1, D2, etc.; Used to demote a part in the system that is used to store information. External Entity - Square; Represents entities that will use the system in some fashion but are otherwise outside of the scope of the system.
Define the elements (shapes) used when developing a DFD
First stage of SDLC is planning/ investigation: why an information system should be built? There are 2 steps in this stage: 1. Project sponsor conducts a system request with feasibility analysis that is approved by approval committee or steering committee o Technical: Can we build it? o Economic: Will it provide business value? o Organizational: Will it be used? 2. Project management/ project plan: project manager creates a work plan and staffs the project
Define the first stage of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
The four basic symbols or elements are processes, data flow, data store, and external entities. A process is an activity that is performed for some specific business reason. A data flow is a single fact. A data store is a collection of data. An external entity is a person, organization, organization unit, or system that is external to the system but interacts with it.
Define the meaning and purpose of the four basic symbols found on a data flow diagram.
1. System Construction 2. System Installation 3. Analyst team established support plan
Define the three phases of the implementation phase within the SDLC.
Business-related reason for initiation the system o Enable a business initiative or strategy o Support a merger/acquisition o Fix a "point of pain" o Utilize a new technology o Outgrowth of Business Process Management (BPM) §BPM: method used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes for agility and/or efficiency
Definition of Business Needs
A formal way of representing how a business process operatesIllustrate activities that are performed and how data moves between themData Flow Diagrams is a popular technique to create Process model
Definition of Process Model and what is used to document
Business requirement is the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide.
Definition of business requirements
Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization.
Definition of business value
- Appointed to leader the project - Select the best project methodology - Develop a project work plan - Establish a staffing plan - Create ways to coordinate and control the project
Duties of project manager (not always the systems analyst).
Not having a process in between data flow from agent/datastore Black Hole: Data Sink, nothing happens with the data Miracle: Data is produced out of nothing. Has no input Gray Hole: Data coming in from 2 sources, with a result of something completely unrelated
Errors to avoid when creating DFD's
Answer E. All of the above
Estimation A. Is the process of assigning projected values for time and effort. B. Can be performed manually or with software. C. Can use the 15/20/35/30 percentage rule D. Is a process used by project managers to assign values for time and effort. E. All of the above.
fire alarm ringing, LCA needing chemical for job
Ex. Customer placing order
time to pay weekly payroll
Ex. DVD becoming overdue at video store
a company that has employees constantly filling out paper forms can implement BPM in the HR department to automate the HR process, cut down on cost, time, and paper forms.
Example of a Business Process Management
-Recognition -Achievement -The work itself -Responsibility -Advancement -Chance to learn new skills
Examples of Intrinsic Rewards
A summary of all the essential information in the proposal so that a busy executive can read it quickly and decide what parts of the plan to read in more depth.
Executive Summary
The SDLC is a feasibility model. True or False?
False - it is the process of determining how an IS. can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
Technical (can we build it?), Economic (will it provide business value, Should we build it?), and Organizational (if we build it, will it be used?).
Feasibility Analysis includes three important categories:
project prioritization, employee allocation, real- time project monitoring, flagging cost and time variances, monitoring economic feasibility.
Features of PPM software
A system request is a document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide and is usually completed by the project sponsor.
What is a system request and who is responsible for completing it?
A document, typically authored by the project sponsor that articulates the rationale behind developing a new system and the anticipated benefits it will deliver, encompassing five key components: project sponsor identification, business justification, business requirements, expected business value, and any unique considerations or challenges.
What is a system request?
It is a document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide.
What is a system request?
A requirement is simply a statement of what the system must do (functional requirements) or what characteristics it needs to have (non-functional requirements).
What is a system requirement?
Use cases help the whole project team to understand processes within the software. Clients can be involved easily, programmers are able to understand project objectives and figure out functionalities for the software. Use cases are interfaces between business and technology.
What is the purpose of a use case?
The project sponsor works with the project management team, especially helping with project matters such as funding, scope clarification, progress monitoring, and influencing others in order to benefit the project.
What is the role of the project sponsor?
To provide interest and motivation in pushing the system's success forward. May also provide a bridge between end users and system developers. Develops the initial vision of the new system. Works throughout the SDLC to make sure the project is moving in the right direction. Project sponsor is usually from a business function such as marketing, accounting, or finance.
What is the role of the project sponsor?
Architecture and interface design
What is the second step of the design phase.
Normal Course
What is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event?
The number of people, time frame, distinct features
What is the source of technical risk pertaining to project size?
System Walk-Through presentation
What is the system proposal often accompanied by during the Analysis phase?
Level 0 Diagram
What is the the most general scope of Data Flow Diagrams called?
Also called the "payback method". It is the number of years it takes a firm to recover its original investment in the project from net cash flow. BEP = Number of yrs of negative cash flow + (That year's Net Cash Flow - That year's Cumulative Cash Flow)/That year's Net Cash Flow
What is the break-even point?
Identify improvements Understand the existing situation Define requirements for the new system
What is the three main steps of the analysis phase?
b) context diagram
What is the top level DFD in every business model? a)data store b) context diagram c)external entity d)process description
Interviewing starting with broad questions to later ask more specific questions; the most common interview structure
What is the top-down interview structure?
Context Diagram
What is the top-level DFD in every process model
Similar to an actor, but some organizations use this term instead because there may be several different user groups who interact with the system in the same way.
What is the user role in a use case?
Ans: a. > 0
What is the value of NPV for the project to be economically acceptable? a. > 0 b. < 0 c. > 10
System Proposal, which includes + Detailed requirements definition statements + Use cases + Process model + Data model + Revised feasibility analysis and work plan
What is the final deliverable of the analysis phase?
1- observation 2- interviews 3-documents analysis 4- questionnaires 5- JAD
What is the five commonly requirements gathering techniques?
Probability x Potential Impact
What is the formula for Risk
(total benefits - total costs)/ total costs
What is the formula for return on investment (ROI) ?
Likelihood x Potential Impact
What is the formula to calculate risk?
Early customer satisfaction; priority of allowing change; priority of communication over documentation
What is the goal of Agile Development?
To produce a complete requirements definition document
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
To produce complete requirements definition document
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
Goal of a use case analysis is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the goal of a Use Case?
The goal of a use case analysis is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the goal of a use case analysis?
to explain the system in moderate detail so that users, managers, and key decisions makers can: - clearly understand it. - identify areas requiring modification - decide whether project should continue
What is the goal of a walk-through?
to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements
What is the goal of the analysis phase?
The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the goal of use case analysis?
The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system. It assists in understanding the system's functionalities, requirements, and how it fulfills user needs.
What is the goal of use case analysis?
A physical data model is drawn during the design phase by analysts to reflect how the data will physically be stored in databases and files
What is the importance of a physical data model?
Business processes are too complex and must be decomposed to show how data moves between different processes in a simple manner.
What is the importance of creating various levels of data flow diagrams?
A. System Proposal
What is the initial deliverable of the Analysis phase? A. System Proposal B. System Request C. Program Design D. System Specification
The key point in root cause analysis is to always challenge the obvious and dig into the problem deeply enough that the true underlying cause(s) is revealed
What is the key point in root cause analysis?
System proposal, which details the requirements definition, use cases, and models, which are collectively sent over to the an approval committee
What is the last deliverable in the analysis stage?
Implementation ( also the longest and most expensive)
What is the last stage of SDLC?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. 2. Processes cannot consume or create data.
What is the law of conservation of data?
Implementation phase
What is the longest and most expensive phase of SDLC?
A system proposal
What is the main deliverable of the analysis phase
Process Model
What is the model for the formal way of representing how a business process operates
Waterfall development, which consists of the Parallel Development, and the V-model
What is the most common Development Methodology?
Interviews as they can be adapted for each individual
What is the most commonly used requirements elicitation technique?
Identify and understand the business requirements
What is the most important step in creating an information system for a business?
Problem analysis
What is the most straightforward and commonly used requirements analysis strategy?
The Problem Analysis -Asks users and managers to identify problems with the as-is system -Most users have a good idea of what kind of changes they would like to see implemented into a system.
What is the most straightforward requirements analysis strategy and how is it completed?
Work Breakdown Structure
What is the name of a list of tasks hierarchly numbered?
Microsoft Project
What is the name of the project management software released by Microsoft, used commonly in industry?
Microsoft project
What is the name of the project management software released by Microsoft, used commonly in the industry? a. Microsoft project b. Microsoft visio c. Microsoft case d. Microsoft groove
The set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event.
What is the normal course element of a use case?
-Clarity of user requirements -Familiarity with technology -System complexity -System reliability -Short time schedules -Schedule visibility
What project characteristics affect methodology selection decisions?
It shows the entire system in context with the environment from a top level. It shows the overall business process as just one process. From there, it breaks off into more detailed DFDs with processes.
What purpose does a context-level diagram serve?
B. informal benchmarking
What refers to how other orgs perform a business proccess in order to learn how an org can do something better: A. Activity Based Costing B. Informal Benchmarking C. Duration Analysis
Rectangles
What shape is drawn around external entities in a DFD?
Monetary Motivation
What should you avoid when it comes to motivating employees/team members?
They need to understand what to change, how to change it and convince others of the need for change. This person develops Ideas and suggestions for ways that IT can support and improve business processes, helps design new business processes supported by IT, designs the new information system, and ensures that all IS standards are maintained. They must also be able to communicate effectively with both technical and business people.
What skills are important for a Systems Analyst to have?
1. Determine the average number of staff needed for the project by dividing the total person-months of effort by optimal schedule. 2. Increase amount of team members in an appropriate amount (8-10 members) because too much can be difficult to coordinate, but the right amount allow more gains in communication complexity. 3. Understand the complexity that is cremated in numbers and build a reporting structure that shows the effects. 4. Project manager creates a staffing plan that lists the roles that are required for the project and the proposed reporting structure for the project. 5. A project lead, functional lead, and technical lead should be assigned with the right qualifications, which are technical skills and interpersonal skills. Their job is to oversee the project and to keep members on task.
What steps are completed in the Staffing Plan?
• Problem Analysis: Asking users and managers to identify problems with the as-is system and describe how to solve them in the to-be system. • Root Cause Analysis: All solutions make assumptions about the nature of the problem, assumptions that may or may not be valid. • Duration Analysis: Detailed examination of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system.
What strategies can an analyst employ with the stakeholders to think critically about the needs for a new system?
Dropbox
What technologies are you strongly recommend you to learn, to help you in both individual work as well as to help you collaborate more effectively in team work?
Use cases express and clarify user requirements. They define the expected interaction between user and system. Used extensively in the analysis phase. Text-based use cases are easy for the users to understand.
What is the purpose of a use case?
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
What the MAIN difference between systems prototyping and throwaway prototyping?
- ask about business requirements - ask about as-is system or process
What to ask in an interview questionnaire?
Context Diagram and Level 0 Diagram
What two data flow diagrams are always included?
-Technical Feasibility
What type of feasibility is the analysts and users lack of familiarity of technology. The project size like the amount of people and distinct features. And asks the question (Can We Build It)?
False. There is no ideal level of decomposition.
When creating data flow diagrams, Level 3 is the ideal level of decomposition. True or False?
Users are not closely engaged with development team Project has high complexity and/or high risk
When do you use Fully-dressed Use Case format?
When a project has high complexity or is high risk
When do you use a Fully-Dressed Use Case Format?
When new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined
When does Scope Creep happen?
Syntax errors occur when DFDs does not follow the rules of DFD
When does syntax errors occurs in DFD?
Interviews
When gathering requirements, the most commonly used technique is: __________
b) Interviews
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
When there is no response to an event happening
When is a system "at rest"?
When the remainder of the project is simpler than the part you fell behind on or when the remainder of the project is simpler than you expected when the original estimated were made
When is the only situation in which you make up time if you fall behind on the project?
scope creep
When managing scope, what should one be aware of?
Use when the validity of data collected using other methods is in question, or Use when the complexity of certain aspects of the system prevents end-users from providing a clear explanation
When should you preform an observation?
- Users are not closely engaged with development team - Project has high complexity and/or high risk
When should you use the fully-dressed use case format?
when a process could produce different data flows under different conditions
When would we show two data flows and use process description?
A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system. Project ideas almost always use sponsor
Where do project ideas come from?
Answer E. Normal Course
Where would you find a "Happy Path" in a Use Case document? A. Description B. Pre conditions C. Post Conditions D. Exceptions E. Normal Course
Agile/Iterative/System Prototyping
Which Development methodology would be suggested when there is a short time schedule?
Problem Solving and Root-Cause Analysis
Which analysis strategies are best for finding small improvements over current situations?
C) Duration Analysis
Which analysis strategy requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system? A) Root Cause Analysis B) Problem Analysis C) Duration Analysis D) Outcome Analysis
D) None of the Above
Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Business Process Management? A) Enhanced process agility B) Process alignment with industry best practices C) Increased process efficiencies D) None of the Above
b. Requests a project via a System Request
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the System Analyst Role? a. Analyzing the business situation b. Requests a project via a System Request c. Identifying opportunities for improvements d. Designing an information system to implement the improvements
C. internal entity
Which of the following is NOT a data flow diagram element? A. data flow B. process C. internal entity D. external entity E. data store
c) Cloud storage fees
Which of the following is NOT a development cost? a) Consultant fees b) Hardware and software c) Cloud storage fees d) Data conversion costs
C - Cloud Storage Fees is an operational cost
Which of the following is NOT a developmental cost? A. Consultant fees B. Vendor Installation C. Cloud Storage Fees D. Data Converstion Costs
4. Create a use case.
Which of the following is NOT a duty of the Project Manager? 1. Establish a staffing plan. 2. Create ways to coordinate and control the project. 3. Develop a project work plan. 4. Create a use case
c. Y-Model
Which of the following is NOT a project methodology? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Y-Model d. Iterative Development e. Agile Development
C. Standards Requirement
Which of the following is NOT a type of requirement discussed in class? A. User Requirement B. Business Requirement C. Standards Requirement D. System Requirement
b) Business requirement
Which of the following is NOT a type of requirement to be defined during Analysis? a) Functional (system) requirement b) Business requirement c) Nonfunctional (system) requirement
D) Operation
Which of the following is NOT an attribute of casual Use Case format? A) Precondtion B) Postconditions C) Normal Course D) Operation
Answer: D. Systems Analyst is not an element of a system request.
Which of the following is NOT an element of a system request? A. Project sponsor B. Business need C. Business requirements D. Systems Analyst
Answer: A: Requirement
Which of the following is NOT an element of data flow diagrams? A: Requirement B: Data Store C: Process D: Data Flow
A)Customer B)Clearinghouse C)Accounting System D)none of the above all are examples of external entities
Which of the following is NOT an example of an external entity?
C. Development
Which of the following is NOT apart of the SDLC? A. Analysis B. Design C. Development D. Implementation
C
Which of the following is NOT closed-ended questions: a. How many telephone orders are received per day? b. How do customers place orders? c. What are the differences between Apple and Microsoft?
A. Economical B. Organizational C. Strategic D. Technical
Which of the following is NOT described for a detailed business case for a feasibility analysis?
A. Alternative Courses
Which of the following is NOT included in both Casual and Fully Dressed Use Case Format? A. Alternative Courses B. Preconditions C. Postconditions D. Trigger
d. Technology Requirements
Which of the following is NOT included in project methodology? a. Clarity of user agreements b. System Complexity c. System Reliability d. Technology Requirements e. Familiarity with Technology
d. user interface best practice
Which of the following is NOT one of the concepts covered in the assigned reading of Chapter 2? a. project management b. development methodologies c. project work plan d. user interface best practice
B
Which of the following is not an intangible benefit? A. Increase market shared B. Reduction in inventory C. Higher quality products D. Better supply relations
D) Development costs
Which of the following is not considered in technical feasibility? A) Familiarity with the application B) Familiarity with technology C) Project size D) Development costs
c. Information for Steps
Which of the following is not part of the casual use case format? a. Actor b. Trigger c. Information for Steps d. ID
a. Team presentations
Which of the following is not part of the course? a. Team presentations b. Homework c. Team project d. Exams
c) project scale
Which of the following is not part of the project manager's balancing act? a) project cost b) project size c) project scale d) project time
d. Triangle
Which of the following is not represented in a data flow diagram? a. Parallel lines b. Rounded rectangle c. Circle d. Triangle
C. Project Plan
Which of the following is not something project managers have to balance? A. Project Costs B. Project Size C. Project Plan D. Project Time
e. all the above
Which of the following is part of the four main elements/symbols in DFD a. Process (rounded rectangle or circle) b. External entity (or agent) (rectangle) c. Data store (open rectangle) d. Data flow (arrow) e. all the above
C. Risk Risk is one of the characteristics of a project. The rest include size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope and economic value. Project Size, Project Time, and Project Costs are items that a project manager needs to balance.
Which of the following is something a project manager does not have to balance in a project? Size Time Risk Cost
Data Flow
Which of the following is the glue that holds the processes together in a DFD? - Process - Data Flow -Data Store -External Entity
A. System proposal
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? A. System proposal B. Revised project work plan C. Revised feasibility analysis D. Use case document
b. System proposal
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? a. Revised feasibility analysis b. System proposal c. Use case document d. Revised project work plan
a. System proposal
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? a. System proposal b. Revised feasibility analysis c. Use case document d. Revised project work plan
A. They work with a combination of business and technical people.
Which of the following is true about systems analysts? A. They work with a combination of business and technical people. B. They primarily work on technical issues with programmers to develop new systems. C. They primarily work with business analysts and rarely see technical work.
A. The system analyst can be the same person, but often are not (Especially in Larger Organizations)
Which of the following is true about the roles of project manager and systems analyst? a. They can be the same person, but often are not (especially in larger organizations) b. They are always the same person c. They should never be the same person
D. System prototyping is a "quick and dirty" version of the system and provides minimal features.
Which of the following is true? A. Throwaway prototyping perform the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback B. System prototyping is used to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system. C. Throwaway prototyping continues until the analysts, users, and sponsors agree that the prototype provides enough functionality to be installed and used in the organization. D. System prototyping is a "quick and dirty" version of the system and provides minimal features.
c) Process
Which of the following isn't a type of non-functional system requirement? a) Operational b) Performance c) Process d) Security
d. All of the above
Which of the following logical processes would you include in a data flow diagram? a. make decisions b. organize data c. perform computations d. All of the above
a. Waterfall
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
c. server room upgrade
Which of the following projects would an IT manager be most likely to sponsor? a. Customer resource management system b. Accounting program c. server room upgrade d. business process management
Association relationship
Which of the following relationships describe the communication between the use case and the actors?
Problem Analysis, Root Cause Analysis
Which requirements analysis strategies are best for finding small improvements over a company's current situation?
Problem Analysis and Root Cause Analysis
Which requirements analysis strategies are the best for finding small improvements over a current situation?
high level executive and is usually but not always the project sponsor who created the system request.
Who is the project champion?
Visualization helps you understand your interaction with the process and how other systems work (informal benchmarking) which helps analysts and users write the use cases.
Why is visualization an important step in creating a use case?
The project sponsor has to make sure that the project aligns with the business needs and the business perspective, which at times, the person in IT might not be the best fit. It is better to have someone who is apart of the business functions in the organization such as someone who works in the Marketing, Accounting, or Finance department.
Why might the project sponsor not be someone who works in IT?
An IS professional is not specialized in identifying business needs, opportunities, and value. A businessperson is more involved in identifying potential opportunities for systems and improvements.
Why should the system request be created by a businessperson as opposed to an IS professional?
A decision table helps with the understanding of actions based on a condition or a set of conditions.
Why would one use a decision tree and/or decision table in a process description?
A decision tree is useful in that it aids in understanding decision logic pertaining to nodes (questions) and branches (answers). A decision table aids in understanding the actions (business policies) that based on a condition or a set of conditions.
Why would one use a decision tree and/or decision table in a process description?
False, intangible benefits such as brand loyalty or patents are extremely valuable to a company but can not be measured in dollar value.
You can assign a dollar value to intangible benefits when doing a cost-benefit analysis. (True/False)
External
You need to create a use case on the following scenario. "Customer calls to make a reservation" Is the trigger for this case by external or temporal? a) External b) Temporal c) Neither d) Both
Which of the three categories of feasibility analysis deals with identifying the costs & and benefits and assigning values to those costs and benefits? a) technical feasibility b) organizational feasibility c) finance feasibility d) economic feasibility
answer: d) economic feasibility
Which one of the three categories of feasibility analysis deals with identifying the costs & and benefits and assigning values to those costs and benefits? a) technical feasibility b) organizational feasibility c) finance feasibility d) economic feasibility
answer: d) economic feasibility
Which of the following is not component of DFDs? a) Data Store b) Data Sort c) External entity d) Data Flow e) All of the above
b) Data Sort
Which of the following is NOT a way to categorize/characterize a project? a. risk b. scope c. purpose d. requirements
d. requirements
What does the system proposal include?
definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan
Development cost
development cost or operational cost? -consultant fees -hardware and software -data conversion cost
~ Assign unrealistic deadlines ~ Ignore good efforts ~ Accept a low-quality product ~ Give everyone on the project the same raise ~ Make an important decision without the team's input ~ Maintain poor working conditions
don'ts of motivating employees
Data flow diagram is the graphical representation which exposes the relationships between the components. The hierarchical representation of DFD typically consists of a top-level diagrams (Level 1, Level 2...) that represent different parts of the system.
What is a data flow diagram (DFD)?
It is tangible expenses that are incurred during the creating of the system and usually thought of as one-time costs.
What is a development cost?
A feasibility study is an analysis that takes all of a project's relevant factors into account—including economic, technical, legal, and scheduling considerations—to ascertain the likelihood of completing the project successfully. It is a detailed business case that is provided to better understand the proposed information system. It guides the organization in determining whether to proceed with the project and identifies the important risks associated with the project that must be managed if the project is approved.
What is a feasibility analysis?
A deliverable (Planning Phase) that is submitted to the approval committee; incl. the results of evaluating the 3 feasibility factors; technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility.
What is a feasibility study?
This means that the use case very thorough, detailed, and highly structured.
What is a fully dressed use case
A requirement that states what processes the system must do or perform or the information that the system must contain. (Process, Information)
What is a functional requirement?
related directly to a process the system has to perform as part of supporting a user task and or information it needs to provide as the user is performing a task
What is a functional requirement?
A level 0 is a top-level diagram that shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system, how the major processes are interrelated by data flows, and shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact, and adds stored data via data stores.
What is a level 0 diagram?
Models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted.
What is a logical process model?
behavioral characteristics that define how the system should function, Operational, Performance,Security,Cultural and political
What is a non functional requirement?
A requirement that states any characteristics the system should have. (Operational, Performance, Security, Cultural and Political)
What is a nonfunctional requirement?
A question that follows up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more.
What is a probing question?
When new requirements are added to the project because the original project is not properly defined.
What is a problem that may cause scope creep?
An activity or function performed for a specific business reason that can be either manual or computerized
What is a process in a Data Flow Diagram (DFD)?
A process model is a formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them. It can be used to document the current system (i.e. as-is system) or the new system being developed (i.e. to-be system), whether computerized or not.
What is a process model and what is it used to document?
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
"Functional requirement" is A statement of what the system must do "Nonfunctional requirement" is A statement of characteristics the system must have (i.e., how the system should be built)
What are the two types of system requirement?
((Functional Requirement)) - the product capabilities, or things that a product must do for its users_____________________________________________((Nonfunctional Requirement)) - the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have
What is the formula for return on investment (ROI) ?
(total benefits - total costs)/ total costs
What are some developmental costs?
(upfront costs in making the system) o Consultant feeds o Hardware and software o Office space and equipment
What are some Elements of a System's Request?
* Project Sponsor * Business Need * Business Requirement * Business Value * Special Issues & Constraints
What does technical feasibility entail?
**Can we build it? Familiarity with application - less familiarity generates more risk -Misunderstanding users, or missing opportunities for improvement -Developing new systems riskier than extensions to existing system - existing systems better understood
What are gathering strategies? Describe each of them.
+ ) Problem Analysis - Ask users and managers to identify problems and solutions with the as-is system. - Improvements tend to be small and incremental. - Rarely finds improvements with significant business value. +) Root cause Analysis - Challenge assumptions about why the problem exists. - Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the real problem. - Focuses on problems first rather than solutions - The key point is to always challenge the obvious and dig into the problem(s) deeply to find the true underlying cause(s) +) Duration Analysis - How long does the whole process normally take? - How long does each step take? - Which activities can be shortened? +) Activity-based costing - How much does each step cost the organization? - Can any of the steps be more cost-effective? +) Informational Benchmarking - How do other organizations complete similar processes/activities - What improvements can we make a result of this? +) Outcome Analysis - Consider desirable outcomes from a customer's perspective - Consider what the organization could enable the customer to do +) Technology Analysis - Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies. - The group goes through each list and identifies how each might be applied to the business and how the business might be a benefit. +) Activity elimination Identify what could happen if each organization activity were eliminated Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated even if it seems preposterous.
What are some common duties of a Project Manager?
- Developing a project work plan - Establishing a staff plan - Finding ways to control and coordinate the project - Finding best project methodology
What is activity elimination?
- Identify what would happen if each organizational activity were eliminated - Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated, even if it seems preposterous - work to eliminate non-value added acitivities
Errors to avoid when creating DFDs
- Law of conservation: - Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process - Processes cannot consume or create data - Black hole: data is received but nothing is produced, drawing a process without an output - Miracle: produces data flow but has no inputs - Gray hole: when the outputs of a process are greater than the sum of its inputs
Difference between logical and physical process models
- Logical process models describe process, without suggesting how they are conducted - Physical models provide information that is needed to build the system - Through a logical process model you would not be able to tell whether a process is computerized or manual, collected by paper or Web. These physical details are defined when refining physical models.
Which element is never included in context diagrams
- None of the DATA STORES inside the process/system are included in the context diagram, because they are included "within" the system
List four types of nonfunctional requirements
- Operational - physical and technical operating environment - Performance - speed, capacity, and reliability needs - Security - access restrictions, needed safeguards - Cultural and political - legal requirements, cultural norms, etc.
What are the four types of non-functional requirements?
- Operational: Physical and technical operating environment - Performance: Speed, capacity, and reliability needs - Security: Access restrictions, needed safeguards - Cultural and political: Legal requirements, cultural norms, etc.
What are the elements of system request
- Project sponsor (The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side) - Business Need (The business-related reason for initiating the system) - Business Requirements(The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide) - Business Value(The benefits that the system will create for the organization) - Special Issues or Constraints (Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision)
What are the strengths of Waterfall Methodology Assessment?
- System requirements identified long before construction begins. - Requirements are "frozen" as projects proceeds - no moving targets allowed.
List key elements of system proposal
- Table of content - Use case - Executive Summary - Requirements definition - Work plan - Systems request
What are the three basic steps of the analysis phase?
- Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). - Identify improvements. - Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
What are the four main steps in creating use cases
- identify the major steps within each use case - identify elements within steps (inputs, triggers, etc.) - identify the use cases - confirm the use case with user
what info is normally included in a use case?
- trigger -priority - actor - exception
What are the errors to avoid when creating DFDs
-Black Hole: process without output, data goes into process but doesn't do anything -Miracle: process without input, makes data out of nothing -Gray Hole: DFD process error where specific data goes into process but different dataset comes out
What are the types of requirements
-Business requirements -User requirements -System requirements (functional requirement, non functional requirement)
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees:
-Do: Recognition, achievement, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and the chance to learn new skills. -Don't: rewarding staff with money and bonuses, the more often you reward team members with money the more they expect it.
What does a project charter include?
-availability of members -status reporting -meetings -documentation storage -standards/rules -methods of resolutions
What are the weaknesses in Joint Application Development (JAD)?
1) A facilitator who is skilled in JAD techniques is required 2) It can take time away from other works (scheduling issues) 3) Collaboration of all participants is necessary and group issues (such as groupthink) can arise
What are some Joint Application Development (JAD) strengths?
1) Multiple perspectives can be understood simultaneously 2) User feedback can be gathered while documentation is being created 3) Scope creep can be reduced
What are elements of a DFD?
1) Process 2) Data flow 3) Data store 4) External entity
What are the 3 waterfall methodologies?
1) waterfall 2) Parallel Devlopment Methodology 3) V-Model Methodology
How do you number level 0 diagrams?
1, 2, 3, 4 etc.
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
1- The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) 2- The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?): o Cash Flow Analysis and Measures o Return on Investment o Break-Even Point o Discounted Cash Flow Technique o Net Present Value (NPV) o Identify Costs and Benefits o Assign Values to Costs and Benefits 3- The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
What is the five commonly requirements gathering techniques?
1- observation 2- interviews 3-documents analysis 4- questionnaires 5- JAD
Which is a use case?
1. A method which helps the developer to specify the language which the system will be written in. 2. A function in a system 3. They are a written description of the expected interaction between the user and the system.
Which of the following Development Methodologies is described by being a set of several iterations of full "mini-SDLCs" over a period of time that produce a complete software product? 1. Agile Model 2. Waterfall Model 3. Parallel Model 4. V-Model
1. Agile Model
What should be established in a Project Charter?
1. Availability: When can you meet or complete work? 2. Status reporting: What are the individual deadlines? 3. Meetings: How often? What days? In person or online? 4. Documentation storage: Where do we store our files?
What are black holes, miracles, and grey holes ( common DFD errors)?
1. Blackhole- Drawing a process without an output 2. Miracle holes- Drawing a process without input. (output data miraculously appears from the process) 3. Gray hole- A processing step may have outputs that are greater than the sum of its inputs - e.g., its inputs could not produce the output shown
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, the business value
1. Business needs are the business-related reasons for initiating the system A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system, some kind of "pain" within the organization, and unique and competitive ways of using IT arise. Ex.) supporting a new marketing campaign, reaching out to a new type of customer, improving interactions with suppliers or emerging technology, or a drop in market share, poor customer service levels, or increased competition This business need will then form the business requirements and business values. 2. Business requirements describe the reasons for developing the system and outline the capabilities it will provide the organization These requirements need to be explained at a high level so that the approval committee and, ultimately, the project team understand what the business expects from the final product Business requirements summarize the features the IS must include, such as the ability to collect customer orders online or the ability for suppliers to receive inventory status information as sales occur The business needs drive the high-level business requirements 3. Business values are the benefits that the system will create for the organization. The project sponsor has the insights needed to determine the business value that will be gained from the system, in both tangible and intangible ways. Tangible value can be quantified and measured easily (e.g., a 2% reduction in operating costs). An intangible value results from an intuitive belief that the system provides important, but hard-to-measure, benefits to the organization (e.g., improved customer service, a better competitive position)
What are project manager duties?
1. Chooses most appropriate system development methodology for a project 2. Estimates time frame based on the project size 3. Creates project work plan with with necessary tasks Staffs project 4. Sets up mechanisms to coordinate the project team 5. Monitors project and refines estimates as work proceeds
What are some factors to consider when selecting a development methodology?
1. Clarity of User Requirements 2. Familiarity with Technology 3. System Complexity 4. System Reliability 5. Time Schedules 6. Schedule Visibility
Four main steps in creating use cases are
1. Confirm the use case with the user. 2. Identify the major steps within each use case. 3. Identify the use cases. 4. Identify elements (e.g., triggers, inputs, outputs) within steps.
What are the common errors in creating DFDs that violates the law of conservation of data?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. - Data cannot move without a process. Data cannot go to or come from a data store or external entity without having a process to push or pull it. 2. Processes cannot consume or create data. - Data only enters or leaves the system through external entities. A process cannot destroy input data and all processes must have outputs.
What is the law of conservation of data?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. 2. Processes cannot consume or create data.
What is the "Law of Conservation of Data"?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. 2. Processes cannot delete or update data.
What are the four step continuous cycle of BPM?
1. Define and map the steps in a business process. 2. Create ways to improve one steps in the process that add value. 3. Find ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that don't add value 4. Create or adjust electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What are the 4 steps to Conduct and Economic Feasibility Analysis?
1. Identify Cost and Benefits 2. Assign Values to Costs and Benefits 3. Determine Cash Flow 4. Assess Project's Economic Value
The five commonly used requirement gathering techniques are
1. Interviews 2. JAD sessions 3. Observation 4. Questionnaires 5. Document analysis
What are the five most commonly used requirements elicitation techniques?
1. Interviews 2. JAD sessions 3. Questionnaires 4. Document analysis 5. Observation
What are the five commonly used requirement gathering techniques?
1. Interviews 2. Questionnaires 3. Observation 4. Joint Application Development (JAD) 5. Document Analysis
What are the four phases of the SDLC?
1. Planning 2. Analysis 3. Design 4. Implementation
What are the four phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
1. Planning 2. Analysis 3. Design 4. Implementation
Four stages of the SDLC
1. Planning - Determines why and how a system should be built 2. Analysis - Seeks to answer who use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used 3. Design - Determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user interfaces, forms, and reports used; specific programs, databases, files needed 4. Implementation - The system is built or purchased
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle and what do they do?
1. Planning - determines why and how a system should be built 2. Analysis - seeks to answer who uses the system, what the system will do, where and when it will be used 3. Design - determines how the system will operate by hardware, software, and network infrastructure 4. Implementation - the system is built or purchased
Four Stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
1. Planning phase - understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it 2. Analysis - answers who will use the system, what will the system do, where and when will it be used. Current systems are investigated, opportunities are identified, and development of a new system begins. 3. Design - decided how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software and network infrastructure that will be in place 4. Implementation - the final phase of the SDLC, this is when the system is actually built; tends to get the most attention because it typically takes the longest and is the most expensive part of the SDLC
Three main things that project managers have to balance
1. Project Cost
Define the three phases of the implementation phase within the SDLC.
1. System Construction 2. System Installation 3. Analyst team established support plan
What are the six categories of knowledge needed to be an effective Systems Analyst?
1. Technical 2. Business 3. Analytical 4. Interpersonal 5. Management 6. Ethical
What are the six Systems Analyst Skills?
1. Technical 2. Business 3. Analytical 4. Personal 5. Management 6. Ethical
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
1. Technical feasibility 2. Economic feasibility 3. Organizational feasibility
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
1. Technical: Can we build it? 2. economic: Should we build it? 3. organizational: IF we build it, will they come?
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
1. The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) - Sources of Technical Risk: Users' and analysts' lack of familiarity with the business application area - Lack of familiarity with technology ▪ Have we used it before? How new is it? - Project size ▪ Number of people, time frame, distinct features- Compatibility with existing systems ▪ Degree of integration required 2. The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value? / Should we build it?) -Identify costs and benefits -Assign values to costs and benefits -Determine cash flow - Assess financial viability o Return on investment o Break even point o Net present value 3. The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?) - Strategic alignment o Are project goals aligned with business strategy? - Evaluate effect on various stakeholders o Strong and influential project champion? o Strong and widespread organizational management support? o Receptive / resistant system users?
What are the strengths of the throwaway prototyping methodology assessment?
1. Uncertainty is minimized 2. Important issues are understood before building the final system
What is does the system proposal comprise of?
1. Updated feasibility analysis 2. Updated work plan 3. Requirement definition document 4. Use cases 5. Process and Data Models
What is the relationship between use cases and system requirements?
1. Use cases are useful tools to clarify requirements. 2. Use cases convey only the user's point of view. 3. Transforming the user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions. 4. The derived functional requirements tell the developers more about what the system must do.
What are the sources of risk when it comes to technical feasability?
1. User's and analyst's lack of familiarity of the business application 2. Lack of familiarity with the technology 3. Project Size 4. Compatibility with existing systems
What are the advantages of Waterfall methodology?
1. system requirements are identified long before construction begins 2. requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds (no moving targets)
What are the disadvantages of the analysis phase?
1.) Design needs to be laid/specified out before even the programming begins. 2.) There is a great time lapse between the completion of the system in the analysis phase, and actually delivering of the system.
What are the advantages of the analysis phase?
1.) Requirements are identified long before programming begins. 2.) Requirement changes are very limited as the project progress.
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
1.) The Planning Phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1a.) Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 1b.) Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan, staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC 2.) The Analysis Phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 2a.) Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2b.) Collect and Analyze Requirements: The next step is requirements gathering (e.g., through techniques such as interviews, group workshops, or questionnaires). 2c.) Prepare and Present System Proposal: The system proposal document is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision-makers (e.g., members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. 3.) The Design Phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. This phase has three steps: 3a.) Determine Design Strategy: This clarifies whether the company's own programmers will develop the system, whether its development will be outsourced to another firm, or whether the company will buy and install a prewritten software package. 3b.) Design system components: Architecture, interface, database, programs Assemble design elements into System Specification 3c.) Present to steering committee: Go / No Go decision before entering the final phase 4.) The Implementation Phase, during which the system is actually built (or purchased and installed if the design calls for a prewritten software package). It is composed of creating all the components of the system and testing the system to ensure each component works as it should. It also tends to get the most attention because it typically takes the longest and is the most expensive part of the SDLC. This phase has three steps: 4a.) System Construction: The system is built and tested to ensure that it performs as designed. 4b.) System Installation: Installation is the process by which the old system is turned off and the new one is turned on. Training. 4c.) On-going system support: This plan usually includes a formal or informal post-implementation review and a systematic way of identifying major and minor changes needed for the system.
How do you number level 1 diagrams?
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 etc.
How do you number level 2 diagrams?
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4 etc.
What are the three critical aspects Project managers have to deal with?
1.Cost 2.Size 3.Time
How many users meet under a facilitator skilled in JAD?
10-20 users
List Pros of an Analysts work
: Challenging, Technology, Variety, Constant Change, Problem Solving
Which of the following is an example of an external entity? a. Lawn Chemical Applicator (LCA) b. Filling out the booking system form c. Existing pending offer d. Record Offer
A
What is a black hole in a DFD?
A black hole is when data is going into some type of process but has no output flow
What are two things that drives a system analyst to do a good job?
A challenge and use of new technology
What is a system request?
A document that outlines the business need and high-level requirements for a new system. It often times created by the project sponsor and is made up of 5 elements including project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, and special issues.
What is methodology?
A formalized approach to implementing the SDLC
Methodology:
A formalized approach to implementing the SDLC. A list of tasks, steps, and deliverables.
What is a process model?
A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate
What is timeboxing?
A list of tasks ordered hierarchically. It is also the backbone of the project workplan.
What is an actor in a Use Case?
A person, another software system, or a hardware device that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal.
What is a short definition of a process model?
A process model is a graphical way of representing how a business system should operate
What is a project champion?
A project champion a high-level executive who is usually the project sponsor who created the system request.
Where do project ideas come from?
A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system. Project ideas almost always use sponsor
Which shape represents an external entity in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
A rectangle
Technology Analysis
A strategy for requirement analysis where analysts and employees list important and interesting technologies and identify how each might be applied to the business
What does a system request do?
A system request presents a brief summary of a business need and explains how a system that addresses the need will create business value. Describes business reasons for project, Defines system's expected value, forces the sponsor to formalize his/her idea, and lists project's key elements.
What is a system request?
A system request presents a brief summary of a business need, requirements, and explains how a system that supports the need will create business value.
What is timeboxing?
A technique for ensuring the most critical requirements of the software are deployed in a timely manner, with enhancements coming later if needed.
What is timeboxing
A technique for ensuring the most critical requirements of the software are deployed in a timely manner, with enhancements coming later if needed. Timeboxing - a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced.
What is a Use Case?
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is a use case
A use case is description of the operations on the system you design.
The Goal for _______________ is to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements. A) Analysis Phase B) Use Case Analysis C) Interviews D) Questionnaires
A) Analysis Phase
Technical feasibility analysis is, in essence, a technical risk analysis that strives to answer what question? A) Can we build it? B) Will it provide business value? C) If we build it, will it be used?
A) Can we build it?
Which of the following is an example of a functional requirement for a social media platform? A) The ability to upload profile pictures B) The use of a blue and white color scheme C) The display of ads on the homepage D) The requirement for users to be over 18 years old
A) The ability to upload profile pictures is an example of a functional requirement for a social media platform. Functional requirements describe specific features or capabilities that a system must have to perform its intended tasks or functions, such as allowing users to upload and display profile pictures on their profiles. The other options are not functional requirements because they do not describe a specific system capability, but rather design choices or legal requirements that may be associated with the system.
Which of the following is NOT an example of an external entity?
A)Customer B)Clearinghouse C)Accounting System D)none of the above all are examples of external entities
Which of the following is an example of a functional requirement? A. Access to customer orders B. A system that is automatically updated every 10 seconds C. A system available in English and Chinese D. Output only displayed in Google Chrome
A. Access to Customer orders
Which of the following is best for finding small improvements over a current project situation?
A. Activity-Based Costing B. Root Cause Analysis C. None of them D. All of them
Person who will serve as the primary contact for the project is the ____
A. CEO B. Project Manager C. Developer D. Project Sponsor Answer: D
What does JAD stand for, and what is it? A. Joint Aplication Development, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements B. Joint Analysis Discussion, information gathering interview between management and the project team to C. Juncture Application Deriving, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements D. Joint Application Development, the project team shadows the as-is system and consults managers and users on improvements
A. Joint Aplication Development, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements
The best project methodology for every project is _______, because ______ A. None, each project has different characteristics B. Waterfall, system requirements are easily identified and followed C. Iterative Development, creating system prototypes allows for lots of user input D. Cyclical Model, it allows managers to redesign and reanalyze the project as it develops
A. None, each project has different characteristics
Which of the following is not a phase in the SDLC process?
A. Planning B. Beta testing C. Designing D. Implementation Answer: B
Toby is doing work and staffing plans. What stage of the SDLC is he on? A. Planning - project setup B. Planning - project initiation
A. Planning - project setup
All of these are types of interview questions EXCEPT: A. Process B. Closed-ended C. Open-ended D. Probing
A. Process
Which of the 4 gathering techniques is inexpensive? A. Questionnaire B. Interview C. JAD D. Observation
A. Questionnaire
What is the initial deliverable of the Analysis phase? A. System Proposal B. System Request C. Program Design D. System Specification
A. System Proposal
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? A. System proposal B. Revised project work plan C. Revised feasibility analysis D. Use case document
A. System proposal
Paying an electricity bill would be a type of _______________ trigger. A. Temporal B. External
A. Temporal. It is a time-based trigger.
Which of the following is true about the roles of project manager and systems analyst? a. They can be the same person, but often are not (especially in larger organizations) b. They are always the same person c. They should never be the same person
A. The system analyst can be the same person, but often are not (Especially in Larger Organizations)
Which of the following is true about systems analysts? A. They work with a combination of business and technical people. B. They primarily work on technical issues with programmers to develop new systems. C. They primarily work with business analysts and rarely see technical work.
A. They work with a combination of business and technical people.
Which of the following is an element of data flow diagrams? A: Data Store B: Attributes C: Entities D: System Model
A: Data Store
Which of the following is a functional requirement? A: Process-oriented B. Performance C. Security D. Operational
A: Process-oriented
Risk Retention (accept the risk)
Accept and retain the risk (usually for risks in the green area of a risk matrix)
Functional Requirement Example?
Access to customer order
Scope Creep
Adding additional features of a new product, requirements, or work that is not authorized
What is a scope creep?
Adding new requirements after the original scope was defined
What is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined
what is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined
What is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined.
What is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was dened
Out if the seven methodologies, which one gives the customers the fastest delivery of results and works well in projects with undefined or changing requirements?
Agile Development
What is Agile Development?
Agile Development is a group of programming-centric methodologies that involve several iterations of full "mini SDLCs" that focus on short cycles to produce a complete software product. Formal modeling and documentation are eliminated in favor of face to face communication. Goal: Early customer satisfaction; priority of allowing change; priority of communication over documentation.
What should we include in a System Request? Project Sponsor Business Requirements Business Value Special Issues or Constraints All of the above
All of the above
Inputs and outputs:
All possible inputs and outputs, not just the normal course. Outputs produced and where they go.
Joint Application Development (JAD)
An information gathering technique that allows the project teams, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system.
Describe "Black Hole" in DFD. What are the errors to avoid in DFDs?
An instance in the Data Flow Diagram where a process has an input but no output (it just "consumes" data). This is an error. Avoid Black holes, miracle, and gray hole.
What is a Miracle Hole in a DFD?
An instance in the Data Flow Diagram where a process has an output, but no input
Describe "Gray Hole" in DFD
An instance in the Data Flow Diagram where a process has data flowing into it and some completely different data flowing out of it
hat does the term project portfolio management refer to?
An organization might have a large number of potential projects (project portfolio), and management must decide on appropriate projects based on size, cost, risk, etc.
What is the purpose of analysis phase of the SDLC?
Analysis phase provides the answer for who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used.
What is the value of NPV for the project to be economically acceptable? a. > 0 b. < 0 c. > 10
Ans: a. > 0
Which of the following are weaknesses of the V-Model methodology? a) Integrating sub projects at the end can be difficult b) Takes a long time from start to finish c) Must wait a long time before there's visible evidence of a new system d) Rigid and difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.
Answer: d) Rigid and difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.
Which of the following is NOT an element of a system request? A. Project sponsor B. Business need C. Business requirements D. Use case
Answer: D. Use case is not an element of a system request.
__________ are thought to be one of the biggest problems that projects face.
Answer: Overly optimistic time tables
Which of the following is a step in the Analysis Phase? a) Set up the project b) System Installation c) Prepare and Present System Proposal
Answer: Prepare and Present System Proposal
A critical success factor for project management is to start with a realistic assessment of the work that needs to be accomplished and then manage the project according to the plan. (True / False)
Answer: True
A level 0 diagram shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system. (True/False)
Answer: True
The chance at winning a proposal with a low bid is one of the pressures that cause project managers to promise systems long before they are realistically able to deliver them. (True / False)
Answer: True
There are two types of process models: Logical and Physical. (True/False)
Answer: True
What are the ways you can manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction (mitigation), Transfer (insure or share), Acceptance (Retention)
What are efficient ways to manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
What are the techniques used to to manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
A project sponsor is best described as: a. The business-related reason for initiating the system b. The person who initiates the project c. Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision d. Creates benefits for the organization
B
One waterfall methodology strength is: a. Takes a long time from start to finish b. System requirements identified long before construction begins c. Reduces overall project time (compared to parallel methodology) d. Quality improves through the emphasis on testing
B
Which is NOT a type of requirement covered in Chapter 3? a. User Requirements b. Staff Requirements c. Business Requirements d. System requirements
B
Which of the following is not an intangible benefit? A. Increase market shared B. Reduction in inventory C. Higher quality products D. Better supply relations
B
Overall, the consistent notation, integration among the diagramming techniques, and application of the diagrams across the entire development process makes ________ a powerful and flexible tool set for analysts and developers. A) CASE B) UML C) DFDs D) EPCs E) Flow Charts
B) UML
Deciding how the hardware, software, and network infrastructure will operate occurs during the _____ phase of the SDLC. A) analysis B) design C) implementation D) planning E) strategy
B) design
BPM generally follows a continuous cycle of systematically ________, ___________, and _________ business processes A) Create, Read, Update B) Creating, Assessing, and Altering C) Update, Develop, Destroy
B) Creating, Assessing, and Altering
On a DFD, a data store is presented as a(n): A) Circle B) Rectangle C) Arrow D) Line
B) Rectangle
Which point of view does a use case convey? A) The Developer B) The User C) The Project Sponsor D) The Project Manager
B) The User
Project managers have to balance except: A. Cost B. Control C. Size D. Time
B. Control
If a project manager faces a tradeoff among three critical aspects of a project. What are the three critical aspects if one changes and affects the other two? A. Methodology, Time, Number B. Cost, Size, Time C. People, Technology, Time D. Time, Technology, Size
B. Cost, Size, Time
What is a correct example of a temporal trigger? A. Customer places an order B. Credit card statement is overdue C. The fire alarm is ringing D. An order is placed into a shopping cart
B. Credit card statement is overdue
Which of the following is not a phase of SLDC? A. Planning B. Editing C. Implementation D. Design E. Analysis
B. Editing
Which of the following is an example of an INCORRECT data flow? A. External Entity A -> Process -> External Entity B B. External Entity -> External Entity B C. Data Store A -> Process -> Data Store B
B. External Entity -> External Entity B
Economic, Technical, and Social are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis. A. True B. False
B. False (the 3rd category is organizational, not Social)
What is not a way to motivate employees? A. Use intrinsic rewards B. Give everyone on the project the same raise C. Use monetary rewards cautiously D. Accept a low quality project.
B. Give everyone on the project the same raise
3. Which one of the following is the example of intangible benefits? A. Increased sale B. Increased market share C. Reduction in IT costs D. Increased in marketing expense
B. Increased market share
All of the following are main things that a project manager has to balance except: A. Cost B. Leadership C. Time D. Size
B. Leadership
Although the "Implementation" stage in SDLC is usually longest and most expensive, it can also be the _____________. A. Most Complex B. Least Complex C. Sometimes Complex D. Not Complex
B. Least Complex
Which of the following is not a type of the Non-Functional requirements? A. Operational B. Process - oriented C. Security D. Performance
B. Process - oriented
What are the four elements of DFD? A. Name, Description, output data, input data B. Process, Data flow, external entities, data store C. Description, external entities, input data, output data D. Triggers, preconditions, normal course, exceptions
B. Process, Data flow, external entities, data store
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team? A. Monetary incentives B. Provide awards/recognition C. Difficult deadlines D. Remove responsibility for decisions
B. Provide awards/recognition
Which is true about project managers? A. They are always the project sponsor B. They are not always the project sponsor, sometimes an outside entity C. They are more important than project stakeholders D. They are usually the most technically competent person but struggle with people skills
B. They are not always the project sponsor, sometimes an outside entity (A project sponsor is usually a big part of the project, however)
Which is part of Root Analysis? A. Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies B. Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the "real" problem C. Consider what the organization could enable the customer to do D. None of the above
B. Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the "real" problem
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
B. Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers.
Why are Intangible costs difficult to incorporate into the economic feasibility analysis?
Because they are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers".
What is benchmarking?
Benchmarking refers to studying how other organizations perform a business process in order to improve and better your organization
What are the main categories that should be listed in the Cost-Benefit Analysis?
Benefits, Development Costs, & Operational Costs
What are the three common errors in DFD?
Black Hole, Gray Hole, Miracle
What are three common errors to avoid when creating DFDs?
Black hole error: when a process has inputs but no outputs, Miracles: when a process has outputs but no inputs, and Gray holes: when a process has more outputs than inputs.
Errors to avoid DFD. Determine Each of them
Black holes: process has inputs but no outputs Miracles: process has outputs but no inputs. Gray holes: process has more than outputs than inputs.
What are the three types of requirements?
Business requirements, user requirements, and system requirements.
How do you develop the new system concept in the Analysis Phase?
By analyzing information from requirements gathering along with input from the project sponsor and others
A use case does NOT contain: a. name b. brief description c. cost analysis d. number
C
What is not part of a systems request? a. business value b. business need c. project size d. project sponsor
C
Which of the following is NOT closed-ended questions: a. How many telephone orders are received per day? b. How do customers place orders? c. What are the differences between Apple and Microsoft?
C
Which of the following data flows is false? A. Entity A--> Process--> Entity B B. Data Store--> Process--> Entity A C. Entity A--> Entity B D. Data Store A--> Process--> Data Store B
C Incorrect data flows includes: Entity to Entity Entity to Data Store Data Store to Entity Data Store to Data Store
Which of the following is NOT a developmental cost? A. Consultant fees B. Vendor Installation C. Cloud Storage Fees D. Data Converstion Costs
C - Cloud Storage Fees is an operational cost
Which of the following is an example of a temporal trigger? A) A customer placing an order on an e-commerce website. B) A user uploading a new photo on a social media platform. C) A monthly reminder to pay rent on the first day of each month. D) A security alarm going off when an intruder enters a building.
C) A monthly reminder to pay rent on the first day of each month is an example of a temporal trigger. Temporal triggers are events or actions that occur at specific time intervals, independent of external or user-generated events. In this case, the reminder to pay rent occurs every month on the first day, regardless of whether or not the renter has taken any action. Option A represents an external trigger where a customer places an order on an e-commerce website. Option B represents a user-generated event where the user uploads a new photo on a social media platform. Option D represents an external trigger where a security alarm goes off when an intruder enters a building.
Which analysis strategy requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system? A) Root Cause Analysis B) Problem Analysis C) Duration Analysis D) Outcome Analysis
C) Duration Analysis
What is NOT the three main things that project managers have to balance? A. Cost B. Size C. Benefits D. Time
C. Benefits
Which of the following are not included in the Requirements Definition Document. A. Functional Requirements B. Non-Functional Requirements C. Bullet Points D. Numeric Steps
C. Bullet Points
In regards to process models, which of the following is a specific type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? A. Entity-Relationship (E-R) diagram B. Use Case Sequence (UCS) C. Data Flow Diagram (DFD) D. Integration Definition for Function Modeling (IDEF0)
C. Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
Which element is never included in context diagrams? A. External Entity B. Process C. Data Store D. Data Flows
C. Data Store
Which is not a elements of data Flow Diagrams A. Process B. Data Flow C. Relation D. Data Store E. External Entity
C. Data Store
Which of the following is NOT apart of the SDLC? A. Analysis B. Design C. Development D. Implementation
C. Development
Which of the following addresses errors that may occur in a use case? A. Post Conditions. B. Pre Conditions. C. Exceptions. D. Trigger.
C. Exceptions.
Which strategies are best for creating moderate improvements in effectiveness or efficiencies A. Root Cause Analysis B. Outcome Analysis C. Informal Benchmarking D. Activity Elimination
C. Informal Benchmarking
Which are not non-functional requirements? A. Physical and technical operating environment B. Speed, Capacity, and reliability needs C. Information and Process D. Restrict access and develop securities E. Legal requirements and cultural norms
C. Information and Process
According to the textbook, these methods are great ways to motivate employees, EXCEPT: A. Recognition B. Responsibility C. Money D. Learning new skills
C. Money Most times monetary motivation won't work. The more often you reward team members with money, the more they expect it.
There is ___ requirement(s) that all parts of the system must be decomposed to the same level of DFDs. A. one B. many C. no
C. No
What gathering strategy is NOT best for finding small improvements over current the situation of the system? A. Problem Analysis B. Root Case Analysis C. Outcome Analysis D. All of the above
C. Outcome analysis
Question: Question: In which phase of SDLC do we calculate whether a system will lower costs? A. Analysis B. Design C. Planning D. Implementation
C. Planning
Which of the following is not a type of standards? A. Documentation Standards B. Procedural Standards C. Processing Standards D. User Interface Design Standards
C. Processing Standards
Which of the following is not something project managers have to balance? A. Project Costs B. Project Size C. Project Plan D. Project Time
C. Project Plan
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? A. Higher Quality Products B. Improved Customer Service C. Reduction in Inventory D. Better Supplier Relations
C. Reduction in Inventory
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? A. Increase market share B. Higher quality product C. Reduction in inventory D. Better relations
C. Reduction in inventory Because tangible benefits include revenue that system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales. Cost saving would be included as well. While, Intangibles are based on intuition rather than "hard numbers")
Which of the following is something a project manager does not have to balance in a project? Size Time Risk Cost
C. Risk Risk is one of the characteristics of a project. The rest include size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope and economic value. Project Size, Project Time, and Project Costs are items that a project manager needs to balance.
Which gathering strategy listed is best for finding small improvements over current situations? A. Informal Benchmarking B. Document Analysis C. Root Cause Analysis D. Duration Analysis E. Activity Estimation
C. Root Cause Analysis
Which describes Questionnaires? A. Most important and most used fact-finding technique B. Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analysts C. Special-purpose documents that allow the analyst to collect information and opinions from respondents. D. All of the above
C. Special-purpose documents that allow the analyst to collect information and opinions from respondents.
Which of the following is NOT a type of requirement discussed in class? A. User Requirement B. Business Requirement C. Standards Requirement D. System Requirement
C. Standards Requirement
A key concept of this model is that as requirements are specified and components are designed, testing for those elements is also defined A. Parallel B. Iterative C. V-Model D. Agile
C. V-Model
Which of the following is NOT a data flow diagram element? A. data flow B. process C. internal entity D. external entity E. data store
C. internal entity
which of the following is an example of a step in a level 1 diagram? A.) 1.2.2 B.) 4 C.) 2.1 D.) 3.14
C.) 2.1
Tangible Benefits
Can be quantified and measured easily
What is Outcome Analysis?
Centers on understanding the best outcome/result the customer truly values and desires. This is typically not obvious.
One of the goals in Analysis Phase is:
Collect and Analyze Requirements. Develop new system concept and describe new system with analysis model.
What is the System Specification?
Collection of deliverables (architecture design, interface design, database and file specifications, and program design) - part of the Design Phase
PPM Software
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval.
What does Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software do?
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval.
Key aspects of working on a team (3C's)
Communication, Conveyance, Convergence
What is a benefit of project portfolio management?
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions
What is the benefit of Project Portfolio Management (PPM)?
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions.
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering
How DFDs are organized into levels (Context, Level 0, Level 1, etc.) and how to number the processes in each level
Context (start with # 0) diagram decomposes into Level 0 diagram with includes the System and Entities DO NOT include data stores. Level 0 (start with # 1) diagram each decomposes into separate level 1 diagrams with all the flows, data stores, entities, and each of the multiple processes. Start with Level 1 Level 1 (start with # 1.1) shows the internal process that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram. Create a level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram. Level 2 (start with # 1.1.1)
You will never see a data store in what?
Context Diagram
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects
Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic Value
Project managers always face tradeoffs among three critical aspects of a project. What are they?
Cost, Size, Time
What is an example of an external trigger?
Customer placing an order
Which of the following is NOT part of the three steps of the basic process of analysis? a. The as-is-system b. The to-be system c. Identify improvements d. Identify constraints
D
which is a type of feasibility analysis? a. scope b. waterfall method c. business process management d. economic
D
The _____ is generated by the department or person that has an idea for a new information system. A) economic feasibility analysis B) requirements document C) project charter D) system request E) project plan
D) system request
Which of the following is not a common error when creating DFDs? A) Black hole B) Miracle C) Gray hole D) Data hole
D) Data hole
What is the main purpose of a System Request? A. Describes business reasons for project B. Defines system's expected value C. Forces the sponsor to formalize his/her ideas D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Which of the following statements are true about use cases? A. They help understand the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals B. They are used to derive more detailed functional requirements for the new system C. They show how the users view the process (external or functional view) D. All of the above
D. All of the above
In which phase of SDLC do we determine the business needs for an information systems project? A. Design B. Planning C. Implementation D. Analysis
D. Analysis
Which of the following is not a type of information normally included in a use case? A. Exceptions B. Actor C. Trigger D. Budget constraints
D. Budget constraints
Which are not elements of a use case? A. Normal Course B. Postconditions C. Preconditions D. Expectations E. Trigger
D. Expectations
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? A. Technical feasibility B. Economic/Financial feasibility C. Organizational feasibility D. Managerial feasibility
D. Managerial feasibility
All of the following are true about observations EXCEPT: A. Data gathered is more reliable B. They are usually inexpensive C. People can perform differently when being observed D. No interruptions could occur during observation
D. No interruptions could occur during observation There are certain types of interruptions that CAN occur during an observation.
Which of the following strategies is best for redesigning whole processes? A. Problem Analysis B. Activity-Based Costing C. Informal Benchmarking D. Outcome Analysis
D. Outcome Analysis
What is one of the roles of a project manager? A. To develop the new system by themselves B. Make sure the project is moving slowly C. Serve as a secondary form of contact for the project team D. Serve as the primary point of contact for the project team
D. Serve as the primary point of contact for the project team
Which of the following is NOT a "don't" of motivating employees? A. Assigning unrealistic deadlines B. Maintaining poor working conditions C. Ignoring Good efforts D. Showing appreciation for solid work effort.
D. Showing appreciation for solid work effort.
Which is NOT one of the elements of a systems request? A. Project Sponsor B. Business Need C. Business Requirements D. Staffing Plan
D. Staffing plan
Which of the following is true? A. Throwaway prototyping perform the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback B. System prototyping is used to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system. C. Throwaway prototyping continues until the analysts, users, and sponsors agree that the prototype provides enough functionality to be installed and used in the organization. D. System prototyping is a "quick and dirty" version of the system and provides minimal features.
D. System prototyping is a "quick and dirty" version of the system and provides minimal features.
Which methodology is simple and straightforward and improves the overall quality of the systems through its emphasis on early development of test plans? A. Waterfall Development B. Iterative Development C. Parallel Development D. V-Model
D. V-Model
Which of the following is not a common DFD error? A. Miracle B. Black Hole C. Gray Hole D. Wrong Direction
D. Wrong Direction
Which one of the following is an example of a development cost: A. User training B. cloud storage fees C. software licensing fees D. consultant fees
D. consultant fees
Which of the Following is NOT one of the three feasibility analyses? A: Organization B: Economic C: Technical D: Operational
D: Operational
Which one of these are not a Project Management Software A: Project.net B: Hewlett Packard's Project and Portfolio Management C: Primavera Systems' ProSight D: Visio
D: Visio
What is a DFD Fragment?
DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a DFD diagram
What are the do's and don'ts of motivating employees?
DO's: use intrinsic rewards Recognition- plaque, company posts you on social media Achievement The work itself- get to work on something new, job is something new Responsibility- employees like responsibility and challenges Advancement- advancing in their career, getting that promotion DON'TS: Assign unrealistic deadlines- staff/team won't work as hard to meet deadline since they all think its impossible Ignore good efforts- someone doesn't get recognized Accept a low-quality product Give everyone on the project the same raise Make an important decision without the team's input Maintain poor working conditions
What data flow diagram element represents an arrow?
Data Flow
Which of the following is the glue that holds the processes together in a DFD? - Process - Data Flow -Data Store -External Entity
Data Flow
A collection of information who's file name must be a noun and is assigned an identification number and a description is referred to as a
Data Store
What data flow diagram element represents an open-ended rectangle?
Data Store
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data Store
Which element of the DFD is never included in the Context Diagram?
Data Store
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data Store. "Data stores usually are not included on the context diagram, unless they are "owned" by systems or processes other than the one being documented."
What is a popular technique for creating process models?
Data flow diagramming.
What is a Project Charter?
Describes project's objectives and rules.
What happens after the analysis phase?
Design Phase
What is the difference between developmental and operational costs?
Developmental costs are those that occur during the project when it's being built or acquired. Operational costs are costs that are still ongoing.
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees?
Do's: Use intrinsic rewards, Recognition, Achievement, The work itself, Responsibility, Advancement, Chance to learn new skills Don'ts: Assign unrealistic deadlines, Ignore good efforts, Accept a low-quality product, Give everyone on the project the same raise, Make an important decision without the team's input, Maintain poor working conditions
Do's and Don't for motivating employees
Do: recognition, achievement in work itself, responsibility, advancement, chance to learn new skills, free dinner, awards Don't: assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore good efforts, create low-quality products, give everyone on the project a equal raise, make important decisions w/out team's input, poor working conditions
What technologies are you strongly recommend you to learn, to help you in both individual work as well as to help you collaborate more effectively in team work?
Dropbox
What is Duration Analysis?
Duration analysis requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system. It's a measurement of the sensitivity of the market value of a bank's assets and liabilities to changes in interest rates.
At minimum, a project work plan should have what four elements?
Duration of task, current status, task dependencies, key milestones.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four main elements/symbols in the type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? A) Data store (open rectangle) B) Process (rounded rectangle or circle) C) External entity (or agent) (rectangle) D) Data flow (arrow) E) Customer (triangle)
E) Customer (triangle) The four main elements/symbols in the DFD discussed in Chapter 5 are data store, process (or event), external entity (or agent), and data flow.
Which of the following is not a behavioral property a system must have in nonfunctional requirements? A. Operational B. Performance C. Security D. Cultural and political E. All are required
E. All are required
Elements of a use case - names and purpose of each Basic information (use case)
Each use case has a name and number Priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance of the use case in the overall system Actor is the person, software or device that interacts with the system Trigger, the event that causes the use case to begin Preconditions (use case) Define the state the system must be in before the use case commences Normal course (use case) The list of steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system Postconditions (use case) Describes what state the system is left in after the use case is finished, which also serves to define the preconditions for the next use case Exceptions (use case) Describe any error conditions or exceptions that may occur as the use case steps are performed
What are the basic elements of a use case?
Each use case has a name, number, and brief description. Priority may also be assigned to indicate the relative significance. Actor refers to a person that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal. Trigger for t he use case are the events that causes the use case to begin (can be external and temporal)
What are benefits of business process management?
Enhanced process agility Process alignment with industry "best practices" Increased process efficiencies
What are exceptions?
Error conditions encountered while performing use case steps.
Chemical is no longer approved for use. What type of use case element is this?
Exceptions
Temporal vs External triggers
External - not time-based ex: customer places an order Temporal - time-based ex: weekly payroll due date
What are the triggers used in Use Case
External and Temporal
What are two types of event triggers?
External and Temporal
Exceptions come before postconditions in a use case
FALSE
TRUE/FALSE: Technical risk analysis strives to answer the question: "Should we build the system?"
FALSE: Technical risk analysis strives to answer the question "Can we build it?"
(T/F) One entity can be connected by a data flow to another entity.
False
A JAD session requires the least user time, effort, and coordination to complete out of all the requirements elicitation techniques. T/F
False
A common error in which a process processes information and outputs something different is known as a Miracle. (True/False)
False
All use cases have to be in Fully-Dressed use case format?
False
Cases use non functional requirements. (True/False) A. True B. False
False
Cases uses are non-functional requirements (T/F)
False
Creating a condensed version of the use case to share with others is one of the four main steps in creating use cases. T/F?
False
External agents send or receive data for your progress and they also perform information processing activities. (True/False)
False
Follow-up questions are discouraged after interviews with project sponsors.
False
Normal course includes only actor in system response
False
Scope creep is not a common reason for schedule and/or cost overruns (T/F)
False
System flowcharts use only four symbols
False
T or F: The project sponsor is the systems analyst nor the project manager.
False
T/F Requirements determination is performed to transform the system request's lower-level statement of business requirements into a more detailed, precise list of what the new system must do to provide the needed value to the business.
False
T/F A data store is present in a context level DFD
False
T/F System prototyping includes the development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system.
False
T/F, The DFD fragment is the outline for how the should be completed DFD to fulfill product requirements
False
T/F: Context Level diagrams are comprised of External Entities, Data Flows, Datastores and one Process?
False
T/F: DFDs only represent "normal courses".
False
The Implementation phase is the phase that usually gets the most attention in the SDLC because for most systems it is the shortest and most cheapest single part of the development process. T/F
False
The system analyst has no interaction with the customer or client?
False
The three RAD development are Iterative development, System Prototyping, and System Implementation
False
The work plane is the deliverable at the end of the analyst phase. True/False
False
There are data stores present in a context-level diagram.
False
There are only 0 and 1 Levels to a DFD.
False
True or False Processes can consume or create data
False
True or False. Only allowing managers access to staff personnel records in a system is a functional requirement.
False
True or False: A project sponsor is one who one oversees the project and provides key requirements.
False
True or False: Budget constraints is a type of information normally included in a use case
False
True or False: CASE stands for "Computer-Aided Staff Engineering."
False
True or False: Operational costs include hardware and software
False
True or False: The process part of a DFD requires a description.
False
True or False: The processes in DFDs do not necessarily need to be sequential
False
True or False: Waterfall development is more effective than Agile Development when facing a shorter deadline
False
True or False? A data store is always included in context diagrams.
False
True or false: In a Data Flow Diagram, a Process consumes and creates data.
False
True or false: The Data Flow Diagram has to be perfect the first time you create it, as you cannot edit it later.
False
True or false: The project sponsor is the one in charge of the project and can also be known as the project manager.
False
True/False | An IT is always a Project Sponsor.
False
True/False: A project sponsor is always included on a use case?
False
True/False: You can always catch up when a Target Date is missed
False
Uses cases don't perform in sequence. T/F
False
customer is one of the four main elements in the type of diagram (T/F)
False
True or False: DFD level 1 Diagram shows all the major steps that compromise the overall system
False, Level 0 Diagram shows all the major steps.
True or False. The person funding the project is always the project sponsor.
False.
A data flow always need a description. T/F
False. Sometimes there is no input or output needed between processes
A system must have the ability to formulate reports based on data inputed into the system. This would be an example of a functional or non-functional requirement?
Functional
What is the difference between nonfunctional and functional requirements?
Functional requirements explains how the system must work and the two types of ways are through process and information. Nonfunctional requirements explains how the system should perform such as behavioral properties including operational, performance, security, and cultural and political.
Two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements
Functional: - Process-oriented: a process the system must perform; a process the system must do - Information-oriented: information the system must contain Non-functional: - Operational: the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate - Performance: the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system - Security: who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances - Cultural and Political: cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
Two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements
Functional: o A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task, or o Information the system should provide as the user performs a task Non-Functional: o Operational - physical and technical operating environment o Performance - speed, capacity, and reliability needs o Security - access restrictions, needed safeguards o Cultural and political - legal requirements, cultural norms, etc.
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
Functional: Characteristics the system should have. They begin to define how the system will support the user in completing a task Non-functional: How the system should be built. The quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have.
Logical process models
Generally omit any processes that simply move data and leave the data unchanged. Ex- Perform computations, Make decisions, Organize data, Trigger other Processes.
What are the four phases in the Systems Development Life Cycle?
I. Planning Phase: Fundamental process of understanding why an info system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it II. Analysis Phase: Answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used III. Design Phase: Decides how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure VI. Implementation Phase: When the system will actually be built (or purchased and installed).
When should a post-interview report be written?
Ideally within 48 hours, so information isn't forgotten
How do you make a use case?
Identify the use cases - who, what, when, where Identify the major steps in each use case Identify the elements within each step - triggers, inputs, outputs Confirm the use case - validate
Which phase of the SDLC is the longest and most expensive?
Implementation phase
What are the strengths of Interviews?
Interviewee can response freely and openly to questions, interviewee can be asked for more feedback, questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual, interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed.
What are the 5 main requirement elicitation techniques?
Interviews JAD sessions Questionnaires Document Analysis Observation
Strengths and weaknesses of each of the 5 gathering techniques (interviews, JAD, etc.)
Interviews the most commonly used requirements gathering technique. Usually if you need to know something, you ask someone Joint Application Development (JAD) A gathering technique that allows project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system Questionnaires A set of written questions for obtaining information from individuals Document Analysis The project team will use any existing documentation of the old system to exam the system Observation The act of watching processes being performed, is a powerful tool to gain insight into the as-is system. It enables the analyst to see the reality of the situation, rather than listening to others describe it in interviews or JAD sessions
Which Requirements Elicitation Technique provides a high/large depth of information?
Interviews and JAD sessions
Which gathering techniques provide the highest depth of information?
Interviews and JAD sessions
What is a fully dressed use case?
It is a use case that is very thorough, detailed, and highly structured. There are also more sections that is added for more emphasis such as alternative courses, inputs and outputs for steps, as well as summary inputs and outputs.
What purpose does a context-level diagram serve?
It shows the entire system in context with the environment from a top level. From there, it breaks off into more detailed DFDs.
Why are waterfall-based methodologies the worst in time constraints?
It's difficult to change schedules.
What are the 3 RAD approaches?
Iterative Development, System Prototyping, Throw-away Prototyping
What information gathering technique did IBM develop in the late '70's to collect information from users?
Joint Application Development (JAD)
How do you correctly number a Level 1 process?
Level 1 processes always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.)
What is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
List of tasks hierarchically numbered. That uses a top-down approach with high lvl tasks defined first, then further broken down into subtasks. A project work plan is managed in the WBS.
A __________ data model shows the organization of data without indicating how it is stored, created or manipulated
Logical
A process model that may be manual or computerized is
Logical Process Model
What is the difference between a logical and a physical process model?
Logical defines business rules, while physical defines the physical information needed for a business.
What's the con of an analyst's work?
Management's lack of communication/recognition End-user mistakes and demands Stress/pressure/burnout Ever-changing business technology Unrealistic deadlines
The Project Management Software that Microsoft owns is called
Microsoft Project
When do most organizations develop test plans?
Most organizations develop test plans early in the development process
What are the guidelines for creating DFDs?
Never have data flowing from one entity to another Never have data flowing from an entity to a data store Never have data flowing a data store to an entity Never have data flowing from one data store to another *Processes must be in between each
Scope creep
Occurs during project management when changes are continuous or uncontrolled growth in the scope of a project. Typically occurs when a project isn't properly defined, documented, or controlled. Adding additional features or functions of a new product, requirements, or work that is not authorization
What are some of Behavioral properties the system have ?
Operational Performance Security Cultural and political
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "If we build it, will they come?" Explain the factors of this approach.
Organizational Feasibility - Is the project strategically aligned with the business goals? Stakeholder, champion, management, and user support / effort, understanding, and congruence.
A __________ data model shows how the data will actually be stored in databases or files
Physical
What are the 4 steps of SDLC?
Planning Analysis Design Implementation
What are the four stages of the Systems Design Life Cycle?
Planning Analysis Design Implementation
Which phase in the SDLC cycle deals with project initiation and management?
Planning Stage
What are the 4 stages of Systems Development Life Cycle?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the four main processes of the Systems Development Life Cycle?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the four phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the four stages of SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the 4 main phases in SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation.
What are the four stages of SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation
What are the 8 gathering strategies?
Problem analysis Root cause analysis Duration analysis Activity-based analysis Informal benchmarking Outcome analysis Technology analysis Activity elimination
What are the four elements of a DFD?
Process, Data Flow, Data Storage, External Entity
Project managers always face trade-offs among three critical aspects of a project. If one changes, it affects the other two. What are those three critical aspects?
Project Cost, Project Scope, Project Time
Elements of a systems request
Project Sponsor Business Need Business Requirements Business Value Special Issues & Constraints
What are the three trade-offs involved in project management?
Project size, project time, and project cost. Modifying one element requires adjusting the others.
The "pros and cons" of an analyst's work
Pros Challenge, Variety, Constant Change, Problem Solving Cons Management's Lack of Communication/Recognition, End-User Mistakes and Demands, Stress, Pressure, Burnout, Ever-Changing Business Technologies, Unrealistic Demands
What are the pros and cons of an analyst's work?
Pros: Challenge, Technology, Variety, Constant change, Problem Solving Cons: Management's lack of communication/recognition, end-user mistakes and demands, stress/pressure/burnout, ever-changing business technology, unrealistic demands
What are the "pros and cons" of an analysts work?
Pros: Challenging, Technology, Variety, Constant Change, Problem Solving Cons: Management's lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, Stress/pressure/burnout, Ever-changing business technology, Unrealistic deadlines
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team?
Provide awards/recognition -Monetary Rewards is not recommended because employees start to expect a reward every time they do a task and it usually will not improve motivation.
What is RAD?
RAD stands for Rapid Application Development. A form of agile development which emphasizes working software and user feedback over strict planning and requirements recording
What is the return on investment formula?
ROI = (total benefits - total costs)/total costs
How is Return on Investment Calculated?
ROI = Total Benefits - Total Costs / Total Costs A high ROI suggests that the project's benefits far outweigh the project's cost, although exactly what constitutes a "high" ROI is unclear. ROI is commonly used in practice; however, it is hard to interpret and should not be used as the only measure of a project's worth.
How do you calculate ROI?
ROI= Total Benefits - Total Costs / Total Costs
What is RAD an acronym for?
Rapid Application Development
What is an example of a tangible benefit?
Reduction in needed staff = lower salary costs
What happens if the objectives and basic requirements for a project aren't solidified when creating the project?
Scope Creep
What are a few ways of characterizing and/or categorizing projects?
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic Value
What are some ways to characterize projects?
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic Value
how do you characterize projects?
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic value
What are the different ways to characterize/categorize projects?
Size, Cost, Purpose, Length, Risk, Scope, Economic Value
What are the gathering strategies (problem analysis, root cause analysis, etc.)
Small Improvements over current situation: Problem and Root Cause Analysis. Creating moderate improvements in effectiveness: Duration Analysis, Activity-Based Costing, and Informal Bench-marking.Best for redesigning whole processes: Outcome Analysis, Technology Analysis, and Activity Elimination
What are questionnaires?
Special purpose documents that allow analyst to collect information & opinions from respondents
What are strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires?
Strengths: Most can be answered quickly. Relatively inexpensive. Allow individuals to maintain anonymity. Can be tabulated and analyzed quickly. Weaknesses: Response is often low. Incomplete questionnaires returned. Tend to be inflexible. Body language cannot be observed. Cannot clarify a vague or incomplete answer to any question. Difficult to prepare a successful questionnaire.
When does syntax errors occurs in DFD?
Syntax errors occur when DFDs does not follow the rules of DFD
What does SDLC stand for and what is it?
System Development Life Cycle is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system
What are the six different roles as a system analyst?
System analyst Focus: IS issues surrounding the system and have significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming. Function: Develops ideas and suggestions for ways that IT can support and improve business processes, help design new business processes supported by IT, design the new information system, and ensure that all IS standards are maintained. Skills: Significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming Business analyst Focus: Business issues surrounding the system Function: Helps to identify the business value that the system will create, develops ideas for improving the business processes, and helps design new business processes and policies. Skills: Business training and experience, plus knowledge of analysis and design. Requirements analysts Focus: Brings out the requirements from the stakeholders associated with the new system. Skills: Understand the business well, excellent communicators, and are highly skilled in an array of requirements elicitation techniques. Infrastructure Analyst Focus: Technical issues surrounding the ways the system will interact with the organization's technical infrastructure. Function: Ensures that the new information system conforms to organizational standards and helps to identify infrastructure changes that will be needed to support the system. Skills: Networking, database administration, and various hardware and software products. Change Management Analyst Focus: People and management issues surrounding the system installation. Function: Ensures that adequate documentation and support are available to users, provides user training on the new system, and develops strategies to overcome resistance to change. Skills: Organizational behavior and specific expertise in change management. Project Manager Focus: Project is completed on time and within budget and that the system delivers the expected value to the organization. Skills: Seasoned systems analyst with specialized project management knowledge and skills.
What is the deliverable of the analysis phase?
System proposal
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) -Planning： 1. Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 2. Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. -Analysis: 1. Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. Collect and Analyze Requirements: The next step is requirements gathering (e.g., through techniques such as interviews, group workshops, or questionnaires). 3. Prepare and Present System Proposal: The system proposal document is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision-makers (e.g., members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. -Design: 1. Determine Design Strategy: This clarifies whether the company's own programmers will develop the system, whether its development will be outsourced to another firm, or whether the company will buy and install a prewritten software package. 2.Design system components: - Architecture, interface, database, programs - Assemble design elements into System Specification 3. Present to steering committee: Go / No Go decision before entering the final phase -Implementation: 1. System Construction: The system is built and tested to ensure that it performs as designed. 2. System Installation: - Installation is the process by which the old system is turned off and the new one is turned on. - Training. 3. On-going system support: This plan usually includes a formal or informal post-implementation review and a systematic way of identifying major and minor changes needed for the system.
T/F: Each use case describes how an external event triggers some response from the system
T
T/F: Events trigger for use case can be external or temporal
T
(T/F) Data Flow Diagrams focus on logical and physical processes on process modeling of a distinct program
TRUE
A project work plan is the document project managers use to track scheduling, cost, and resources. T/F
TRUE
Context level DFD's do not include data stores
TRUE
TRUE or FALSE: Timeboxing sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced.
TRUE
The Implementation phase is the phase that usually gets the most attention in the SDLC because for most systems it is the longest and most expensive single part of the development process. T/F
TRUE
The process model can document both the to be and as is systems.
TRUE
What is Risk Retention (accept the risk) ?
Take the risk and hold it typically for hazards in a risk matrix's green section.
_________________ include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales.
Tangible benefits
What are Tangible benefits?
Tangible benefits involve new measurable revenue that is collected and made possible by the system, such as increased sales.
Tangible vs intangible benefits; development vs. operational costs
Tangible benefits: can be quantified and measured easily Ex. Sales, reduction in inventory Intangible benefits: result form an intuitive belief that the system provides Ex. Stock, customer relationship Development Costs- Incurred tangible expenses throughout the creation of the project Ex. Upfront costs, team salaries, hardware and software expenses Operational Costs- Tangible costs that are required to operate the system Ex. Upgrades, repairs, licensing, and cloud vendor fees
What are the 6 system analyst skills?
Technical Business Analytical Interpersonal Management Ethical
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical Economical Organizational
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
Technical (can we build it?) Economic (will it provide business value?) Organizational (if we build it, will it be used?)
Feasibility Analysis includes three important categories:
Technical (can we build it?), Economic (will it provide business value, Should we build it?), and Organizational (if we build it, will it be used?)
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organization feasibility
What are two types of event triggers?
Temporal Triggers External Triggers
What is the difference between temporal and external triggers?
Temporal trigger- is a time-based trigger that occurs based on a time frame, rather than an external event. An example might be sending an email about special offers once a week on Tuesday morning or paying a monthly bill External trigger- trigger is an action-based trigger, set in motion by some event outside of the system. An example can be a student requesting a class schedule or swapping shifts with a coworker after being asked
Temporal vs External triggers
Temporal- Time allotted to pay tuition after registering: the time-based trigger that occurs based on time, news updates, time realizes. External triggers: action based, Student drops a course from their schedule.
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include
The Deliverable is the System Proposal. It includes: - Updated feasibility analysis and work plan - Requirement definition document - Use Cases - Process and Data Models and/or OO equivalents
Who is the "actor" on the Use Case?
The actor in a use case is the person(s) responsible for using the database system
Definitions of business needs
The business related reasons for initiating the system
What is a key characteristic of the Waterfall model in Systems Analysis and Design? A. Iterative development B. A sequential, linear approach C. Emphasis on stakeholder collaboration D. Frequent changes in project requirements
The correct answer is B. A sequential, linear approach. The Waterfall model involves a step-by-step process, with each phase being completed before moving on to the next.
What is the primary goal of the Requirements Analysis phase in Systems Analysis and Design? A. To determine the hardware and software requirements for the system B. To identify and document the functional and non-functional requirements of the system C. To create a detailed project plan for the development process D. To test the system to ensure it meets the requirements
The correct answer is B. The primary goal of the Requirements Analysis phase is to identify and document the functional and non-functional requirements of the system, which will serve as the foundation for the system's design and implementation.
Which of the following is an essential skill for a Business Analyst in Systems Analysis and Design? A. Programming expertise B. Graphic design proficiency C. Effective communication D. Network administration
The correct answer is C. Effective communication. Business Analysts must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with various stakeholders, including project sponsors, end-users, and technical team members, to gather requirements and ensure that the system design meets the needs of the organization.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of Systems Analysis and Design? A. To manage software projects B. To create marketing strategies for software products C. To define, design, and implement information systems D. To ensure the security of data in a system
The correct answer is C. Systems Analysis and Design focuses on defining, designing, and implementing information systems to meet the needs of an organization or business.
Which element is never included in context diagrams
The data store
Define the meaning and purpose of the four basic symbols found on a data flow diagram.
The four basic symbols or elements are processes, data flow, data store, and external entities. A process is an activity that is performed for some specific business reason. A data flow is a single fact. A data store is a collection of data. An external entity is a person, organization, organization unit, or system that is external to the system but interacts with it.
What is the goal of a use case analysis?
The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
Definitions of business requirements
The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide
Role of the project sponsor
The person who initiates the project and serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side
What is the planning phase?
The planning phase is a fundamental process that details the why for for building an information system and the steps in how the system will be build. The planning phase entails two steps: 1. Project Initiation identifies the added business value to the business. Most ideas for new systems come from outside the Information System Department and are recorded on a system request. The systems requests documents the business need for building the system and the value that the system will provide through addressing then need. The IS Department will work alongside the project sponsor to conduct a feasibility analysis. The feasibility analysis examines the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility. The system request and feasibility are then presented together to an IS approval committee, who will determine if the project will be undertaken. 2. Project Management is a stage where the project manager will create the project work plan, staff the project, and strategically put techniques in place to help in controlling and directing the project. The project plan is a deliverable for project management that details how the team will develop the system through the systems development life cycle.
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1. During project initiation , the system's business value to the organization is identified— how will it contribute to the organization's future success? 2. Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan , staff s the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC The analysis phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 1. An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. The next step is requirements gathering 3. System proposal: The analyses, system concept, requirements, and models are combined into a document The design phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, soft ware, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. The design phase has four steps: 1. design strategy 2. architecture design 3. database and file specifications 4. program design The final phase in the SDLC is the implementation phase , during which the system is actually built (or purchased and installed if the design calls for a prewritten soft ware package). This phase has three steps: 1. System construction 2. Installation 3. Support plan
Who is generally appointed to lead the project once it is approved?
The project manager
Why might the project sponsor not be someone who works in IT?
The project sponsor has to make sure that the project aligns with the business needs and the business perspective, which at times, the person in IT might not be the best fit. It is better to have someone who is apart of the business functions in the organization such as someone who works in the Marketing department.
What is the purpose of a use case?
The purpose is to create use cases that describe all tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.
What does each category of the feasibility analysis explain? What are they?
The three are: Technical feasibility (Can we build it) so the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group. It measures how well the proposed system solves the problems stated by the customer. Economic feasibility (Will it provide business value) Organizational feasibility (If we build it can it be used?)
Fully dressed use case
The use case is very thorough, detailed, and highly structured.
How many gathering strategies are there?
There are 8 gathering strategies: Problem analysis Root cause analysis Duration analysis Activity-based analysis Informal benchmarking Outcome analysis Technology analysis Activity elimination
What does the DFD hierarchy mean?
This means that processes that are on a Level 0 DFD will decompose into another Level 1 DFD. In addition, the processes on the Level 1 DFD may or may not decompose into a Level 2 DFD.
What is timeboxing?
This technique sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if the functionality needs to be reduced
what is timeboxing?
Timeboxing delivers the system by that deadline, no matter what!
Temporal vs external triggers
Trigger: The event that causes the use case to begin Temporal: A time-based event • A video overdue at the video store • Time to pay the rent - Monthly Utility bills External Triggers: An event that is out of your control • A customer placing an order • The fire alarm ringing, customer has the final payment for the vehicle • A pending offer is created, and the sales manager is notified • Customer decides to make an offer on a vehicle
external triggers
Triggers caused by external factor or event, such as a buyer makes a purchase for inventory, a customer proceeds a transaction, etc.
(T/F)To best prevent Scope Creep, Implement a formal change approval process
True
A use case that is fully dressed is one that is very thorough, detailed, and highly structured to help more fully explain the user-system interactions that flows in or out of the steps. (True/False)
True
All data stores must have at least one input data flow unless they are created and maintained by another information system. (True/False)
True
An example of a Process-oriented functional requirement could be "the system must allow registered customers to review their own histor for the past 3 years". True or False?
True
Assign realistic deadlines is considered "DO" when motivating employee. True/False
True
Assigning project team members is a combination of finding people with the appropriate skill sets and finding people who are available. (True/False)
True
Cost-benefit analysis is commonly referred to as economic feasibility. (True/False)
True
Data Flow Diagrams can sometimes flow directly from use cases. (True/False)
True
Data stores form the starting point for the data model and form the logical connection between the process model and the data model. (True/False)
True
Either systems prototyping or throwaway prototyping is generally a good methodology choice when the project has unclear user requirements. True or False?
True
Every external entity has a name and a description. True or False
True
Exceptions are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps.
True
Functional requirements describes what a system should do, while non-functional requirements describe a systems characteristics (i.e. Operation system, speed, storage...etc.)
True
In a data flow diagram (DFD), two parallel lines represent the data store symbol.
True
In order for data to flow, they must be moved by a process (T / F)
True
Is the goal of use case to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system?
True
JADs help overcome certain group issues, but also create other potential issues (T / F)
True
Level 1 processes always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) T/F
True
Normal course include actions of both actor and system in response
True
Parallel methodology assessment reduces the need for rework
True
Preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case commences. T/F
True
Preconditions must be completed before beginning the use case (true/false)
True
Project Management is the process of planning and controlling the project within a specific time frame, cost, and desired outcomes. (T or F)
True
Project Managers have to balance project size, project cost, and project time. True or False
True
Project sponsors are often from a marketing, accounting, or finance business function.
True
System prototyping performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback True or False
True
System request is a document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value the system is expected to provide. (T or F.)
True
T/F Another name for information systems approval committee is a steering committee.
True
T/F The processes in DFDs do not necessarily need to be sequential, especially in the Level 0 diagram.
True
T/F Timeboxing ensures that project teams do not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely, and it satisfies the business by providing a product within a relatively fast time frame.
True
T/F Preconditions in a use case define what state the system must be in order for the use case process to begin.
True
T/F Use cases are a methodology used to identify and organize system requirements.
True
T/F Every external entity has a unique name that is a noun
True
T/F Rapid application development (RAD) is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations
True
T/F Use cases convey only the user's point of view.
True
T/F: A project charter lists the project's norms and ground rules
True
T/F: Data Flows cannot exist between two External Entities?
True
T/F: Data sT/F: Data stores are an element never included in a Context Diagram.tores are an element never included in a Context Diagram.
True
T/F: The top level DFD in every business proccess model, whether manual or computerized system, is the context diagram
True
The data flows that exist in one level of DFD should be accurately represented in the next level DFD.
True
The project charter describes the project's objectives and rules. (T/F)
True
The top-level DFD in every business process model is the context diagram? T/F
True
There needs to be a process between two external entities. You cannot have data flow directly from one entity to another.
True
Throwaway prototyping is a method for exploring design alternatives (T/F)
True
Timeboxing ensures that the teams do not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely (T/F)
True
True of False: A process must include a name that starts with a verb and ends with a noun.
True
True or False When there are no events, the system is at rest.
True
True or False, A priority (in a use case) indicates the relative significance of the use case in the overall system.
True
True or False, Rapid application development is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations.
True
True or False, The Parallel Methodology will have sub-projects and the Iterative Methodology will have various releases.
True
True or False- The V-model is another variation of waterfall development that pays more explicit attention to testing.
True
True or False. A process can lead to another process.
True
True or False. A process in a DFD must have a name in verb phase.
True
True or False: Organizational Feasibility looks to see if it strategically aligned with the business
True
True or False: The goal of the Analysis Phase is to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirement.
True
True or False: Use Cases describe what a user is trying to accomplish with a system.
True
True or False: All data stores must have at least one input data flow, unless they are created and maintained by another information system.
True
True or False: All projects have feasibility risks.
True
True or False: External agents do not perform information processing activities
True
True or False: Identify improvements is one of the three main steps of the analysis phase
True
True or False: Logical Process models cannot reveal if a process is computerized or manual.
True
True or False: Normal course includes actions of both actor and system in response
True
True or False: One of the pros of an analyst's work is problem solving
True
True or False: One of the pros of an analyst's work is problem-solving
True
True or False: Problem analysis and root causes analysis are best for finding small improvements over current situation.
True
True or False: Root cause analysis focuses on problems first rather than solutions
True
True or False: There are two fundamentally different types of problems that can occur in DFDs: syntax errors and semantics errors
True
True or False: Use Cases describe what a user is trying to accomplish with a system.
True
True or False: Use cases are means of expressing user requirements?
True
True or False: Use cases are useful to clarify requirements.
True
True or False: Use cases convey only the user's point of view
True
True or False: Use cases define the expected interaction between users and system.
True
True or False: When assessing risk, both the probability of the event occurring and the potential impact of the event should be considered in detail.
True
True or False? The point of the business process management is to look at a how the organization is carrying a process and determine if there are ways to improve it.
True
True or false - Data flow diagrams start with the information in the use cases and the requirements definition.
True
True or false - The context diagram defines how the business process or computer system interacts with its environment.
True
True or false: In Level 1 Diagrams, the first number is the number assigned to the parent process and the number after the decimal is the individual number assigned to the child process
True
True or false: Each use case describes how an event triggers some response from the system.
True
True or false: Processes on Level 1 diagrams may or may not be decomposed into separate Level 2 diagrams
True
True or false: The deliverable from the analysis phase is both an analysis and a high-level initial design for the new system
True
True or false: a process can be manual or computerized.
True
True or false? A functional system is a statement of what the system must do.
True
True/False Tangible benefits entail increased sales, reduction in costs, reductions in staff.
True
True/False The project sponsor is a person or group who owns the project and provides resources and support for the project, program or portfolio in order to enable its success.
True
True/False. Considering extensive user meetings and/or prototypes early in the project is an example of how to manage scope.
True
True/False: Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
True
True/False: risk management is the process of assessing and addressing the risks that are associated with developing a project
True
Usually, the sponsor of the project is from a business function such as marketing, accounting, or finance; however, members of the IT area also can sponsor or cosponsor a project. True or False?
True
When a strong business need for an information system is recognized, often as a result of BPM, a person (or group) who has an interest in the system's success typically steps forward. We call this person (or group) the project sponsor.
True
When reading a logical process model, you will not be able to tell whether a process is computerized or manual. True or False
True
With waterfall development, the project team proceeds sequentially from one phase to the next. True or false
True
You should use a Fully-Dressed Use Case Format when Users are not closely engaged with development team? True/False?
True
T/F: The normal course can contain "branches" if different possibilities arise.
True.
What are the two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements?
Two Types of Functional Requirements 1.) Process-Oriented: A process the system must perform; a process the system must do. It suggests a direct action resulting from an external or temporal event Ex.) The system must allow registered customers to review their own order history for the past 3 years; The system must check incoming customer orders for inventory availability; The system should allow students to view course schedules while registering for classes 2.) Information-Oriented: Information the system must contain. It suggests things that happen involving information or time triggers to collect or produce information Ex.) The system must retain customer order history for 3 years; The system must include real-time inventory levels at all warehouses; The system must include budgeted and actual sales and expense amount for the current year and 3 previous years. Four types of Nonfunctional Requirements 1.) Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate. Ex.) The system will run on Android mobile devices; The system should be able to integrate with the existing inventory system; The system should be compatible with any Web browser. 2.) Performance: The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system. Ex.) Any interaction between the user and the system should not exceed 2 seconds; The system downloads new status parameters within 5 minutes of a change; The system should be available for use 24 hours per day, 365 days per year; The system supports 300 simultaneous users from 9-11 a.m.; 150 simultaneous users at all other times. 3.) Security: Who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances, and who has the right credentials? Ex.) Only direct managers can see staff personnel records; Technicians can see only their own work assignments; The system includes all available safeguards from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc. 4.) Cultural and Political: Cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system. Ex.) The system should be able to distinguish between US currency and currency from other nations; Company policy is to buy computers only from Dell; Country managers are permitted to authorize custom user interfaces within their units; Personal information is protected in compliance with the Data Protection Act.
How many phases does the Planning phase have? What are they?
Two; Project initiation and Project Management. Project initiation identifies the systems business value to the organization and Project Management is the phase where the project manager creates a workplan, staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project.
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase (e.g., Understand current system, etc.)
Understand the current situation ("As-Is" system) Identify improvements Define requirements and concepts for the new system ("To-Be" system)
What are some of the USE Case functional requirement?
Use cases can help to make requirements more clear. One of the main contributions of the system analyst is to Transfer the user's view into the developer's view.
How does a use case analysis help users?
Use cases clarify certain user requirements and illustrate the activities performed between the users in the systems and the system's responses. It describes all the tasks the users need to perform.
How should a DFD fragment be organized?
Usually the process is placed in the middle with the major inputs entering from the left side or top and outputs leaving from the right or the bottom.
Names, goals, and general strengths and weaknesses of each of the 7 development methodologies discussed
Waterfall Parallel V-Model Iterative System Prototyping Throwaway Prototyping Agile
What are the different 7 developmental methodologies?
Waterfall, Parallel, V-Model, Iterative, System Prototyping, Throwaway Prototyping, Agile
What causes risk in risk management?
Weak personnel, scope creep, poor design, and overly optimistic estimates.
What does it mean for a DFD to be balanced?
When a DFD is balanced, it means that all information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next level.
Criteria to consider when selecting a development methodology:
Whether the system has unclear user requirements, has a short time schedule, and is complex
Did you read/skim over any chapters, review the online lectures, and/or do any studying for the midterm? Please answer honestly.
YES. DON'T BE LAZY AND GO DO IT.
Is it critically important to reassess feasibility throughout the project?
Yes! We will be working with "living documents" which require change over time. When new information comes forward, we must reassess and update our information.
Can a systems analyst be a project sponsor?
Yes, but not always
What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
a hierarchy of the tasks required to complete a project and it is the backbone of the project work plan. Can be organized in one of two ways: by SDLC phase of by product
Parallel Development
a variation that evolved from the Waterfall model to address the long time between proposal and completion. pros: reduces time to deliver a system cons: still lots of deliverables
2. What is not a con of analyst's work?
a) management's lack of communication/recognition b) end-user mistakes and demands c) pressure/stress/burnout d) ever-changing business technology e) unrealistic deadlines f) None of the above
What is not a con of analyst's work?
a) management's lack of communication/recognition b) end-user mistakes and demands c) pressure/stress/burnout d) ever-changing business technology e) unrealistic deadlines f) None of the above
What is IIBA stand for? a. International Institute of Business Analysis b. Intelligent Institute of Business Analysis c. International Institute of Business Acknowledge d. Important International of Business Analysis
a. International Institute of Business Analysis
One of the outcomes of using a use case is:
all the tasks that users need to perform using the system are described in a simple format
Which is the first step in building a Data Flow Diagram? a)Identify the internal entities b)Identify the external entities c)Identify high-level processes. d)Identify a user's needs.
b
During an interview... you should not: a) Take Notes b) Be afraid to ask for clarification c) Send interview summary as soon as possible d) Be aware of non-nonverbal cues
b) Be afraid to ask for clarification
A _____ represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's response. a) business scenario b) use case c) system request d) project work plan
b) use case
What is a process model, as discussed in Chapter 5? a. A table listing the various processes that are to be automated by the system b. A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate c. A process that is exemplary in the industry (a "best practice") to be implemented in a system
b. A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate
Which of the following are ways to manage risk? a. Technical, Economic, Organizational b. Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance c. Denial, Bargaining, Acceptance
b. Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
Which of these is a tangible benefit? a. Improved customer service b. Better supply prices c. Higher-quality products d. None of the above
b. Better supply prices
What is NOT a "pro"(like) of an analysts work? a. Variety b. Management Lack of Communication. c. Problem Solving d. Challenge
b. Management Lack of Communication.
A calculation that measures the average rate of return earned on money invested in a project. a. Discounted Cash Flow Technique b. ROI c. Break-Even Point d. None of the above
b. ROI
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the System Analyst Role? a. Analyzing the business situation b. Requests a project via a System Request c. Identifying opportunities for improvements d. Designing an information system to implement the improvements
b. Requests a project via a System Request
Newegg identifying inventory shortage on Skylake-based Core i7 processors through the approach of a. Problem analysis b. Root cause analysis c. Outcome analysis d. System Proposal
b. Root cause analysis - process of discovering the root causes of problems in order to identify appropriate solutions.
Which of the following is NOT a step in the Systems Development Life Cycle? a. Planning b. Implementation c. Execution d. Analysis
c. Execution
Which of the following is NOT a step in the Systems Development Life Cycle? a. Planning b. Implementation c. Execution d. Analysis
c. Execution
The data store element is never included in ________ diagrams.
context
what are the three things a manager must balance?
cost, size, and time
Time Boxing is not helpful in all of these situations except? a) A flexible deadline is set b) High quality is stressed c) Other functions will be added later d) B and C only e) all the above
d) B and C only
Which of the following is NOT a reason why approximately 50% of large system development projects fail? a) Missed deadlines b) Poor planning c) Excessive scope creep d) Big data
d) Big Data
During which phase of the SDLC is the system actually built? a)Planning b)Analysis c)Design d)Implementation
d) Implementation
What are the important concepts of the science of project management? The science of project management is in making trade-offs among three important concepts: a. The size of the system b. The time to complete the project c. The cost of the project. d. All above
d. All above
what element is never included in context diagrams
data store
Which of the following is not a role of system analysts? a. Research problems b. Plan solutions c. Recommend software and systems that lead to the function level d. Coordinate development to meet business requirements e. All the above are roles of system analysts
e. All the above are roles of system analysts
Tangible benefits
easy to quantify and typically measured to determine the success or failure of a project
What are the three elements of an Entity relationship diagram?
entities, attributes, relationships
Duties of a project manager
has the primary responsibility for managing the hundreds of tasks and roles that need to be carefully coordinated
Throwaway Prototyping
includes the development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than the actual new system pros: 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 cons: it may take longer to deliver the final system compared with system prototyping
Which one of these are not one of the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle? A) Planning B) analysis C) design D) implementation E) none of the above
none of the above
What are the Duties of a project manager?
project management phases consist of initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure.
5 elements of a system request
project sponsor business need business requirements business value special issues or constraints
Waterfall Development
project team proceeds sequentially from one phase to the next pros: requirements are identified long before programming begins, requirement changes are limited as the project progresses cons: the design must be completely specified before programming begins, long time between system proposal and completion, and little to no testing of the system
What is the most common reason for schedule and cost overruns occurring after the project is underway?
scope creep
Which document describes the reason for a building a system and the value is it expected to provide
system request
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
technical feasibility, operational feasibility, & economic feasibility.
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating...
the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
what is a developmental cost?
thought of as a one-time cost ex. training
True or False: All data stores must have at least one input data flow unless they are created and maintained by another information system.
true
Temporal vs external triggers
xternal - events that occur outside system
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
• Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). • Identify improvements. • Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
Project manager
Once a project is approved, someone must be appointed to lead the project, who is that person?
Assign unrealistic deadlines, Ignore good efforts, Create a low-quality product, Give everyone on the project a raise, Make an important decision without the team's input, Maintain poor working conditions
"Don'ts" when motivating employees
functional (information)
"Provide monthly rankings of salesperson performance" is a ________ (_______) system requirements.
False - level 2 processes always have two "dots" 6.4 is a level 1 process
(T/F) While diagram numbering 6.4 is a level 2 process.
What is activity elimination?
- Identify what would happen if each organizational activity were eliminated - Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated, even if it seems preposterous - work to eliminate non-value added activities - it's best for redesigning the whole processes or "overhauling the whole system"
b. ROI
A calculation that measures the average rate of return earned on money invested in a project. a. Discounted Cash Flow Technique b. ROI c. Break-Even Point d. None of the above
The four stages of SDLC are planning, analysis, design, and implementation. The planning phase focuses on questions like why you are building the system and how the project will be structured. Analysis focuses on questions like the who, what, where, when and why of the project. Design is more about how the system itself will work, and implementation is focusing on what the end result will be when everything is put into place.
4 stages of SDLC:
What should be established in a Project Charter?
1. Availability: When can you meet or complete work? 2. Status reporting: What are the individual deadlines? 3. Meetings: How often? What days? In-person or online? 4. Documentation storage: Where do we store our files?
The SDLC is the systems development life cycle and is made up of four stages. These stages are: 1. Planning, this stage is where we find out why the system should be built and we determine how the team will go about building it. 2. Analysis, in this stage we answer the following queations; who will be using the system, what the system will do, as well as where and when the system will be used. 3. Design, the design phase dtermies how the system will operate in technical terms. These include, hardware, software, and network infastructure. 4. Implementation, this is the phase in which the system is actually built. This phase includes system construction, installation, and support.
4 Stage of the SDLC:
Top-level DFD in every process model Shows the context into which the business process fits Shows the overall business process as just 1 process (process "zero") Shows all external entities that received information from or contributed to the system
1. Describe the Context Diagram
The project work plan is a table that lists all the tasks in the work breakdown structure, along with important task information such as the people who are assigned to perform the tasks, the actual hours that the tasks took, and the variances between estimated and actual completion times.
1. What is the project work plan?
b
1.Which is not a business need identified by BPM? a)Business Process Reengineering b)Business Process Modeling c)Business Process Automation d)Business Process Improvement
Process: the system should perform Information: the system should provide
2 types of functional system requirements
Project Size Project Length Project Cost Modifying 1 requires adjusting of the other 2
3 main things project managers need to balance
Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility
3 types of feasibility
B. Increased market share
3. Which one of the following is the example of intangible benefits? A. Increased sale B. Increased market share C. Reduction in IT costs D. Increased in marketing expense
requirement
A business _____ is a need that must be fulfilled in order attain the goals
seven
A complex use case is one that has more than _____ unique transactions.
project manager
Once a project is approved, the _________ is appointed to lead the project.
TRUE
A JAD session requires the most user time, effort, and coordination to complete out of all the requirements elicitation techniques. T/F
d) All the above
A System Proposal includes all of the following except? a) Updated feasibility analysis and work plan b) Requirement definition documents c) Use Cases d) All the above e) None of the above
b) use case
A _____ represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's response. a) business scenario b) use case c) system request d) project work plan
work breakdown structure
A ______ is a list of tasks hierarchically numbered in top-down approach whereby high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks.
-Tangible Value
A __________ can be measured easily and quantified. Ex. A 6% reduction in operation cost
no output
A black hole is a process that has___
False. This describes a Level 0 diagram. A context level diagram only shows a single process representing the entire system, with external entities and data flows.
A context level diagram shows all the major processes at the first level of numbering, the data stores, external entities, and data flows.
Arrow pointing into a process or out from a process
A data flow is symbolized by what?
True, A data store is a repository for persistently storing and managing collections of data which include not just repositories like databases, but also simpler store types such as simple files, emails etc
A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model) True or False
- A number - A name (noun) - Description (if necessary) - One or more data flows (input or output or both)
A data store must have:
1. User representatives are not closely engaged with the development team throughout the project. 2. The application is complex and has a high risk associated with system failure. 3. Comprehensive test cases will be based on the user requirements. 4. Collaborating remote teams need a detailed, shared understanding of the user requirements.
A fully dressed use case is not always necessary but does provide value in certain circumstances. When are they especially valuable?
C. V-Model
A key concept of this model is that as requirements are specified and components are designed, testing for those elements is also defined A. Parallel B. Iterative C. V-Model D. Agile
What is a work breakdown structure?
A list of tasks where high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks. Each step is then broken down in turn and numbered in a hierarchical fashion.
False
A strength of agile development is that it requires discipline
The analysis phase: It is here that major elements of the system begin to emerge.
A survey found that 37% of fortune 500 companies software product users felt it met their needs. What phase could more attention have been given to?
A. External and Temporal
A use case can have two of the following triggers. A. External and Temporal B. External and Personnel C. Temporal and Personnel D. Temporal and Basic
True. Answer is true because a use case certainly tells a description how a system works out with the environment setting. And so explains answer is True.
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. ( True or False)
The activities that are speech and the system's responses
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating...
the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating...
What is a probing question? A) Follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more B) Ask the interviewer a question to learn more about them C) Seeks a more wide-ranging response from the interviewee D) Requires a specific answer
A) Follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more
Who is the actor in a use case? A) The system itself B) Whoever is using the system C) Who the system is built for D) Whoever benefits from the system
A) Whoever is using the system
A formalized approach to implementing the SDLC
Project Methodology
group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC. Emphasizes simple, iterative application development
Agile Development
Ans: False. The choice of the "best" development methodology depends on project characteristics
Agile Development Methodology is always a better choice than Waterfall Methodology because it's more modern and streamlined. True/False
B. Leadership
All of the following are main things that a project manager has to balance except: A. Cost B. Leadership C. Time D. Size
B.) Prototype
All of the following are special techniques and tools of Rapid Application Development EXCEPT? A.) CASE Tools B.) Prototype C.) JAD Sessions D.) Visual Programming Languages (VPL)
c) better supplier relations is an intangible benefit. (A relationship that's value is not able to be accounted for or rather quantifiable)
All of the following are tangible benefits to a system except? a) increased sales b)reduced staff c)better supplier relations d)reductions in inventory e)better supplier prices
D. No interruptions could occur during observation There are certain types of interruptions that CAN occur during an observation.
All of the following are true about observations EXCEPT: A. Data gathered is more reliable B. They are usually inexpensive C. People can perform differently when being observed D. No interruptions could occur during observation
A. Chance to learn new skills B. Responsibility C. Not holding them to high standards D. Recognition
All of these are considered good options to motivate an employee except:
A. Process
All of these are types of interview questions EXCEPT: A. Process B. Closed-ended C. Open-ended D. Probing
B. Least Complex
Although the "Implementation" stage in SDLC is usually longest and most expensive, it can also be the _____________. A. Most Complex B. Least Complex C. Sometimes Complex D. Not Complex
False. An external trigger is an event from outside the system to which the system must respond.
An external trigger is based upon the passage of time. Examples are a deadline to pay a bill or a library book is due. True or False?
Processes in DFDs do not always have to be sequential, especially in the Level 0 diagram.
Are DFDs always sequential?
Duration of task, current status, task dependencies, key milestones.
At minimum, a project work plan should have what four elements?
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD?) A) To develop software apps B) To allow the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system C) To reduce Project cost and time D) To reduce Scope
B) To allow the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system
B) Creating, Assessing, and Altering
BPM generally follows a continuous cycle of systematically ________, ___________, and _________ business processes A) Create, Read, Update B) Creating, Assessing, and Altering C) Update, Develop, Destroy
-New enhanced or necessary business capabilities that the system will provide in order to stay operational - Defines a project's business need, as well as the criteria of its success
Business Requirement definition
B. Control
Project managers have to balance except: A. Cost B. Control C. Size D. Time
1. Identify Entities 2. Add appropriate attributes to each entities 3. draw relationship between different entities to show how they are associated with each other
Basic Steps in Creating an ERD:
e: Organized
Behavioral properties the system must have include the following EXCEPT: a: Operational b: Performance c: Security d: Cultural and political e: Organized
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions.
Benefits of PPM Software
For projects with unclear requirements, consider extensive user meetings and/or prototy[es early in the project Implement a formal change approval process Defer additional requirements as future system enhancements
Best Practices to Avoid Scope Creep
Defining and mapping the steps in a business process.
Business analyst play a important role in BPM by?
The business-related reason for initiating the system
Business need
Reason for initiating system
Business needs
Which of these describes a use case? A) A method that helps the developer specify the language the system will be written in. B) A function in a system C) A written description of the expected interaction between the user and the system.
C) A written description of the expected interaction between the user and the system.
b. create, read, update, delete
CRUD is an acronym for _______ _______ ________ _______. a. crawl, right, under, desk b. create, read, update, delete c. create, ribbon, under, den d. carry, really, unstable, dreams
False, Use cases are often used as a means of discovering and representing functional and system requirements, as a use case defines the interactions and tasks needed to execute to fulfill a specific business goal.
Cases use non functional requirements. (True/False) A. True B. False
Emphasizes system quality through test plan development.Strengths:• Simple and straightforward.• Quality improves through the emphasis on testing.• Including Quality Assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality.Weaknesses:• Rigid• Difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.Variants goal: is to complete each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure correct and high-quality outcomes.
Characteristics of V-Model Waterfall
-be accessible to Web users -include the company standard logo and color scheme. -restrict access to profitability information. -include actual and budgeted cost information. -provide management reports. -include sales information that is updated at least daily. -have 2-second maximum response time for predefined queries and 10-minute -maximum response time for ad hoc queries. -include information from all company subsidiaries. -print subsidiary reports in the primary language of the subsidiary. -provide monthly rankings of salesperson performance.
Classify each as functional [process/info] or nonfunctional [operational/performance/ security/cultural-political]
Iterative Development, System Prototyping, Throw-away Prototyping
What are the three types of RAD Approaches?
-Lack of communication in management -End user mistakes -Stress/Pressure/Burnout -Evolving technology -Unrealistic deadlines
Cons of Analyst's work
-Management's lack of communication/recognition -End-user mistakes and demands -Stress/Pressure/Burnout -Unrealistic deadlines
Cons of an analyst's work
The highest level data flow diagramming that contains the least amount of detail. It is used to represent the system, its boundary and the external entities that interact with the system
Context Level Diagram
True. The context diagram shows the overall business process as just one process (i.e., the system itself) and shows the data flows to and from external entities. Data stores usually are not included on the context diagram, unless they are "owned" by systems or processes other than the one being documented.
Context diagrams never show data stores. (True/False)
PV = Cash Flow Amount / (1 + Rate of return)^n , where "n" is the year in which the cash flow occurs
Convert a future cash flow to its present value
To create the context diagram, you simply draw one process symbol for the business process or system being modeled. Then add the inputs and outputs listed on the Use Case forms.
Creating the Context Diagram
Clarity of user requirements, familiarity with technology, system complexity, system reliability, short time schedules, and schedule visibility
Criteria to consider when selecting a development methodology:
Goals in the Analysis Phase consist of? A. Collect and Analyze B. Develop new system concept C. Analysis Model of new system D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Drawing a process without an output
DFD common errors: Black hole
Drawing a process without an input. (output data miraculously appears from the process)
DFD common errors: Miracle holes
Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. (Data cannot move from a data store or an external entity without having a process to push or pull it.
DFD common errors: The law of conservation of data
A data store is a connection to a store of data, and a repository for storing, managing and distributing data sets
Data Store
Popular technique for creating process models
Data flow diagramming
What is NOT included in context diagrams?
Data stores
B) design
Deciding how the hardware, software, and network infrastructure will operate occurs during the _____ phase of the SDLC. A) analysis B) design C) implementation D) planning E) strategy
Decision Logic (IF statements) as a set of nodes(questions) and branches(answers).
Decision trees display
Preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case begins
Define Preconditions
the process of analyzing available data to predict the time, cost, and resources needed to complete a project.
Define Project Estimation
An activity or function that is performed by either a system or person and sometimes a combination of both for a business reason.
Define a "process"
A process model is a graphical way of representing how a business system should operate. It illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data move among them. A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., as-is system) or the new system being developed (i.e., to-be system), whether computerized or not.
Definition of process model and what it is used to document
A formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them.
Definition of process model and what it is used to document (hint: as-is OR to-be system)
§ Business needs: Business related reasons for initiating the system § Business requirements: new or enhanced business capabilities that system will provide § Business Value: The benefits the system will create for the organization
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value
Business needs: It is a problem that must be identified to make sure there is an opportunity for advancement once the issue may be fixed. Business requirements: It is what is needed to reach the business goals and help support the business long-term. Business value: Defines the opportunities of that organization and what should be expected from their system.
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value:
1. Business needs are the business-related reasons for initiating the system A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system, some kind of "pain" within the organization, and unique and competitive ways of using IT arise. Ex.) supporting a new marketing campaign, reaching out to a new type of customer, improving interactions with suppliers or emerging technology, or a drop in market share, poor customer service levels, or increased competition This business need will then form the business requirements and business values. 2. Business requirements describe the reasons for developing the system and outline the capabilities it will provide the organization These requirements need to be explained at a high level so that the approval committee and, ultimately, the project team understand what the business expects from the final product Business requirements summarize the features the IS must include, such as the ability to collect customer orders online or the ability for suppliers to receive inventory status information as sales occur The business needs drive the high-level business requirements 3. Business values are the benefits that t
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, the business value
As systems are developed more quickly and users gain a better understanding of information technology, user expectations may dramatically increase and system requirements may expand during the project.
Describe how scope creep affects a project.
-Use cases are useful tools to clarify requirements. -Use cases convey only the user's point of view. -Transforming the user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions. -The derived functional requirements tell the developers more about what the system must do
Describe the Relationships between USE CASE and SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
-Defining and mapping steps in a business process Creating ways to improve the steps to add value -Finding ways to remove and/or combine steps in the process that don't add value -Creating or modifying electronic workflows to match the improved process maps
Describe the four steps of business process management (Chapter 1)
Parallel development reduces the time required to deliver a system, so changes in the business environment are less likely to produce the need for rework.If the sub projects are not completely independent, design decisions in one sub project may affect another, and at the project end, integrating the sub projects may be quite challenging.
Describe the major elements and issues with parallel development.
The project sponsor has an interest in the system's success. They develop the initial vision of the new system and works throughout the SDLC to make sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business and serves and the primary point of contact for the project team. Usually from marketing, accounting, or finance, but can be from IT. Approval committee reviews the complete system request and makes an initial determination, based on the information provided, of whether to investigate the proposed project or not.
Describe the roles of the project sponsor and the approval committee.
One possibility for the large number is that the use cases are not defined at the right level of detail. If the use cases are too 'small' we do not need to bother to create a use case, but simply use the information in the requirements definition itself to build the process and data models. If there really are more than eight or nine major use cases, the use cases are grouped together into packages of related use cases. These packages are then treated as the major processes for the top level of the process model with the use cases appearing on lower levels. The packages could also be treated as separate systems and modeled as separate systems.
Describe two ways to handle a situation in which there are a large number of use cases.
Operational cost
Development cost or operational cost? -software upgrade -software license -hardware repair -cloud storage fee -operational team salaries
Development costs: tangible expenses that are incurred during the creation of the system (training, salaries for project team, hardware software expenses) Operational costs: tangible costs that are required to operate the system (salaries to operate the system, equipment upgrades)
Development vs operational costs
Development costs (one-time costs) - Are tangible expenses that are incurred during the creation of the system. Operational costs (ongoing cost) - Are tangible costs that are required to operate the system.
Development vs. Operational costs
Logical - which are models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical - which provide information is needed to ultimately build the system.
Difference between Logical and Physical Process Model.
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing costs and as long as the project is still in place, the costs are still incurred.
Difference between development and operation cost?
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted while the physical process models provide the information that is needed to build the system
Difference between logical and physical process models
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical process models include process implementation information
Difference between logical and physical process models
Logical: process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted Physical: process models include process implementation information
Difference between logical and physical process models
1. Size - What is the size? How many people are needed to work on the project? 2. Cost How much will the project cost the organization? 3. Purpose What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? 4. Length How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? 5.Risk How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? 6. Scope How much of the organization is affected by the system? A department? A division? The entire corporation? 7. Economic Value How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects
- Size: What is the size? how many people are needed to work on the project - Cost: How much will the project cost the organization? - Purpose: What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve Operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? - Length: How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? - Risk: How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? - Scope: How much of the organization is affected by the system? a department? a division? the entire corporation? - Economic Value: How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
1. Size - What is the size? How many people are needed to work on the project? 2. Cost - How much will the project cost the organization? 3. Purpose - What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? 4. Length - How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? 5. Risk - How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? 6. Scope - How much of the organization is affected by the system? A department? A division? The entire corporation? 7. Economic Value - How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are constructed. Physical process models provide information that is needed to ultimately build the system.
Distinguish between logical process models and physical process models
The logical process models serve to describe the process without the suggestion of construction. Physical process models give the necessary information for building the system.
Distinguish between logical process modes and physical process models
Smaller projects
Do Agile methodologies work best in larger or smaller projects?
Sometimes. Its possible
Do DFD's also have beyond Level 4?
Do: set realistic expectations, acknowledge employee's good efforts, consult the team before making big decisions Don't: maintain poor working conditions, give everyone a raise after a project is done
Do's and don'ts for motivating employees:
Do -Use intrinsic rewards - Recognition - Achievement - The work itself - Responsibility - Advancement - Chance to learn new skills Don't - Assign unrealistic deadlines - Ignore good efforts - Accept a low-quality product - Give everyone on the project the same raise - Make an important decision without the team's input - Maintain poor working conditions
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees
Do's: Recognition, Achievement, The work itself, Responsibility, Advancement, Chance to learn new skills. Don'ts: Assign unrealistic deadlines, Ignore good efforts, Accept a low-quality product, Give everyone on the project the same raise, Make an Important decision without the team's input, Maintain poor working conditions.
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees
-Do: Recognition, achievement, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and the chance to learn new skills. -Don't: Reward staff with money and bonuses, the more often you reward team members with money the more they expect it, assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore valiant effort, create low quality products, give everyone on the project a raise, make an important decision without the team's input, maintain poor work conditions.
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees:
- Intrinsic rewards + Recognition + Achievement + The work itself + Responsibility + Advancement + Chance to learn new skills - Monetary reward - last choice
Do's of motivating employees
~ Recognition ~ Achievement ~ The work itself ~ Responsibility ~ Advancement ~ Chance to learn new skills
Do's of motivating employees
- Assign unrealistic deadline - few people work hard only with realistic deadly - Ignore good efforts - Create a low-quality product - Give everyone on the project a raise - Make an important decision without the team's input - Maintain poor working conditions
Don't of motivating employees
b) Black Hole
Drawing a process without an output is what type of error? a) Miracle Error b) Black Hole c) Gray Hole d) Disaster Error
B.) Preconditions
During the Analysis Phase the three types of requirements needed are all EXCEPT? A.) Business Requirements B.) Preconditions C.) User Requirements D.) System Requirements
c. Planning phase
During this stage, the main focus is understanding why an information system should be built. a. Analysis phase b. Design phase c. Planning phase d. Implementation phase
Select best methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project
Duties of a Project manager
Project managers have to select the best project methodology, develop a project work plan, establish a staffing plan, and create new ways to coordinate and control the project at hand.
Duties of a project manager
The project manager must make a myriad of decisions regarding the project, including determining the best project methodology, developing a work plan for the project, determining a staffing plan, and establishing mechanisms to coordinate and control the project.
Duties of a project manager
Select the best project methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project
Duties of a project manager (who is not always the systems analyst)
Select the best project methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project.
Duties of a project manager (who is not always the systems analyst)
-Select the best project methodology -Develop a project work plan -Establish a staffing plan -Create ways to coordinate and control the project
Duties of a project manager include:
Creates a workplan, staffs the project, implements techniques to help control and direct the project throughout the SDLC.
Duties of a project manager:
Black holes: process has inputs but no outputs Miracles: process has outputs but no inputs. Gray holes: process has more than outputs than inputs.
Errors to avoid DFD. Determine Each of them
B. False (the 3rd category is organizational, not Social)
Economic, Technical, and Social are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis. A. True B. False
Project Sponsor: Persons name and organization goes here. Business need: Defines in detail what the issue is and what the analyst plans to do. Business requirements: What may be needed for the companies issue as a solution. Special Issues or Constraints: What may be a problem for the employees for when the analyst first installs the program.
Elements in a System Request:
First row: Use Case Name, ID, Priority Second Row: Actor Third row: Description Fourth row: Trigger Fifth row: Type choose between External or Internal Sixth row: Preconditions Seventh row: Normal course Eight row: Postconditions Ninth row: Exceptions
Elements of Use Case
Process, data flow, data store, and external entity
Elements of a DFD
System requests are comprised of five major elements: the project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, and the special issues or constraints that might arise.
Elements of a system request:
- Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. - Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. - Business requirements are the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. - Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. - Special issues or constraints are the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.Fsys
Elements of a systems request
What does a system request do? Describes business reasons for project, Defines system's expected value, Forces the sponsor to formalize his/her ideas, Lists project's key elements -- Elements: Project Sponsor, Business Need, Business Requirements, Business Value, Special Issues or Constraints
Elements of a systems request
o Project Sponsor o Business Need o Business Requirements o Business Value o Special Issues and Constraint
Elements of a systems request
- Each use case has a name and number, and brief description. - The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance. - The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal. - The trigger for the use case - the event that causes the use case to begin. - Events triggers can be external or temporal
Elements of a use case - names and purpose of each
Each use case has a name and number, and a brief description Priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The trigger for the use case- the event that causes the use case to begin with The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event Exceptions are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the use case Postconditions define what is complete when the use case ends
Elements of a use case - names and purpose of each
The five elements of system request is Project Sponsor, Business need, Business requirements, business value, and special issues or constraints. 1. Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. 2. Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. 3. Business requirements is the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. 4. Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. 5. Special issues or constraints is the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.
Elements of systems request
Preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case commences. Preconditions also clearly define what what needs to be accomplished before each use case begins
Explain the importance of preconditions
The top level DFD in every business process model. It shows the entire system in context with its environment.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's context diagram.
The level 0 diagram shows all the major processes at the first level of numbering. Shows how the major processes are interrelated by data flows. Shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's level 0 diagram.
Create one level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram. It shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram and how information moves to and from each of these Processes. The diagram shows more precise uses the input data flow and which produces the output.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's level 1 diagram.
Lists the steps that are performed when everything is flowing smoothly in the system
Explain the normal course
Describes the project's objectives and rules
Explain the purpose and content of a project charter.
A context level diagram is a high-level view of the entire system represented as one process symbol. Data flows going into and out of the system and the external entities that interact with the system are the only other element of the system shown on this type of diagram. A level 0 diagram is the first view of the internal processes of the business system. These processes are shown from fairly high level, with subsequent diagrams depicting increasing levels of detail. The level 0 diagram shows the same data flows and entities as the context, as well as data stores associated with the system.
Explain the relationship between a DFD context diagram and the DFD level 0 diagram.
Process - An activity or function performed for a specific business reason. Data Flow - A single piece of data or a logical collection of data. Names describe the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented. Always starts or ends at a process. Data Store - Most information systems capture data for later use and the collection of data is stored in some way. External Entity - A person, organization, or system that is external to the focal system. Has interactions with the focal system.
Four elements of a DFD, what they represent, and how they are depicted visually
1. Confirm the use case with the user. 2. Identify the major steps within each use case. 3. Identify the use cases. 4. Identify elements (e.g., triggers, inputs, outputs) within steps.
Four main steps in creating use cases are
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation
Four stages of Systems Development Life Cycle
1.) The Planning Phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1a.) Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 1b.) Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan, staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC 2.) The Analysis Phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 2a.) Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is d
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Planning-why/how built, analysis who/what, design-how/operate, implementation-installed/work done
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) -Planning： 1. Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 2. Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. -Analysis: 1. Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. Collect and Analyze Requirements: The next step is requirements gathering (e.g., through techniques such as interviews, group workshops, or questionnaires). 3. Prepare and Present System Proposal: The system proposal document is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision-makers (e.g., members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. -Design: 1. Determine Design Strategy: This clarifies whether the company's own programmers will develop the system, whether its development will be outsourced to another firm
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1. During project initiation , the system's business value to the organization is identified— how will it contribute to the organization's future success? 2. Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan , staff s the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC The analysis phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 1. An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. The next step is requirements gathering 3. System proposal: The analyses, system concept, requirements, and models are combined into a document The design phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, soft w
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one Planning The fundamental process of understanding why an IS should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Has two steps: Project Initiation Project Management Analysis Answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Three steps: Analysis Strategy Requirements Gathering System Proposal Design Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. Has four steps: Design Strategy Architecture Design Database and File Specifications Program Design
Panning: This 1st stage is a feasibility study that is conducted to determine whether the new system is feasible. Analysis: This 2nd stage the requirements of the information system are clearly defined once the analysis phase has determined what the system will do. Design: This 3rd stage will determine how the system will work. Implementation: The 4th stage is composed of creating all the components of the system and testing the system to ensure each component works as it should.
Four stages of the SDLC- What are they called and what generally happens in each one:
A carefully structured and detailed description enabling a deep understanding of the goals, tasks, and requirements
Fully dressed use case
Access to customer order
Functional Requirement Example?
Functional requirements are what the system must do, non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must-have.
Functional Requirements vs Nonfunctional Requirements
Data at rest
If data flows are data in motion, think of data stores as __________.
Rest
If data flows are described as data in motion, data stores are described as data at .....
Automate a business process. Improving interactions with suppliers. Reaching out to a new type of customer.
Give an example of a business need
Supporting a new marketing campaign Reaching out to a new type of customer Improving interactions with suppliers
Give three examples of business needs for a system.
What is the goal of a feasibility analysis and what are the three categories?
Goal: know the potential risks & the significance of those risks Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organization feasibility
Context Diagram - is always "Process 0" -Top-level DFD in every process model -Shows the context into which the business process fits -Shows the overall business process as just one process (process 'zero') -Shows all the external entities that receive information from or contribute information to the system -No data stores Level 0 Diagram - are always numbered with integer values (1, 2, 3, etc.) -Shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system - the internal components of process 0 -Shows how the major processes are interrelated by data flows -Shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact -Adds stored data via the data stores Level 1 Diagrams - always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) -Create one level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram -Shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram -Shows how information moves to and from each of these processes
How DFDs are organized into levels (Context, Level 0, Level 1, etc.) and how to number the processes in each level
Context (start with # 0) diagram decomposes into Level 0 diagram with includes the System and Entities DO NOT include data stores. Used to show the entire system in context with its environment. Level 0 (start with # 1) diagram each decomposes into separate level 1 diagrams with all the flows, data stores, entities, and each of the multiple processes. Start with Level 1 Level 1 (start with # 1.1) shows the internal process that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram. Create a level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram. Level 2 (start with # 1.1.1) decomposes the level 1 diagram if the level 1 diagram seems to have multiple tasks.
How DFDs are organized into levels (Context, Level 0, Level 1, etc.) and how to number the processes in each level?
Data stores show a repository of data that allows addition and retrieval of data. Data stores usually have the shape of an open-ended rectangle and are usually given a unique reference number, such as D1, D2, D3 An example of this data store could be text, video files, audio files etc.
How are data stores depicted in the diagram?
Development costs are when the project is being built or acquired and operational costs are ongoing after the project is built or acquired.
How are development and operations costs different?
In an electronic format (Internet, e-mail)
How are most questionnaires distributed today?
They are related because the process model is the main concept in structured analysis and design also known as a design flow diagram. In every process it transforms the input into output and also the arrow in the process shows the direction of the flow.
How are process model and data flow diagram related?
-Process or event: rounded rectangle or circle -Data flow: arrow -External entity or agent: rectangle -Datastore: rectangle or parallel lines
How are the four elements of a DFD depicted visually?
In the work breakdown structure, high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks. Each step is then broken down in turn and numbered in a hierarchical fashion. The WBS serves as the backbone of the work plan. The work plan shows dates and times and who did each task. which is a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project.
How are the work plan and work breakdown structure related?
They can be manual or computerized.
How can the processes be throughout the Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)?
The work breakdown structure can be organized in one of two ways: by SDLC phase or by product.
How can the work breakdown structure be organized?
Logical Process models describe processes without suggesting a conclusion while physical models include implementation information
How do Logical and Physical Process models differ?
They draw process models using process modeling tools or CASE tools.
How do Project Teams draw process models?
The postconditions for one use case serves to define the preconditions for the next use case
How do postconditions relate to the next use case in the series?
ROI= Total Benefits - Total Costs / Total Costs
How do you calculate ROI?
Risk = Probability * Potential Impact
How do you calculate risk?
Use one dot to separate parent number from unique number
How do you number Level 1 Processes?
Level 1 processes always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.)
How do you number a level 1 DFD?
1, 2, 3, 4 etc.
How do you number level 0 diagrams?
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 etc.
How do you number level 1 diagrams?
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4 etc.
How do you number level 2 diagrams?
Data flow diagrams must begin with information from use cases and requirements definition, then the DFDs are made after using the use cases as a blueprint
How do you set up a data flow diagram?
Business Process Automation: Create or adjust electronic workflows to match the improved process maps Business Process Improvement: Study the business process. Create a new, redesigned processes to improve the process workflows and/or utilize new technologies enabling new process structure Business Process Reengineering: Total overhaul of work process
How does BPM identifies Business Needs?
Identify the use cases, identify the steps within each use case, identify the elements within each step of the use case, then confirm the use case with the customer.
How does one create a use case?
Ans: It starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem. Each possible root cause is investigated, and additional root causes are identified. Ultimately, the investigation process reveals the true root cause or causes of the problem, enabling the team to design the system to correct the problem with the right solution.
How does one do root cause analysis?
Having analysts and managers develop a list of important and interesting technologies. Then, systematically identify how each one could be applied to the business process and how the business would benefit.
How does technology analysis work?
Timeboxing sets a fixed deadline for a project and ensures that the system will be delivered by the deadline no matter what, even if functionality will need to be cut. Important day-to-day functions are developed before other less used features
How does timeboxing work?
ROI = Total Benefits - Total Costs / Total Costs A high ROI suggests that the project's benefits far outweigh the project's cost, although exactly what constitutes a "high" ROI is unclear. ROI is commonly used in practice; however, it is hard to interpret and should not be used as the only measure of a project's worth.
How is Return on Investment Calculated?
Context diagram is always "Process 0." Level 0 processes are always numbered with integer values. Level 1 processes always have one "dot" or decimal (ex - 1.1). Level 2 processes always have two "dots" or decimals (ex - 1.1.2, 1.2.1).
How is each process numbered on each level?
Likelihood x Potential Impact Project manager takes responsibility for managing project risks
How is risk calculated?
No decimal points (ex. 1, 2)
How many decimal points do level 0 DFD process numbers have?
- Process - Data Flow - Data Store - External Entity
How many elements of Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)?
As many processes as you have in level 0
How many level 1 diagrams should there be?
There are two distinct phases in a project's lifecycle: Project initiation, which focuses on recognizing the system's value to the organization, and Project Management, during which the project manager formulates a task schedule, assembles the project team, and implements strategies to oversee and guide the project effectively.
How many phases does the Planning phase have? What are they?
Goal is to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements. 1. Understand the current situation (current System) 2. Identify improvements 3. Define requirements and concepts of the new system (future system)
How many steps does Analysis phase have? and what are they?
1) Design strategy - will the system be built internally or by outsourced progammers 2) Architecture and interface design -describes the hardware, software, & network infrastructure that will be used 3) Database and file specifications -what data will be stored and where will it be stored 4) Program design. -defines programs that need to be written and what each program will do
How many steps does Design phase have?
Design phase has four steps: 1) Design strategy - Clarifies whether the system will be developed by the company's own programmers, outsourced to another firm (usually a consulting firm), or a prewritten software package will be bought and installed 2) Architecture and interface design - The basic architecture design describes the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that already exists in the organization. The interface design specifies how the users will move through the system and the forms and reports that the system will use 3) Database and file specifications - Define exactly what data will be stored and where they will be stored 4) Program design - Defines the programs that need to be written and exactly what each program will do
How many steps does Design phase have? and what are they?
Implementation phase has three steps: >system construction -System is built and tested to ensure it performs as designed >installation -The new system is installed and the old one is turned off -users are trained for the new system >support plan. -post-implementation review -systematic way for identifying changes needed for the system
How many steps does Implementation phase have? and what are they?
Planning phase has two steps: -Project initiation: Prepare system request Perform preliminary feasibility analysis -Project management: Project Plan, including work plan & staffing plan
How many steps does Planning phase have? What are they?
The planning phase has 2 steps: 1) Project initiation -system's business value is identified -system request -feasibility analysis (can we build it?)(will it provide value?)(if we build it will w=it be used?) - enters the approval committee to determine the feasibility 2) after approval it enters project management - project manager creates a work plan -staffs project -set techniques to help control -project work plan * how the project team will go about developing system
How many steps does Planning phase have? and what are they?
There are 7 steps associated with this process 1. Identify external entities 2. Identify high-level process(es) 3. Identify data store 4. Build an Event-Agent-Data store (EAD) table; This step is optional 5. Draw the context diagram (Using the EAD Table) 6. Draw the dataflow (Using the EAD Table) 7. Repeat steps for more detailed layers (Level 1.1, 1.2, etc)
How many steps make up the building of a DFD? What are they?
- Avoidance - Transfer (insure or share) - Reduction (mitigation) - Retention (accept)
How many techniques for managing risk?
4 categories of non-functional requirements. - Operational: Physical and technical operating environment, compatibility - Performance: Speed, capacity, and reliability needs - Security: Access restrictions, needed safeguards - Cultural and political: Legal requirements, cultural norms, company policies, etc.
How many types of non-functional requirements are there? What are their names?
10-20 users
How many users meet under a facilitator skilled in JAD?
Starting with a verb and ending with a noun (e.g. Determine request quantity)
How should a process be named?
A level 0 diagram includes processes that are labeled with whole numbers. (Process 1, Process 2, etc.) Level 1 takes a process from level 0 and breaks it down into multiple sub process (labeled as decimals). For example, Process 1 is broken down into process 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on.
How to distinguish level 0 and level 1 diagram?
breaking down of the DFD into a hierarchy, each level down representing less scope, but more detail
How would you define Decomposition?
Communication and interpersonal abilities that are used when dealing with users, management, execs, and team members
How would you define Interpersonal Skills?
Black hole: data going in but never going out of the process. Gray hole: send data in and something completely different comes out. Miracle: data flowing out but nothing was ever going into it.
Identify 3 common errors when creating a DFD
A. Economic Feasibility (EF) - The second element of a feasibility analysis is to perform an EF analysis. An EF is determined by identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring worthiness of the project.
Identifying Cost and Benefits is from which analysis? A. Economic Feasibility B. Technical Feasibility C. Organizational Feasibility D. Financial Analysis
B. Cost, Size, Time
If a project manager faces a tradeoff among three critical aspects of a project. What are the three critical aspects if one changes and affects the other two? A. Methodology, Time, Number B. Cost, Size, Time C. People, Technology, Time D. Time, Technology, Size
decomposed into a set of use cases
If a use case becomes too complex, it should be _____.
C. Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
In regards to process models, which of the following is a specific type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? A. Entity-Relationship (E-R) diagram B. Use Case Sequence (UCS) C. Data Flow Diagram (DFD) D. Integration Definition for Function Modeling (IDEF0)
There are a large number of users outside of the organization whose input is valuable
In what case are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
When there are a large number of users outside the organization whose input is valuable
In what case are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
Used best when there is a large number of people,
In what situations are the questionnaires best used in gaining more information?
a. simple events c. fully-automated events
In which of the following situation(s) we don't need to create use cases: a. simple events b. complex events c. fully-automated events d. None of them need to create use cases
D. Analysis
In which phase of SDLC do we determine the business needs for an information systems project? A. Design B. Planning C. Implementation D. Analysis
Basic information (name, #, priority, actor, description, trigger/type) Name, number, description to describe the use case The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance The actor refers to a person or another system that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The trigger for the use case - the even that causes the use case to begin Can be external (outside) or temporal (The passage of a certain amount of time) Preconditions: what must be complete before beginning of the use case. Normal course: the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. Normal course includes actions of both actor (user / external system) and system in response Post conditions: define what is complete when the use case ends. Exceptions: error condition encountered while performing use case steps.
Information inside a use case
Results from an intuitive belief that the system provides
Intangible Benefits
Based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers." • Increased Market Share • Increased brand recognition • Higher quality products • Improved customer service • Better supplier relations
Intangible benefits
Visio used to be a CASE tools but not so much now
Is Visio a CASE tools?
Error checking is an intangible benefit.
Is error checking a tangible benefit or a intangible benefit?
Yes, regularly reassessing feasibility throughout a project is critically important to ensure that the project remains viable and achievable within its constraints.
Is it critically important to reassess feasibility throughout the project?
Functional
Is the following functional or nonfunctional requirements: include actual and budgeted cost information.
It is a functional requirement
Is the following scenario functional or nonfunctional: Provide management reports.
It is a nonfunctional requirement because it is describing a characteristic that the system must have. The scenario is describing the security of the system.
Is the following scenario functional or nonfunctional: Restrict access to profitability information.
True (Waterfall Development Methodology focuses on Moving from phase to phase. Emphasis on deliverables from one phase flowing into the next phase)
Is the statement below true or false? The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. Each part of the SDLC is carefully completed before moving on to next step.
Develops the system into a series of versions upon release
Iterative Development Goal
Join Application Development. It is an information gathering technique used to identify requirements of a project. The project team, users, and management defer to an uninvolved facilitator who directs the meeting(s) and discussions.
JAD is
Preparing for the interview
Jane needs to interview Sean. She contacts him to verify the areas where he has knowledge so he is able to answer the questions. This would be done in which step of the interview process?
B) Rectangle
On a DFD, a data store is presented as a(n): A) Circle B) Rectangle C) Arrow D) Line
numbered with integer value (1, 2, 3) Shows all major processes that comprise the overall system - internal components of process 0 Show how major processes are interrelated by data flows Show external entities and the major processes with which they interact. Adds stored data via the data stores.
Level 0 data flow diagram
is a data flow diagram that represents a system's major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail
Level 0 diagram
Is more explicit and shows internal process that comprise a single process on level 0 (has one "dot"; example: 1.1, 1.2)
Level 1 Diagram
True; This is when the level 0 diagram (parent) is decomposed into its separate Level 1 diagrams
Level 1 processes always have one parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) (True/False)
Operational, performance, security, political and cultural
List 4 types of non-functional requirements
: Challenging, Technology, Variety, Constant Change, Problem Solving
List Pros of an Analysts work
Context Diagram - Simple representation of the system and how it functions showing entities and system associated. Level 0 - Expands the system portion of the Context Diagram listing process(es), data stores, entities, and relationships between Level 1 - Changes the viewing scope to that of the individual processes; Breaks down the process into individual steps showing how that portion of the process functions.
List and explain the DFD Hierarchy
Management's lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, Stress/pressure/burnout, Ever-changing business technology, Unrealistic deadlines
List cons of an Analyst work
- Table of content - Use case - Executive Summary - Requirements definition - Work plan - Systems request
List key elements of system proposal
Context Diagram, Level 0, Level 1
List the 3 diagrams on a DFD
Problem analysis, root cause analysis, duration analysis, activity-bases costing, informal benchmarking, outcome analysis, technology analysis, activity elimination
List the learned requirements analysis strategies
Communication Promote Collaboration Make sure everyone is being treated fairly
List three techniques to reduce conflict:
a) shows the organization of data without indicating how the data is stored, created, or manipulated
Logical data models: a) show the organization of data without indicating how the data is stored, created, or manipulated b) shows how the data will actually be stored in databases or files
Generally omit any processes that simply move data and leave the data unchanged. Ex- Perform computations, Make decisions, Organize data, Trigger other Processes.
Logical process models
What are the differences between logical and physical process models?
Logical process models describe process without suggesting how they are conducted; physical processes are models that provide information that is needed to ultimately build the system.
A formalized approach to implementing the SDLC. A list of tasks, steps, and deliverables.
Methodology:
b) Analysis
Michael is a system analyst who is determining business requirement. What would most likely is the SDLC phase for her? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation e) Project plans are created in both Analysis and Design Phase
Process or data store with a data element that is created out of nothing; when there was no input yet output data miraculously appear
Miracle error
Ground Rules
Most JAD sessions try to follow a formal agenda, and most have formal___________ __________ that define appropriate behavior.
True - Creating the initial scope of work to be done is the purpose of the requirements definition
Most important purpose of the requirements definition is to define the scope of the system. True or False
1) project sponsor 2) business need 3) business requirements 4) business value, and special issues
Most system requests include what five elements?
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team?
Motivation has been found to be the number one influence on people's performance but determining how to motivate is the difficult part.
1. Have the users role-play the process as it is described in the DFDs by starting at the first process and attempting to perform it by using only the inputs specified and producing only the outputs specified. 2. Ensure consistent decomposition, which can be tested by examining the lowest-level processes in the DFDs. 3. Ensure that technology is consistent throughout the model so that everyone who reads the model has a shared understanding.
Name 3 useful checks to help ensure that models are semantically correct.
Includes: - Size - Cost - Purpose - Length - Risk - Scope - Economic Value
Name at least 3 different ways to categorize projects.
· Interviews- Strength: Open questions, Asked for feedback, Questions can be adapted, Nonverbal can be observed. Weakness: Time-consuming, costly, success determined on analyst human skills, impractical due to location · Questionnaires- Strength: Quick answers, inexpensive, can be tabulated. Weakness: Response is low, incomplete, inflexible, difficult to prepare questionnaire. · JAD- Strength: Understand multiple perspectives, have user feedback. Weakness: Facilitator required, takes valuable time, Coordination required · Observation- Strength: Data gathered may be highly reliable, Can see exactly what is being done, relatively inexpensive. Weakness: People may perform differently when being observed, work may vary in difficulty and volume, subject to various types of interruptions · Document Analysis- Strength: Easy to find Nonfunctional requirements and information-based functional requirements Weakness: Harder to see process-based functional requirements, Functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system
Name the strengths and weaknesses of the 5 gathering techniques
-Goal is to develop a clear understanding of the new systems requirements-steps: understand the current situation, identify improvements, define requirements and concepts of the new system
Name the three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
Clearly define plans for the project. Develop a project charter. Develop schedule commitments ahead of time.
Name three ways to minimize conflict.
Use monetary rewards (cautiously) Use intrinsic value
Name two ways to motivate employees
-Based upon SDLC; assumes a project phase is complete before moving to the next phase. You could go back to the prior phases if you need to make modifications/refinements. Most traditional method available. -Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes. -Strengths: +System requirement identified long before construction begins +Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed -Weaknesses: +Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system. +Takes a long time from start to finish. -Variants: Parallel Development: Strengths- Reduces time, creates subprojects Weakness- Complex. V-model: Strengths- Simple, emphasis Testing. Weakness- Rigid, difficult to use in dynamic business environment
Names, goals, and general strengths and weaknesses of Waterfall Development and its 2 variants
Scope Creep?
New requirements are added to a project that has already defined its project scope.
b. Root cause analysis - process of discovering the root causes of problems in order to identify appropriate solutions.
Newegg identifying inventory shortage on Skylake-based Core i7 processors through the approach of a. Problem analysis b. Root cause analysis c. Outcome analysis d. System Proposal
is the IT always the project sponsor?
No. The project sponsor is the person who initiates the project and serves as point of contact.
- Operational is the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate - Performance - the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system - Security who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances - Cultural and Political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
Non-functional of system requirement
Operational, performance, security, cultural and political
Nonfunctional Requirements - Behavioral properties of the system must have
Implementation
Of the SDLC, which phase is usually the longest and hardest to implement? It also can be the least complex.
True - can run in to typical groupwork issues, such as groupthink, hesitancy to share opinions or information, lack of consensus when sticking to initial individual preferences, etc.
One problem of the JAD technique is that sometimes people are reluctant to challenge the opinions of others, few people dominate convo, and not everyone participates (T/F)
Nonfunctional Requirement · Operational: Physical and technical operating environment · Performance: speed, capacity, and reliability need · Security: access restrictions, needed safeguards · Cultural: legal requirements, cultural norms
Operational, Performance, Security and Cultural and Political represent what type of requirement?
Agile Development
Out if the seven methodologies, which one gives the customers the fastest delivery of results and works well in projects with undefined or changing requirements?
An analysis that focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide value to customers.
Outcome Analysis
B) UML
Overall, the consistent notation, integration among the diagramming techniques, and application of the diagrams across the entire development process makes ________ a powerful and flexible tool set for analysts and developers. A) CASE B) UML C) DFDs D) EPCs E) Flow Charts
Variation of waterfall development. It reduces the time required to deliver a system, so changes in the business environment are less likely to produce the need for rework. The approach still suffers from problems caused by voluminous deliverables. It also adds a new problem: If the subprojects are not completely independent, design decisions in one subproject may affect another, and at the project end, integrating the subprojects may be quite challenging.
Parallel Development
Divides the project into sub-projects that can be worked on at the same time by a team, reducing the overall project length
Parallel Development Goal
True. All believe a phase should be complete before moving on to the next phase.
Parallel Development and V-model are variations of the traditional Waterfall Development. (True/False)
A. Temporal. It is a time-based trigger.
Paying an electricity bill would be a type of _______________ trigger. A. Temporal B. External
A. CEO B. Project Manager C. Developer D. Project Sponsor Answer: D
Person who will serve as the primary contact for the project is the ____
focuses on the reuse of code, templates, tools, and processes
Primary advantage of RAD (Rapid application development)
-Risk
Probability x Potential Impact is _____.
Build rapport with the interviewee so he or she trusts you
Probably the first thing to do when conducting an interview is:
A Graphical way of representing how a business system should operate. It illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data move among them. A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., the as-is-system) or the new system being developed (i.e., to-be-system), whether computerized or not.
Process model
Project Management
Process of planning and controlling the project within a specified time frame?
Level 1
Processes on Level 0 diagram decompose into what level diagram?
- do individual brainstorming first, then come together - spending time in initial meeting establishing rapport - anonymous voting - do not make group decisions over email/ text - meet together
Processes to help tackle convergence issues
- use shared document storage (preferred) - be clear about who is working on the "master copy" - set expectations up front about access to information and work
Processes to help tackle conveyance issues
Project managers always face trade-offs among three critical aspects of a project. Modifying one element requires adjusting the others. What are those three critical aspects?
Project Cost, Project Size, Project Time
The process of planning and controlling the project within a specified time frame, at minimum cost, with the desired outcomes.
Project Management
C. Planning
Question: Question: In which phase of SDLC do we calculate whether a system will lower costs? A. Analysis B. Design C. Planning D. Implementation
collection of methodologies that emerged in response to weakness of waterfall development. Incorporates special techniques to speed up analysis, design and implementation.
Rapid Application Development (RAD)
Entity --> Entity Entity --> Data Store Data Store --> Entity Data Store --> Data Store
Regarding data flow representation, what is the general rule regarding what two entities cannot be connected using a data flow?
Use cases do explain the user's interaction with the system, but they omit a lot of details that are necessary to know before the system can be developed. To make it more detailed, system analyst must convey them into functional requirement.
Relationship between use cases and system requirements
Use cases omit a lot of details that are necessary to know before the system can be developed. Use case only convey the user's point of view and not behind the scene processing details. the use case can be changed into developer case by creating a functional requirement is one of the most contributions that the systems analyst can make to the development project.
Relationship between use cases and system requirements
No, money should be the last incentive for motivating employees. Things like awards and recognition are much better.
Should an unmotivated employee be motivated by money?
A document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide.
System Request
- lack of familiarity with the business application area or the technology - Project size - compatibility with existing systems
Sources of technical risk
1. Identify the Major Use Cases 2. Identify the major steps within each use case 3. Identify elements within steps 4. confirm the use case
Steps of creating use cases
Strengths: - Data gathered may be highly reliable. -Can see exactly what is being done. - Relatively inexpensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques). Weakness: - People may perform differently when being observed. - Work may vary in difficulty and volume. -Some activities may take place at odd times. - The tasks being observed are subject to various types of interruptions.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Observations
System requirements identified long before construction begins Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed
Strengths of Waterfall Development
which compiles the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan, Primary and final deliverable in the analysis phase
System Proposal
- Describes business reasons for project - Defines system's expected value - Forces the sponsor to formalize his/her ideas - Lists project's key elements Notice: that it's not all prose, but a straightforward description off things that are needed. Notice that business requirements are full phrases. "Data entry" is not a business requirement.
System Request and example FIGURE 1-4 Elements of the system request form (textbook)
A functional requirement describes what a system will do while a non-functional requirement specifies how a system will do it.
System Requirements: Functional vs. Non-Functional
False - Variety of specialized roles: People-oriented: change management analyst, project management Business-oriented: requirements analyst, business analyst Technically-oriented: infrastructure analyst Generalist: systems analyst
System analysts tend to be more technically-oriented where as infrastructure analysts tend to be more generalist. True False
Creates a rough version of the system at a fast pace and later develop it into a finalized system with repetitive rework.
System-Prototyping Goal
- A statement of what the system must do is a "functional requirement" - Nonfunctional is a statement of characteristics a system must have
Systems Requirements: Functional V Non-Functional
System request
Systems development typically starts with
feasibility study
Systems development typically starts with
Functional: Characteristics the system should have. They begin to define how the system will support the user in completing a task Non-functional: How the system should be built. The quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have.
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
-Functional: Characteristics the system should have. They begin to define how the system will support the user in completing a task. A statement of what the system must do. -Non-functional: How the system should be built. The quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have. A statement of characteristics the system must have
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
Functional requirements define the basic system behavior. Its what the system does or must not do, and can be thought of in terms of how the system responds to inputs. Whereas non-functional requirements specify how the system should do it. Even if the non-functional requirements are not met, the system will still perform its basic purpose.
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
F. A system request is created in the Planning phase.
T / F: The Implementation phase of a project entails creating a system request.
False: The elements of a system request are: Project Sponsor, Business Need, Business Requirements, Business Value, and Special Issues or Constraints.
T/F : A trigger is an element of a system request.
False: New technology should only be implemented into the system if it can provide added value.
T/F : New technology automatically warrants a complete system overhaul.
False: A black hole error is a process without an output, but with many inputs going into it.
T/F A Black Hole error is a process without an input.
False, an exception is an error outside of the system.
T/F An alternative course handles exceptions
False. Context diagrams never include data stores
T/F Context diagrams are always process 0 and must include data stores
False Normal Course includes actions of both actors and system in response
T/F Normal course only includes the actions of the actor
False. The Work Breakdown Structure is a list of tasks hierarchically numbered and serves as the backbone of the Project Work Plan.
T/F The Project Work Plan is the backbone of the Work Breakdown Structure.
False- The steps must be sequential 1. Planning 2. Analysis 3. Design 4. Implementation
T/F The order of steps in the SDLC generally does not matter
False: It can be manually made or computerized
T/F: A DFD Process must be made manually.
False: DFD should only include external entities
T/F: DFD include both external and internal entities
FALSE. DFDs sometimes flow directly from use cases
T/F: DFDs always flow directly from the use cases
False. Data must come from a process. The entities cannot transfer data between one another.
T/F: In data flow diagrams, the external entities can be connected with data flows.
False. Although they are harder to ascertain, they need to be included into the economic feasibility analysis. If the specific value is difficult to pinpoint, probabilities can be used to produce estimated expected values.
T/F: It is not necessary to incorporate intangible benefits and costs into the economic feasibility analysis.
D) system request
The _____ is generated by the department or person that has an idea for a new information system. A) economic feasibility analysis B) requirements document C) project charter D) system request E) project plan
V model
The ______ is another variation of waterfall development that pays more explicit attention to testing
c. Parallel Development Methodologies
The _______________ evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development. a. Formalized Methodology b. SDLC c. Parallel Development Methodologies d. Design Phase
A. None, each project has different characteristics
The best project methodology for every project is _______, because ______ A. None, each project has different characteristics B. Waterfall, system requirements are easily identified and followed C. Iterative Development, creating system prototypes allows for lots of user input D. Cyclical Model, it allows managers to redesign and reanalyze the project as it develops
a) development costs, b) operational costs, c) tangible benefits, d) intangibles. e) All of the above
The costs and benefits can be broken down into which categories:
context
The data store element is never included in ________ diagrams.
A data flow is a single fact, such as quantity available (sometimes called a data element), or a logical collection of several facts. They are nouns
The definition of a Data Store?
(upfront costs in making the system) o Consultant feeds o Hardware and software o Office space and equipment
What are some developmental costs?
Three steps: 1. Understand the current situation (e.g., "As-Is" system)-<Problem Analysis> 2. Identify Improvements-<Root Cause Analysis> 3. Define requirements and concepts of the new system-<Duration Analysis> The goal of the Analysis Phase: The goal is for the systems analyst works extensively with the business users of the new system to understand their needs from the new system.
The goal and three steps of the Analysis Phase:
A system proposal- which is presented to the project sponsor and and other key decision makers (members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. - proposal is the initial deliverable describing the requirements the new system should satisfy.
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is called?
A system walk-through (explain the system in detail to gain feedback and approval)
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is often accompanied by a presentation to the approval committee. What is this presentation called?
A system walk-through (explain the system in detail to gain feedback and approval)
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is often accompanied by a presentation to the approval committee. What is this presentation called?
The Parallel Methodology will have sub-projects and the Iterative Methodology will have various releases
The main difference between the Parallel Development Methodology and the Iterative Development Methodology is that:
Scope creep
The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns is ___________
b. Scope Creep
The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns occurs after the project is underway a. Timeboxing b. Scope creep c. Project charter d. Project teams
False; after a systems request is complete the next step is to submit it to the approval committee for consideration.
The next step after a completed systems request is to conduct a feasibility analysis.
System Request; System Proposal; System Specifications; and Installed System.
The normal sequence of SDLC phase outputs (from beginning to end) would be:
d) System request document
The outcome of the planning phase is the a) Test plan b) System proposal document c) System modification document d) System request document e) Business Process document
False The processes in DFDs does not necessarily need to be sequential, especially in Level 0 diagram.
The processes in DFDs must be sequential. (T/F)
What is a project manager and what is their role?
The project manager is often a seasoned systems analyst who, through training and experience, has acquired specialized project management knowledge and skills. The project manager role ensures that the project is completed on time and within budget and that the system delivers the expected value to the organization.
A) describe how the project team will go about developing the proposed system
The project plan is the document that is used to _____. A) describe how the project team will go about developing the proposed system B) outline the tasks to be addressed in developing the proposed system and develop a time estimate for each task. C) outline the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility of the proposed system D) summarize the business need and explain how the proposed system supports that need and creates value E) all of the above
False. The project sponsor and the project manager are not necessarily the same person because a project sponsor can be any other person in the company, not necessarily in management, who sees a significant need for change and would like to sponsor it.
The project sponsor and the project manager are the same person. (True/False)
False. A project sponsor can be the person requesting the change or sometimes it is someone different; it can be the CEO, a manager of an individual department, or even an IT person The project sponsor is not the one in charge of the project, just the one who needs it and is involved to make sure it succeeds. The project sponsor is involved in making sure project deadlines are made.
The project sponsor can be the systems analyst or the project manager?
Context Level DFD
This shows the overall business process as a single process.
Technical Feasibility Economic Feasibility Organizational Feasibility
Three categories of feasibility analysis
d) Scope
The question "How much of the organization is affected by the system?" references which project classification? a) Size b) Cost c) Risk d) Scope e) Economic value
Use cases tend to be developed with users to make sure the analyst has fully captured the processes and relationships; DFDs are built upon the use cases to more fully formally understand the processes involved.
The relationship between use cases and data flow diagrams is:
False. The business analyst's role is to focus on the business issues surrounding the system.
The requirement analyst's role is to focus on the business issues surrounding the system. True or False?
Trade-offs
The science (or art) of project management is in making ___________ of size, time and cost.
d. Performance
The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system would fall under what kind of nonfunctional requirement? a. Those are functional requirements b. Security c. Operational d. Performance
A. Understand the existing situation, identify improvements, define requirements for the new system
The steps in the basic analysis process are? A. Understand the existing situation, identify improvements, define requirements for the new system B. Define the requirements for the new system, meet with approval committee, write system request C. Understand the new system, write system proposal, hold user interviews D. Identify a business need, write system request, identify improvements
True
The strength of JAD as a Requirements Elicitation Technique is understanding multiple perspectives at once.
a) Operational, addresses the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate.
The system should be compatible with any Web browser addresses which nonfunctional requirement? a) Operational b) Process-oriented c) Performance d) Security e) Cultural and Political
False, RAD approaches include Iterative development, System prototyping, and THROW-AWAY prototyping
The three RAD approaches is Iterative development, System prototyping, and Rework prototyping
Identify improvements, understand the existing situation, define requirements for the new system
The three main steps of the analysis phase:
- Facilitator required - It can take valuable time from other work - The coordination required, and group issues arise
The weaknesses of JAD as a Requirements Elicitation Technique when
What are two types of event triggers? Provide examples.
There are two event trigger types: external triggers, like customer orders or fire alarms, and temporal triggers, which are time-based, such as overdue library e-books or weekly payroll processing.
External ,Temporal
There are two types of event triggers.............. and................ .
C. No
There is ___ requirement(s) that all parts of the system must be decomposed to the same level of DFDs. A. one B. many C. no
Development Costs
These are one-time costs at the start of the project, such as consultant fees, hardware and software, office space, equipment, etc.
d. System Analyst
This course follows the responsibilities of a(n)... Select one: a. Project Manager b. Programmer c. Database Administrator d. System Analyst
system request
This document includes: a project sponsor, business needs, requirements, values, and special issues/constraints. What kind of document is this?
project charter
This document includes: group members' availability, status reporting, group meetings, and documentation storage. What kind of document is this?
1- The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) 2- The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?): o Cash Flow Analysis and Measures o Return on Investment o Break-Even Point o Discounted Cash Flow Technique o Net Present Value (NPV) o Identify Costs and Benefits o Assign Values to Costs and Benefits 3- The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
1. The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) - Sources of Technical Risk: Users' and analysts' lack of familiarity with the business application area - Lack of familiarity with technology ▪ Have we used it before? How new is it? - Project size ▪ Number of people, time frame, distinct features- Compatibility with existing systems ▪ Degree of integration required 2. The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value? / Should we build it?) -Identify costs and benefits -Assign values to costs and benefits -Determine cash flow - Assess financial viability o Return on investment o Break even point o Net present value 3. The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?) - Strategic alignment o Are project goals aligned with business strategy? - Evaluate effect on various stakeholders o Strong and influential project champion? o Strong and widespread organizational management support? o Receptive / resistant system users?
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
Technical- Is it possible to actually complete it? Economic- is it financially viable Organizational- does completing the action align with our beliefs/message?
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
project cost project time frame project size
Three main things that a project manager must balance
1. Project Cost
Three main things that project managers have to balance
1. Project size 2. Project Time 3. Project cost
Three main things that project managers have to balance
Project size Project Time Project cost
Three main things that project managers have to balance
Project size, Project cost, project time
Three main things that project managers have to balance?
1) Understand the current situation (the as-is system) 2) Identify improvements 3) Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system)
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
The basic process of analysis involves three steps: 1. Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). 2. Identify improvements. 3. Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
- Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). - Identify improvements. - Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase:
c. Nonfunctional
Throttling internet speeds is an example of: a. Functional b. Cats c. Nonfunctional d. JAD
- Prototype alternative designs in an experimental way - Build system following prototype design but discard the actual prototype -RAD Approach -Strengths: uncertainty is minimized, important issues are understood before building the final system - Weaknesses: may take longer
Throw-away prototyping
False. Throwaway Prototyping refers to creating a proof of concept prototype, which is later discarded. It is like an old bicycle tire that has become more repair patches than actual tire.
Throwaway Prototyping presents the user with multiple systems simultaneously and lets the user decide which they like best. (True/False)
d) B and C only
Time Boxing is not helpful in all of these situations except? a) A flexible deadline is set b) High quality is stressed c) Other functions will be added later d) B and C only e) all the above
• Time estimating techniques may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available • Timeboxing helps in these situations Set a tight but realistic deadline. Identify core, essential functional requirements Team limits its focus just to essential functions High quality is stressed Other functions will be added later Repeat to add refinements and enhancements
Timeboxing
True - the goal is to complete the essential aspects of a task within the allocated time.
Timeboxing ensures that the teams do not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely (T/F)
A. Planning - project setup
Toby is doing work and staffing plans. What stage of the SDLC is he on? A. Planning - project setup B. Planning - project initiation
True - In Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs), there are two different types of errors that can occur: syntax errors and semantics errors.Syntax errors involve violations of the DFD notation or grammar rules, while Semantics errors, on the other hand, are errors related to the meaning or logic of the DFD.
True or False: There are two fundamentally different types of problems that can occur in DFDs: syntax errors and semantics errors
True, The statement is true because use cases are indeed a means of capturing the requirements of a system. Use cases describe the interactions between users and the system, outlining the desired functionality and behavior of the system.
True or False: Use cases are means of expressing user requirements?
True
True or False: With waterfall development, the project team must complete a phase before moving to the next phase begins.
False; it is an external trigger.
True or False? A customer placing an order is an example of a temporal trigger.
False, adding more staff can increase complexity and make communication and coordination more difficult as more members are involved in decision making
True or False? Adding more staff to a project will help reduce complexity and improve communication.
False. Since there are unclear user requirements, the users need to interact with technology to really understand what a new system can do and how to best apply it to their needs. The most appropriate method would be system prototyping or throwaway prototyping.
True or False? If developing a system with unclear user requirements, it's best to use the waterfall method.
False. One weakness is the psychological impact of being aware of an observer will potentially alter the behavior and output, leading to a mischaracterization of the issue.
True or False? One of the weaknesses that Observation has is that it is relatively expensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques).
False, if a diagram has more than one process, it's a DFD, which is why is called a Data Flow Diagram because it basically maps out a process through multiple steps that explains more in detail from start to end the way a process unfolds. If it has a single process, labeled 0, it's a Context Diagram.
True or False? The level of a data flow diagram is based on the number of processes in the DFD.
False, The reverse is true: Use cases are valuable in business system applications and websites, but not as useful for batch process, computationally intensive applications, or data warehousing.
True or False? Use cases are more valuable in business settings such as batch process, computationally intensive applications, or data warehousing, and not as useful for business system applications and websites.
False. Often times entities will interact with each other through processes.
True or False?: There can only be one entity interacting with a process at a time.
False-The two strengths of document analysis are, making it easy to find both non-functional requirements and information-based functional requirements
True/False. The two strengths of document analysis are, making it easy to find both non-functional requirements and information-based non-functional requirements?
False; formal way
True/False: A process model is an informal way of representing how a business process operates.
False. Discipline is considered a weakness for this assessment.
True/False: A strength for Agile Methodologies Assessment is that it requires discipline.
False; external entity
True/False: The internal entity is one of the four key elements of a data-flow diagram (DFD).
Development team salaries, consultant fees, development training, hardware and software, vendor installation, office space and equipment, data conversion
What are examples of development costs?
Scope creep, overestimations, bad design
What are examples of things that can cause risks?
Working synchronously Divide and conquer
Two team strategies
Functional: 1. The system will only allow managers to review financial reports. 2. The system summarizes all the transactions completed each day and creates a report. Non-Functional: 1. The system will be HIPPA compliant 2. The system can support a maximum of 1,000 users at a time. 3. The system will require users to change their password if they haven't changed it in 365 days. 4. The system will have red white and blue as the main theme colors.
Two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements
1. Process-oriented: A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task. 2. Information-oriented: Information the system should provide as the user performs a task.
Two types of functional requirements
Process-oriented: things the system must do Information-oriented: content the system must have
Two types of functional system requirements
Business, User, System
Types of Requirements
a.) Reduce the overall project length
Under Parallel Development Methodology, which one is true? a.) Reduce the overall project length b.) Move from phase to phase c.) Emphasizes system quality through test plan development d.) RAD approach
What are the three major steps in the analysis process?
Understanding the "as is" system, recognize improvements, create requirements for the "to be" system.
Project prioritization, employee allocation, real-time project monitoring, flagging cost and time variances, monitoring economic feasibility
What are features of project portfolio management?
Answer: True
Unreasonable demands set by project sponsors and business managers can make project management very difficult. (True / False)
A document/model that represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the user of the system and the system's responses.
Use Case
b. business system applications, web sites
Use cases are especially valuable for _________ and __________. a. smartphone applications, social media b. business system applications, websites
a means of expressing user requirements.
Use cases can be simply described as
d. user's point of view
Use cases convey _____ a. system designer's point of view b. project manager's point of view c. software developer's point of view d. user's point of view
User requirements
Use cases express and clarify __________
the things the users need to accomplish with the new system
User Requirements
- duplicated work - conflicting changes - unable to see others' work
What are some conveyance issues faced by teams?
true
V model methodology assessment is difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
Emphasizes/prioritizes system quality through test planning
V-Model Development Goal
- Goal is the same as waterfall - Emphasizes system quality through test plan development - Strengths: simple and straightforward, quality improves through the emphasis on testing, including quality assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality - Weaknesses: rigid, difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
V-Model Development Methodology
Produces a system deliverable by going through 4 phases (planning, analysis, design, implementation)
Waterfall
- The waterfall development was first introduced by Dr.Winston W. Royce and it is a software development process. Based upon the SDLC and assumes that a project phase has to be completed before moving onto the next phase. - Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure correct and high quality outcomes. - Benefits: requirements are defined early on in the process and there are no moving targets which help prevent scope creep -Disadvantage: It is difficult to implement revisions once a phase has been completed. Must wait a long time to see evidence of the new system. Takes a long time from start to finish.
Waterfall Development
Strengths: • System requirements identified long before construction begins • Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed Weaknesses: • Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system • Takes a long time from start to finish Variations of the traditional waterfall development • Parallel Development • V-model
Waterfall Methodology Assessment
External triggers are events that occur outside the system. An example would be a customer placing an order. Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time. An example would be paying the water bill due at the end of every month.
What are external and temporal triggers?
o Size: what is the size? how many people needed to work on the project? o Cost: how much will the project cost the organization? o Purpose: what is the purpose? Is it meant to improve technical infrastructure? support a current business strategy? improve operations? o Length: how long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? o Risk: how likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? o Scope: how much of the organization is affected by the system? o Economic Value: how much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Ways to Characterize Projects
o Sizeo Cost o Purpose o Length o Risk o Scope o Economic Value
Ways to Characterize Projects
Must wait away till users can see evidence of new system, long time from start to finish
Weakness of a waterfall method?
1. Project Sponsor - The person who initiates the project and servers as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side 2. Business Need - The business-related reason for initiating the system. 3. Business Requirements - The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. 4. Business Value - The benefits that the system will create for the organization. 5. Special Issues or Constraints - Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.
What 5 elements must be captured in a Systems Request?
RAD and Agile
What Development Methodologies do NOT emphasize the 'as is system'?
Management's lack of communication/recognition End-user mistakes and demands Unrealistic deadlines
What Do System Analysts Dislike About Their Work?
False. It's part of agile development methodology. Failing early and often allows your to learn from mistakes and make accurate corrections to the sprint early.
What Fail Fast is part of a waterfall methodology? True or False?
A user has to pay their monthly water bill; library book is due
What are 2 examples of a temporal trigger?
The project manager must balance the project cost, project size, and project time. Often, only 2 elements of the triad can be selected.
What are 3 elements that a project manager must balance?
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer , Acceptance
What are 4 ways to manage risk?
1. Simple and straightforward 2. Quality improves through the emphasis on testing 3. Including Quality Assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality
What are V-Model methodology assessment strengths?
Analyzing the business situation, Identifying opportunities for improvements, Designing an information system to implement the improvements
What are a Systems Analysts key roles?
Work breakdown structure: a structured, top-down approach whereby high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks, numbered in a hierarchical fashion. It is the backbone of the project work plan. Project work plan: a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project
What are a work breakdown structure and a project work plan
Operational, performance, security, and cultural/political requirements
What are all the types of nonfunctional requirements?
1. Blackhole- Drawing a process without an output 2. Miracle holes- Drawing a process without input. (output data miraculously appears from the process) 3. Gray hole- A processing step may have outputs that are greater than the sum of its inputs - e.g., its inputs could not produce the output shown
What are black holes, miracles, and grey holes ( common DFD errors)?
What the system needs to do in order to satisfy business user needs. It summarizes the features and capabilities that need to be included. Business requirements describe the reasons for developing the system and outline the capabilities it will provide the organization.
What are business requirements?
interviews, JAD sessions, questionnaires, document analysis, and observation
What are common techniques to elicit requirements?
1. Size, 2. cost 3. purpose 4. lengths 5. risk 6. scope 7. economic value
What are different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
Processes, data flows, data stores, external entities
What are elements of data flow diagrams?
External trigger occurs when a customer places an order or the fire alarm ringing. Temporal trigger is when the event is time-based, such as when a DVD becomes overdue at the video store or it's time to pay the weekly payroll.
What are examples for external trigger and temporal trigger?
Reference documents, procedure manuals, and tutorials
What are the three types of documentation?
+ ) Problem Analysis - Ask users and managers to identify problems and solutions with the as-is system. - Improvements tend to be small and incremental. - Rarely finds improvements with significant business value. +) Root cause Analysis - Challenge assumptions about why the problem exists. - Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the real problem. - Focuses on problems first rather than solutions - The key point is to always challenge the obvious and dig into the problem(s) deeply to find the true underlying cause(s) +) Duration Analysis - How long does the whole process normally take? - How long does each step take? - Which activities can be shortened? +) Activity-based costing - How much does each step cost the organization? - Can any of the steps be more cost-effective? +) Informational Benchmarking - How do other organizations complete similar processes/activities - What improvements can we make a result of this? +) Outcome Analysis - Consider desirable outcomes from a customer's perspective - Consider what the organization could enable the customer to do +) Technology Analysis - Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies. - Th
What are gathering strategies? Describe each of them.
Small Improvements over current situation: Problem and Root Cause Analysis.Creating moderate improvements in effectiveness: Duration Analysis, Activity-Based Costing, and Informal Bench-marking.Best for redesigning whole processes: Outcome Analysis, Technology Analysis, and Activity Elimination
What are gathering strategies? Describe each of them.
Increased market share, increased brand recognition, high-quality products, improved customer service, better supplier relations.
What are intangible benefits?
Context Level, Level 0, Level 1
What are many levels created in the DFD process?
Software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, operational team salaries, communications charges, user training
What are operational costs?
Users suddenly understand the potential of the new system and realize new functionality that would be useful. Developers may discover interesting capabilities to which they become very attached A senior manager may decide to let this system support a new strategy that was developed at a recent board meeting.
What are other reasons for scope creep?
Probing questions follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more
What are probing questions?
1. Chooses most appropriate system development methodology for a project 2. Estimates time frame based on the project size 3. Creates project work plan with with necessary tasks Staffs project 4. Sets up mechanisms to coordinate the project team 5. Monitors project and refines estimates as work proceeds
What are project manager duties?
Use Case Name, ID, Priority, Actor, Description, Trigger, Type, Preconditions, Normal Course, Postconditions
What are sections found in a Use Case Document?
Recognize achievements, give advancements opportunities, give chances to learn new skills, give rewards
What are several "Do's" of motivating employees
Assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore efforts, give rewards/raises to everyone, make important decisions without telling coworkers, have poor working conditions, or give everyone on the project the same raise
What are several "Don'ts" of motivating employees?
Documentation Standards - All margins should be one inch, all words should be in Times New Roman. Coding Standards - All modules of code should include a header that lists the programmer. Procedural Standards - Report all updates to project meeting every Friday at 10 AM. User interface design Standards - Labels will all be bold.
What are several project standards that helps projects be successful within their team? Examples?
- clearly define plans for the project - the team understands how the project is important to the organization - develop detailed operating procedures and communicated them to the team - develop a project charter - develop schedule commitments ahead of time - forecast other priorities and impact on the project
What are some Do's that can motivate the employees?
- assign unrealistic deadlines - ignore good efforts - create a low-quality product - give everyone on the project a raise - make an important decision without the team's input - maintain poor working conditions
What are some Don'ts of motivating employees?
* Project Sponsor * Business Need * Business Requirement * Business Value * Special Issues & Constraints
What are some Elements of a System's Request?
-Internally developed by organizations -Consulting firms -Software vendors -Government agencies
What are some Methodology Sources?
d) all of the above
What are some additional use case issues? a)Frequency of use b)business rules c)assumptions d)all of the above
The parallel reduces the overall time of the project, but might take longer in design because it will need to be compatible later on, and in implementation because of the combination at the end. The V model is straightforward, and easy to use and includes quality assurance, but it is very rigid and difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.
What are some benefits and weaknesses of the Parallel and V model development methodologies?
Some characteristics are: - Corresponds typically to the primary actor in the use case. - Provide or receive data from the system and serves to establish system boundaries. - Each has a name and a description - It is external to the system but does not necessarily have to be a part of the organization. - People who use information from the system to perform other process or who decide what information goes into the system are documented as external entities.
What are some characteristics of an external entity?
1. Reducing Domination 2. Encouraging non-contributors 3. Side discussions 4. Agenda merry-go-round 5. Violent Agreement 6. Unresolved conflict 7. True conflict 8. Use humor
What are some common facilitator tricks for JAD sessions?
Misunderstandings about expectations Freeriding Missed communication
What are some common team communication issues?
-Groupthink -Disagreement -Lack of input from some team members
What are some convergence issues with teams?
Technical feasibility: Can we build it? - the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group; Economic feasibility: Should we build it? - determined by identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring the financial worthiness of the project (also known as cost-benefit analysis; Organizational feasibility: If we build it, will they come? - how well the system ultimately will be accepted bu=y its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical,Economic, and Organizational
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?) The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
Miracle - A process has only output flows with no input flows Black Hole - A process has only input flows but no output flows Grey Hole - A process has a total amount of outputs that is greater than the sum of total inputs.
What are the 3 diagramming mistakes that can occur when creating a DFD?
1) Project Size 2) Project Cost 3) Project Time
What are the 3 main things Project Managers have to balance?
1) Project Cost2) Project Time3) Project Size
What are the 3 main things that Project Managers have to balance?
Project cost, Project size, and Project time
What are the 3 main things that project managers have to balance?
Time Cost Scope
What are the 3 main things that project managers must balance?
1) Understand the current situation 2) Identify improvements 3) Define requirements and concepts of the new system
What are the 3 steps in the Analysis phase?
- structured English - decision trees - decision tables
What are the 3 techniques used to describe processing logic
Project size, Project cost, Project time
What are the 3 things Project Manager must manage?
Technical, Economic, Organizational
What are the 3 types of feasibility analysis?
3 types of users: 1. Yes, let's change 2. No way, not changing 3. People in the middle, on the fence -Focus on the people who could be pushed either way, the people on the fence.
What are the 3 types of users found in Organizational Feasibility and which type of user should the focus be on?
Planning: Understanding why an information system should be built and determine how a project team will go about building it ;Analysis: Answers the question of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used - team also investigates any current systems and identifies improvement opportunities for the new system ;Design: Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software and network infrastructure that will be in place - will determine if the system will be developed by the company's own programmers or if the company will purchase prewritten software; Implementation: The system is actually built or purchased - usually the longest and most expensive phase
What are the 4 SDLC steps and describe them?
Process - an activity or function performed for a specific business reason. Data Flow - describe the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented. Data Store - is a collection of data that is stored in some way. External Entity - a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
What are the 4 elements of a DFD?
Processes, data flows, data stores, and external entities
What are the 4 elements of a DFD?
Entity, data storage, process, and data flow.
What are the 4 elements of data flow diagram (DFD)?
Data flow (arrow) Data store (open rectangle) External entity/agent (rectangle) Process (rounded rectangle/circle)
What are the 4 main elements/symbols in a DFD?
Planning: The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Analysis: The analysis phase answers the question of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where & when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. Design:The design phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. Implementation: The final state in the SDLC, during which the system is actually built. This is the phase that usually gets the most attention, because for most systems it is the longest and most expensive single part of the development process.
What are the 4 phases of SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation.............. (tip - use pad i, pronounced patty to remember)
What are the 4 stages of the SDLC? (SoftWare Development Life Cycle)
1. Identify Cost and Benefits 2. Assign Values to Costs and Benefits 3. Determine Cash Flow 4. Assess Project's Economic Value
What are the 4 steps to Conduct and Economic Feasibility Analysis?
1. Project sponsor 2. Business need 3. Business requirements 4. Business value 5. Special issues
What are the 5 elements of systems request?
Interviews, Questionnaires, JAD, Observation, Document Analysis
What are the 5 gathering techniques?
Interviews, Questionnaires, JAD sessions, Observation, Document Analysis
What are the 5 main Requirement Elicitation Techniques?
Identify project sponsor, business needs, requirements, value, special issues or constraints.
What are the components of a systems request?
1)project sponsor 2)business need 3)business requirement 4)business value 5)special issues/constraints
What are the components of the system request?
1) Interviews - interviewee can respond freely and openly, however it is very time-consuming and costly 2) Questionnaires - most can be answered quickly, relatively inexpensive, response is often low, however, often incomplete questionnaires 3) JAD- understanding multiple perspectives at once, however facilitator required 4) Observations- data may be highly reliable, however people may perform differently when being observed 5) Document analysis- easy to find nonfunctional requirements, however harder to see process-based functional requirements
What are the 5 requirements elicitation techniques and their strengths and weaknesses?
Technical, Business, Analytical, Interpersonal, Management, Ethical skills
What are the 6 major skills categories of a Systems Analyst?
1. Problem analysis 2.Root Cause Analysis 3.Duration Analysis 4.Activity-based costing 5.Informal bench marking 6. Outcome analysis 7. Technology analysis 8. Activity elimination
What are the 8 requirement analysis (gathering) strategies?
Name, number, brief description, priority, actor, trigger, normal course, precondition, postcondition
What are the 9 elements of a use case?
project management phases consist of initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure.
What are the Duties of a project manager?
Name, number, brief description, Priority indicator, actor, & trigger
What are the Elements of Use Cases?
1) Planning (Investigation) 2) Analysis 3) Design 4) Implementation
What are the Four Stages of the SDLC?
D. All of the above
What are the Pros of Observation gathering technique? A. Data gathered may be highly reliable B. Can see exactly what is being done C. Relatively inexpensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques) D. All of the Above
- System requirements identified long before construction begins. - Requirements are "frozen" as projects proceeds - no moving targets allowed.
What are the STRENGTHS of the Waterfall Methodology Assessment?
- Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system. - Takes a long time from start to finish.
What are the WEAKNESSES of the Waterfall Methodology Assessment?
Start a use case report form for each use case by filling in the name, description and trigger. If there are more than nine use cases, group them into packages. Ask who, what, when, and where about the use cases (or tasks).
What are the activities performed in the first step of creating use cases: "Identify the use cases"?
For each use case, validate that it is correct and complete. Ask the user to execute the process - that is, have them role-play the use case.
What are the activities performed in the fourth step of creating use cases: "Confirm the use case"?
For each use case, fill in the major steps needed to complete the task. Ask how about each use case.
What are the activities performed in the second step of creating use cases: "Identify the major steps within each use case"?
For each step, identify its triggers and its inputs and outputs. Ask how about each step.
What are the activities performed in the third step of creating use cases: "Identify elements within steps"?
1. system requirements are identified long before construction begins 2. requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds (no moving targets)
What are the advantages of Waterfall methodology?
1.) Requirements are identified long before programming begins. 2.) Requirement changes are very limited as the project progress.
What are the advantages of the analysis phase?
Each use case has a name and number, and brief description. The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance. The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal. The trigger for the use case - the event that causes the use case to begin. Events triggers can be external or temporal
What are the basic elements of a use case?
Benefits: Concurrent feedback, creativity, full input Drawbacks: Scheduling, lost efficiency
What are the benefits and drawbacks of working synchronously?
The V-Model is simple and straight forward. Each part of testing is linked to the Analysis and Design phase where it helps ensure high quality and relevant testing. Weaknesses include the rigid process of waterfall development and might not always be appropriate for the dynamic nature of a business environment.
What are the benefits and weaknesses of having a V-Model?
- Enhanced process agility - Process alignment with industry "best practices" - Increased process efficiency
What are the benefits of Business Process Management (BPM)?
Interviewee can response freely and openly to questions, interviewee can be asked for more feedback, questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual, interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed.
What are the benefits of Interviews compared to questioners?
The benefits include: enhanced process agility, process alignment with industry "best practices" and increased process efficiencies.
What are the benefits of a business process model?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. - Data cannot move without a process. Data cannot go to or come from a data store or external entity without having a process to push or pull it. 2. Processes cannot consume or create data. - Data only enters or leaves the system through external entities. A process cannot destroy input data and all processes must have outputs.
What are the common errors in creating DFDs that violates the law of conservation of data?
- Following the schedule. - Respecting others' opinions. - Accepting disagreement. - Only one person talks at a time.
What are the common ground rules in JAD?
Through interviews and JAD sessions. Observation also is sometimes used for as-is use cases. Interviews are also used in effort to clarify use cases. Questionnaires are used as well.
What are the common ways to obtain information for use cases?
1. Business Need: The business-related reason for initiating the system Ex: Reach a new market segment Offer a capability to keep up with competitors Improve access to information Decrease product defects Streamline the supply acquisition process 2. Business Requirements: The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Ex: Provide online access to information Capture customer demographic information Include product search capabilities Produce performance reports Enhance online user support 3. Business Value: The benefits that the system will create for the organization Ex: 3% increase in sales 1% increase in market share Reduction in headcount by 5 FTEs $200,000 cost savings from decreased supply costs $150,000 savings from the removal of outdated technology
What are the definitions of business needs, business requirements, and business values?
System request & project plan
What are the deliverables of the planning phase?
Outcome analysis focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide values to customers and along with the end result of the procedures and how they will achieve the customer's goals.
What are the desirable outcomes from customer' perspective?
The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. List BOTH actions of the actor (user / external system) AND the system's response to those actions Exceptions are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the use case. Postconditions define what is complete when the use case ends.
What are the detailed elements of a use case?
Development- development team salaries, consultant fees, development training, hardware and software, vendor installation, office space and equipment, data conversion costs Operational- software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, operational team salaries, communications charges, user training
What are the developmental vs operational costs for an IS project?
A functional leads is assigned to manage analysts. A technical lead overlooks the progress of programmers and other technical staff members.
What are the differences between a functional lead and a technical lead?
- Logical: Process is described without suggesting how they are conducted - Physical: Process implementation information is included to explain how the final system will function
What are the differences between logical and physical process models?
Waterfall, Parallel, V-Model, Iterative, System Prototyping, Throwaway Prototyping, Agile
What are the different 7 developmental methodologies?
People oriented: change management analyst, project management Business oriented: requirements analyst, business analyst Technically oriented: infrastructure analyst Generalist: systems analyst
What are the different specialized roles of a Systems Analyst?
documentation standards, coding standards, procedural standards, specification requirements standards, and user interface standards
What are the different types of standards?
-Iterative Development -System Prototyping -Throwaway Prototyping
What are the different ways that RAD may be conducted?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, economic value
What are the different ways to characterize projects?
Size: What is the size? How many people are required to work on the project. Cost: How much will the project cost from the organization? Purpose: What is the purpose of the project? Length: How long will the project take before completion? How much time before value is added to the business? Risk: How likely that the project will succeed? Scope: Which parts of the organization will be affected? Economic Value: How much does the company expect to receive in return for the project?
What are the different ways to characterize/categorize projects?
1.) Design needs to be laid/specified out before even the programming begins. 2.) There is a great time lapse between the completion of the system in the analysis phase, and actually delivering of the system.
What are the disadvantages of the analysis phase?
DO's: use intrinsic rewards Recognition- plaque, company posts you on social media Achievement The work itself- get to work on something new, job is something new Responsibility- employees like responsibility and challenges Advancement- advancing in their career, getting that promotion DON'TS: Assign unrealistic deadlines- staff/team won't work as hard to meet deadline since they all think its impossible Ignore good efforts- someone doesn't get recognized Accept a low-quality product Give everyone on the project the same raise Make an important decision without the team's input Maintain poor working conditions
What are the do's and don'ts of motivating employees?
Intrinsic Reward (i.e. Recognition and achievements) Monetary rewards(i.e. use sparingly) If you feel that you need to give some kind of reward for motivational purposes, try a pizza or free dinner, or even a kind letter or award. The more often you reward team members with money, the more they expect it—and most times monetary motivation will not work.
What are the do's of motivating employees?
Assign unrealistic deadlines Ignore good efforts Accept a low-quality product Give everyone on the project the same raise Make an important decision without the team's input Maintain poor working conditions
What are the don'ts of motivating employees?
Feedback and Decision-making
What are the drawbacks of using divide and conquer?
Select best project methodology, develop a project work plan, establish the staffing plan, create ways to coordinate and control the project. To keep minimum cost for project. creates a work plan , staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC.
What are the duties of the project manager?
- Use case name - ID - Priority - Actor - Description - Trigger - Type - Preconditions - Normal course - Alternative courses - Postconditions - Summary inputs - Source - Summary outputs - Destination
What are the elements of a fully-dressed use case?
A system request describes business reason for project, Lists project's key elements, Forces the sponsor to formalize their ideas, and defines system's expected value
What are the elements of a system request?
Project Sponsor - the person who serves as the primary contact for the project Business Need - What prompted the need for a new system or update Business Requirement - What the business needs from the system or update Business Value - Benefits to the business that will come from the system. Special Issues or Constraints - any other information that would be pertinent to the project ( i.e deadlines)
What are the elements of a system request?
- Project Sponsor: The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side - Business Need: The business-related reason for initiating the system - Business Requirements: The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide - Business Value: The benefits that the system will create for the organization - Special Issues or Constraints: Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
What are the elements of a systems request?
- Project sponsor - Business need - Business requirements - Business value - Special issues & constraints
What are the elements of a systems request?
Basic: - Name, number, brief description, priority, actor, and trigger (External or Temporal Details: - Normal course (is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event - Exceptions: are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps - Precondition: define what must be complete before beginning the use case - postcondition: define what is complete when the use case ends.
What are the elements of a use case?
Project prioritization Employee allocation Real-time project monitoring Flagging cost and time variances Monitoring economic feasibility
What are the features of PPM Software?
1. Interviews 2. Questionnaires 3. Observation 4. Joint Application Development (JAD) 5. Document Analysis
What are the five commonly used requirement gathering techniques?
1. Project Sponsor 2. Business need 3. Business requirement 4. Business value 5. Special issues
What are the five elements of a system request?
Project Sponsor - person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. Business Need- Business related reason for initiating the system Business Requirements- the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Business Value- the benefits that the system will create for the organization Special Issues & Constraints - Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
What are the five elements of a system request?
1. Interviews 2. JAD sessions 3. Questionnaires 4. Document analysis 5. Observation
What are the five most commonly used requirements elicitation techniques?
Five steps include: Selecting participants, designing the JAD session, preparing the JAD session, conducting the JAD session, and a post-JAD follow-up
What are the five steps in conducting a JAD session (Chapter 3)?
Processes, Data Flows, Data Stores, External entities
What are the four basic elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate Performance: The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system Security: Who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances Cultural and political: Cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
What are the four behavioral properties a system must have?
Development Costs, Operational Costs, Tangible Benefits, Intangible Benefits. Development Costs - Tangible expenses incurred during the creation of the system. (Such as project team salaries, hardware and software, etc.) Operational Costs - Tangible costs that are required to operate the system. (Such as operation staff, software licenses fees, etc.) Tangible Benefits - include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect (Revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales. Cost savings would be included as a tangible benefit as well) Intangible Benefits - more difficult to incorporate into the economic feasibility analysis because they are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers."
What are the four categories of the costs and benefits?
1. Select the best methodology 2. Develop a project work plan 3. Establish a staffing plan 4. Create ways to coordinate and control the project
What are the four duties of a project manager?
B. Process, Data flow, external entities, data store
What are the four elements of DFD? A. Name, Description, output data, input data B. Process, Data flow, external entities, data store C. Description, external entities, input data, output data D. Triggers, preconditions, normal course, exceptions
-Process or event : visually depicted as a rounded rectangle -Data flow: visually depicted as an arrow -External entity or agent : Visually depicted as a rectangle -Data store: visually depicted as an open rectangle or parallel lines
What are the four elements of a DFD?
- Rectangle: An external agent - Rounded Rectangle or Circle: A process in the narrative - 2-Sided Rectangles: Files, datastores, and data repositories - Arrow: Data Flow
What are the four elements of a DFD? What do they represent? And how are they depicted visually?
Process, Data Flow, Data Store, External Entity
What are the four elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
Process- an activity or function that is performed for some specific business reason (manual or computerized). Every process should be named starting with a verb and ending with a noun. Data flow- a single fact, such as quantity available or a logical collection of several facts. Every data flow should be named with a noun. Data store- a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model) External entity- a person, organization, organization unit or system that is external to the system, but interacts with it (customer, clearinghouse, government organization, accounting system)
What are the four elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
planning: why make the project?, analysis: what does who uses, when and where system is used? design: how does the system work? implementation: deliver system
What are the four fundamental phases of SDLC?
Business process or computer system interacts with its environment, mainly external.
What defines a context diagram?
1. Planning - Systems request and feasibility study (workplan, staffing plan, standards list, risk assessment) 2. Analysis - System proposal (requirements definition, use cases, process models, data models) 3. Design - Alternative matrix and system specification (architecture report, interface design, program design) 4. Implementation - Test plan, Programs, Documentation, Migration plan, Support plan, Problem report, Change request, Post-implementation audit report
What are the four phases in SDLC and what is their deliverable?
P-A-D-I I. Planning Phase: Fundamental process of understanding why an info system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it II. Analysis Phase: Answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used III. Design Phase: Decides how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure VI. Implementation Phase: When the system will actually be built (or purchased and installed).
What are the four phases in the Systems Development Life Cycle?
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)
What are the four phases of the SDLC and what is the major deliverable from each of the phases?
1. Planning 2. Analysis 3. Design 4. Implementation
What are the four phases of the SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the four phases of the SDLC?
Planning = Fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Analysis = answers the questions of who will use the system, and what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Design = Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place Implementation = the system is actually built. It is the longest and most expensive single part of the development process.
What are the four stages of SDLC (System Development Life Cycle) and what happens in each one.
1. Planning, 2. Analysis, 3. Design, 4. Implementation
What are the four stages of the SDLC in order?
- Planning: determines why and how a system should be built -Analysis: Seeks to answer who use the system, what the system will do, where and when it will be used -Design: Determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user infrastructure, forms, reports used; specific programs, databases, files needed -Implementation: the system is built for purchased
What are the four stages of the SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
What are the four stages of the SDLC?
1. Planning - determines why and how a system should be built. It consists of project initiation (preparing systems request, preform preliminary feasibility report) and setting up the project (project plan) 2. Analysis - Determines what the system will do. In this phase, it determines analysis requirements, collect, and analyze requirements, and prepare and present system proposal 3. Design - determines how the system will operate. It determines a design strategy (build/buy/outsource), design system components, and present to steering committee 4. Implementation - System construction (programming and testing), system installation, and on-going support.
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and the responsibilities?
1. Planning - determines why and how a system should be built and how the team will go about building it 2. Analysis - seeks to answer who uses the system, what the system will do, where and when it will be used 3. Design - determines how the system will operate by hardware, software, and network infrastructure 4. Implementation - the system is built or purchased
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle and what do they do?
1. Define and map the steps in a business process. 2. Create ways to improve one steps in the process that add value. 3. Find ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that don't add value 4. Create or adjust electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What are the four step continuous cycle of BPM?
1. Identify the major use cases. 2. Identify the major steps within each use case. 3. Identify elements within steps. 4. Confirm the use case.
What are the four steps of the most effective process for gathering use case information?
Processes are activities or functions performed for specific business reasons. They can be manual or computerized. A data flow is a single piece of data or logical collection of data. Data stores are collections of data that are stored in some way. An external entity is a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
What are the four symbols in the DFD process?
Operational, Performance, Security, & Cultural/Political
What are the four system characteristics of a nonfunctional requirement?
Avoidance, Transfer (insure or share), Reduction (mitigation), and Retention (accept)
What are the four techniques for managing risk?
1. Operational 2. Performance 3. Security 4. Cultural and Political
What are the four types of non-functional requirements?
- Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate - Performance: The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system - Security: Who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances - Cultural and Political: Cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
What are the four types of non-functional system requirements?
Operational, Performance, Security, and Cultural/Political
What are the four types of nonfunctional requirements?
Never have data flowing from one entity to another Never have data flowing from an entity to a data store Never have data flowing a data store to an entity Never have data flowing from one data store to another *Processes must be in between each
What are the guidelines for creating DFDs?
Logical process model.
What describes a process without suggesting how they are conducted. It asks what needs to be done?
Benefits, Development Costs, & Operational Costs. 1. Tangible Benefits: can be quantified in monetary terms. They include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales, and cost savings resulting from the system, such as a reduction in needed staff or inventory levels. 2. Intangible Benefits: can not be calculated in dollars and is difficult to quantify. They include benefits such as improved customer service, increased brand recognition, and better supplier relations. Intangible benefits are more difficult to incorporate into the economic feasibility analysis because they are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers." 3. Development Costs: Development costs are the costs associated with creating the system. They include development team salaries, consultant fees, hardware and software costs, and data conversion costs. 4.Operational Costs: Operational costs are the costs associated with running and maintaining the system once it is in place. They include software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, and user training.
What are the main categories that should be listed in the Cost-Benefit Analysis?
Interviews, questionnaires, joint application development (JAD), observation,, and document analysis
What are the main requirement gathering techniques?
Avoidance, Reduction (mitigation), Transfer (insure or share), Acceptance (Retention)
What are the main ways you can manage risk?
1. Operational - the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate. Ex] System will run on Android devices, System should be compatible with Web browser, System should be compatible with existing inventory system. 2. Performance - the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system. Ex] An interaction between the user and the system should not exceed 5 seconds. 3. Security - who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances. Ex] Only direct managers can see staff personnel records, Technicians can only see their own work assignments. 4. Cultural and political - cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system. Ex] Company policy is to only buy computers from Dell, The system should be able to distinguish between US currency and currency from other nations
What are the nonfunctional requirements?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation.
What are the phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
1) Systems request with feasibility study 2) Project Plan
What are the primary outputs of the planning phase?
Pros: • High paid salary • Interact with variety fields • Work with up to date technology • Challenging and problem solving reward Cons: • Management's lack of communication/recognition • End-user mistakes and demands • Stress/Pressure/Burnout • Ever-changing business technology • Unrealistic deadlines
What are the pros and cons of an analyst's work?
Pros: Challenging, technology, variety, constant change, and problem solving; Con: management's lack of communication/recognition, End user mistakes and demands, stress/pressure/burnout, every-changing business technology, unrealistic deadlines
What are the pros and cons of analyst work?
Pros: - High paid salary - interact with variety fields - work with up to date Technology - Challenging and Problem Solving reward - Constantly changing
What are the pros of an analysts work?
Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking
What are the requirement gathering strategies explained in Ch 3?
Interviews - Questions conducted face-to-face to gain information. JAD sessions - An information gathering techniques to determine the requirements for the system that involves the project team, users, and management. Questionnaires - A series of written questions to gain input/information from individuals. Document Analysis - Analysis to understand the as-is system. Observation - Watching the process being performed.
What are the requirements elicitation techniques?
1. Being the project's driving force. 2. Determining project values. 3. Specifying requirements4.requesting a project. Or -The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. -Develops the initial vision of the new system-Works throughout the SDLC to make sure that the project is moving in the right direction from the perspectives of the business and serves as the primary point of contact for the project team. -Has insights needed to determine the business value that will be gained from the system in both tangible and intangible ways. -Serves as the primary point of contact for the project team
What are the roles of project sponsor?
- Basic information: + A name: as simple yet descriptive as possible + A number: a sequential number serves to references each use case + A description: conveys the use case's purpose + Priority: indicates the significance of the use case in the overall system + Actor: refers to a person(s) and/or other system that interacts with the system to achieve a goal. + Trigger: the event that causes the use case to begin. It can be external or temporal - Preconditions: define what needs to be accomplished before each use case begins - Normal Course: the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event - Postconditions: define what complete when the use case ends - Exceptions: error conditions may occur as the case steps are performed
What are the sections of a casual use case format?
1. Technical 2. Business 3. Analytical 4. Personal 5. Management 6. Ethical
What are the six Systems Analyst Skills?
1. Technical 2. Business 3. Analytical 4. Interpersonal 5. Management 6. Ethical
What are the six categories of knowledge needed to be an effective Systems Analyst?
1. Uncertainty is minimized 2. Important issues are understood before building the final system
What are the strengths of the throwaway prototyping methodology assessment?
understand multiple perspectives at once and have user feedback while documentation is being made
What are the strengths of using JAD as a requirements elicitation technique?
Technical Feasibility: Can we build it? Economic Feasibility: should we build it? Organizational Feasibility: if we build it, will they com?
What are the three types of feasibility analysis?
Datastore
What element is never included in context diagrams?
System analyst Focus: IS issues surrounding the system and have significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming. Function: Develops ideas and suggestions for ways that IT can support and improve business processes, help design new business processes supported by IT, design the new information system, and ensure that all IS standards are maintained. Skills: Significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming Business analyst Focus: Business issues surrounding the system Function: Helps to identify the business value that the system will create, develops ideas for improving the business processes, and helps design new business processes and policies. Skills: Business training and experience, plus knowledge of analysis and design. Requirements analysts Focus: Brings out the requirements from the stakeholders associated with the new system. Skills: Understand the business well, excellent communicators, and are highly skilled in an array of requirements elicitation techniques. Infrastructure Analyst Focus: Technical issues surrounding the ways the system will interact with the organization's technical infrastructure. Function: Ensures
What are the six different roles as a system analyst?
Technical, Business, Analytical, Interpersonal, Management, and Ethical skills
What are the six general skills all project team members should have?
Skills needed for a system analyst are technical, business, analytical, interpersonal, management, and ethical.
What are the skills needed for a system analyst?
1. User's and analyst's lack of familiarity of the business application 2. Lack of familiarity with the technology 3. Project Size 4. Compatibility with existing systems
What are the sources of risk when it comes to technical feasability?
Identify the use cases. Identify the major steps within each use case. Identify elements within steps. Confirm the use case.
What are the steps for writing use cases?
Step 1: Identify the external entities Step 2: Identify high-level processes Step 3: Identify data stores Step 4 (optional): Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table Step 5: Draw the Context Diagram Step 6: Draw the data flow Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Step 1: Identify the external entitiesStep 2: Identify high-level process(es).Step 3: Identify date stores. Step 4: Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table. (Optional)Step 5: Draw Context Diagram (using the EAD table).Step 6: Draw the data flow (using the EAD table).Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Using use cases or any other documentation, complete the following steps: Step 1: Identify the external entities. Step 2: Identify high-level process(es) Step 3: Identify data stores. Step 4 (optional): Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table. Step 5: Draw the Context Diagram (using the EAD table). Step 6: Draw the data flow (using the EAD table). Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers (i.e., Level 1.1, Level 2.2,..) When you are done, validate DFDs with users to ensure completeness and accuracy
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Strengths: -simple & straight forward - quality improves through the emphasis on testing - inc. quality assurance early on strengthens system quality Weaknesses: - Rigid - Difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
What are the strengths & weaknesses of the V-Model?
- Strengths: Easy to find nonfunctional requirements, easy to find information-based functional requirements - Weaknesses: Harder to see process-based functional requirements, functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Document Analysis?
Strength: Understand multiple perspectives at once & have user feedback wil documentation is being made Weaknesses: Facilitator required, can take valuable time from other work, and coordination required and group issues arise
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a JAD Session?
Strengths Interviewee can respond freely and openly to questions and can be asked for more feedback. Questions can be adapted or reworded depending on the individual. Interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed. Weaknesses Can be very time consuming and a costly fact-finding approach. The success of the interview is dependent on the analyst's human relation skills. It may be impractical due to the location of the interview.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of an interview?
Strengths: provides a system for users to assess, as well as giving a clear sign of progress being made along the development cycle. Weaknesses: Lack of careful analysis before making design decisions. The prototypes can have design limitations that are a result of a failure to understand the system's true purpose.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of system prototyping?
- Fast delivery of results - Works well in projects with undefined or changing requirements
What are the strengths of Agile Methodologies Assessment?
- Understand multiple perspectives at once - Have user feedback while documentation is being made
What are the strengths of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
-A substantial amount of the modeling and documentation overhead is eliminated -Fast delivery of results -Works well in project with undefined or changing requirements - High flexibility: Short cycles and constant iterations allow you to adapt your project frequently and tailor it to the customer's needs at any moment. - Constant interaction among the stakeholders. With your teams constantly interacting with each other and with the customer, you avoid producing tons of technical documentation, processes, and tools.
What are the strengths of agile development?
-Interviewee can respond freely and openly to questions -Interviewee can be asked for more feedback -Questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual -Interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed
What are the strengths of interviews?
reduces overall project time (Waterfall Comparison) reduces need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing
What are the strengths of parallel methodology assessment?
- System requirements identified long before construction begins - Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed
What are the strengths of the Waterfall Methodology?
Tangible- includes revenue that system enables organization to collect -- EX: increased Sales, reductions in staff, reductions in inventory, reductions in IT costs, and better supplier prices Intangible- Based on intuition and belief rather than on hard numbers -- EX: increased market share, increased brand recognition, higher-quality products, improved customer service, better supplier relations - tangible benefits are made after system implementation
What are the tangible vs intangible benefits for an IS project and when are tangible benefits made?
Avoidance, Transfer, Reduction, Retention
What are the techniques for managing risk?
Avoidance, transfer, reduction/mitigation, and retention/acceptance
What are the techniques for managing risk?
Communication, Conveyance, Convergence
What are the three C's for working on a team?
Communication, Convergence, and Conveyance.
What are the three C's of Working on a Team?
Iterative development - A series of versions developed sequentially System Prototyping - Create prototype (model) of system and grow it into the final system Throw-away prototyping - Prototype alternative designs in an experimental way - Build system following prototype design but discard the actual prototype
What are the three RAD Approaches?
Iterative Development, System Prototyping, Throw-Away Prototyping
What are the three RAD approaches?
Iterative development System Prototyping Throw-away prototyping
What are the three RAD approaches?
Iterative development, system prototyping, and throw-away prototyping
What are the three RAD approaches?
1. Iterative Development Methodology 2. System Prototyping Development Methodology 3. Throwaway Prototyping Development Methodology
What are the three Rapid Application Development (RAD) approaches?
1. Iterative Development 2. System Prototyping 3. Throwaway Prototyping
What are the three approaches of Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?) The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail?
Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and organizational feasibility
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical: Can we build it? - familiarity with application/technology - project size - compatibility Economical: Should we build it? - development costs - annual operating costs and benefits - intangible benefits and costs Organizational: If we build it, will they continue? - is the project strategically aligned with the business? - project champion(s), senior management, users, other stakeholders
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
technical feasibility, operational feasibility, & economic feasibility.
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Black Hole, Gray Hole, Miracle
What are the three common errors in DFD?
1. Project Size 2. Project Time 3. Project Cost
What are the three consideration for selecting a project?
The project management triangle visualizes the problem of "triple constraints"—the need to balance scope, cost, and time in order to maintain a high-quality final product.
What are the three critical aspects Project managers have to deal with?
cost, size, time
What are the three critical aspects Project managers have to deal with?
Cost, time ,and size
What are the three critical aspects of a project?
Cost, Size, Time
What are the three critical aspects that project managers always face during tradeoffs among a project?
entities, attributes, relationships
What are the three elements of an Entity relationship diagram?
Project Size Project Costs Project Time
What are the three elements of the project management task, that affect/ modify/adjust the other two?
Understand the current situation, identify improvements, and define requirements/concepts of the new system
What are the three goals of the Analysis Phase?
- Understand the existing situation (as-is system) - Identify improvements - Define requirements for the new system (to-be system)
What are the three goals of the analysis phase?
Communication: Expectations and team cohesion Conveyance: Sharing task information and work Convergence: Making decisions about the work
What are the three key aspects of teamwork (or the three Cs)?
1. Must ensure group sticks to agenda by firmly, but politely leading discussion back to agenda 2. Help group understand technical terms and jargon related to system development process and specific analysis techniques used 3. Record group's input public display area and help to recognize key issues and solutions while remaining neutral.
What are the three key functions the JAD facilitator performs?
benefits, developmental costs & Operational costs
What are the three major components of calculating a cost-benefit analysis?
1. Business requirements: what the business needs 2. User requirements: what the user needs to do in order to utilize the system effectively 3. System requirements: how the system should be built
What are the three major types of requirements?
Project size (in terms of what it does), project time (when it will be finished) and project cost. Modifying one element requires adjusting the others. The project manager and sponsor balance the three trade-offs as the project develops.
What are the three trade-offs involved in project management?
Project cost, project time, project size
What are the three trade-offs of every project?
Technical feasibility = is to assess the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group. economic feasibility =Attempt to answer the questions "should we build the system". Identifies the cost and benefits associated with the system. organizational feasibility =Measures how well the system ultimately will be accepted by its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization
What are the three types of feasibility analysis?
Iterative development - breaks the overall project into a series of sequentially developed versions. System prototyping - Perform analysis, design, and implementation phases at the same time to create simple versions of the system, which are then given to users for feedback. These systems can be thought of as the "quick and dirty" version of the final deliverable. Throwaway prototyping - uses prototypes to explore design alternatives rather than the entire new system. includes the production of a design prototype, which is not the working system. It contains only enough detail to allow users to understand what issues are being addressed.
What are the three versions of RAD (Rapid Application Development)?
Organizational, economic, and technical
What are the three-feasibility analysis?
External and temporal triggers
What are the two different types of event triggers?
- Process-oriented: A process the system should perform or do as a part of supporting a user task -Information the system should provide and contain as the user performs a task
What are the two functional requirements?
Temporal or External
What are the two possible types for a use case?
External Trigger and Temporal Trigger
What are the two triggers in a use case?
Process and Information
What are the two types of Functional Requirements?
External and Temporal
What are the two types of event triggers?
Temporal and External
What are the two types of event triggers?
Two Types of Functional Requirements 1.) Process-Oriented: A process the system must perform; a process the system must do. It suggests a direct action resulting from an external or temporal event Ex.) The system must allow registered customers to review their own order history for the past 3 years; The system must check incoming customer orders for inventory availability; The system should allow students to view course schedules while registering for classes 2.) Information-Oriented: Information the system must contain. It suggests things that happen involving information or time triggers to collect or produce information Ex.) The system must retain customer order history for 3 years; The system must include real-time inventory levels at all warehouses; The system must include budgeted and actual sales and expense amount for the current year and 3 previous years. Four types of Nonfunctional Requirements 1.) Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate. Ex.) The system will run on Android mobile devices; The system should be able to integrate with the existing inventory system; The system should be compatible with any Web browser. 2.) Performance
What are the two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements?
-a process that the system should perform -information the system should provide
What are the two types of functional requirements?
1. Process-oriented 2. Information-oriented
What are the two types of functional requirements?
1. Process-oriented: a process the system should perform. 2.Information-oriented: information the system must contain/provide
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Process-oriented and information oriented
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Process: a process the system should perform as part of supporting a user task Information: information the system should provide as the user performs a task
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Two types: A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task, or Information the system should provide as the user performs a task
What are the two types of functional requirements?
The two types of functional requirements are process-oriented and information-oriented. The four types of non-functional requirements are operational, performance, security, cultural and political.
What are the two types of functional requirements? What are the four types of non-functional requirements?
fixed-format (multiple choice) and free-format (essay)
What are the two types of question formats asked in questionnaires?
((Functional Requirement)) - the product capabilities, or things that a product must do for its users_____________________________________________((Nonfunctional Requirement)) - the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have
What are the two types of system requirement?
Functional requirement, Nonfunctional requirement
What are the two types of system requirements?
External(events that occur outside the system) and Temporal (time-based).
What are the two types of triggers?
1. Parallel Development 2. V-Model Development *The goal is to complete each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure accurate and high-quality results
What are the two variants and goals of Waterfall Development?
Parallel development and V-Model. Parallel development involves multiple subprojects working at the same time, then coming together at the end to create one deliverable. V-Model is similar to waterfall in most ways, but instead of testing at the end of the project, testing is done throughout the project. This results in more time spent on the project, but also fewer errors in the final deliverable.
What are the two variants of waterfall development called? How are they different than waterfall development?
External Entity
What data flow diagram element represents a square?
Process
What data flow diagram element represents an oval/rounded square?
Synchronously - Meeting in person, meeting on Google Docs, Screen sharing on various applications such as Discord, Skype, Zoom, Slack - Benefits: Full input, creativity, quick response/feedback - Disadvantages: Scheduling, lost efficiency Divide and conquer - Meeting to only decide how the work will be divided, then work is completed individually. Once work is done, everything is combined at the end after approval - Benefits: Efficient, scheduling, allows people to focus on their one task - Disadvantages: Slow feedback and responses, decision making can take a while
What are the two ways that a team can work on a project?
Close-ended, open-ended, and probing questions
What are the types of questions you can ask in an interview?
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic Value
What are the ways to Characterize Projects?
rigid difficult to use in dynamic business environment
What are the weaknesses of V methodology assessment?
-requires discipline requires high involvement of project sponsor -significant users involvement is essential -initial high learning curve -works best in smaller projects -more coordination required because analysts/designers/users all work together in every iteration
What are the weaknesses of agile development?
Harder to see process-based functional requirements. Functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system.
What are the weaknesses of document analysis?
- User is faced with using an incomplete system for some time - Users must be patient and wait for fully functional system
What are the weaknesses of the Iterative Development Methodology?
1. Iterative development Breaks the overall project into a series of versions that are developed sequentially 2. System prototyping Performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback 3. Throw-away prototyping Includes the development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system
What are three Rapid Application Development approaches?
Project portfolio perspective, Trade-offs needed, and viable projects may be rejected or deferred due to project portfolio issues
What are three categories of feasibility analysis?
Miracle ==> No input goes in but has output Black Hole ==> Input goes in but no output comes out Gray Hole ==> The output is different from the data input
What are three common errors to avoid while creating Data Flow Diagram
Closed-ended, open-ended, probing
What are three different types of interview questions?
Project Objectives Scope Responsibilities
What are three elements that a project charter should have?
The technical feasibility, the economic feasibility, and the organizational feasibility.
What are three key aspects examined the the feasibility analysis?
Communication Conveyance Convergence
What are three key aspects of working on a team?
The size of the system, the time to complete the project, and the cost of the project
What are three main things that project managers have to balance?
Technical, economic, and organizational
What are three types of feasibility?
-casual -fully dressed
What are two common use case formats?
Work Synchronously and divide and conquer
What are two team strategies?
Work synchronously and divide and conquer
What are two team strategies?
External: event that occurs outside the system that the system is responding to (someone placed an order) Temporal: time-based (based upon passage of time)(payment due)
What are two types of event triggers in the context of Use Cases?
External and temporal
What are two types of event triggers?
logical and physical
What are two types of process models?
Temporal are based on time passage while and external triggers are caused by an outside entity or event
What are two types of triggers and how are the different?
1) Parallel Development 2) V-Model Development
What are two variations of waterfall development?
Business requirements, User requirements, and System requirements
What are types of requirements?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, System
What are waterfall development methodology steps?
Parallel Development and V-Model
What are waterfall development's two variants?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, and economic value
What are ways to classify projects?
A use case is created from the perspective of the user point of view. It is useful for the system analyst to transform their view into the developer's view through the use of functional requirements.
What benefits does a use case provide?
Name
What can be apart of a use case?
Setting a tight, but realistic deadline. Stress high quality. Identifying core and essential requirements. All of the above
What can timeboxing help with?
Weak personnel, scope creep, poor design, and overly optimistic estimates.
What causes risk in risk management?
Internally developed by organization Consulting firms Software vendors Government agencies
What could be some sources of methodology?
A. Joint Aplication Development, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements
What does JAD stand for, and what is it? A. Joint Aplication Development, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements B. Joint Analysis Discussion, information gathering interview between management and the project team to C. Juncture Application Deriving, information gathering technique that combines the team, users, and management to work together on identifying requirements D. Joint Application Development, the project team shadows the as-is system and consults managers and users on improvements
Rapid Application Development
What does RAD stand for?
System Development Life Cycle is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system. SDLC encompasses various phases, including requirements analysis, system design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance, with the goal projects being completed on time, within budget, and meet the desired quality and functionality standards.
What does SDLC stand for and what is it?
Collects and manages information about all projects, both on-going and awaiting approval.
What does a Project Portfolio Management Software do?
A number, a name (noun), a description, one or more input of data flows, and one or more output of data flows.
What does a data store need to contain?
Shows all major processes such as data stores, external entities, and data flow among them. Most level 0 DFD's have one input and one output and has process numbers with no decimal points.
What does a level 0 data flow diagram show?
A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., as‐is system)
What does a process model help document?
Challenge assumptions about why the problem exists and trace symptoms to causes to find the real problem.
What does a root cause analysis do?
A system request presents a brief summary of a business need and explains how a system that addresses the need will create business value. Describes business reasons for project, Defines system's expected value, forces the sponsor to formalize his/her idea, and lists project's key elements.
What does a system request do?
- It ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD.
What does balancing ensure?
Balancing means ensuring that all information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next‐level DFD.
What does balancing mean in DFDs?
Every data flow has: - a name (a noun) - a description - one or more connections to a process
What does every data flow have?
Every data store has: - a name (a noun), - a description, - one or more input data flows, - one or more output data flows.
What does every data store in a DFD have?
Every external entity has - a name (a noun) - a description.
What does every external entity in a DFD have?
Every process has: - a number - a name (verb phase), - a description, - at least one output data flow, and - at least one input data flow.
What does every process in a DFD have?
Every process has a number, a name (verb phase), a description, at least one output/input flow
What does every process in a data flow diagram element contain?
including what the objectives are, how it will be carried out, and who the stakeholders are.
What does project charter include:
it means that processes that are on a Level 0 DFD will decompose into another Level 1 DFD. In addition, the processes on the Level 1 DFD may or may not decompose into a Level 2 DFD.
What does the DFD hierarchy mean?
Collects and manages info about all projects and adapt to changing situations
What does the PPM Software?
Testing
What does the V Model focus primarily on?
This phase involves ongoing maintenance and support of the system, including bug fixes, updates, and enhancements. This requires a deep understanding of the system's architecture and underlying technologies, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure that the system continues to meet their needs and expectations.
What does the maintenance of a system entail?
Subdivide the project into subprojects that can be worked on at the same time reducing the overall project length
What does the parallel development methodology do?
First step is Project Initiation. Here, the system request is prepared, and a preliminary feasibility analysis is performed. Second step is to set up a project plan. This includes a work plan and a staffing plan.
What does the planning phase entail?
The project sponsor is the person who commissions a project and explains the requirements and needs of a project.
What does the project sponsor do?
-Works closely with all project team members -Must understand how to apply technology to solve business problems. -May serve as change agents who identify the organizational improvements needed, design systems to implement those changes, and train and motivate others to use the systems.
What does the system analyst do?
it means that an organization might have a large number of potential projects (Project portfolio)
What does the term project portfolio management mean?
An organization might have a large number of potential projects (project portfolio), and management must decide on appropriate projects based on size, cost, risk, etc.
What does the term project portfolio management refer to?
Requires detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to preform each process in the system
What duration analysis requires ?
- Role ensures that the project is completed on time. - Make sure the project is within budget.
What duties of a project manager?
Agile Development is a group of programming-centric methodologies that involve several iterations of full "mini SDLCs" that focus on short cycles to produce a complete software product. Formal modeling and documentation are eliminated in favor of face to face communication. Goal: Early customer satisfaction; priority of allowing change; priority of communication over documentation.
What is Agile Development?
Studies the as-is system and envisions the design of the to-be system
What is Analysis Strategy?
BPM:Business Process Management. It is a methodology used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes. Business process management can be applied to internal organizational processes and to processes spanning multiple business partners. It also follows a continuous cycle of systematically creating, assessing, and altering business processes.
What is BPM and what does it stand for?
Business Process Management is a methodology used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes. BPM can be applied to internal organizational processes and to processes spanning multiple business partners. By studying and improving their underlying business processes, organizations can achieve several important benefits, including: * enhanced process agility, giving the organization the ability to adapt more rapidly and effectively to a changing business environment; * improved process alignment with industry "best practices"; and * increased process efficiencies as costs are identified and eliminated from process workflows.
What is BPM?
The break-even point (also called the payback method) is defined as the number of years it takes a firm to recover its original investment in the project from net cash flows.
What is Break-Even point?
It creates or adjusts electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What is Business Process Automation?
- Studies the business processes - Create new, redesigned processes to improve the process workflows, and/or - Utilize new technologies enabling new process structures.
What is Business Process Improvement?
Business Process Management (BPM) is a discipline involving any combination of modeling, automation, execution, control, measurement and optimization of business activity flows, in support of enterprise goals, spanning systems, employees, customers and partners within and beyond the enterprise boundaries.
What is Business Process Management?
- It is a total overhaul of work processes.
What is Business Process Reengineering?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering - software that automates all or part of the development process
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering - software that automates all or part of the development process. Some CASE software packages are primarily used during the analysis phase to create integrated diagrams of the system and to store information regarding the system components.
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering is used during the analysis phase to create integrated diagrams of the system and to store information regarding the system components, also automates all or part of the development process. -CASE is a category of soft ware that automates all or part of the development process.
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering; software that automates all or part of the development process.
What is CASE?
-An elicitation technique that analyzes existing documentation and identifies information relevant to the requirements. -Formal System documents: forms, reports, policy manuals, and organization charts. These documents can only tell part of the story -Informal System documents: the "real" documents, differ from the formal ones. They give strong indications of what needs to be changed
What is Document Analysis
Duration analysis requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system. It's a measurement of the sensitivity of the market value of a bank's assets and liabilities to changes in interest rates.
What is Duration Analysis?
Users get a system to use quickly Users identify additional needs for later version based on real experience with current version
What is Iterative Development's Strength?
Breaks the overall project into a series of versions that are developed sequentially. The most important and fundamental requirements are bundled into the first version of the system. This version is developed quickly by a mini-waterfall process, and once implemented, the users can provide valuable feedback to be incorporated into the next version of the system. Iterative development gets a preliminary version of the system to the users quickly so that business value is provided. Since users are working with the system, important additional requirements may be identified and incorporated into subsequent versions.
What is Iterative Development?
Joint Application Development - An extensive, structured group process - Produce complete requirements defined document - Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analyst- Requires a trained facilitator and a comfortable facility for long term, intensive group work; preferably off-site
What is JAD?
An information gathering technique that allows the project teams, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system. This helps understand the system from multiple perspectives while also receiving user feedback.
What is Joint Application Development (JAD)?
b. Management Lack of Communication.
What is NOT a "pro"(like) of an analysts work? a. Variety b. Management Lack of Communication. c. Problem Solving d. Challenge
d) evaluating the most efficient way possible to solve key problems
What is NOT a key role in developing information systems? a) analyzing the business situation b) identifying opportunities for improvements c) designing an information system to implement the improvements d) evaluating the most efficient way possible to solve key problems
C. Benefits
What is NOT the three main things that project managers have to balance? A. Cost B. Size C. Benefits D. Time
The NPV is simply the difference between the total present value of the benefits and the total present value of the costs. As long as the NPV is greater than zero, the project is considered economically acceptable. NPV = Sum of PV of Total Benefits - Sum of Present Value of Total Costs
What is Net Present Value?
It is a step-by-step outline of a use case. Exceptions happen when errors are encountered when use case in progress.
What is Normal Course when referring to a use case?
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval.
What is PPM software? (Project Portfolio Management)
(variation of Waterfall) Subdivide the project into subprojects that can be worked on at the same time, which reduces the overall project length Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes Strengths: Reduces overall project time (compared to Waterfall) Reduces the need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing Weaknesses: Creating subprojects require careful design Integrating subprojects at the end can be complex and difficult
What is Parallel Development?
- A formal way of representing how a business process operates - Illustrate activities that are performed and how data moves between them
What is Process Model?
Project Estimation - The process of assigning projected values for time and effort Sources : - Methodology in use - Actual previous projects - Experienced developers - Industry standards
What is Project Estimation and what are some sources for estimating these values?
Oversees the project to ensure that it meets its objectives on time and within budget.
What is Project Manager?
Project Methodology is a formalized approach to implementing the systems development life cycle. There are 6 project characteristics: 1. Clarity of User Requirements - How well the users and analysts understand the functions and capabilities needed from the new system. 2. Familiarity with Technology - How much experience does the project team have with the technology 3. System Complexity - How much complexity is anticipated in the new system? What features will be included in the new system? Will the systems have to be integrated with the other existing systems? 4. System Reliability - Will the new system be highly reliable or will there be downtime? 5. Short Time Schedules - Will the project time frame be tight? 6. Schedule Visibility - Will the project sponsors, users, and/or organizational managers be anxious to see the progress?
What is Project Methodology and what the list of project characteristics that will affect the methodology selection decision?
It is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations. RAD incorporates special techniques and computer tools to speed up the analysis, design, and implementation phases. Advantages: Can improve the speed and quality of systems development. Disadvantages: As systems are developed more quickly and users gain a better understanding of IT, user expectations may increase and system requirements may expand during the project (scope creep).
What is RAD (Rapid application development)?
RAD stands for Rapid Application Development. A form of agile development which emphasizes working software and user feedback over strict planning and requirements recording
What is RAD?
ROI is return on investment. It calculates the average rate of return earned on the money invested in the project. To calculate ROI, you use the formula: (Total Benefits - Total Costs)/Total Costs
What is ROI and how is it calculated?
Scope creep is defined as the new requirements that are added to the project after the original project scope was defined and frozen. Scope creep can be managed by requirements should be clarified in the beginning of the project by communication with users and prototyping. Only the necessary requirement should be allowed by the project manager after the project begins.
What is Scope Creep, and how can it be managed?
One of the techniques used to describe processing logic by using short sentences to describe the work that a process performs
What is Structured English?
System Prototyping performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the user for evaluation and feedback.
What is System Prototyping?
Assessing if the system is possible to be built, and if it might be better to either purchase or outsource the system if it is cheaper, tight deadlines or less experienced staff is onboard. This minimizes risk when tackling a new project, other areas to consider when assessing technical feasibility are: current system combability, the project size, lack of familiarly with the technology needed, business users/analysts familiarity with the application itself.
What is Technical Feasibility?
- Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies - The group goes through each list and identifies how each might be applied to the business and how the business might benefit
What is Technology Analysis?
A time estimating technique that may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available.
What is Timeboxing?
V-Model development is a type of waterfall development where after the code of the system is written, all of its components are tested in a reverse manner (implementation, design, analysis), placing an emphasis on high quality from repeated testing.
What is V-Model Development?
- Waterfall development is both a kind of methodology and a development method itself. It produces a system deliverable by going through the 4 phases (planning, analysis, design, implementation) in order, rarely going backwards, making sure the system is fully adequate before moving on to the next stage. - The key deliverables for each phase are typically voluminous (often, hundreds of pages) and are presented to the approval committee and project sponsor for approval as the project moves from phase to phase. - Analysts and users proceed sequentially from one phase to the next
What is Waterfall Development?
Business requirement is a new and enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide
What is a business requirement?
Completely finishing a project phase before moving on to the next phase Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes Strengths: Systems requirements identified long before construction begins Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets are allowed Weaknesses: Must wait a long time before there is any "visible" evidence of the new system Takes a long time from start to finish
What is Waterfall Development?
Drawing a process without an output.
What is a "black hole" error on a Data Flow Diagram?
Drawing a process without any output
What is a "black hole" error?
when data flows into a process but nothing happens or comes out
What is a "black hole" in DFD?
Drawing a process without an input.
What is a "miracle" error on a Data Flow Diagram?
Drawing a process without any input
What is a "miracle" error?
An activity or function performed for a specific reason
What is a "process" in the Data Flow Diagram?
A formalized approach to implementing the systems development life cycle. For example, it is a list of tasks, steps, and deliverables. Factors that affect methodology selection decision: Clarity of user requirements Familiarity with Technology System Complexity System Reliability Short time schedules Schedule visibility
What is a 'methodology' in Systems Analysis?
A process that has no outputs.
What is a Blackhole Error?
Computer-aided soft ware engineering (CASE) is a category of soft ware that automates all or part of the development process. Advantages: tasks are much faster to complete and alter; development information is centralized; information is illustrated through diagrams, making it easier to understand. Disadvantages: complexity, requires significant training and experience, often serves as a glorified diagramming tool
What is a CASE tool?
- 1st DFD in every business model - Shows the entire system in context with its environment -Shows data flows to and from external entities
What is a Context Diagram?
DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a DFD diagram
What is a DFD Fragment?
A DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a DFD diagram.
What is a DFD fragment?
A DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a new DFD.
What is a DFD fragment?
A single piece of data or a logical collection of data. Includes the following: A name (noun) Description (if necessary) One or more connections to a process
What is a Data Flow?
A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way. Include the following: A number A name (noun) Description (if necessary) One or more data flows (input or output or both)
What is a Data Store?
A process the system must do when a user is doing a routine task or information the system must give the user as a task is done.
What is a Functional Requirement?
Joint Application Development. Which is an extensive, structured group process. The goal is produced complete requirements definition document.
What is a JAD?
JAD is an information gathering technique that allows the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system.
What is a Joint application Development (JAD)
Model that describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. By focusing on this first analysts are able to focus on how the business is run without the physical details
What is a Logical process model?
Parts of the system that are only behavioral properties, not tied to a process itself but still a requirement that must be met within the system. They can be Operational, Performance, Security, Cultural, or Political requirements.
What is a Non-Functional Requirement?
is the description of the major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event, the inputs used for the steps, and the outputs produced by the steps. It also lists the steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system.
What is a Normal Course?
A type of process model that provides information that is needed to ultimately build the system. It includes that information, in terms of technology, format of information moving through processes, and the human interaction that is involved.
What is a Physical process model?
A process model is described as a formal way of representing how a business process operates.
What is a Process Model?
process model is a graphical way of representing how a business system should operate.
What is a Process Model?
-Describes project's objectives and rules. -A project charter may include when the project team would be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
What is a Project Charter?
a hierarchy of the tasks required to complete a project
What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
Provide awards/recognition
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team?
B. Provide awards/recognition
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team? A. Monetary incentives B. Provide awards/recognition C. Difficult deadlines D. Remove responsibility for decisions
A process without an output
What is a black hole error?
it is an error to avoid when creating DFD's and represents information or input coming in, and never going out
What is a black hole error?
b. A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate
What is a process model, as discussed in Chapter 5? a. A table listing the various processes that are to be automated by the system b. A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate c. A process that is exemplary in the industry (a "best practice") to be implemented in a system
A Process Model is prepared to show how the data flows through the various processes inside the system and the entire system is represented graphically to understand the working operations of a business system.
What is a process model?
A graphical way of representing how a business system should operate
What is a process model?
Formal way of representing how a business process operates.
What is a process model?
By definition, a process model is a formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them. The two process models are logical and physical. In a logical process model, processes are described without suggesting how they are conducted. In contrast, a physical process model include process implementation information.
What is a process model? What are the two process models? Explain the difference.
A process is an activity or a function that is performed for some specific business reason.
What is a process of a DFD?
An activity or function performed for a specific business reason
What is a process?
A project champion a high-level executive who is usually the project sponsor who created the system request.
What is a project champion?
The project charter lists the project's norms and ground rules. For example, the charter may describe when the project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
What is a project charter
- describes the project's objectives and rules - lists the project's norms and ground rules > e.g. when project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed, etc.
What is a project charter and what does it include
-A Document that lists the project's norms and ground rules It includes: 1.The Team Name 2.A Team Leader if applicable 3.The team's main communication channel (Such as 4.Zoom and Group Messaging) 5.Agreed upon Technology for collaboration such as Google Docs and OneDrive 6.The agreed upon work strategy 7.Scheduling constraints and the agreed-upon regular meeting times.
What is a project charter and what does it include?
It is a list of the projects norm's and ground rules. It includes things such as when a project team will work, how the group will communicate, when staff meetings will take place, and the procedures that will be used when updating the work plan.
What is a project charter and what does it include?
Project Charter: A document that lists the project norms and ground rules. Included: -Availability -Status reporting（What are the individual deadlines?） -Meetings -Documentation storage
What is a project charter and what does it include?
A short document that describes your project in its entirety. It provides availability, status reporting, meetings, documentation storage. It describes the project's objectives, rules, norms, and ground rules. It serves as the foundation for a project, which is both used as an internal marketing tool and reference guide
What is a project charter?
Project Charter lists the project's norms and ground rules Ex: the charter may describe when the team should be at work, when meeting will be held, how teams should communicate
What is a project charter?
The person that initiated the project and is the primary point of contact for the business.
What is a project sponsor?
A query operation makes information about the state of an object available to other objects, but it will not change the object in any way.
What is a query operation?
- A questionnaire is a written set of questions for obtaining information from individuals. - They help us because they allow the collection of information and opinions from large groups of people. - They can be utilized for systems intended for use outside of the organization (ex. customers, vendors) or for systems that have business users that are located in differing locations.
What is a questionnaire, how does it help us, and where are they most utilized?
A characteristic of the system that must be included.
What is a requirement?
What is necessary for the system to carry out and/or a necessary characteristic that must be available. Requirement is a condition or capability possessed by the software or system component in order to solve a real world problem. The problems can be to automate a part of a system, to correct shortcomings of an existing system, to control a device, and so on.
What is a requirement?
A text document that lists requirements in outline form, often including priorities and functional and nonfunctional requirements.
What is a requirements definition document?
A straightforward text report that lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in outline format. The purpose of the requirements definition is to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. A critically important purpose of the requirements definition, however, is to define the scope of the system. The document describes to the analysts exactly what the fi nal system needs to do. In addition, it serves to establish the users' expectations for the system. If and when discrepancies or misunderstandings arise, the document serves as a resource for clarification.
What is a requirements definition?
Adding new requirements after the original scope was defined
What is a scope creep?
Waterfall development is usually well structured, with all of its requirements and steps defined, remaining unchanged throughout the development cycle
What is a strength of waterfall development?
+> Definition: A system requirement is a statement of: - what the system must do (functional requirement) OR - what characteristics it needs to have (non-functional requirements) +> Types of requirements: ~ Business requirements: what business needs (system request) ~ User requirements: what the users need to do ~ System requirements: how the system should be built. It is divided into: * Functional requirements: functions of the system * Non-functional requirements: characteristics of the system
What is a system requirement? What are the types of system requirements?
A document that outlines the business need and high-level requirements for a new system, completed by the project sponsor. It defines the system's expected value and lists the project's key elements.
What is a systems request?
Document that describes the business reason for building a system and value expected to be provided
What is a systems request?
a benefit that can be measured in monetary terms ex: reducing manufacturing costs
What is a tangible benefit?
A temporal trigger is time-based and reoccurring. An example of a temporal trigger is automatically depositing a fixed amount of money into my savings account every 1st and 15th of the month(bi-weekly). A second example is a DVD becoming overdue at the video store or it becomes time to pay the weekly payroll.
What is a temporal trigger?
where the event is time based an example would be a system producing a annual reports. This is triggered when a specific date time is reached.
What is a temporal trigger?
A trigger is the event that causes the use case to begin.This includes external and temporal triggers.
What is a trigger?
What causes a use case to begin
What is a trigger?
A use case is description of the operations on the system you design.
What is a use case
It describes the activities that are done by the system users and how the system responds.
What is a use case description of?
A use case represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is a use case used for?
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is a use case?
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. A use case depicts a set of activities performed to produce some output result. Each use case describes how an event triggers actions performed by the system and the user.
What is a use case?
The WBS is the tool for breaking down a project into its component parts. A project plan is a structured list of all the tasks an associated activities needed to complete a project, along with timescales
What is a work breakdown structure and a project work plan
It is a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project. A work plan staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).
What is a work plan?
C. A dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project.
What is a work plan? A. Group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC B. Lists the roles that are required for the project and the proposed reporting structure for the project C. A dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project. D. Development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system.
A gathering strategy that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken?
What is activity-based costing?
An analysis that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken.
What is activity-based costing?
Agile development is a group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC. Much of the modeling and documentation overhead is eliminated; instead, face-to-face communication is preferred. A project emphasizes simple, iterative application development in which every iteration is a complete software project, including planning, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and documentation (Figure 2-8). Cycles are kept short (1-4 weeks), and the development team focuses on adapting to the current business environment. There are several popular approaches to agile development, including extreme programming (XP)8, Scrum9, and dynamic systems development method (DSDM).
What is agile development?
methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC
What is agile development?
An attribute is some type of information that is captured about an entity. In a business process, only those that will be used will be included in the model. They are noun that are listed within an entity and the beginning of each attribute clarifies to which entity it belongs. One or more attributes can serve as an identifier and attributes that serve as an identified are noted by an asterisk next to the attribute name.
What is an Attribute in a Entity Relationship diagram?
A person, organization, or system that is external to the system and adds or receives data from the system.
What is an External entity in a DFD
Recognitions and awards
What is an effective way of motivating people on a team?
Make sure that there is a realistic assessment of what needs to be accomplished
What is important when it comes to success in project management?
Timeboxing
What is the fastest way to complete a project deadline even with reduced functionality?
An entity relationship diagram (ERD) is a picture which shows the information that is created, stored, and used by a business system. ERDs are a graphical representation of the relationships between different entities in a system. They are used to model the system's data requirements and can help identify the entities and relationships that need to be included in the system's data model. ERDs are useful for ensuring that the system's data requirements are met and that the data model is accurate and complete.
What is an entity relationship diagram (ERD)?
It is the basic building block for a data model; it is a person, place, event, or thing about which data is collected examples: employees, an order, a product
What is an entity?
A user wishes to check out a cart from an online store
What is an example of External trigger?
-supporting a new marketing campaign. -reaching out to a new type of customer. - improving interactions with suppliers.
What is an example of a business need?
External Trigger and temporal trigger
What is an example of an event trigger?
Customer placing an order
What is an example of an external trigger?
An external entity is a person, organization, organizational unit or system that is outside of the system, but is still able to interact with the system. With DFDs, external entities correspond to the primary actor that is identified within the use case. - Examples: customers, government organizations, accounting systems
What is an external entity and how does it affect data flow diagrams?
It is a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
What is an external entity?
External triggers are things outside the system that the system must respond to.
What is an external trigger?
External triggers happen when an external event occurs and a system responds to the event. For instance, when I plug in my cellphone charger into my phone, it begins to charge. Another example is a customer placing an order; customer payment is received.
What is an external trigger?
a benefit that cannot be measured in monetary terms (but still have an impact) ex: increased customer service
What is an intangible benefit?
Cost-benefit analysis
What is another name for the economic feasibility analysis?
Balancing ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD. Data flows toward data stores and external entities on parent diagram are carried down to child diagram. Child diagram adds new processes and new data flows.
What is balancing?
Ensuring all the information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next level DFD
What is balancing?
Ensuring that all information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next level DFD. Does not mean it is identical, just that it is shown appropriately.
What is balancing?
Another requirements analysis strategy; Benchmarking refers to studying how other organizations perform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better. Benchmarking helps the organization by introducing ideas that employees may never have considered, but that have the potential to add value. Informal benchmarking is fairly common for "customer-facing" business processes (i.e., those processes that interact with the customer). With informal benchmarking, the managers and analysts think about other organizations, or visit them as customers to watch how the business process is performed.
What is benchmarking?
It is the study of how other organizations perform a business process compared to their own
What is benchmarking?
The benefits that the system will create for the organization.
What is business value?
A single piece of data or a logical collection of data
What is data flow?
Operation costs are ongoing and development cost are occur during the project when the system being built
What is difference between development and operation cost?
An abrupt change. Instant replacement of the an old system with a new system
What is direct conversion?
1. Updated feasibility analysis 2. Updated work plan 3. Requirement definition document 4. Use cases 5. Process and Data Models
What is does the system proposal comprise of?
A gathering strategy that requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system
What is duration analysis?
Tell us how long the process the whole process would take, and how long the specific steps would take. During this process you can choose which activities need to be shortened.
What is duration analysis?
Economical Feasibility: Should we build it? - Development costs - Annual operating costs - Annual benefits (cost savings and/or increased revenues) - Intangible benefits and costs
What is economical feasibility (cost-benefit analysis)?
The prototype methodologies allow you to get a rough product in the hands of the end users, and produces important feedback that allows for the system to be more geared to the user.
What is especially useful about a system prototype methodology ?
everything in the system can be thought of as a response to some triggering event; When a trigger event occurs, the system (and the people using it) responds, performs the actions defined in the use case, and then returns to the waiting state.
What is event-driven modeling?
External entities is a person, organization, organization unit, or system that is external to the system, but interacts with it.
What is external entities?
small focused teams work with clients to emphasize customer satisfaction
What is extreme programming?
State what the system does, information stores or processes supported
What is functional requiremens?
At minimum it includes the duration of the task, current statuses of the tasks (open/completed), and task dependencies. A more detailed project work plan also includes people who performed the tasks, actual hours the tasks took, variance between estimated and actual completed times.
What is included in a project work plan?
Determining the average number of staff needed for the project, match peoples skills with the needs of the project, motivate them to meet the projects objectives, and minimize project team conflict.
What is included in the Staffing the project phase?
Computers, Money, People
What is included in the detailed business case for the project?
the study of how other organizations preform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better
What is informal benchmarking?
It is a RAD approach where a system is typically developed in a series of versions. Strengths Users get a system to use quickly. Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with the current version Weaknesses Users are faced with using an incomplete system for some time. Users must be patient and wait for a fully functional system
What is iterative development and what are its strengths ans weaknesses?
Work breakdown structure
What is known as the backbone of a project work plan?
A semantics error is an error of meaning in the data flow diagram, in which the model does not accurately represent the business process being modeled. One example of a semantic error is one in which the data inputs to a process do not correspond to the type of information in the output data flow (see following DFD excerpt).
What is meant by a DFD semantic error?
- a formalized approach to implementing the SDLC
What is methodology
A trigger, either external or temporal
What is needed for a use case to begin?
a. challenging work
What is not a con of System Analysis work? a. Challenging work b. Management's lack of communication c. Unrealistic deadlines d. Stressful e. All of the above
- Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. - Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. - Business requirements are the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide.- Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. - Special issues or constraints are the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision. -Set up a lunch with your project sponsor. Not an element: -Set up a lunch with your project sponsor.
What is not an element of a system request?
OOAD is a methodology that uses object-oriented techniques to analyze and design systems. It involves identifying the objects in the system and their relationships, and designing classes and methods that implement the system's functionality. OOAD is useful for developing complex systems and can help ensure that the system is scalable, maintainable, and reliable.
What is object-oriented analysis and design? (OOAD)
Considers the desirable outcomes from customers perspective. Considers what the company could enable the customer to do.
What is outcome analysis?
c. Feasibility Analysis
What is part of the planning phase? a. Process Modeling b. Data Modeling c. Feasibility Analysis d. System Conversion
Changing the fundamental process so that fewer people work on the input, which often requires changing the processes and retraining staff to perform a wider range of duties
What is process integration?
A formal way of representing how a business process operates.
What is process model?
In project management, a project charter, project definition, or project statement is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project. It is a document that lists the project norms and ground rules. For example, the charter may describe when the project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
What is project charter?
The process of assigning projected values for time and effort
What is project estimation?
to identify and define the requirements that accomplish the project objectives in a common framework
What is purpose of WBS?
the process of assessing and addressing risks that are associated with developing a project
What is risk management?
a) focuses on problems first rather than solutions. b) The analyst starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. c) Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem d) All of the above
What is root cause analysis (RCA)?
a) focuses on problems first rather than solutions. b) The analyst starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. c) Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem d) None of the above e) All of the above
What is root cause analysis (RCA)?
Scope creep - When new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was already defined Timeboxing - Allocating a certain amount of time for an activity and then working to complete that task in that relatively fast time frame
What is scope creep and what is timeboxing:
scope creep: - occurs when new requirements are added to the project after the system design has been finalized or the original project scope was defined. - The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns occurs after the project is underway. timeboxing: - a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality need to be reduced. - ensures that project teams to not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely, and it satisfies the business by providing a product within a relatively fast time frame.
What is scope creep, and what is timeboxing
Scope creep happens when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined. Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced.
What is scope creep, and what is timeboxing?
- Get some portion of system developed quickly and in the users' hands
What is scope creep?
- Scope creep refers to changes, continuous or uncontrolled growth in a project's scope, at any point after the project begins. This can occur when the scope of a project is not properly defined, documented, or controlled. . This is the number one reason why projects tend to go over budget. User developed expectations dramatically increase and system requirements expand during the project - Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined
What is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined
What is scope creep?
Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was dened
What is scope creep?
New requirement is added to the project after original project scope was defined
What is scope creep?
Scope creep occurs when additional requirements are added to the project after the original scope was defined, including the incorporation of unauthorized features, product additions, or extra work.
What is scope creep?
The expansion of user expectations and increase in system requirements during the project.
What is scope creep?
All of the tasks from the work breakdown structure with assigned performers, hours estimated for task completion, actual hours needed for completion of tasks, and variances between the two.
What is shown in the project work Plan?
Identify high-level process(es).
What is step 2 of creating Data Flow Diagram?
The fit between the project and business strategy - the greater the alignment, the less risky the project will be from an organizational feasibility perspective.
What is strategic alignment?
Structured analysis is a technique used to analyze and model complex systems. It involves breaking down the system into smaller components and identifying the relationships between them. Structured analysis is useful for understanding the system's requirements and can help ensure that the system is designed to meet the user's needs.
What is structured analysis?
Tangible benefits include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales.
What is tangible benefit?
1. Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. 2. Processes cannot delete or update data.
What is the "Law of Conservation of Data"?
Steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system because there are no problems or issues that arise when the steps are able to be followed.
What is the "happy path" in a normal course?
Identify what would happen if each organizational activity were eliminated Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated, even if it seems preposterous
What is the Activity Elimination?
It is called the System specification. This is used by the programming team for implementation, which includes architectures/interface design, database and file specifications, and program design
What is the Design Phase Deliverable?
D. A and C
What is the Law of Conservation of Data? A. Data at rest stays at rest unless moved by a process B. Conserving data for better observation C. Processes cannot consume or create data D. A and C
Answer B. Simply list the functional and NON functional requirements in outline format.
What is the Requirements Definition Statement? Hint- usually called the "requirements definition"? A. Simply a statement of what the system must do or what characteristics it needs to have B. Simply list the functional and NON functional requirements in outline format C. A list of interview questions D. A statement used to identify project sponsors, project champion, and the stakeholders
detailing the probability and impact in a formal document One axis of the risk assessment matrix represents the probability of the event occurring. The other represents the impact to the organization if that event were to occur.
What is the Risk Assessment Matrix?
The analyses, system concept, requirements, and models are combined into a document called the system proposal, which is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision makers who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward.
What is the System Proposal?
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is the process of determining how an information system(IS) can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
What is the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
it is a variation of the waterfall development model that pays more attention to testing.
What is the V-model?
Basic architecture design for the systemdescribes the hardware, software, and network infrastructure to be used
What is the basic architecture design for the system?
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions
What is the benefit of Project Portfolio Management Software (PPM Software)?
C. Questionnaires are useful when there are many people from who information and opinions is needed.
What is the best method to obtain information from many people? A. Interviews B. JAD Sessions C. Questionnaires D. Document Analysis E. Observation
Provide awards and recognition
What is the best way to motivate people on a project team?
Interviewing starting with specific questions to later ask more broad questions; useful for collecting details
What is the bottom-up interview structure?
Part of the feasibility analysis in a project's planning phase Also known as economic feasibility Process of identifying costs and benefits associated with the system and assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring financial worthiness 4 step process comprised of: (1) identifying costs and benefits (2) assigning values to costs and benefits (3) determining cash flow (4) assessing project's economic value, which includes computations of Return on Investment (ROI), Break-Even Point (BEP), and Net Present Value (NPV)
What is the cost-benefit analysis as part of the systems development life cycle?
A process is an activity or a function that is performed for some specific business reason. It can include number, name, desc., at least one output data flow, and at least one input data flow
What is the definition of a Process?
Project plan that describes how the project team will go about developing the system
What is the deliverable for the planning phase?
system proposal. A document compiling the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process model, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan.
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include
The analysis phase of your project should result in three important deliverables: a business requirements report, a conceptual system design plan, and high-level strategy documents for the entire process.
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include?
The deliverable is the system proposal. It includes an updated feasibility analysis and work plans, requirement definition document, use cases, process data models, and/or OO equivalent
What is the deliverable of the Analysis phase and what does it include?
System proposal - it is the document compiling the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan.
What is the deliverable of the analysis phase?
System specifications
What is the deliverable of the design phase?
Development Costs are upfront cost in making the system (Buying an Espresso Machine) Operational Costs are ongoing cost for the system, a business incurs through its normal business operations (stocking coffee beans)
What is the difference between Development Costs and Operational Costs?
Logical process models are models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical Process Models are providing information that is needed to ultimately build the system.
What is the difference between Logical Process Models and Physical Process Model?
Logical - describes processes without suggesting how they are conducted Physical - include process implementation information
What is the difference between Logical and Physical process models?
Level 0 Diagram shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact. Adds stored data via the data stores. While Level 1 Diagram shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram. Shows how information moves to and from each of these processes.
What is the difference between a Level 0 Diagram and a Level 1 Diagram?
Logical Process Models describe the process(es) associated with the DFD without implying how they are conducted. Physical Process Models include information regarding how a process is to be implemented.
What is the difference between a Logical process model vs a Physical process model?
-Business needs: presents the reasons prompting the project -Business requirements: describes the reasons for developing a system and outlines the capabilities it will provide the organization -Business value: the benefits that the organization should expect from the system
What is the difference between a business need, business value, and business requirement?
A fully dressed use case includes alternative courses, inputs and outputs for steps, as well as summary inputs and outputs. A casual use case is used when fewer details are needed.
What is the difference between a casual use case and a fully dressed use case?
Development costs are usually thought of as one-time costs. Operational costs are usually thought of as ongoing costs.
What is the difference between a developmental cost vs operational cost?
A functional requirement specifies the support the system will provide the user in fulfilling his/her work task. (1) process the system should perform as a part of supporting user tasks (2) information the system should provide as the user performs a task A non-functional requirement is behavioral properties the system must-have. These include (1) Operational, (2) performance, (3) Security, and (4) Cultural and Political-legal requirements
What is the difference between a functional Requirement and a nonfunctional requirement?
A functional requirement specifies the support the system will provide to the user in fulfilling his or her work tasks. In other words, it is a statement of what a system must do. In contrast, a nonfunctional requirement is a statement of characteristics the system must have (for instance, how the system should be built). In a nonfunctional requirement, the behavioral properties the system must have are: operational, performance, security, cultural and political.
What is the difference between a functional and nonfunctional requirement?
A functional lead manages a group of analysts and a technical lead manages a group of programmers and other technical staff.
What is the difference between a functional lead and a technical lead?
A gray hole is data coming in with irrelevant data going out as an output whereas a black hole is when data enters a process and never leaves.
What is the difference between a gray hole and black hole?
Physical process models describe both how and what needs to be done. In a physical process model, the process implementation information is included.
What is the difference between a logical process model and a physical process model?
A conditional branch is not an error/exception, it is part of the normal course. An exception is something that you would not anticipate happening, also considered an error.
What is the difference between an exception and conditional branch in creating a use case?
- Benchmarking is the study of how other organizations perform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better - Informal benchmarking is when managers and analysts think about other organizations or visit them as customers to watch how the business process is performed
What is the difference between benchmarking and informal benchmarking?
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing, to ensure maintenance.
What is the difference between development and operation costs?
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
What is the difference between development and operation costs?
d. Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
What is the difference between development and operation costs? a. Development costs are intangible and operational costs are tangible. b. Development costs are tangible and operational costs are intangible. c. Operational costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Development costs are ongoing. d. Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
- External triggers are events that occur outside the system. - Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time.
What is the difference between external and temporal triggers?
A temporal trigger is based upon the passage of time. Examples are time to pay a bill; library book is due. External triggers are things outside the system to which the system must respond. Examples are a customer placing an order; customer payment is received.
What is the difference between external and temporal triggers?
Functional requirements are statements of what the system must do, and nonfunctional requirements are statements about characteristics the system should have.
What is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirements state what the system does( information stored or processes supported), while nonfunctional requirements state other important characteristics
What is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirements are what the system must do. Non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must have
What is the difference between functional requirements and non-functional requirements ?
Functional requirement defines how the system will support the user in completing a task meanwhile a nonfunctional requirement are the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints and external interfaces a product must have.
What is the difference between functional requirements and nonfunctional requirements?
A logical DFD focuses on the business and business activities, while a physical DFD looks at how a system is implemented.
What is the difference between logical and physical process models?
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted, while physical process models include process implementation information
What is the difference between logical and physical process models?
Process oriented: process the system must perform or do Ex: system must allow registered customers to review their own order history for the past three years. Information oriented: information the system must contain Ex: system must retain customer order history for three years.
What is the difference between process and information oriented in functional requirements?
Problem analysis: asks user to identify problems and solutions. Root cause analysis: tracing symptoms to their causes to discover the root problem
What is the difference between root cause analysis and problem analysis
Syntax: the structure of the DFDs and if the diagram follows the rules of the diagram language. These errors are typically made by the creator. Semantic: meaning of the DFDs and if they correctly describe the business process that is being modeled. These errors are typically made by the analyst who is collecting, analyzing and reporting the system's information.
What is the difference between syntax and semantic errors in DFDs?
Tangible benefits include revenue that system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales Intangible benefits are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard number"
What is the difference between tangible and intangible benefits?
Temporal trigger- is a time-based trigger that occurs based on a time frame, rather than an external event. An example might be sending an email about special offers once a week on Tuesday morning or paying a monthly bill External trigger- trigger is an action-based trigger, set in motion by some event outside of the system. An example can be a patient calling the doctor for an appointment.
What is the difference between temporal and external triggers?
The parallel development methodologies evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development because the waterfall method requires each part to be completed to more on to the next step. The parallel method is made to allow multiple portions to be developed and tested at the same time. Waterfall - steps are frozen until completed entirely and does not allow users to work ahead Parallel - Reduces the need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing
What is the difference between waterfall development and parallel development methodologies?
-Business requirements define what must be delivered to provide value. -System requirements describe how the proposed system will accomplish business requirements.
What is the distinction between business requirements a system requirements?
Answer A. Gantt chart
What is the document called that shows a "Project Work Plan" in graphical format? A. Gantt chart B. PERT Chart C. Function Point Table D. Org Chart
Project work plan -records and keeps track of all tasks needed to be accomplished over the course of the project - when a project needs to be completed -the person assigned to do the work any deliverables that will result
What is the document that project managers use to track scheduling, cost, and resources?
The planning phase is a fundamental process that details the why for for building an information system and the steps in how the system will be build. The planning phase entails two steps: 1. Project Initiation identifies the added business value to the business. Most ideas for new systems come from outside the Information System Department and are recorded on a system request. The systems requests documents the business need for building the system and the value that the system will provide through addressing then need. The IS Department will work alongside the project sponsor to conduct a feasibility analysis. The feasibility analysis examines the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility. The system request and feasibility are then presented together to an IS approval committee, who will determine if the project will be undertaken. 2. Project Management is a stage where the project manager will create the project work plan, staff the project, and strategically put techniques in place to help in controlling and directing the project. The project plan is a deliverable for project management that details how the team will develop the system through the systems development lif
What is the planning phase?
You want to create a system proposal
What is the point of the analysis phase in system design?
NPV
What is the preferred value of the cost benefit analysis?
-To ensure that the system creates value, looks are secondary. -To ensure the companies values and goals are met.
What is the primary goal of a new system?
Analyzing the business situation, identifying opportunity for improvement and implementing.
What is the primary goal of a system analyst?
It is important to remember that the primary objective of the system analyst is not to create a wonderful system. The primary goal is to create value for the organization, which for most companies means increasing tangible and intangible benefits.
What is the primary objective of a systems analyst?
System Proposal
What is the primary output of the analysis phase?
A DFD shows what kind of information will be input to and output from the system, where the data will come from and go to, and where the data will be stored.
What is the purpose of DFDs?
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval
What is the purpose of PPM Software?
Use cases are used to explain and document the interaction required between the user and the system to accomplish the user's task. Use cases are created to help the development team understand more fully the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals.
What is the purpose of Use Cases?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels might give more detail.
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels then give more detail.
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels then give more details. A context diagram shows the overall business process, without data stores. It also shows the external entities, which are the who or what that interact with the system in the said environment.
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
A data store forms the starting point for the data model and form the logical connection between the process model and the data model. It is where data is stored.
What is the purpose of a data store in a DFD?
The purpose of the level 0 DFD is to show all the major high - level process of the system and how they relate to each other ad store data One.
What is the purpose of a level 0 DFD and how many do all process model have?
The purpose of the level 0 DFD is to show all the major high - level processes of the system and how they relate to each other and stored data. All process models have one and only one level 0 DFD
What is the purpose of a level 0 DFD and how many do all process models have?
The level 1 DFD shows how each process operates in greater detail. Each process on the level 0 DFD must be decomposed into a more explicit DFD, called a level 1 diagram.
What is the purpose of a level 1 data flow diagram?
Project work plans are used to compile a structured strategy to complete a project. Breaks down tasks with specific details on how and who will be executing it.
What is the purpose of a project work plan?
• Depicts activities performed to produce some output result • Describes how an external user triggers an event which the system must respond • To help understand the situation and help convey the required user-system interactions
What is the purpose of a use case
A use case depicts a set of activities performed to produce a deliverable result. Each use case describes how an event triggers actions performed by the system and user.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case explains and documents the interaction between the user and the system to accomplish the user's tasks.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case is a set of all the possible ways in which a user can interact with the system in a particular environment in order to accomplish a goal. It describes the steps to guide the user that result in some useful output.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activates that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is the purpose of a use case?
The purpose is to create use cases that describe all tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the purpose of a use case?
They are used to determine how users perform tasks through the system, along with any interactions with other users or systems.
What is the purpose of a use case?
The approval committee is usually the decision making body regarding business investments in information systems projects. The committee could be any of the following: Company steering committee that makes information systems decisions Senior executive who controls organizational resources Another decision-making body that governs use of business investments. This committee is usually diverse in organizational representation, this can help in preventing the allocation of resources that will serve only narrow organizational interests.
What is the purpose of an approval committee? Who is usually on this committee?
Analysis phase provides the answer for who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Also, it provides a clear understanding of the new system's requirements.
What is the purpose of analysis phase of the SDLC?
The design phase decides how the system will operate in term of hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place such as user interface, forms, programs, databases, and files.
What is the purpose of design phase of the SDLC?
As use cases represent how a system interacts with its environment, it's purpose is to describe all the tasks that the users needs to perform using the system.
What is the purpose of developing use cases during systems analysis (Chapter 4)?
It is the final step of SDLC where the system plan is put into the motion and it is important to maintain control of the system.
What is the purpose of implementation phase of the SDLC?
Planning phase is the first step of the SDLC to understand why an information system should be build and how the project team plan to build it.
What is the purpose of planning phase of the SDLC?
Standards are made to ensure that team members are following the same procedures to perform the necessary tasks.
What is the purpose of standards?
Ans: The purpose of stating the primary actor is to identify the external entity who is a person, organization unit, or system that is external to the system but interacts with it. External entity provides data to the system or receive data from the system, and serve to establish the system boundaries.
What is the purpose of stating the primary actor for the use case?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) - software that automates all or part of the development process A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system Use cases are often thought of as an external or functional view of a business process, showing how the users view the process rather than the internal mechanisms by which the process operates. Since use cases describe the system's activities from the user's perspective in words, it is essential to involve users in their development. Therefore, creating use cases helps ensure that users' insights are explicitly incorporated into the new system
What is the purpose of the USE CASE?
The inputs and outputs section in a use case document defines requirements, boundaries, facilitates communication and testing, and specifies necessary data and results, making it crucial for functionality and validation.
What is the purpose of the inputs and outputs section of the use case?
The purpose of the inputs and outputs section is to list all inputs and associated sources, and outputs and associated destinations for the proposed system.
What is the purpose of the inputs and outputs section of the use case?
is to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. Additionally, it defines the scope of the project.
What is the purpose of the requirements definition statement?
Use cases clarify requirements and create more descriptive and complete functional requirements.
What is the relationship between the use case and functional requirements?
Use case are useful tools to clarify requirements Use cases convey only the user's point of view Transforming user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions The derived functional requirements tell the developer more about what the system must do
What is the relationship between the use case and system requirements?
1. Use cases are useful tools to clarify requirements. 2. Use cases convey only the user's point of view. 3. Transforming the user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions. 4. The derived functional requirements tell the developers more about what the system must do.
What is the relationship between use cases and system requirements?
Use cases can help find system requirements but leave out specific details that need to be known before developing the system (only user's pov). So, a systems analyst must develop functional requirements by transforming the user's view into the developer's view.
What is the relationship between use cases and system requirements?
It is a straightforward text report that simply lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in an outline format.
What is the requirement definition?
ROI = (total benefits - total costs)/total costs
What is the return on investment formula?
Likelihood * Potential Impact
What is the risk equation?
- Driving force behind project - Specifies overall business requirements - Determines business value - Formally requests a project via the System Request - The project sponsor is - NOT the systems analyst nor the project manager.
What is the role of Project Sponsor
Oversees all uses of IT and ensures the strategic alignment of IT with business goals and objectives
What is the role of a Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side.
What is the role of the project sponsor?
System Reliability
What predominant Methodology would be concerned with making sure the system doesn't crash?
A technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline. It will deliver the system by that deadline no matter what even if the functionality needs to be reduced. It ensures the project teams do not get stuck with "finishing touches" that drag out indefinitely and satisfies the business by providing a product in a fast time frame.
What is time boxing?
-Time estimating techniques that may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available -It is one way to combat or narrow down the margin of error in making project estimates
What is timeboxing?
A list of tasks ordered hierarchically. It is also the backbone of the project workplan.
What is timeboxing?
This technique sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if the functionality needs to be reduced.
What is timeboxing?
This technique sets a fixed deadline for a project, ensuring the most critical requirements of the software are deployed in a timely manner, with enhancements coming later if needed, and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if the functionality needs to be reduced.
What is timeboxing?
This technique. sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system even if functionality needs to be reduced.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project, minimizing risk for indefinite improvements and allowing for expedited project completion.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique used that ensures that developers do not get hung up on putting finishing touches on projects by establishing a deadline and turning in a project with core functionality, even if its functionality must be reduced. This is a hard deadline and all parts that have been completed must be turned in no matter what.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is creating a hard deadline for a project, regardless of current progress. This could mean having to reducing functionality or utility of the project.
What is timeboxing?
fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced. Time boxing ensures that project teams don't get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely, and it satisfies the business by providing a product within a relatively fast time frame.
What is timeboxing?
Implementation: expensive due to the development costs and operating costs associated.
What is typically the longest and most expensive phase of SDLC?
Use case driven means that use cases are the primary modeling tool employed to define the behavior of the system.
What is use case driven?
A feasibility study
What is usually the first step of a new systems development?
functional requirement relates directly to a process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task and/or information it should provide as the user is performing a task. nonfunctional requirement is a group of requirements as "the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have.
What it the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Many to many ( M-M) relationships
What kind of relationship is not acceptable in most ERD's ?
Black holes: , Miracles, and Gray holes.
What kinds of errors should you avoid when creating DFD's?
Level 0
What level does the Context diagram decompose into?
I would say C.) Interviews. why: Because you can get direct insight and knowledge on intended inputs and outputs.
What method is best for getting information about a specific process handled by a group in a dept? A. Observation B.JAD C. Interviews
System and throwaway prototyping
What methodology is best to use when the user requirements are unclear?
- Return on Investment - Break Even Point - Net Present Value
What metrics can be used to assess the financial viability of a project?
a) the estimates
What needs to be refined as the project progresses during the planning phase? a)the estimates b) the costs c)the plan d)the system
d. all the above
What of the following is usually found in a Use Case? a. Actor(s) b. Exception(s) c. Trigger(s) d. all the above
b. easy to use in a dynamic business setting
What of the following statements is not a strength of the V-Model methodology? a. simple and straightforward b. easy to use in a dynamic business setting c. quality improves though the emphasis on testing d. including quality assurance early in the project strengthens system quality
Analysis Phase
What phase of the SDLC answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used
Design Phase
What phase of the SDLC decides how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure
The planning phase has a feasibility analysis. The 3 types of feasibility studies are technical, economic, and organizational. -Technical: the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group -Economic: identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring the financial worthiness of the project. -Organizational: how well the system ultimately will be accepted by its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization.
What phase of the SDLC has a feasibility analysis? What are they called and what are they about?
Planning phase
What phase of the SDLC is a fundamental process of understanding why an info system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it
Closed-ended questions - questions that require a specific answer. Open-ended questions - questions that that look for more of a wide-ranging response. Probing questions - questions that are meant to follow up on what has been discussed to gain more of an understanding.
What type of questions should asked when designing an interview?
Non Functional
What type of requirement is "Restrict access to profitability information?
user requirement
What type of requirement would you classify how a booking agent's procedures to log in to a system?
Functional Requirements
What type of requirements are fully described in use cases?
external and temporal
What types of events trigger the use cases?
1. Identify if a project will deliver value to the business and create a request with the basic information 2. Make a feasibility analysis: technical, economic, and organizational
What ways does an organization identify and initiate projects?
Response is often low. Cannot clarify vague answers and body language can't be observed.
What weaknesses plague questionnaires?
Recognition, achievement, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and the chance to learn new skills.
What will most technical employees on a project team be motivated by assuming team members are paid a fair salary?
Seeks to answer who use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Investigates current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develop concepts for the new system. Also: Deliverable: project plan Analysis strategy: -studies the as-is system and envisions designs of the to-be system -has to be determined Requirements gathering: develop system concept based on analysis of gathered info. The system concept is then used to develop a set of business analysis models - that describe how the business will operate. The models typical represent data and processes needed to support the business. System proposal: analysis + system concept + models -> system proposal to be evaluated by project sponsor and approval committee.
What's Analysis (SDLC)?
Determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user interfaces, forms, and reports used; specific programs, databases, files needed. Must consider: - Determine design strategy: system developed by company's programmers? Outsourced? Buy existing package? - Develop basic architecture and interface design - Develop database and file specifications - Develop program design: defines what programs to write and what each will do
What's Design (SDLC)?
Determines why and how a system should be built. In Planning, approval of a project is a function of two entities: - system request: summarize business needs, the value of a system that support those needs. - feasibility analysis: technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility (will it be used?). Approved projects enter project management, in which the project manager creates work plan, staffs the projects, and put techniques in place to aid in control.
What's Planning (SDLC)?
fully dressed use cases are very thorough, detailed, and highly structured. Helps to more fully explain the user-system interactions outlined in the steps.
What's the difference between casual use case and fully dressed use cases?
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical process models include process implementation information.
What's the difference between logical and physical process models?
Interviews Questionnaires JAD - Joint Application Development Observation Document Analysis
What's the five commonly used requirement gathering techniques?
Challenge Technology Variety Constant Change Problem Solving
What's the pro of an analyst's work?
to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. -Defines the scope of the system. -Describes exactly what the final system needs to do. -Establishes the users' expectations for the system. -Serves as a resource for clarification when discrepancies or misunderstandings arise.
What's the purpose of The Requirements Definition Statement?
Use cases are created to help the development team understand more fully the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals. Once created, use cases often can be used to derive more detailed functional requirements for the new system.
What's the purpose of a use case?
It is the event that causes the use case to begin.
What's the trigger for the use case?
TRUE/FALSE
When a strong business need for an information system is recognized, often as a result of BPM, a person (or group) who has an interest in the system's success typically steps forward. We call this person (or group) the project sponsor.
When a project team has eight or nine major use cases, this suggests that the system is complex (or that the use cases are not defined at the right level of detail). Combining these use cases into logical packages can be more efficient to view. These packages are then treated as the major processes for the top level of the process model, with the use cases appearing on lower levels, or are treated as separate systems and modeled as separate systems.
When are Use Cases grouped together into Packages?
When information needs to be collected quickly from a large audience while maintaining uniform responses.
When are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
When there a large number of users outside the organization who have valuable input
When are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
d. External entities represent people, organizations, or systems interacting with the system being modeled.
When creating a Data Flow Diagram (DFD), what is the purpose of including external entities in the diagram? a. External entities represent internal processes within the system. b. External entities serve as placeholders for future development. c. External entities identify individuals responsible for system maintenance. d. External entities represent people, organizations, or systems interacting with the system being modeled.
d) Top-Down Interview The top down approach enables the interviewee to become accustomed to the topic before he or she needs to provide specifics. It also enables the interviewer to understand the issues before moving to the details.
Which approach to organizing the interview questions is an appropriate strategy for most interviews? a) Bottom-Up Interview b) Middle-Up Interview c) Middle-Down Interview d) Top-Down Interview
D. Expectations
Which are not elements of a use case? A. Normal Course B. Postconditions C. Preconditions D. Expectations E. Trigger
C. Information and Process
Which are not non-functional requirements? A. Physical and technical operating environment B. Speed, Capacity, and reliability needs C. Information and Process D. Restrict access and develop securities E. Legal requirements and cultural norms
Internal entity or process
Which data flow diagram (DFD) symbol is usually portrayed with a circle?
Data flow
Which data flow diagram (DFD) symbol is usually portrayed with an arrow?
C. Special-purpose documents that allow the analyst to collect information and opinions from respondents.
Which describes Questionnaires? A. Most important and most used fact-finding technique B. Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analysts C. Special-purpose documents that allow the analyst to collect information and opinions from respondents. D. All of the above
V-Model
Which developmental method is used for mainly testing?
The data store element
Which element is never included in Context Diagram
The data store
Which element is never included in context diagrams
Data Store. "Data stores usually are not included on the context diagram, unless they are "owned" by systems or processes other than the one being documented."
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data store. Data store should be shown as an external entity in the context diagram.
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data stores are NEVER included on a context diagram.
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Answer: C. data storage is not included in context diagrams.
Which element is never included in context diagrams? A. Process B. Data flow C. Data storage D. External entity
c) Datastore
Which element of DFD does not included in Context Diagram? a) External entity b) Data Flow c) Datastore d) Process
Data Store
Which element of the DFD is never included in the Context Diagram?
Exceptions
Which elements of a user case are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps?
Information-oriented
Which functional requirement does this statement describe: "The system must retain customer reorder history for 3 years"?
C. Root Cause Analysis
Which gathering strategy listed is best for finding small improvements over current situations? A. Informal Benchmarking B. Document Analysis C. Root Cause Analysis D. Duration Analysis E. Activity Estimation
Interviews and JAD sessions
Which gathering techniques provide the highest depth of information?
C) Ensures that each staff member on the project gets paid.
Which if the following is NOT a duty of the project manager? A) Chooses a system development methodology that fits the characteristics of the project. B) Estimates the time frame of the project based on its size. C) Ensures that each staff member on the project gets paid. D) Sets in place mechanisms to coordinate the project team throughout the project.
d. JAD Session
Which is NOT a requirement analysis strategy? a. Duration b. Root Cause c. Activity-Based Costing d. JAD Session
D. Staffing plan
Which is NOT one of the elements of a systems request? A. Project Sponsor B. Business Need C. Business Requirements D. Staffing Plan
3. a large time requirement
Which is a limiting factor of JAD sessions? 1. unable to understand the use case 2. too little information is gathered 3. a large time requirement
C. Data Store
Which is not a elements of data Flow Diagrams A. Process B. Data Flow C. Relation D. Data Store E. External Entity
Extraction
Which is not a stage of the SDLC?: -Analysis -Extraction -Implementation -Design -Planning
b) Meditating before the Interview
Which is not a step in the interview process? a) Designing Interview Questions b) Meditating before the Interview c) Preparing for the Interview d) Conducting the Interview
Trigger, Actor, Major inputs/outputs, steps, Relationship Not an element: Relationship
Which is not an element of a use case?
b. confidence
Which is not one of the three C's of teamwork? a. communication b. confidence c. conveyance d. convergence
A. Ask users to identify problems and solutions
Which is part of Problem Analysis? A. Ask users to identify problems and solutions B. Challenge assumptions about why problem exists C. Consider desirable outcomes from customers' perspective D. None of the above
B. Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the "real" problem
Which is part of Root Analysis? A. Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies B. Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the "real" problem C. Consider what the organization could enable the customer to do D. None of the above
B. They are not always the project sponsor, sometimes an outside entity (A project sponsor is usually a big part of the project, however)
Which is true about project managers? A. They are always the project sponsor B. They are not always the project sponsor, sometimes an outside entity C. They are more important than project stakeholders D. They are usually the most technically competent person but struggle with people skills
Level 1 diagram
Which level diagram shoes the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram?
d. recognition of achievements
Which method should be used to motivate employees? a. giving everyone a raise b. accepting low-quality products c. providing overly optimistic deadlines d. recognition of achievements
Iterative developement
Which methodology develops the system into a series of different versions that allow users to get the system quickly and identify additional needs for later versions in time?
D. V-Model
Which methodology is simple and straightforward and improves the overall quality of the systems through its emphasis on early development of test plans? A. Waterfall Development B. Iterative Development C. Parallel Development D. V-Model
A. Questionnaire
Which of the 4 gathering techniques is inexpensive? A. Questionnaire B. Interview C. JAD D. Observation
D: Operational
Which of the Following is NOT one of the three feasibility analyses? A: Organization B: Economic C: Technical D: Operational
c. Managerial feasibility
Which of the follow is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? a. Economic/Financial feasibility b. Organizational feasibility c. Managerial feasibility d. Technical feasibility
1. Agile Model
Which of the following Development Methodologies is described by being a set of several iterations of full "mini-SDLCs" over a period of time that produce a complete software product? 1. Agile Model 2. Waterfall Model 3. Parallel Model 4. V-Model
b. A hierarchical representation of project tasks, breaking them down into manageable components.
Which of the following accurately describes a work breakdown structure (WBS)? a. A document detailing stakeholder roles and responsibilities in a project. b. A hierarchical representation of project tasks, breaking them down into manageable components. c. A list of potential risks associated with a project. d. A timeline specifying project milestones and deadlines.
C. Exceptions.
Which of the following addresses errors that may occur in a use case? A. Post Conditions. B. Pre Conditions. C. Exceptions. D. Trigger.
Answer: B, Iterative prototyping
Which of the following are NOT a RAD approach? A) Iterative development B) Iterative prototyping C) System prototyping D) Throw-away prototyping E) None of the above
All of the above
Which of the following are duties of the Project Manager: - Select the best project methodology -Develop a project work plan -Establish a staffing plan -Create ways to coordinate and control the project -All of the above
e) All of the above
Which of the following are elements of a system request? a) Project sponsor b) Business requirements c) Business value d) none of the above e) all of the above
d. Work Plan
Which of the following are not a deliverable of any the SDLC phases? a. System Specification b. Project Plan c. System Proposal d. Work Plan
C. Bullet Points
Which of the following are not included in the Requirements Definition Document. A. Functional Requirements B. Non-Functional Requirements C. Bullet Points D. Numeric Steps
Increased sales
Which of the following are not intangible benefits?: Increased market share Increased brand recognition Increased sales Better supplier prices
Increased market share
Which of the following are not tangible benefits?: Increased sales Increased market share Reductions in staff Better supplier prices
a. Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking
Which of the following are some of the requirement gathering strategies explained in chapter 3? a. Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking b. Phone interviews, interface structuring, use case diagramming
e. All of the above
Which of the following are steps to creating use cases? a. Identify the use cases. b. Identify the major steps within each use case. c. Identify elements within steps. d. Confirm the use case. e. All of the above.
d) External trigger and Temporal trigger
Which of the following are the two types of event triggers? a. External trigger b. Case Trigger c. Temporal trigger d. both a and c
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
Which of the following are ways to manage risk?
b. Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
Which of the following are ways to manage risk? a. Technical, Economic, Organizational b. Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance c. Denial, Bargaining, Acceptance
2. A manually entered sale
Which of the following cannot be an internal trigger? 1. A restocking notification 2. A manually-entered sale 3. An email 4. An order
C Incorrect data flows includes: Entity to Entity Entity to Data Store Data Store to Entity Data Store to Data Store
Which of the following data flows is false? A. Entity A--> Process--> Entity B B. Data Store--> Process--> Entity A C. Entity A--> Entity B D. Data Store A--> Process--> Data Store B
D. Showing appreciation for solid work effort.
Which of the following is NOT a "don't" of motivating employees? A. Assigning unrealistic deadlines B. Maintaining poor working conditions C. Ignoring Good efforts D. Showing appreciation for solid work effort.
Answer: D
Which of the following is NOT a Key aspect of working on a team (3 C's) Answer D -A.) Communication: Expectations and team cohesion -B.) Conveyance: Sharing task information and work -C.) Convergence: Making decisions about the work -D.)Connection: Ways to communicate with others
E) Data Entry (triangle) The four main elements/symbols in the DFD discussed in Chapter 5 are data store, process (or event), external entity (or agent), and data flow.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four main elements/symbols in the type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? A) Data store (open rectangle) B) Process (rounded rectangle or circle) C) External entity (or agent) (rectangle) D) Data flow (arrow) E) Data Entry (triangle)
C.) Managerial feasibility
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? A.) Economic/Financial feasibility B.) Organizational feasibility C.) Managerial feasibility D.) Technical feasibility
D. Managerial feasibility
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? A. Technical feasibility B. Economic/Financial feasibility C. Organizational feasibility D. Managerial feasibility
d) Managerial feasibility
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility? a) Technical feasibility b) Economic/Financial feasibility c) Organizational feasibility d) Managerial feasibility
a. Forward-backward development (e.g., Prototype-User development, X-model) Correct
Which of the following is NOT one of the project methodologies explained in Chapter 2? a. Forward-backward development (e.g., Prototype-User development, X-model) b. Agile development (e.g., XP, Scrum) c. Waterfall development (e.g., traditional, parallel development, V-model) d. Rapid application development (RAD) (e.g., iterative, system prototyping, throwaway prototyping)
A. Creativity
Which of the following is NOT one of the three C's of teamwork? A. Creativity B. Communication C. Conveyance D. Convergence
D
Which of the following is NOT part of the three steps of the basic process of analysis? a. The as-is-system b. The to-be system c. Identify improvements d. Identify constraints
a) Information-oriented
Which of the following is a functional requirement? a) Information-oriented b) Operational c) Performance d) Security
A: Process-oriented
Which of the following is a functional requirement? A: Process-oriented B. Performance C. Security D. Operational
d) All of the above
Which of the following is a role of a Systems Analyst? a) Analyzing the business situation b) Identifying opportunities for improvements c) Designing an information system to implement the improvements d) All of the above
C. Reduction in Inventory
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? A. Higher Quality Products B. Improved Customer Service C. Reduction in Inventory D. Better Supplier Relations
C. Reduction in inventory Because tangible benefits include revenue that system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales. Cost saving would be included as well. While, Intangibles are based on intuition rather than "hard numbers")
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? A. Increase market share B. Higher quality product C. Reduction in inventory D. Better relations
Reductions in staff
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? Reductions in staff Software upgrades Data Conversion costs Higher-quality products
e. all of the above
Which of the following is a way to characterize projects? a. cost b. scope c. length d. risk e. all of the above
A: Data Store
Which of the following is an element of data flow diagrams? A: Data Store B: Attributes C: Entities D: System Model
A) A system that receives customer orders but does not produce any output or response is an example of a Blackhole error in creating Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs). In a DFD, a black hole occurs when input data flows into the system, but no corresponding output data is generated by the system. This creates a "black hole" where data is lost and does not contribute to the system's output. Option B represents a Miracle error where the system generates output without any input data. Option C represents a Gray hole error where irrelevant data is included in the system's output. Option D is a correct example of a system that processes input data and generates output data, without any errors or issues.
Which of the following is an example of a Blackhole error in creating Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)? A) A system that receives customer orders but does not produce any output or response. B) A system that generates customer invoices without any input or information. C) A system that records employee timesheets but also includes irrelevant information in the output reports. D) A system that processes customer payments and produces detailed receipts for each transaction.
A) The ability to upload profile pictures is an example of a functional requirement for a social media platform. Functional requirements describe specific features or capabilities that a system must have to perform its intended tasks or functions, such as allowing users to upload and display profile pictures on their profiles. The other options are not functional requirements because they do not describe a specific system capability, but rather design choices or legal requirements that may be associated with the system.
Which of the following is an example of a functional requirement for a social media platform? A) The ability to upload profile pictures B) The use of a blue and white color scheme C) The display of ads on the homepage D) The requirement for users to be over 18 years old
A. Access to Customer orders
Which of the following is an example of a functional requirement? A. Access to customer orders B. A system that is automatically updated every 10 seconds C. A system available in English and Chinese D. Output only displayed in Google Chrome
C. Processing Standards
Which of the following is not a type of standards? A. Documentation Standards B. Procedural Standards C. Processing Standards D. User Interface Design Standards
B. Process - oriented
Which of the following is not a type of the Non-Functional requirements? A. Operational B. Process - oriented C. Security D. Performance
d. Internal entity
Which of the following is not an element of a DFD? a. Process b. Data flow c. Data store d. Internal entity
d. None of the above
Which of the following is not an error to avoid in making a DFD? a. Miracles b. Black Holes c. Gray Hole d. None of the above
D) The need for the app to be available 24/7 is an example of a nonfunctional requirement for a banking app. Nonfunctional requirements describe the characteristics that a system must have to meet performance, usability, security, or other quality attributes. In this case, the requirement for the app to be available at all times is a nonfunctional requirement related to the system's availability and reliability, rather than a specific feature or capability of the app. The other options are functional requirements because they describe specific tasks or functions that the app must perform, such as transferring funds between accounts, providing a user-friendly interface, and supporting multiple languages.
Which of the following is an example of a nonfunctional requirement for a banking app? A) The ability to transfer funds between accounts B) The use of a simple and intuitive user interface C) The requirement for the app to support multiple languages D) The need for the app to be available 24/7
c) Why?
Which of the following is an example of a probing question? a) How many telephone orders are recieved per day? b) What information is missing from the monthly sales report? c) Why? d)What are some of the problems you face on a daily basis?
C) A monthly reminder to pay rent on the first day of each month is an example of a temporal trigger. Temporal triggers are events or actions that occur at specific time intervals, independent of external or user-generated events. In this case, the reminder to pay rent occurs every month on the first day, regardless of whether or not the renter has taken any action. Option A represents an external trigger where a customer places an order on an e-commerce website. Option B represents a user-generated event where the user uploads a new photo on a social media platform. Option D represents an external trigger where a security alarm goes off when an intruder enters a building.
Which of the following is an example of a temporal trigger? A) A customer placing an order on an e-commerce website. B) A user uploading a new photo on a social media platform. C) A monthly reminder to pay rent on the first day of each month. D) A security alarm going off when an intruder enters a building.
B. External Entity -> External Entity B
Which of the following is an example of an INCORRECT data flow? A. External Entity A -> Process -> External Entity B B. External Entity -> External Entity B C. Data Store A -> Process -> Data Store B
2. An employee taps "start" on the computer at her work.
Which of the following is an example of an external trigger? 1. An inventory low-level alarm is set off. 2. An employee taps "start" on the computer at her work. 3. A hold is placed on a delinquent account by the system. 4. A "delivered" status is updated by the ups tracking system.
c. Use Cases
Which of the following is not a Requirements Elicitation Technique? a. JAD - Joint Application Development b. Interviews c. Use Cases d. Observation
E. All are required
Which of the following is not a behavioral property a system must have in nonfunctional requirements? A. Operational B. Performance C. Security D. Cultural and political E. All are required
D. Wrong Direction
Which of the following is not a common DFD error? A. Miracle B. Black Hole C. Gray Hole D. Wrong Direction
D) Data hole
Which of the following is not a common error when creating DFDs? A) Black hole B) Miracle C) Gray hole D) Data hole
a. Contingency plan
Which of the following is not a conversion plan? a. Contingency plan b. Business Contingency Plan c. Migration Plan d. Training Plan
b) cost-benefit analysis
Which of the following is not a gathering strategy? a) outcome analysis b) cost-benefit analysis c) activity-based costing d) problem analysis
c) project sponsor
Which of the following is not a key element of a use case? a) preconditions b) exceptions c) project sponsor d) trigger
d) process-oriented
Which of the following is not a nonfunctional requirement? a) operational b) security c) performance d) process-oriented
A. Planning B. Beta testing C. Designing D. Implementation Answer: B
Which of the following is not a phase in the SDLC process?
B. Editing
Which of the following is not a phase of SLDC? A. Planning B. Editing C. Implementation D. Design E. Analysis
Ever Changing Business Technology
Which of the following is not a pro for an Analyst's work? - It has a lot of challenges. - There is constant changes. - Lots of variety in the job. - Ever changing business technology
d) Ever-changing business technology
Which of the following is not a pro of being an analyst? a) High Paid Salary b) Interact with multiple different fields c) Work with up to date technology d) Ever-changing business technology
D) unrealistic deadlines This is a con of working as a system analysts.
Which of the following is not a pro of working as a system analysts? a) challenge b) problem solving c) technology d) unrealistic deadlines e) constant change
D) unrealistic deadlines This is a con of working as a systems analyst.
Which of the following is not a pro of working as a systems analyst? a) challenge b) variety c) technology d) unrealistic deadlines e) problem solving
e. All the above are roles of system analysts
Which of the following is not a role of system analysts? a. Research problems b. Plan solutions c. Recommend software and systems that lead to the function level d. Coordinate development to meet business requirements e. All the above are roles of system analysts
D. Budget constraints
Which of the following is not a type of information normally included in a use case? A. Exceptions B. Actor C. Trigger D. Budget constraints
B. Budget constraints
Which of the following is not a type of information normally included in a use case? A. Exceptions B. Budget constraints C. Actor D. Trigger
a. The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. Correct
Which of the following statements about the waterfall methodology is true? (Hint: We are using the Waterfall methodology for the case project in this course) a. The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. b. The waterfall methodology is iterative (i.e., cyclical) -- several rounds of planning, analysis, design, and implementation occur. c. The waterfall methodology is useful when organizations want to quickly develop a working prototype.
C) Projects with high-quality estimates that will need refinement throughout the life of the project
Which of the following statements do NOT belong to Timeboxing? A) Sets a tight but realistic deadline. Identify core, essential functional requirements B) Helps with team limits to focus on essential functions C) Projects with high-quality estimates that will need refinement throughout the life of the project D) Helps repeat to add refinements and enhancements
D. Use cases are only applicable during the design phase of software development.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about use cases? A. They help understand the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals B. They are used to derive more detailed functional requirements for the new system C. They show how the users view the process (external or functional view) D. Use cases are only applicable during the design phase of software development.
a. It is represented by a noun and may include description.
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the external entity? a. It is represented by a noun and may include a description. b. It can ONLY be a person or an organization. c. It doesn't need to interact with the system. d. It cannot be a system.
c. defining system problem
Which of the following steps is NOT a component of the systems analyst stage? a. gathering info from previous system b. examining the business problem c. defining system problem d. defining specific requirements
D. Outcome Analysis
Which of the following strategies is best for redesigning whole processes? A. Problem Analysis B. Activity-Based Costing C. Informal Benchmarking D. Outcome Analysis
Temporal
Which of the following trigger type(s) is initiated after a set duration of time?
giving everyone on the project the same raise
Which of the following will not motivate your staff? responsibility recognition giving everyone on the project the same raise the work itself
Systems Development Life Cycle
Which of the meaning of SDLC?
d) What information is missing from the monthly sales report?
Which of these is a Closed-Ended question? a) What do you think about the way invoices are currently processed? b) What are some of the problems you face on a daily basis? c) What are some of the improvements you would like to see in the way invoices are processed? d) What information is missing from the monthly sales report?
D. 1.2.3
Which of these is a level 2 process? A. 1.2.2.2 B. 1.1.a C. 1.2 D. 1.2.3
b. Better supply prices
Which of these is a tangible benefit? a. Improved customer service b. Better supply prices c. Higher-quality products d. None of the above
D) Fiscal. The 6 Major skills categories of a systems analyst are technical, business, analytical, interpersonal, management, and ethical skills.
Which of these is not a major categorical skill of a Systems Analyst? A) Technical B) Analytical C) Business D) Fiscal
c. Process-oriented
Which of these is not a nonfunctional requirement? a. Performance b. Security c. process- oriented d. operational
c. Uses nonfunctional requirements
Which one is NOT true about use cases? a. Clarifying functional requirements b. Uses Triggers c. Uses nonfunctional requirements d. All of them is true
d) external entity
Which one is excluded from a context diagram? a) process b) data flow c) data store d) external entity e) none of the above
A
Which one is tangible benefit: A. Increased sales B. Increased market share C. Improved customer service D. Better supplier relations
D. consultant fees
Which one of the following is an example of a development cost: A. User training B. cloud storage fees C. software licensing fees D. consultant fees
B. higher-quality products
Which one of the following is not an example of a tangible benefit: A. better supplier prices B. higher-quality products C. increased sales D. reductions in IT costs
D: Visio
Which one of these are not a Project Management Software A: Project.net B: Hewlett Packard's Project and Portfolio Management C: Primavera Systems' ProSight D: Visio
d) Location requirement
Which one of these is NOT requirement needed during the analysis phase? a) Business requirement b) User requirement c) System requirement d) Location requirement
d) Implementation
Which phase is generally the longest and most expensive part of the development process? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation e) Feasibility
Implementation Phase
Which phase is usually the longest and most expensive, but can also be the least complex?
Systems analysis
Which phase of the SDLC includes requirements modeling, data and process modeling, and consideration of development strategies?
B) The User
Which point of view does a use case convey? A) The Developer B) The User C) The Project Sponsor D) The Project Manager
Project Sponsor, Project Manager, and other team members.
Which positions need awareness of feasibility risks and assessments?
Business Process Improvement. There are more significant changes made to the organization's operations.
Which provides more risk? Business Process Improvement or Business Process Management?
Interviews, JAD Sessions
Which requirement elicitation techniques obtain a high depth of information?
d. JAD Session -Extensive, structured group process -Facilitator required -Requires coordination -Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analysts
Which requirements elicitation technique requires the most user time, effort, and coordination to complete? a. Interview b. Document Analysis c. Questionnaire d. JAD Session
A two-sided rectangle
Which shape represents a data store in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
A rounded rectangle
Which shape represents a process in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
A rectangle
Which shape represents an external entity in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
C. Informal Benchmarking
Which strategies are best for creating moderate improvements in effectiveness or efficiencies A. Root Cause Analysis B. Outcome Analysis C. Informal Benchmarking D. Activity Elimination
System prototyping, Throwaway prototyping, and Agile development
Which three methodologies work best when there are unclear user requirements?
Functional requirements because use cases contain more details regarding process and information-oriented aspects regarding the system.
Which type of System Requirement (functional or non-functional) has the best relationship with use cases?
Root cause analysis
Which type of analysis challenges assumptions about why a problem exists?
Outcome analysis
Which type of analysis is based on what customers would like to see from a company?
Tangible benefits
Which type of benefits can a dollar amount be assigned?
Nonfunctional requirements, which describe how the system works and behaves, as opposed to what it must do.
Which type of requirements are defined as the quality attributes, design and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have?
-those who have some stake in the project investors, project champion, organizational management, and system users
Who are the most important stakeholders in the introduction of a new system?
The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side.
Who is a project sponsor?
Chief information officers (CIOs)
Who is challenged to select projects that will provide the highest possible return on IT investments while managing project risk? a) project manager b) chief information officer c) project sponsor d) none of the above
The approval committee, who determine the costs and b of projects.
Who is considered the "portfolio manager"
A person, another software system, or a hardware device that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal.
Who is the "actor" on the Use Case?
The Project Manager. The leader of a project is normally NOT the sponsor because the project sponsor is typically the one requesting the project. The project manager is responsible for heading up the project and being the point person to define and shape the progress and direction of the project.
Who is the leader of a project?
A person who develops the initial vision of a new system. The sponsor works through SDLC to monitor projects and is the sponsor of the project, making sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business. This person serves as the primary point of contact for the project team.
Who is the project sponsor?
The driving force behind a project, specifies overall business requirements, determines business value and formally requests the project via a Systems Request. The project sponsor is not the systems analyst or the project manager. Provides funds and back the project
Who is the project sponsor?
In large organizations or large projects, the role of project manager is commonly filled by a professional specialist in project management. In smaller organization or on smaller projects, the systems analyst may fill this role.
Who usually fills the role of a project manager?
Because a project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
Why IT is not always the project sponsor?
To depict branches in logic that also will lead to a successful conclusion of the use case.
Why are alternative courses added to a use case?
The discounted cash flow technique takes the time value of money into consideration
Why are cash flow projections, ROI, and BEP calculations inherently weak against the discounted cash flow technique?
They provide a guideline/schedule of how a project should progress. Without it there is a chance that steps are delayed and the whole project becomes delayed. By ensuring that it follows a set schedule, it allows for a smoother process for the project
Why are project charters important?
Scope Creep, Lack of understanding during business process, Lack of Communication between project sponsor and project lead
Why are the reasons why most large system developments fail?
They allow for multiple users to look at it and understand the elements that are required. They provide a guide of how a part of a system is to function.
Why are use cases useful?
Companies use timeboxing to ensure that project teams do not get hung up on the final finishing touches.
Why do companies utilize timeboxing?
IT doesn't normally have the business wide strategic view of each process of the company, therefore would only see the technological side of things
Why is IT not always the project sponsor?
the project sponsor is generally not someone from the IT department because he/she is mainly in charge of the business side of things and the projects success. The project sponsor is responsible for creating a systems request that he submits to the IT department to execute.
Why is IT not always the project sponsor?
Requested projects enhance business processes. As such, it is more natural to expect the Project Sponsor to be someone more on the business side. The project sponsor is usually part of the organization that owns the project.
Why is IT typically not the project sponsor?
Most business processes are too complex to depict using one diagram. Consequently, business processes are typically depicted with a set of DFDs.
Why is a process model typically composed of a set of DFDs?
Use cases are read and used by different groups of people, user/business experts and system development.
Why is it hard to determine a writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to systems developers.
Why is it hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
The purpose is for precondition and postcondition sections of the use case, where preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case commences. Postconditions serve as the final product of the use case.
Why is it important to know exactly what state the system should be in before the use case can begin?
The priority level of a use case identifies its significance and allows for immediate identification of essential use cases
Why is it important to state the priority level for a use case?
The priority level of a use case identifies the relative significance of the use case in the system. They are classified as high, medium, or low.
Why is it important to state the priority level for a use case?
There may be Missed Deadlines, Scope Creep, Poor Planning, etc. It all comes down to whether the project was correctly and carefully planned and whether the organization stuck to the plan.
Why is it so common for large system development projects to fail?
B. Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers.
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers.
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Scope creep can decrease efficiency and change the functionality of a deliverable according to its original agreed-upon scope
Why is scope creep important to keep track of in project management?
-The project should be based on a business need, not just technology. -Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
Why is the IT department often NOT the project sponsor of a system development project?
Because a project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
Why is the project sponsor not someone from IT?
false
true or false rewarding staff with money is a way to get them to do their work on time and efficiently.
A. Installation B. Architecture Design C. Implementation D. Distributing Answer: B
____ is planning for how the system will be distributed across computers and what hardware and software will be used for each computer.
c.) Scope creep
_____ can occur when the scope of a project is not clearly defined, or development expectations expand during the project. a.) Scope parallax b.) Project slippage c.) Scope creep d.) Development drift
Preconditions
_________ define what must be complete before beginning the use case.
Requirements Definition Statement
_________ straightforward text report that simply lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in an outline format.
Answer: Overly optimistic time tables
__________ are thought to be one of the biggest problems that projects face.
Closed-ended
__________ questions are used when the analyst is looking for specific, precise information.
Logical
___________ process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted.
Logical process models
____________ describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted.
Balancing
____________ ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD.
Interview
________________ is the most commonly used requirements elicitation technique.
Data flow diagramming.
a technique that diagrams the business process and the data that passes through the process. it also describes the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented.
Joint application development can reduce scope creep by ____%. a. 50% b. 25% c. 30% d. 65%
a. 50%
Triggers caused by external factor or event, such as a buyer makes a purchase for inventory, a customer proceeds a transaction, etc.
external triggers
Is it true that monetary incentives is the best practice for motivating people on a job project?
false, the best practice is to provide awards/recognition but it's important to recognize that monetary incentives can still play a valuable role in motivation if used carefully and occasionally
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic value
how do you characterize projects?
A list of tasks hierarchically numbered in this way is called a work breakdown structure, and it is the backbone of the project work plan.
o What is a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a project work plan
costs of operating the system
operational costs
It happens when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined. other reasons could be because users may suddenly understand the potential of the new system and realize new functionality that would be useful. Developers may discover interesting capabilities to which they become very attached. A senior manager may decide to let system support a new strategy that is developed at a recent board meeting.
reasons why scope creep happens
The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side
role a project sponsor
What is the number one reason why projects go over budget?
scope creep
strength: it is one on one, you can ask questions naturally and in real time weakness: due to time constraints, several people are interviewed at the same time
strength and weakness of interviews
explain the concepts and ideas of the new system and make sure that all requirements are understood.
system walk-through
The process of determining how an information system can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
systems development life cycle
What does a use case express?
user requirements
Open-ended - broad concepts; opinions Closed-ended - learn or confirm facts and details Probing - resolve confusion; follow-up
what are question types of interviews ?
Users get to work with prototype very quickly Feedback cycles let users identify changes and refine real requirements
what are strengths of System Prototyping Methodology?
-Process or event (Rounded Rectangle w/ Number) -Data flow (Arrow) -External entity or agent (Square) -Data store (Open rectangle/parallel lines)
what are the four elements of a DFD and how are they depicted visually?
-Communication: Expectations and team cohesion -Conveyance: Sharing task information and work -Convergence: Making decisions about the work
what are the key aspects of working on a team ( the 3 C's)
cost, size, and time
what are the three things a manager must balance?
Parallel Development V-Model Variant
what are the two variants of waterfall development?
-Selecting the Appropriate Development Methodology -Estimating the Project Time Frame -Developing the Work Plan
what are three main things that project managers have to balance?
how much of the organization is affected by the system?
what does the project scope mean?
thought of as a one-time cost ex. training
what is a developmental cost?
data coming in with irrelevant data going out as output
what is a gray hole?
no information coming in, and lots of information going out with no process between them
what is a miracle?
are those tangible costs that are required to operate the system, such as the salaries for operations staff, software licensing fees, equipment upgrades, and cloud vendor fees
what is operational cost?
In project management, a project charter, project definition, or project statement is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project.
what is project charter?
it performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback.
what is system prototyping?
Functional requirements are what the system must do, non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must have.
what is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
functional: states what the system does nonfunctional:states other important characteristics
what is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
external: events that occur outside the system temporal: passage of a certain amount of time
what is the difference between temporal and external triggers?
create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
what is the purpose of the a use-case?
open-ended
what type of questions are on broad concepts/opinions?
data store
which element is never included in a context diagram?
b.) cooperation
which of the following is NOT one of the three C's of teamwork? a.) Conveyance b.) cooperation c.) communication d.) convergence
d.) external
which of the following is a trigger type?a.) internal b.) temporary c.) foundational d.) external
c.) acceptance
which of the following is a way to manage risk? a.) adherence b.) advocation c.) acceptance d.) endure
C.) 2.1
which of the following is an example of a step in a level 1 diagram? A.) 1.2.2 B.) 4 C.) 2.1 D.) 3.14
Business needs: the business-related reasons for initiating the system Business requirement: the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Business value: the benefits that the system will create for the organization
· Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value
Project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, special issues and constraints (special issues are included on the document as a catchall category for other information that should be considered in assessing the project. For example, the project may need to be completed by a specific deadline. Any special circumstances that could affect the outcome of the project must be clearly identified.)
· Elements of a systems request
Planning: determines why and how a system should be built Analysis: seeks to answer who uses the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used Design: determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user interfaces, forms, and reports used; specific programs, databases, and files needed Implementation: the system is built or purchased.
· Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Project sponsor is the person who initiates the project and serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. IT is not always the project sponsor because it is not in business side of it.
· Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
Pros: challenge, variety, constant change, problem-solving Cons: management's lack of communication/recognition, end-user mistakes and demands, stress, pressure, burnout, ever-changing business technologies, unrealistic demands
· The "pros and cons" of an analyst's work
Describe the key steps in data modeling
Data modeling involves analyzing requirements, creating a conceptual model, performing logical modeling, normalization, and then physical modeling.
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data store. Data store should be shown as an external entity in the context diagram.
Which element is never included in the context diagram?
Data stores
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data stores are NEVER included on a context diagram.
Which element is never included in context diagrams?
Data stores are never included on the context diagrams.
How are data stores depicted in the diagram?
Data stores show a repository of data that allows addition and retrieval of data. Data stores usually have the shape of an open-ended rectangle and are usually given a unique reference number, such as D1, D2, D3 An example of this data store could be text, video files, audio files etc.
What element is never included in context diagrams?
Datastore
Decision trees display
Decision Logic (IF statements) as a set of nodes(questions) and branches(answers).
Business analyst play a important role in BPM by?
Defining and mapping the steps in a business process.
- Business needs: the business-related reason for initiating the system - Business requirements: the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide - Business value: the benefit that the system will create for the organization
Definitional of business needs, business requirements and business value
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include?
Deliverable is "System Proposal", and it includes updated feasibility analysis and work plan, Requirement definition document, Use cases, Process and Data models
Purpose of system request
Describe business reasons for project Define systems expected value Forces sponsor to formalize his/her ideas List projects key elements
Explain the purpose and content of a project charter.
Describes the project's objectives and rules
Which stage comes after Analysis in the SDLC?
Design
When a strong business need for an information system is recognized, often as a result of BPM, a person (or group) who has an interest in the system's success typically steps forward. We call this person (or group) the project sponsor.
TRUE/FALSE
Tangible vs Intangible benefits
Tangible Benefits: Can be quantified and measured easily. Intangible Benefits: Results from an intuitive belief that the system provides
Which type of benefits can a dollar amount be assigned?
Tangible benefits
Which type of business value/ benefit can be quantified and measured?
Tangible benefits
What is Parallel Development?
(variation of Waterfall) Subdivide the project into subprojects that can be worked on at the same time, which reduces the overall project length Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes Strengths: Reduces overall project time (compared to Waterfall) Reduces the need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing Weaknesses: Creating subprojects require careful design Integrating subprojects at the end can be complex and difficult
What are some roles of a Systems Analyst?
* Researches Problems * Plans Solutions * Recommends Software and Systems * Coordinates Development
what is a developmental cost?
* are those tangible expenses that are incurred during the creation of the system, such as salaries for the project team, hardware and software expenses, consultant fees, training, and office space and equipment *thought of as a one-time cost ex. training
What are the Duties of a project manager?
* role ensures that the project is completed on time and within budget and that the system delivers the expected value to the organization. -project management phases consist of initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure.
3. Project size
*is an important consideration, whether measured as the number of people on the development team, the length of time it will take to complete the project, or the number of distinct features in the system. *Larger projects present more risk, because they are more complicated to manage and because there is a greater chance that some important system requirements will be overlooked or misunderstood.
Don't of motivating employees
- Assign unrealistic deadline - few people work hard only with realistic deadly - Ignore good efforts - Create a low-quality product - Give everyone on the project a raise - Make an important decision without the team's input - Maintain poor working conditions
What is Iterative Development?
Breaks the overall project into a series of versions that are developed sequentially. The most important and fundamental requirements are bundled into the first version of the system. This version is developed quickly by a mini-waterfall process, and once implemented, the users can provide valuable feedback to be incorporated into the next version of the system. Iterative development gets a preliminary version of the system to the users quickly so that business value is provided. Since users are working with the system, important additional requirements may be identified and incorporated into subsequent versions.
Probably the first thing to do when conducting an interview is:
Build rapport with the interviewee so he or she trusts you
How does BPM identifies Business Needs?
Business Process Automation: Create or adjust electronic workflows to match the improved process maps Business Process Improvement: Study the business process. Create a new, redesigned processes to improve the process workflows and/or utilize new technologies enabling new process structure Business Process Reengineering: Total overhaul of work process
Which provides more risk? Business Process Improvement or Business Process Management?
Business Process Improvement. There are more significant changes made to the organization's operations.
What is Business Process Management?
Business Process Management (BPM) is a discipline involving any combination of modeling, automation, execution, control, measurement and optimization of business activity flows, in support of enterprise goals, spanning systems, employees, customers and partners within and beyond the enterprise boundaries.
What is BPM?
Business Process Management is a methodology used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes. BPM can be applied to internal organizational processes and to processes spanning multiple business partners. By studying and improving their underlying business processes, organizations can achieve several important benefits, including: * enhanced process agility, giving the organization the ability to adapt more rapidly and effectively to a changing business environment; * improved process alignment with industry "best practices"; and * increased process efficiencies as costs are identified and eliminated from process workflows.
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value:
Business needs: It is a problem that must be identified to make sure there is an opportunity for advancement once the issue may be fixed. Business requirements: It is what is needed to reach the business goals and help support the business long-term. Business value: Defines the opportunities of that organization and what should be expected from their system.
· Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value
Business needs: the business-related reasons for initiating the system Business requirement: the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Business value: the benefits that the system will create for the organization
What is the importance of creating various levels of data flow diagrams?
Business processes are too complex and must be decomposed to show how data moves between different processes in a simple manner.
What is a business requirement?
Business requirement is a new and enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide
Definition of business requirements
Business requirement is the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide.
How many techniques for managing risk?
- Avoidance - Transfer (insure or share) - Reduction (mitigation) - Retention (accept)
What are the sections of a casual use case format?
- Basic information: + A name: as simple yet descriptive as possible + A number: a sequential number serves to references each use case + A description: conveys the use case's purpose + Priority: indicates the significance of the use case in the overall system + Actor: refers to a person(s) and/or other system that interacts with the system to achieve a goal. + Trigger: the event that causes the use case to begin. It can be external or temporal - Preconditions: define what needs to be accomplished before each use case begins - Normal Course: the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event - Postconditions: define what complete when the use case ends - Exceptions: error conditions may occur as the case steps are performed
What is the difference between benchmarking and informal benchmarking?
- Benchmarking is the study of how other organizations perform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better - Informal benchmarking is when managers and analysts think about other organizations or visit them as customers to watch how the business process is performed
Which element is not included in context diagrams? - Process - Data flow - External entity - Data storage
- Data storage
System Request and example FIGURE 1-4 Elements of the system request form (textbook)
- Describes business reasons for project - Defines system's expected value - Forces the sponsor to formalize his/her ideas - Lists project's key elements Notice: that it's not all prose, but a straightforward description off things that are needed. Notice that business requirements are full phrases. "Data entry" is not a business requirement.
Provide examples of development costs.
- Development team salaries - Consultant fees - Development training - Hardware and software - Vendor installation - Data conversion costs
What is the role of Project Sponsor
- Driving force behind project - Specifies overall business requirements - Determines business value - Formally requests a project via the System Request - The project sponsor is - NOT the systems analyst nor the project manager.
Elements of a use case - names and purpose of each
- Each use case has a name and number, and brief description. - The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance. - The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal. - The trigger for the use case - the event that causes the use case to begin. - Events triggers can be external or temporal
What are the benefits of Business Process Management (BPM)?
- Enhanced process agility - Process alignment with industry "best practices" - Increased process efficiency
Role of use cases
- Express and clarify user requirements. - Define the expected interaction between user and system requirements - Used extensively in the analysis phase. - Often a part of user interviews or JAD session
What is the difference between external and temporal triggers?
- External triggers are events that occur outside the system. - Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time.
The weaknesses of JAD as a Requirements Elicitation Technique when
- Facilitator required - It can take valuable time from other work - The coordination required, and group issues arise
What are the strengths of Agile Methodologies Assessment?
- Fast delivery of results - Works well in projects with undefined or changing requirements
What are the common ground rules in JAD?
- Following the schedule. - Respecting others' opinions. - Accepting disagreement. - Only one person talks at a time.
What is scope creep?
- Get some portion of system developed quickly and in the users' hands
What is the purpose of a Gantt chart in project management?
A Gantt chart visually represents a project's schedule and helps in tracking tasks, dependencies, and timelines.
Process model
A Graphical way of representing how a business system should operate. It illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data move among them. A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., the as-is-system) or the new system being developed (i.e., to-be-system), whether computerized or not.
A process model that may be manual or computerized is
A Logical Process Model is a depiction of a business process that provides in-depth information about all the activities required to achieve a specific outcome.
What is a process model?
A Process Model is prepared to show how the data flows through the various processes inside the system and the entire system is represented graphically to understand the working operations of a business system.
Fully dressed use case
A carefully structured and detailed description enabling a deep understanding of the goals, tasks, and requirements
What is a requirement?
A characteristic of the system that must be included.
What is the difference between an exception and conditional branch in creating a use case?
A conditional branch is not an error/exception, it is part of the normal course. An exception is something that you would not anticipate happening, also considered an error.
A project manager's duties include: A) Selecting the best project methodology B) Developing a project work plan C) Establishing a staffing plan D) All of the above E) None of the above
Answer: D, all of the above
System-Prototyping Goal
Creates a rough version of the system at a fast pace and later develop it into a finalized system with repetitive rework.
Duties of a project manager:
Creates a workplan, staffs the project, implements techniques to help control and direct the project throughout the SDLC.
There are three C's of teamwork. These three are aspects of group work that differentiate it from individual work. Each of which can cause problems if not executed properly. Which of the following is NOT one of the three C's of teamwork? Conveyance Convergence Communication Creativity
Creativity
Which of the following is not considered in technical feasibility? A) Familiarity with the application B) Familiarity with technology C) Project size D) Development costs
D) Development costs
Which of these is not a major categorical skill of a Systems Analyst? A) Technical B) Analytical C) Business D) Fiscal
D) Fiscal. The 6 Major skills categories of a systems analyst are technical, business, analytical, interpersonal, management, and ethical skills.
Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Business Process Management? A) Enhanced process agility B) Process alignment with industry best practices C) Increased process efficiencies D) None of the Above
D) None of the Above
Which of the following is NOT an attribute of casual Use Case format? A) Precondtion B) Postconditions C) Normal Course D) Operation
D) Operation
What is the name of the project management software released by Microsoft, used commonly in industry?
Microsoft Project
What is the name of the project management software released by Microsoft, used commonly in the industry? a. Microsoft project b. Microsoft visio c. Microsoft case d. Microsoft groove
Microsoft project
What are the 3 diagramming mistakes that can occur when creating a DFD?
Miracle - A process has only output flows with no input flows Black Hole - A process has only input flows but no output flows Grey Hole - A process has a total amount of outputs that is greater than the sum of total inputs.
What are three common errors to avoid while creating Data Flow Diagram
Miracle ==> No input goes in but has output Black Hole ==> Input goes in but no output comes out Gray Hole ==> The output is different from the data input
What are some common team communication issues?
Misunderstandings about expectations Freeriding Missed communication
What is a Logical process model?
Model that describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. By focusing on this first analysts are able to focus on how the business is run without the physical details
What are logical process models?
Models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted.
What is a logical process model?
Models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted.
What should you avoid when it comes to motivating employees/team members?
Monetary Motivation
If time is your main current priority for a project, why is it not optimal to add more staff to a project, even if you have flexibility in the budget?
More people on the project means more required coordination and communication, additional coordination means additional time.
Why is a process model typically composed of a set of DFDs?
Most business processes are too complex to depict using one diagram. Consequently, business processes are typically depicted with a set of DFDs.
What are some examples of motivators and de-motivators
Motivators: use intrinsic rewards, recognition, achievement, responsibility, advancement, chance to learn new skills. De-motivators : assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore good efforts, accept low quality products
A business _____ is a need that must be fulfilled in order attain the goals
requirement
duration analysis
requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system
What are the weaknesses of V methodology assessment?
rigid difficult to use in dynamic business environment
When managing scope, what should one be aware of?
scope creep
What is scope creep, and what is timeboxing
scope creep: - occurs when new requirements are added to the project after the system design has been finalized or the original project scope was defined. - The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns occurs after the project is underway. timeboxing: - a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality need to be reduced. - ensures that project teams to not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely, and it satisfies the business by providing a product within a relatively fast time frame.
A complex use case is one that has more than _____ unique transactions.
seven
What is extreme programming?
small focused teams work with clients to emphasize customer satisfaction
System Request
A document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide.
What is the definition of a System Request?
A document that outlines the business need and high-level requirements for a new system
What is a systems request?
A document that outlines the business need and high-level requirements for a new system, completed by the project sponsor. It defines the system's expected value and lists the project's key elements.
What is a system request?
A document, typically authored by the project sponsor that articulates the rationale behind developing a new system and the anticipated benefits it will deliver, encompassing five key components: project sponsor identification, business justification, business requirements, expected business value, and any unique considerations or challenges.
Use Case
A document/model that represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the user of the system and the system's responses.
What is a feasibility analysis?
A feasibility study is an analysis that takes all of a project's relevant factors into account—including economic, technical, legal, and scheduling considerations—to ascertain the likelihood of completing the project successfully. It is a detailed business case that is provided to better understand the proposed information system. It guides the organization in determining whether to proceed with the project and identifies the important risks associated with the project that must be managed if the project is approved.
What is process model?
A formal way of representing how a business process operates.
A process model is
A formal way of representing how a business process operates. It Illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them
Definition of process model and what it is used to document (hint: as-is OR to-be system)
A formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them.
Definition of Process Model and what is used to document
A formal way of representing how a business process operatesIllustrate activities that are performed and how data moves between themData Flow Diagrams is a popular technique to create Process model
Project Methodology
A formalized approach to implementing the SDLC
What is a 'methodology' in Systems Analysis?
A formalized approach to implementing the systems development life cycle. For example, it is a list of tasks, steps, and deliverables. Factors that affect methodology selection decision: Clarity of user requirements Familiarity with Technology System Complexity System Reliability Short time schedules Schedule visibility
What is the difference between a casual use case and a fully dressed use case?
A fully dressed use case includes alternative courses, inputs and outputs for steps, as well as summary inputs and outputs. A casual use case is used when fewer details are needed.
What is the difference between a functional lead and a technical lead?
A functional lead manages a group of analysts and a technical lead manages a group of programmers and other technical staff.
What are the differences between a functional lead and a technical lead?
A functional leads is assigned to manage analysts. A technical lead overlooks the progress of programmers and other technical staff members.
System Requirements: Functional vs. Non-Functional
A functional requirement describes what a system will do while a non-functional requirement specifies how a system will do it.
What is the difference between a functional Requirement and a nonfunctional requirement?
A functional requirement specifies the support the system will provide the user in fulfilling his/her work task. (1) process the system should perform as a part of supporting user tasks (2) information the system should provide as the user performs a task A non-functional requirement is behavioral properties the system must-have. These include (1) Operational, (2) performance, (3) Security, and (4) Cultural and Political-legal requirements
What is the difference between a functional and nonfunctional requirement?
A functional requirement specifies the support the system will provide to the user in fulfilling his or her work tasks. In other words, it is a statement of what a system must do. In contrast, a nonfunctional requirement is a statement of characteristics the system must have (for instance, how the system should be built). In a nonfunctional requirement, the behavioral properties the system must have are: operational, performance, security, cultural and political.
What is activity-based costing?
A gathering strategy that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken?
What is duration analysis?
A gathering strategy that requires a detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system
What is the difference between a gray hole and black hole?
A gray hole is data coming in with irrelevant data going out as an output whereas a black hole is when data enters a process and never leaves.
How to distinguish level 0 and level 1 diagram?
A level 0 diagram includes processes that are labeled with whole numbers. (Process 1, Process 2, etc.) Level 1 takes a process from level 0 and breaks it down into multiple sub process (labeled as decimals). For example, Process 1 is broken down into process 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on.
What is a level 0 diagram?
A level 0 is a top-level diagram that shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system, how the major processes are interrelated by data flows, and shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact, and adds stored data via data stores.
o What is a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a project work plan
A list of tasks hierarchically numbered in this way is called a work breakdown structure, and it is the backbone of the project work plan.
What is the difference between logical and physical process models?
A logical DFD focuses on the business and business activities, while a physical DFD looks at how a system is implemented.
Advanced Syntax - Intersection Entities
A new entity is created to store information about two entities sharing an M:N relationship
What does a data store need to contain?
A number, a name (noun), a description, one or more input of data flows, and one or more output of data flows.
Who is the project sponsor?
A person who develops the initial vision of a new system. The sponsor works through SDLC to monitor projects and is the sponsor of the project, making sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business. This person serves as the primary point of contact for the project team.
Who is the "actor" on the Use Case?
A person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal.
What is an External entity in a DFD
A person, organization, or system that is external to the system and adds or receives data from the system.
What are external entities?
A person, organization, organization unit, or system that is external to the system, but interacts with it (e.g., customer, clearinghouse, government organization, accounting system)
What is the importance of a physical data model?
A physical data model is drawn during the design phase by analysts to reflect how the data will physically be stored in databases and files
What is a process of a DFD?
A process is an activity or a function that is performed for some specific business reason.
What is the definition of a Process?
A process is an activity or a function that is performed for some specific business reason. It can include number, name, desc., at least one output data flow, and at least one input data flow
What does a process model help document?
A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., as‐is system)
What is a process model and what is it used to document?
A process model is a formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them. It can be used to document the current system (i.e. as-is system) or the new system being developed (i.e. to-be system), whether computerized or not.
What is a system requirement?
A requirement is simply a statement of what the system must do (functional requirements) or what characteristics it needs to have (non-functional requirements).
What is a nonfunctional requirement?
A requirement that states any characteristics the system should have. (Operational, Performance, Security, Cultural and Political)
What is a functional requirement?
A requirement that states what processes the system must do or perform or the information that the system must contain. (Process, Information)
What is meant by a DFD semantic error?
A semantics error is an error of meaning in the data flow diagram, in which the model does not accurately represent the business process being modeled. One example of a semantic error is one in which the data inputs to a process do not correspond to the type of information in the output data flow (see following DFD excerpt).
What is a project charter?
A short document that describes your project in its entirety. It provides availability, status reporting, meetings, documentation storage. It describes the project's objectives, rules, norms, and ground rules. It serves as the foundation for a project, which is both used as an internal marketing tool and reference guide
What is data flow?
A single piece of data or a logical collection of data
What is a Data Flow?
A single piece of data or a logical collection of data. Includes the following: A name (noun) Description (if necessary) One or more connections to a process
What is a functional requirement?
A statement that the system must do
What is a requirements definition?
A straightforward text report that lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in outline format. The purpose of the requirements definition is to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. A critically important purpose of the requirements definition, however, is to define the scope of the system. The document describes to the analysts exactly what the fi nal system needs to do. In addition, it serves to establish the users' expectations for the system. If and when discrepancies or misunderstandings arise, the document serves as a resource for clarification.
Executive Summary
A summary of all the essential information in the proposal so that a busy executive can read it quickly and decide what parts of the plan to read in more depth.
What is the main deliverable of the analysis phase
A system proposal
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is called?
A system proposal- which is presented to the project sponsor and and other key decision makers (members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. - proposal is the initial deliverable describing the requirements the new system should satisfy.
What are the elements of a system request?
A system request describes business reason for project, Lists project's key elements, Forces the sponsor to formalize their ideas, and defines system's expected value
What is a system request and who is responsible for completing it?
A system request is a document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide and is usually completed by the project sponsor.
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is often accompanied by a presentation to the approval committee. What is this presentation called?
A system walk-through (explain the system in detail to gain feedback and approval)
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is often accompanied by a presentation to the approval committee. What is this presentation called?
A system walk-through (explain the system in detail to gain feedback and approval)
What is time boxing?
A technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline. It will deliver the system by that deadline no matter what even if the functionality needs to be reduced. It ensures the project teams do not get stuck with "finishing touches" that drag out indefinitely and satisfies the business by providing a product in a fast time frame.
What is the difference between external and temporal triggers?
A temporal trigger is based upon the passage of time. Examples are time to pay a bill; library book is due. External triggers are things outside the system to which the system must respond. Examples are a customer placing an order; customer payment is received.
What are 2 examples of a temporal trigger?
A user has to pay their monthly water bill; library book is due
What is an example of External trigger?
A user wishes to check out a cart from an online store
The project plan is the document that is used to _____. A) describe how the project team will go about developing the proposed system B) outline the tasks to be addressed in developing the proposed system and develop a time estimate for each task. C) outline the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility of the proposed system D) summarize the business need and explain how the proposed system supports that need and creates value E) all of the above
A) describe how the project team will go about developing the proposed system
Which of the following is an example of a Blackhole error in creating Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)? A) A system that receives customer orders but does not produce any output or response. B) A system that generates customer invoices without any input or information. C) A system that records employee timesheets but also includes irrelevant information in the output reports. D) A system that processes customer payments and produces detailed receipts for each transaction.
A) A system that receives customer orders but does not produce any output or response is an example of a Blackhole error in creating Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs). In a DFD, a black hole occurs when input data flows into the system, but no corresponding output data is generated by the system. This creates a "black hole" where data is lost and does not contribute to the system's output. Option B represents a Miracle error where the system generates output without any input data. Option C represents a Gray hole error where irrelevant data is included in the system's output. Option D is a correct example of a system that processes input data and generates output data, without any errors or issues.
What phase of the SDLC decides how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure
Design Phase
The output of the systems design phase is?
Design Specification or Functional Specification
Weakness of a waterfall method?
Must wait away till users can see evidence of new system, long time from start to finish
What is the preferred value of the cost benefit analysis?
NPV
What can be apart of a use case?
Name
What are the four types of nonfunctional requirements?
Operational, Performance, Security, and Cultural/Political
What are all the types of nonfunctional requirements?
Operational, performance, security, and cultural/political requirements
Nonfunctional Requirements - Behavioral properties of the system must have
Operational, performance, security, cultural and political
List 4 types of non-functional requirements
Operational, performance, security, political and cultural
Elements of a systems request
Project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, special issues or constraints.
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and organizational feasibility
3 types of feasibility
Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility
What are types of requirements?
Business requirements, User requirements, and System requirements
Definition of business value
Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization.
Types of Requirements
Business, User, System
Name three ways to minimize conflict.
Clearly define plans for the project. Develop a project charter. Develop schedule commitments ahead of time.
__________ questions are used when the analyst is looking for specific, precise information.
Closed-ended
Which one is excluded from a context diagram? a) process b) data flow c) data store d) external entity e) none of the above
d) external entity
Parallel Development Goal
Divides the project into sub-projects that can be worked on at the same time by a team, reducing the overall project length
What are the 4 elements of data flow diagram (DFD)?
Entity, data storage, process, and data flow.
Is error checking a tangible benefit or a intangible benefit?
Error checking is an intangible benefit.
T/F: One of the cons involved in an analyst's work includes the challenges that arise.
False
The Project Manager is always the Systems Analyst.
False
The primary role of a systems analyst is project management. True or False?
False
True or False: Level 2 processes always have one parent number "dot" unique number
False
True or False; In use cases, users are not needed in their development
False
True or False? Not all projects have feasibility risks.
False
T/F: The second level in the DFD Hierarchy is the diagram called the level 2 diagram
False, Level 0
Which of the following is not represented in a data flow diagram? a. Parallel lines b. Rounded rectangle c. Circle d. Triangle
d. Triangle
True or False: An open-ended questions seek a more narrow focus response from the interviewee.
False, Open-ended questions seek for a wider-ranging response for the subject.
True or False. A context diagram shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system.
False.
T/F: In data flow diagrams, the external entities can be connected with data flows.
False. Data must come from a process. The entities cannot transfer data between one another.
True/False: A process model is an informal way of representing how a business process operates.
False; formal way
True or False? A customer placing an order is an example of a temporal trigger.
False; it is an external trigger.
Is the following functional or nonfunctional requirements: include actual and budgeted cost information.
Functional
What type of requirements are fully described in use cases?
Functional Requirements
What are common techniques to elicit requirements?
interviews, JAD sessions, questionnaires, document analysis, and observation
________________ is the most commonly used requirements elicitation technique.
Interview
Who is a project sponsor?
The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side.
Role of project sponsor
The person who is responsible for the overall success of a project.
Project Management
The process of planning and controlling the project within a specified time frame, at minimum cost, with the desired outcomes.
Level 0 diagram
is a data flow diagram that represents a system's major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail
What is purpose of WBS?
to identify and define the requirements that accomplish the project objectives in a common framework
What is timeboxing?
This technique sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if the functionality needs to be reduced.
Why are alternative courses added to a use case?
To depict branches in logic that also will lead to a successful conclusion of the use case.
The strength of JAD as a Requirements Elicitation Technique is understanding multiple perspectives at once.
True
True or False: With waterfall development, the project team must complete a phase before moving to the next phase begins.
True
When do you use Fully-dressed Use Case format?
Users are not closely engaged with development team Project has high complexity and/or high risk
What is Iterative Development's Strength?
Users get a system to use quickly Users identify additional needs for later version based on real experience with current version
What are some strengths of Iterative Development Methodology?
Users get a system to use quickly, Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with current version
what are strengths of System Prototyping Methodology?
Users get to work with prototype very quickly Feedback cycles let users identify changes and refine real requirements
What are other reasons for scope creep?
Users suddenly understand the potential of the new system and realize new functionality that would be useful. Developers may discover interesting capabilities to which they become very attached A senior manager may decide to let this system support a new strategy that was developed at a recent board meeting.
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Using use cases or any other documentation, complete the following steps: Step 1: Identify the external entities. Step 2: Identify high-level process(es) Step 3: Identify data stores. Step 4 (optional): Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table. Step 5: Draw the Context Diagram (using the EAD table). Step 6: Draw the data flow (using the EAD table). Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers (i.e., Level 1.1, Level 2.2,..) When you are done, validate DFDs with users to ensure completeness and accuracy
The ______ is another variation of waterfall development that pays more explicit attention to testing
V model
Which developmental method is used for mainly testing?
V-Model
What is V-Model Development?
V-Model development is a type of waterfall development where after the code of the system is written, all of its components are tested in a reverse manner (implementation, design, analysis), placing an emphasis on high quality from repeated testing.
What are the 2 variants of the Waterfall Development Methodology?
Variant 1: Parallel Development which subdivides the project into subprojects that are worked on simultaneously. Variant 2: V-Model which uses test plan development to emphasize system quality.
Parallel Development
Variation of waterfall development. It reduces the time required to deliver a system, so changes in the business environment are less likely to produce the need for rework. The approach still suffers from problems caused by voluminous deliverables. It also adds a new problem: If the subprojects are not completely independent, design decisions in one subproject may affect another, and at the project end, integrating the subprojects may be quite challenging.
Explain the concept of version control in software development.
Version control is a system that manages changes to source code, allowing multiple developers to work collaboratively and track revisions.
Is Visio a CASE tools?
Visio used to be a CASE tools but not so much now
Why is visualization an important step in creating a use case?
Visualization helps you understand your interaction with the process and how other systems work (informal benchmarking) which helps analysts and users write the use cases.
B) To allow the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD?) A) To develop software apps B) To allow the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system C) To reduce Project cost and time D) To reduce Scope
Goal: know the potential risks & the significance of those risks Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organization feasibility
What is the goal of a feasibility analysis and what are the three categories?
scope creep
What is the number one reason why projects go over budget?
They define appropriate behaviors including: following the schedule, respecting others' opinions, accepting disagreement, and ensuring one person is talking at a time.
What is the purpose of Ground Rules for a JAD session?
Root Cause Analysis
What requirement analysis strategy focuses on understanding the problems within the system rather than potential solutions?
1. Availability: When can you meet or complete work? 2. Status reporting: What are the individual deadlines? 3. Meetings: How often? What days? In-person or online? 4. Documentation storage: Where do we store our files?
What should be established in a Project Charter?
What are system requirements?
What the system needs to do in order to satisfy business user needs.
What are business requirements?
What the system needs to do in order to satisfy business user needs. It summarizes the features and capabilities that need to be included. Business requirements describe the reasons for developing the system and outline the capabilities it will provide the organization.
What is timeboxing?
When a fixed deadline is set for a project. The project will be finished despite having to sacrifice functionality. It avoids the "finishing touches" a team adds where they could have been hung up on.
When do you use a Fully-Dressed Use Case Format?
When a project has high complexity or is high risk
When are Use Cases grouped together into Packages?
When a project team has eight or nine major use cases, this suggests that the system is complex (or that the use cases are not defined at the right level of detail). Combining these use cases into logical packages can be more efficient to view. These packages are then treated as the major processes for the top level of the process model, with the use cases appearing on lower levels, or are treated as separate systems and modeled as separate systems.
When are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
When information needs to be collected quickly from a large audience while maintaining uniform responses.
When does Scope Creep happen?
When new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined
What is a problem that may cause scope creep?
When new requirements are added to the project because the original project is not properly defined.
When is the only situation in which you make up time if you fall behind on the project?
When the remainder of the project is simpler than the part you fell behind on or when the remainder of the project is simpler than you expected when the original estimated were made
When are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
When there a large number of users outside the organization who have valuable input
In what case are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
When there are a large number of users outside the organization whose input is valuable
When is a system "at rest"?
When there is no response to an event happening
Data Store
Which element is never included in Context Diagram?
A. Operational team salaries
Which of the following is NOT a development cost? A. Operational team salaries B. Vendor Installation C. Development team salaries D. Office space and equipment costs
d. requirements
Which of the following is NOT a way to categorize/characterize a project? a. risk b. scope c. purpose d. requirements
B. Interviewee can respond freely to questions
Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the interview process? A. Very time-consuming and costly B. Interviewee can respond freely to questions C. May be impractical due to location of interviewees D. Success is highly dependent on the systems analyst's human relations skills
What is the point of the analysis phase in system design?
You want to create a system proposal
What is a tangible benefit?
a benefit that can be measured in monetary terms ex: reducing manufacturing costs
What is an intangible benefit?
a benefit that cannot be measured in monetary terms (but still have an impact) ex: increased customer service
Example of a Business Process Management
a company that has employees constantly filling out paper forms can implement BPM in the HR department to automate the HR process, cut down on cost, time, and paper forms.
What is a Data Flow in a DFD?
a data flow is a fact, or group of facts. They show the relationships of different process' inputs and outputs.
The system should be compatible with any Web browser addresses which nonfunctional requirement? a) Operational b) Process-oriented c) Performance d) Security e) Cultural and Political
a) Operational, addresses the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate.
Ted is creating a project plan. Which phase of the SDLC is he working in? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation e) Project plans are created in both Analysis and Design Phase
a) Planning
Which phase of the SDLC is creating a use case? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation
a) Planning
What are some weaknesses of System Prototyping Methodology?
- Superficial analysis may cause problems - Initial design decisions may be poor - Overlooked features may be hard to add later
What are the strengths of the Waterfall Methodology?
- System requirements identified long before construction begins - Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed
What are the STRENGTHS of the Waterfall Methodology Assessment?
- System requirements identified long before construction begins. - Requirements are "frozen" as projects proceeds - no moving targets allowed.
What is methodology
- a formalized approach to implementing the SDLC
What to ask in an interview questionnaire?
- ask about business requirements - ask about as-is system or process
What are the three Rapid Application Development (RAD) approaches?
1. Iterative Development Methodology 2. System Prototyping Development Methodology 3. Throwaway Prototyping Development Methodology
Q: What is the main goal of use case analysis?
A: To develop a set of use cases that describes all of the tasks that users will need to perform when using the system.
Which element is never included in context diagrams? A. Process B. Data flow C. Data storage D. External entity
Answer: C. data storage is not included in context diagrams.
Duties of project manager (not always the systems analyst).
- Appointed to leader the project - Select the best project methodology - Develop a project work plan - Establish a staffing plan - Create ways to coordinate and control the project
What are gathering strategies? Describe each of them.
+ ) Problem Analysis - Ask users and managers to identify problems and solutions with the as-is system. - Improvements tend to be small and incremental. - Rarely finds improvements with significant business value. +) Root cause Analysis - Challenge assumptions about why the problem exists. - Trace symptoms to their causes to discover the real problem. - Focuses on problems first rather than solutions - The key point is to always challenge the obvious and dig into the problem(s) deeply to find the true underlying cause(s) +) Duration Analysis - How long does the whole process normally take? - How long does each step take? - Which activities can be shortened? +) Activity-based costing - How much does each step cost the organization? - Can any of the steps be more cost-effective? +) Informational Benchmarking - How do other organizations complete similar processes/activities - What improvements can we make a result of this? +) Outcome Analysis - Consider desirable outcomes from a customer's perspective - Consider what the organization could enable the customer to do +) Technology Analysis - Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies. - Th
What is a system requirement? What are the types of system requirements?
+> Definition: A system requirement is a statement of: - what the system must do (functional requirement) OR - what characteristics it needs to have (non-functional requirements) +> Types of requirements: ~ Business requirements: what business needs (system request) ~ User requirements: what the users need to do ~ System requirements: how the system should be built. It is divided into: * Functional requirements: functions of the system * Non-functional requirements: characteristics of the system
What is a Context Diagram?
- 1st DFD in every business model - Shows the entire system in context with its environment -Shows data flows to and from external entities
What is Process Model?
- A formal way of representing how a business process operates - Illustrate activities that are performed and how data moves between them
A data store must have:
- A number - A name (noun) - Description (if necessary) - One or more data flows (input or output or both)
What are the two types of functional requirements?
- A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task - Information the system should provide as the user performs a task
What is a questionnaire, how does it help us, and where are they most utilized?
- A questionnaire is a written set of questions for obtaining information from individuals. - They help us because they allow the collection of information and opinions from large groups of people. - They can be utilized for systems intended for use outside of the organization (ex. customers, vendors) or for systems that have business users that are located in differing locations.
Systems Requirements: Functional V Non-Functional
- A statement of what the system must do is a "functional requirement" - Nonfunctional is a statement of characteristics a system must have
Which is a "do" when motivating employees? - Advancement - Assign unrealistic deadlines - Give everyone on the project a raise - Make an important decision without the team's input
- Advancement
What is Technology Analysis?
- Analysts and employees both list important and interesting technologies - The group goes through each list and identifies how each might be applied to the business and how the business might benefit
V-Model Development Methodology
- Goal is the same as waterfall - Emphasizes system quality through test plan development - Strengths: simple and straightforward, quality improves through the emphasis on testing, including quality assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality - Weaknesses: rigid, difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
What are some example of tangible benefits?
- Increased sales - Reductions in staff - Reductions in inventory - Reductions in IT costs - Better supplier prices
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
- Initial vision of the new system - Direct the project to the right direction - Main contact point for the project team - The sponsor should come from a person that has finance, marketing background, while IT is more responsible on hardware and software than taking care of the project.
Do's of motivating employees
- Intrinsic rewards + Recognition + Achievement + The work itself + Responsibility + Advancement + Chance to learn new skills - Monetary reward - last choice
What does balancing ensure?
- It ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD.
What is Business Process Reengineering?
- It is a total overhaul of work processes.
What are the differences between logical and physical process models?
- Logical: Process is described without suggesting how they are conducted - Physical: Process implementation information is included to explain how the final system will function
What are some processes to help communication issues for teams?
- Meet face-to-face (or through video) at beginning of the project - Set expectations upfront about who does what - Establish multiple ways to get in touch - Be professional: Address concerns openly, and respond to teammates within a reasonable amount of time
What are the WEAKNESSES of the Waterfall Methodology Assessment?
- Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system. - Takes a long time from start to finish.
Non-functional of system requirement
- Operational is the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate - Performance - the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system - Security who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances - Cultural and Political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
What are the four types of non-functional system requirements?
- Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate - Performance: The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system - Security: Who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances - Cultural and Political: Cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
What are the four stages of the SDLC?
- Planning: determines why and how a system should be built -Analysis: Seeks to answer who use the system, what the system will do, where and when it will be used -Design: Determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user infrastructure, forms, reports used; specific programs, databases, files needed -Implementation: the system is built for purchased
Functional of system requirement
- Process oriented is a process the system must perform - Information oriented is the information the system must contain
What are the two functional requirements?
- Process-oriented: A process the system should perform or do as a part of supporting a user task -Information the system should provide and contain as the user performs a task
Elements of a systems request
- Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. - Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. - Business requirements are the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. - Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. - Special issues or constraints are the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.Fsys
What is not an element of a system request?
- Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. - Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. - Business requirements are the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide.- Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. - Special issues or constraints are the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision. -Set up a lunch with your project sponsor. Not an element: -Set up a lunch with your project sponsor.
What are the elements of a systems request?
- Project Sponsor: The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side - Business Need: The business-related reason for initiating the system - Business Requirements: The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide - Business Value: The benefits that the system will create for the organization - Special Issues or Constraints: Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
What are the elements of a systems request?
- Project sponsor - Business need - Business requirements - Business value - Special issues & constraints
Throw-away prototyping
- Prototype alternative designs in an experimental way - Build system following prototype design but discard the actual prototype -RAD Approach -Strengths: uncertainty is minimized, important issues are understood before building the final system - Weaknesses: may take longer
What are the four elements of a DFD? What do they represent? And how are they depicted visually?
- Rectangle: An external agent - Rounded Rectangle or Circle: A process in the narrative - 2-Sided Rectangles: Files, datastores, and data repositories - Arrow: Data Flow
What metrics can be used to assess the financial viability of a project?
- Return on Investment - Break Even Point - Net Present Value
What duties of a project manager?
- Role ensures that the project is completed on time. - Make sure the project is within budget.
What is scope creep?
- Scope creep refers to changes, continuous or uncontrolled growth in a project's scope, at any point after the project begins. This can occur when the scope of a project is not properly defined, documented, or controlled. . This is the number one reason why projects tend to go over budget. User developed expectations dramatically increase and system requirements expand during the project - Adding new requirements to the project after the original scope was defined
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
- Size: What is the size? how many people are needed to work on the project - Cost: How much will the project cost the organization? - Purpose: What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve Operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? - Length: How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? - Risk: How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? - Scope: How much of the organization is affected by the system? a department? a division? the entire corporation? - Economic Value: How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Provide examples of operational costs.
- Software upgrades - Software licensing fees - Hardware repair and upgrades - Cloud storage fees - Operational team salaries - Communication charges - User training
Provide examples of business needs for a system
- Staying relevant and striving for improvement - Identifying and benefiting from new opportunities - Efficient performance of business function
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Document Analysis?
- Strengths: Easy to find nonfunctional requirements, easy to find information-based functional requirements - Weaknesses: Harder to see process-based functional requirements, functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system
What is Business Process Improvement?
- Studies the business processes - Create new, redesigned processes to improve the process workflows, and/or - Utilize new technologies enabling new process structures.
Which trigger is time based, such as an eBook becoming overdue at the library or it's time to process the weekly payroll. - Temporal - External
- Temporal
Waterfall Development
- The waterfall development was first introduced by Dr.Winston W. Royce and it is a software development process. Based upon the SDLC and assumes that a project phase has to be completed before moving onto the next phase. - Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure correct and high quality outcomes. - Benefits: requirements are defined early on in the process and there are no moving targets which help prevent scope creep -Disadvantage: It is difficult to implement revisions once a phase has been completed. Must wait a long time to see evidence of the new system. Takes a long time from start to finish.
What type of technique sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced? - Scope Creep - Risk Management - Timeboxing - Risk Assessment
- Timeboxing
What are the strengths of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
- Understand multiple perspectives at once - Have user feedback while documentation is being made
What are the three goals of the analysis phase?
- Understand the existing situation (as-is system) - Identify improvements - Define requirements for the new system (to-be system)
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase:
- Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). - Identify improvements. - Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
What are the elements of a fully-dressed use case?
- Use case name - ID - Priority - Actor - Description - Trigger - Type - Preconditions - Normal course - Alternative courses - Postconditions - Summary inputs - Source - Summary outputs - Destination
What are the weaknesses of the Iterative Development Methodology?
- User is faced with using an incomplete system for some time - Users must be patient and wait for fully functional system
When should you use the fully-dressed use case format?
- Users are not closely engaged with development team - Project has high complexity and/or high risk
What are some weaknesses of Iterative Development Methodology?
- Users faced with using an incomplete system for a time - Users must be patient and wait for fully-functional system
What are some strengths of Iterative Development Methodology?
- Users get a system to use quickly - Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with current version
What are some strengths of System Prototyping Methodology?
- Users get to work with prototype very quickly - Feedback cycles let users identify changes and refine real requirements
What is Waterfall Development?
- Waterfall development is both a kind of methodology and a development method itself. It produces a system deliverable by going through the 4 phases (planning, analysis, design, implementation) in order, rarely going backwards, making sure the system is fully adequate before moving on to the next stage. - The key deliverables for each phase are typically voluminous (often, hundreds of pages) and are presented to the approval committee and project sponsor for approval as the project moves from phase to phase. - Analysts and users proceed sequentially from one phase to the next
What are some Don'ts of motivating employees?
- assign unrealistic deadlines - ignore good efforts - create a low-quality product - give everyone on the project a raise - make an important decision without the team's input - maintain poor working conditions
What are some Do's that can motivate the employees?
- clearly define plans for the project - the team understands how the project is important to the organization - develop detailed operating procedures and communicated them to the team - develop a project charter - develop schedule commitments ahead of time - forecast other priorities and impact on the project
What is a project charter and what does it include
- describes the project's objectives and rules - lists the project's norms and ground rules > e.g. when project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed, etc.
Processes to help tackle convergence issues
- do individual brainstorming first, then come together - spending time in initial meeting establishing rapport - anonymous voting - do not make group decisions over email/ text - meet together
Purpose of a use case
- helps us understand and clarify the users' required interactions with the system and can help us more fully understand the functional requirements of the new system. - used extensively in the analysis phase when working with the users in interviews and workshop settings as a means of discovering user and functional requirements - represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses - goal is to describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system - ensures that users' insights are explicitly incorporated into the new system - depicts a set of activities performed to produce some output result
Sources of technical risk
- lack of familiarity with the business application area or the technology - Project size - compatibility with existing systems
What are the 3 techniques used to describe processing logic
- structured English - decision trees - decision tables
Temporal vs external triggers
- trigger for the use case: the event that causes the use case to begin - external trigger: things outside the system to which the system must respond > e.g. customer placing an order, the fire alarm ringing, the LCA needing a chemical for a job, etc. - temporal trigger: where the event is time-based > e.g. a DVD becoming overdue at the video store, it's time to pay the weekly payroll, etc.
Processes to help tackle conveyance issues
- use shared document storage (preferred) - be clear about who is working on the "master copy" - set expectations up front about access to information and work
What is a project charter and what does it include?
-A Document that lists the project's norms and ground rules It includes: 1.The Team Name 2.A Team Leader if applicable 3.The team's main communication channel (Such as 4.Zoom and Group Messaging) 5.Agreed upon Technology for collaboration such as Google Docs and OneDrive 6.The agreed upon work strategy 7.Scheduling constraints and the agreed-upon regular meeting times.
What are the strengths of agile development?
-A substantial amount of the modeling and documentation overhead is eliminated -Fast delivery of results -Works well in project with undefined or changing requirements - High flexibility: Short cycles and constant iterations allow you to adapt your project frequently and tailor it to the customer's needs at any moment. - Constant interaction among the stakeholders. With your teams constantly interacting with each other and with the customer, you avoid producing tons of technical documentation, processes, and tools.
What is Document Analysis
-An elicitation technique that analyzes existing documentation and identifies information relevant to the requirements. -Formal System documents: forms, reports, policy manuals, and organization charts. These documents can only tell part of the story -Informal System documents: the "real" documents, differ from the formal ones. They give strong indications of what needs to be changed
Names, goals, and general strengths and weaknesses of Waterfall Development and its 2 variants
-Based upon SDLC; assumes a project phase is complete before moving to the next phase. You could go back to the prior phases if you need to make modifications/refinements. Most traditional method available. -Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes. -Strengths: +System requirement identified long before construction begins +Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed -Weaknesses: +Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system. +Takes a long time from start to finish. -Variants: Parallel Development: Strengths- Reduces time, creates subprojects Weakness- Complex. V-model: Strengths- Simple, emphasis Testing. Weakness- Rigid, difficult to use in dynamic business environment
What is the difference between a business need, business value, and business requirement?
-Business needs: presents the reasons prompting the project -Business requirements: describes the reasons for developing a system and outlines the capabilities it will provide the organization -Business value: the benefits that the organization should expect from the system
What is the distinction between business requirements a system requirements?
-Business requirements define what must be delivered to provide value. -System requirements describe how the proposed system will accomplish business requirements.
What do system analysts like about their work?
-Challenge -Technology -Variety -Constant Change -Problem Solving
What project characteristics affect methodology selection decisions?
-Clarity of user requirements -Familiarity with technology -System complexity -System reliability -Short time schedules -Schedule visibility
what are the key aspects of working on a team ( the 3 C's)
-Communication: Expectations and team cohesion -Conveyance: Sharing task information and work -Convergence: Making decisions about the work
What are the four main elements/symbols in DFD?
-Data flow (arrow) -data store( open rectangle) -external entity/agent (rectangle) -process (rounded rectangle or circle)
Describe the four steps of business process management (Chapter 1)
-Defining and mapping steps in a business process Creating ways to improve the steps to add value -Finding ways to remove and/or combine steps in the process that don't add value -Creating or modifying electronic workflows to match the improved process maps
What is a Project Charter?
-Describes project's objectives and rules. -A project charter may include when the project team would be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees:
-Do: Recognition, achievement, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and the chance to learn new skills. -Don't: Reward staff with money and bonuses, the more often you reward team members with money the more they expect it, assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore valiant effort, create low quality products, give everyone on the project a raise, make an important decision without the team's input, maintain poor work conditions.
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
-Functional: Characteristics the system should have. They begin to define how the system will support the user in completing a task. A statement of what the system must do. -Non-functional: How the system should be built. The quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have. A statement of characteristics the system must have
Name the three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
-Goal is to develop a clear understanding of the new systems requirements-steps: understand the current situation, identify improvements, define requirements and concepts of the new system
What are some convergence issues with teams?
-Groupthink -Disagreement -Lack of input from some team members
Pros and Cons of Analyst's Work
-High-paying salary -Work with new technology -Challenging but rewarding
What are some Methodology Sources?
-Internally developed by organizations -Consulting firms -Software vendors -Government agencies
What are the strengths of interviews?
-Interviewee can respond freely and openly to questions -Interviewee can be asked for more feedback -Questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual -Interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed
What are the different ways that RAD may be conducted?
-Iterative Development -System Prototyping -Throwaway Prototyping
What are some issues with a JAD session?
-JAD participants have to be away from their offices, and ideally, participants of JAD sessions are the very best people in the business -JAD sessions can be lengthy and can run from as little as a half day to several weeks -Without strong management support, JAD sessions can fail
Cons of Analyst's work
-Lack of communication in management -End user mistakes -Stress/Pressure/Burnout -Evolving technology -Unrealistic deadlines
A process model that describes processes without suggesting how they are conducted is?
-Logical Process Model
Cons of an analyst's work
-Management's lack of communication/recognition -End-user mistakes and demands -Stress/Pressure/Burnout -Unrealistic deadlines
What are some examples of working synchronously with a team?
-Meet in person / Google Docs / Skype with screen sharing -Benefits: Concurrent feedback, creativity, full input
Business Requirement definition
-New enhanced or necessary business capabilities that the system will provide in order to stay operational - Defines a project's business need, as well as the criteria of its success
what are the four elements of a DFD and how are they depicted visually?
-Process or event (Rounded Rectangle w/ Number) -Data flow (Arrow) -External entity or agent (Square) -Data store (Open rectangle/parallel lines)
What are the four elements of a DFD?
-Process or event : visually depicted as a rounded rectangle -Data flow: visually depicted as an arrow -External entity or agent : Visually depicted as a rectangle -Data store: visually depicted as an open rectangle or parallel lines
How are the four elements of a DFD depicted visually?
-Process or event: rounded rectangle or circle -Data flow: arrow -External entity or agent: rectangle -Datastore: rectangle or parallel lines
Probability x Potential Impact is _____.
-Risk
Duties of a project manager include:
-Select the best project methodology -Develop a project work plan -Establish a staffing plan -Create ways to coordinate and control the project
what are three main things that project managers have to balance?
-Selecting the Appropriate Development Methodology -Estimating the Project Time Frame -Developing the Work Plan
A __________ can be measured easily and quantified. Ex. A 6% reduction in operation cost
-Tangible Value
What type of feasibility is the analysts and users lack of familiarity of technology. The project size like the amount of people and distinct features. And asks the question (Can We Build It)?
-Technical Feasibility
Why is the IT department often NOT the project sponsor of a system development project?
-The project should be based on a business need, not just technology. -Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
What is timeboxing?
-Time estimating techniques that may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available -It is one way to combat or narrow down the margin of error in making project estimates
What is the primary goal of a new system?
-To ensure that the system creates value, looks are secondary. -To ensure the companies values and goals are met.
Describe the Relationships between USE CASE and SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
-Use cases are useful tools to clarify requirements. -Use cases convey only the user's point of view. -Transforming the user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions. -The derived functional requirements tell the developers more about what the system must do
What does the system analyst do?
-Works closely with all project team members -Must understand how to apply technology to solve business problems. -May serve as change agents who identify the organizational improvements needed, design systems to implement those changes, and train and motivate others to use the systems.
What are the two types of functional requirements?
-a process that the system should perform -information the system should provide
Classify each as functional [process/info] or nonfunctional [operational/performance/ security/cultural-political]
-be accessible to Web users -include the company standard logo and color scheme. -restrict access to profitability information. -include actual and budgeted cost information. -provide management reports. -include sales information that is updated at least daily. -have 2-second maximum response time for predefined queries and 10-minute -maximum response time for ad hoc queries. -include information from all company subsidiaries. -print subsidiary reports in the primary language of the subsidiary. -provide monthly rankings of salesperson performance.
What are two common use case formats?
-casual -fully dressed
What are the weaknesses of agile development?
-requires discipline requires high involvement of project sponsor -significant users involvement is essential -initial high learning curve -works best in smaller projects -more coordination required because analysts/designers/users all work together in every iteration
What is an example of a business need?
-supporting a new marketing campaign. -reaching out to a new type of customer. - improving interactions with suppliers.
Who are the most important stakeholders in the introduction of a new system?
-those who have some stake in the project investors, project champion, organizational management, and system users
How many steps does Design phase have?
1) Design strategy - will the system be built internally or by outsourced progammers 2) Architecture and interface design -describes the hardware, software, & network infrastructure that will be used 3) Database and file specifications -what data will be stored and where will it be stored 4) Program design. -defines programs that need to be written and what each program will do
What are the 5 requirements elicitation techniques and their strengths and weaknesses?
1) Interviews - interviewee can respond freely and openly, however it is very time-consuming and costly 2) Questionnaires - most can be answered quickly, relatively inexpensive, response is often low, however, often incomplete questionnaires 3) JAD- understanding multiple perspectives at once, however facilitator required 4) Observations- data may be highly reliable, however people may perform differently when being observed 5) Document analysis- easy to find nonfunctional requirements, however harder to see process-based functional requirements
What are two variations of waterfall development?
1) Parallel Development 2) V-Model Development
What are the Four Stages of the SDLC?
1) Planning (Investigation) 2) Analysis 3) Design 4) Implementation
What are the 3 main things that Project Managers have to balance?
1) Project Cost2) Project Time3) Project Size
What are the 3 main things Project Managers have to balance?
1) Project Size 2) Project Cost 3) Project Time
What are the primary outputs of the planning phase?
1) Systems request with feasibility study 2) Project Plan
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
1) Understand the current situation (the as-is system) 2) Identify improvements 3) Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system)
What are the 3 steps in the Analysis phase?
1) Understand the current situation 2) Identify improvements 3) Define requirements and concepts of the new system
Most system requests include what five elements?
1) project sponsor 2) business need 3) business requirements 4) business value, and special issues
In a process model you should omit any processes that simply move data and leave data unchanged . However what type of logical processes should you include?
1)Perform Computations 2)Make decisions 3)Sort,Filter,or otherwise summarize data 4)Organize data 5)Trigger other processes 6)Use stored data
What are the components of the system request?
1)project sponsor 2)business need 3)business requirement 4)business value 5)special issues/constraints
What are the roles of project sponsor?
1. Being the project's driving force. 2. Determining project values. 3. Specifying requirements4.requesting a project. Or -The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. -Develops the initial vision of the new system-Works throughout the SDLC to make sure that the project is moving in the right direction from the perspectives of the business and serves as the primary point of contact for the project team. -Has insights needed to determine the business value that will be gained from the system in both tangible and intangible ways. -Serves as the primary point of contact for the project team
What are the definitions of business needs, business requirements, and business values?
1. Business Need: The business-related reason for initiating the system Ex: Reach a new market segment Offer a capability to keep up with competitors Improve access to information Decrease product defects Streamline the supply acquisition process 2. Business Requirements: The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Ex: Provide online access to information Capture customer demographic information Include product search capabilities Produce performance reports Enhance online user support 3. Business Value: The benefits that the system will create for the organization Ex: 3% increase in sales 1% increase in market share Reduction in headcount by 5 FTEs $200,000 cost savings from decreased supply costs $150,000 savings from the removal of outdated technology
What are the 3 BPM techniques?
1. Business Process Automation 2. Business Process Improvement 3. Business Process Reengineering
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, the business value
1. Business needs are the business-related reasons for initiating the system A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system, some kind of "pain" within the organization, and unique and competitive ways of using IT arise. Ex.) supporting a new marketing campaign, reaching out to a new type of customer, improving interactions with suppliers or emerging technology, or a drop in market share, poor customer service levels, or increased competition This business need will then form the business requirements and business values. 2. Business requirements describe the reasons for developing the system and outline the capabilities it will provide the organization These requirements need to be explained at a high level so that the approval committee and, ultimately, the project team understand what the business expects from the final product Business requirements summarize the features the IS must include, such as the ability to collect customer orders online or the ability for suppliers to receive inventory status information as sales occur The business needs drive the high-level business requirements 3. Business values are the benefits that t
What are the three major types of requirements?
1. Business requirements: what the business needs 2. User requirements: what the user needs to do in order to utilize the system effectively 3. System requirements: how the system should be built
What are the four steps in the continuous cycle of BPM?
1. Define and map the steps in a business process. 2. Create ways to improve one steps in the process that add value. 3. Find ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that don't add value 4. Create or adjust electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What steps are completed in the Staffing Plan?
1. Determine the average number of staff needed for the project by dividing the total person-months of effort by optimal schedule. 2. Increase amount of team members in an appropriate amount (8-10 members) because too much can be difficult to coordinate, but the right amount allow more gains in communication complexity. 3. Understand the complexity that is cremated in numbers and build a reporting structure that shows the effects. 4. Project manager creates a staffing plan that lists the roles that are required for the project and the proposed reporting structure for the project. 5. A project lead, functional lead, and technical lead should be assigned with the right qualifications, which are technical skills and interpersonal skills. Their job is to oversee the project and to keep members on task.
System Analyst Roles
1. Developing information systems (Analyzing the business situation, Identifying opportunities for improvements, Designing an information system to implement the improvements), 2. Interaction with an array of people (Technical specialists (DBAs, network admins, programmers), Business people (users, managers, steering committee), Others (vendors, consultants)) 3. Variety of specialized roles (People-oriented: change management analyst, project management, Business-oriented: requirements analyst, business analyst, Technically-oriented: infrastructure analyst, Generalist: systems analyst)
Name 3 useful checks to help ensure that models are semantically correct.
1. Have the users role-play the process as it is described in the DFDs by starting at the first process and attempting to perform it by using only the inputs specified and producing only the outputs specified. 2. Ensure consistent decomposition, which can be tested by examining the lowest-level processes in the DFDs. 3. Ensure that technology is consistent throughout the model so that everyone who reads the model has a shared understanding.
Basic Steps in Creating an ERD:
1. Identify Entities 2. Add appropriate attributes to each entities 3. draw relationship between different entities to show how they are associated with each other
What ways does an organization identify and initiate projects?
1. Identify if a project will deliver value to the business and create a request with the basic information 2. Make a feasibility analysis: technical, economic, and organizational
Steps of creating use cases
1. Identify the Major Use Cases 2. Identify the major steps within each use case 3. Identify elements within steps 4. confirm the use case
What are the four steps of the most effective process for gathering use case information?
1. Identify the major use cases. 2. Identify the major steps within each use case. 3. Identify elements within steps. 4. Confirm the use case.
What are the three approaches of Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
1. Iterative Development 2. System Prototyping 3. Throwaway Prototyping
What are three Rapid Application Development approaches?
1. Iterative development Breaks the overall project into a series of versions that are developed sequentially 2. System prototyping Performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback 3. Throw-away prototyping Includes the development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system
What are the three RAD approcahes?
1. Iterative development 2. System Prototyping 3. Throw-away prototyping
What are the three key functions the JAD facilitator performs?
1. Must ensure group sticks to agenda by firmly, but politely leading discussion back to agenda 2. Help group understand technical terms and jargon related to system development process and specific analysis techniques used 3. Record group's input public display area and help to recognize key issues and solutions while remaining neutral.
What are the four types of non-functional requirements?
1. Operational 2. Performance 3. Security 4. Cultural and Political
What are the nonfunctional requirements?
1. Operational - the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate. Ex] System will run on Android devices, System should be compatible with Web browser, System should be compatible with existing inventory system. 2. Performance - the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system. Ex] An interaction between the user and the system should not exceed 5 seconds. 3. Security - who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances. Ex] Only direct managers can see staff personnel records, Technicians can only see their own work assignments. 4. Cultural and political - cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system. Ex] Company policy is to only buy computers from Dell, The system should be able to distinguish between US currency and currency from other nations
What are the two variants and goals of Waterfall Development?
1. Parallel Development 2. V-Model Development *The goal is to complete each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure accurate and high-quality results
What are the four phases in SDLC and what is their deliverable?
1. Planning - Systems request and feasibility study (workplan, staffing plan, standards list, risk assessment) 2. Analysis - System proposal (requirements definition, use cases, process models, data models) 3. Design - Alternative matrix and system specification (architecture report, interface design, program design) 4. Implementation - Test plan, Programs, Documentation, Migration plan, Support plan, Problem report, Change request, Post-implementation audit report
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle and what do they do?
1. Planning - determines why and how a system should be built and how the team will go about building it 2. Analysis - seeks to answer who uses the system, what the system will do, where and when it will be used 3. Design - determines how the system will operate by hardware, software, and network infrastructure 4. Implementation - the system is built or purchased
Pros and cons of an analyst's work
1. Pros: - High paid salary - interact with variety fields - work with up to date Technology - Challenging and Problem Solving reward - Constantly changing 2. Cons: - Management's lack of communication/recognition - End-user mistakes and demands - Stress/ Pressure/Burnout - Ever-changing business technology - Unrealistic deadlines.
Which of the following is NOT an element of a system request? A. Project sponsor B. Business need C. Business requirements D. Systems Analyst
Answer: D. Systems Analyst is not an element of a system request.
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and the responsibilities?
1. Planning - determines why and how a system should be built. It consists of project initiation (preparing systems request, preform preliminary feasibility report) and setting up the project (project plan) 2. Analysis - Determines what the system will do. In this phase, it determines analysis requirements, collect, and analyze requirements, and prepare and present system proposal 3. Design - determines how the system will operate. It determines a design strategy (build/buy/outsource), design system components, and present to steering committee 4. Implementation - System construction (programming and testing), system installation, and on-going support.
What are the four stages of the SDLC in order?
1. Planning, 2. Analysis, 3. Design, 4. Implementation
What are the 8 requirement analysis (gathering) strategies?
1. Problem analysis 2.Root Cause Analysis 3.Duration Analysis 4.Activity-based costing 5.Informal bench marking 6. Outcome analysis 7. Technology analysis 8. Activity elimination
What are the two types of functional requirements?
1. Process-oriented 2. Information-oriented
Two types of functional requirements
1. Process-oriented: A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task. 2. Information-oriented: Information the system should provide as the user performs a task.
What are the two types of functional requirements?
1. Process-oriented: a process the system should perform. 2.Information-oriented: information the system must contain/provide
What are the three consideration for selecting a project?
1. Project Size 2. Project Time 3. Project Cost
What are the five elements of a system request?
1. Project Sponsor 2. Business need 3. Business requirement 4. Business value 5. Special issues
What 5 elements must be captured in a Systems Request?
1. Project Sponsor - The person who initiates the project and servers as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side 2. Business Need - The business-related reason for initiating the system. 3. Business Requirements - The new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. 4. Business Value - The benefits that the system will create for the organization. 5. Special Issues or Constraints - Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.
5 elements of a system request
1. Project Sponsor: the person to initiate the project and is the person who serves as the primary point of contact on the business side 2. Business need: the business-related reason for initing the system 3. Business requirement: the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide 4. Business value: the benefits that the system will create for the organization 5. Special issues: issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
Three main things that project managers have to balance
1. Project size 2. Project Time 3. Project cost
What are the 5 elements of systems request?
1. Project sponsor 2. Business need 3. Business requirements 4. Business value 5. Special issues
What are some common facilitator tricks for JAD sessions?
1. Reducing Domination 2. Encouraging non-contributors 3. Side discussions 4. Agenda merry-go-round 5. Violent Agreement 6. Unresolved conflict 7. True conflict 8. Use humor
What are the four duties of a project manager?
1. Select the best methodology 2. Develop a project work plan 3. Establish a staffing plan 4. Create ways to coordinate and control the project
What are V-Model methodology assessment strengths?
1. Simple and straightforward 2. Quality improves through the emphasis on testing 3. Including Quality Assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
1. Size - What is the size? How many people are needed to work on the project? 2. Cost - How much will the project cost the organization? 3. Purpose - What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? 4. Length - How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? 5. Risk - How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? 6. Scope - How much of the organization is affected by the system? A department? A division? The entire corporation? 7. Economic Value - How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Different ways to characterize/categorize projects
1. Size - What is the size? How many people are needed to work on the project? 2. Cost How much will the project cost the organization? 3. Purpose What is the purpose of the project? Is it meant to improve the technical infrastructure? Support a current business strategy? Improve operations? Demonstrate a new innovation? 4. Length How long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? 5.Risk How likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? 6. Scope How much of the organization is affected by the system? A department? A division? The entire corporation? 7. Economic Value How much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
What are different ways to characterize/categorize projects (i.e., categories to balance in the project portfolio perspective)
1. Size, 2. cost 3. purpose 4. lengths 5. risk 6. scope 7. economic value
What are the steps of the Analysis Phase?
1. Understand the current situation 2. Identify Improvements 3. Define requirements and concepts of the new system
A fully dressed use case is not always necessary but does provide value in certain circumstances. When are they especially valuable?
1. User representatives are not closely engaged with the development team throughout the project. 2. The application is complex and has a high risk associated with system failure. 3. Comprehensive test cases will be based on the user requirements. 4. Collaborating remote teams need a detailed, shared understanding of the user requirements.
Which of the following cannot be an internal trigger? 1. A restocking notification 2. A manually-entered sale 3. An email 4. An order
2. A manually entered sale
five major steps in conducting a jad session
1. jad project definition 2. research on user requirement 3. preparation for jad session 4. conducting and facilitating jad session 5. obtaining approval of the final document that incorporates decisions made
What are the 4 elements of DFD?
1. process 2. data flow 3. data store 4. external entity
What are the 5 steps in the UI design process?
1. understand the users 2. Organize the interface 3. define standards 4. interface design prototyping 5. evaluation method
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
1.) The Planning Phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1a.) Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 1b.) Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan, staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC 2.) The Analysis Phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 2a.) Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is d
Which of the following is an example of an external trigger? 1. An inventory low-level alarm is set off. 2. An employee taps "start" on the computer at her work. 3. A hold is placed on a delinquent account by the system. 4. A "delivered" status is updated by the ups tracking system.
2. An employee taps "start" on the computer at her work.
What are the 3 types of users found in Organizational Feasibility and which type of user should the focus be on?
3 types of users: 1. Yes, let's change 2. No way, not changing 3. People in the middle, on the fence -Focus on the people who could be pushed either way, the people on the fence.
Which is a limiting factor of JAD sessions? 1. unable to understand the use case 2. too little information is gathered 3. a large time requirement
3. a large time requirement
How many types of non-functional requirements are there? What are their names?
4 categories of non-functional requirements. - Operational: Physical and technical operating environment, compatibility - Performance: Speed, capacity, and reliability needs - Security: Access restrictions, needed safeguards - Cultural and political: Legal requirements, cultural norms, company policies, etc.
Which of the following is NOT a duty of the Project Manager? 1. Establish a staffing plan. 2. Create ways to coordinate and control the project. 3. Develop a project work plan. 4. Create a use case
4. Create a use case.
Which one is tangible benefit: A. Increased sales B. Increased market share C. Improved customer service D. Better supplier relations
A
What is a DFD fragment?
A DFD fragment is one part of a DFD that eventually will be combined with other DFD fragments to form a new DFD.
What is the purpose of DFDs?
A DFD shows what kind of information will be input to and output from the system, where the data will come from and go to, and where the data will be stored.
What is a context diagram?
A context diagram is the top-level DFD in a process model that shows: - The entire system in context with its environment - The overall business process as just one process (process 'zero') - All the external entities that receive information from or contribute to the system
Explain the relationship between a DFD context diagram and the DFD level 0 diagram.
A context level diagram is a high-level view of the entire system represented as one process symbol. Data flows going into and out of the system and the external entities that interact with the system are the only other element of the system shown on this type of diagram. A level 0 diagram is the first view of the internal processes of the business system. These processes are shown from fairly high level, with subsequent diagrams depicting increasing levels of detail. The level 0 diagram shows the same data flows and entities as the context, as well as data stores associated with the system.
The definition of a Data Store?
A data flow is a single fact, such as quantity available (sometimes called a data element), or a logical collection of several facts. They are nouns
What is the purpose of a data store in a DFD?
A data store forms the starting point for the data model and form the logical connection between the process model and the data model. It is where data is stored.
What is a Data Store?
A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way. Include the following: A number A name (noun) Description (if necessary) One or more data flows (input or output or both)
Data Store
A data store is a connection to a store of data, and a repository for storing, managing and distributing data sets
Why would one use a decision tree and/or decision table in a process description?
A decision table helps with the understanding of actions based on a condition or a set of conditions.
Why would one use a decision tree and/or decision table in a process description?
A decision tree is useful in that it aids in understanding decision logic pertaining to nodes (questions) and branches (answers). A decision table aids in understanding the actions (business policies) that based on a condition or a set of conditions.
What is a feasibility study?
A deliverable (Planning Phase) that is submitted to the approval committee; incl. the results of evaluating the 3 feasibility factors; technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility.
What is a system proposal?
A document compiling the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process models and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis
Define process model.
A process model is a formal way of representing how a business system should operate. It also illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data moves between them.
Definition of process model and what it is used to document
A process model is a graphical way of representing how a business system should operate. It illustrates the processes or activities that are performed and how data move among them. A process model can be used to document the current system (i.e., as-is system) or the new system being developed (i.e., to-be system), whether computerized or not.
What is a Process Model?
A process model is described as a formal way of representing how a business process operates.
What is a Blackhole Error?
A process that has no outputs.
What is a Functional Requirement?
A process the system must do when a user is doing a routine task or information the system must give the user as a task is done.
What is a black hole error?
A process without an output
What is a project champion?
A project champion is a high-level executive who is usually involved in the creation of the system request, but they may not be the project sponsor.
What is a project charter and what does it include?
A project charter lists the norms and ground rules of a project. It includes staff meetings when the project should be worked on, group communication, and updates of the work plan when tasks are completed.
Where do project ideas come from?
A project is identified when someone in the organization identifies a business need to build a system. Project ideas almost always use sponsor Fulfill a business need Enable a business initiative or strategy Support a merger/acquisition o Fix a "point of pain" Utilize a new technology Outgrowth of Business Process Management (BPM)
True
A project work plan is the document project managers use to track scheduling, cost, and resources. It is also where they can tell whether the project is ahead or behind schedule, how well the project was estimated, & what changes need to be made to meet the project deadline. T/F
What is a query operation?
A query operation makes information about the state of an object available to other objects, but it will not change the object in any way.
What is a probing question?
A question that follows up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more.
What is a temporal trigger?
A temporal trigger is time-based and reoccurring. An example of a temporal trigger is automatically depositing a fixed amount of money into my savings account every 1st and 15th of the month(bi-weekly). A second example is a DVD becoming overdue at the video store or it becomes time to pay the weekly payroll.
What is a requirements definition document?
A text document that lists requirements in outline form, often including priorities and functional and nonfunctional requirements.
What is Timeboxing?
A time estimating technique that may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available.
Define external trigger, give example
A trigger can also be a temporal trigger, where the event is time-based , such as a DVD becoming overdue at the video store or its time to pay the weekly payroll.
Define temporal trigger, give example
A trigger can be an external trigger, such as a customer placing an order, the fire alarm ringing, or in the LCA example, needing a chemical for a job.
What is a trigger?
A trigger is the event that causes the use case to begin.This includes external and temporal triggers.
What is needed for a use case to begin?
A trigger, either external or temporal
Which shape represents a data store in a data flow diagram (DFD)?
A two-sided rectangle
What is a Physical process model?
A type of process model that provides information that is needed to ultimately build the system. It includes that information, in terms of technology, format of information moving through processes, and the human interaction that is involved.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case depicts a set of activities performed to produce a deliverable result. Each use case describes how an event triggers actions performed by the system and user.
What is a use case diagram in system analysis, and what does it represent?
A use case diagram illustrates the interactions between actors (users or external systems) and the system, showcasing how the system responds to different scenarios.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case explains and documents the interaction between the user and the system to accomplish the user's tasks.
What is a use case?
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is a use case?
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. A use case depicts a set of activities performed to produce some output result. Each use case describes how an event triggers actions performed by the system and the user.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case is a set of all the possible ways in which a user can interact with the system in a particular environment in order to accomplish a goal. It describes the steps to guide the user that result in some useful output.
What benefits does a use case provide?
A use case is created from the perspective of the user point of view. It is useful for the system analyst to transform their view into the developer's view through the use of functional requirements.
What is the purpose of a use case?
A use case represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activates that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
What is a use case used for?
A use case represents how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses.
Which of the following is NOT included in both Casual and Fully Dressed Use Case Format? A. Alternative Courses B. Preconditions C. Postconditions D. Trigger
A. Alternative Courses
Which is part of Problem Analysis? A. Ask users to identify problems and solutions B. Challenge assumptions about why problem exists C. Consider desirable outcomes from customers' perspective D. None of the above
A. Ask users to identify problems and solutions
All of these are considered good options to motivate an employee except:
A. Chance to learn new skills B. Responsibility C. Not holding them to high standards D. Recognition
Which of the following is NOT one of the three C's of teamwork? A. Creativity B. Communication C. Conveyance D. Convergence
A. Creativity
Identifying Cost and Benefits is from which analysis? A. Economic Feasibility B. Technical Feasibility C. Organizational Feasibility D. Financial Analysis
A. Economic Feasibility (EF) - The second element of a feasibility analysis is to perform an EF analysis. An EF is determined by identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring worthiness of the project.
Which of the following is NOT described for a detailed business case for a feasibility analysis?
A. Economical B. Organizational C. Strategic D. Technical
A use case can have two of the following triggers. A. External and Temporal B. External and Personnel C. Temporal and Personnel D. Temporal and Basic
A. External and Temporal
____ is planning for how the system will be distributed across computers and what hardware and software will be used for each computer.
A. Installation B. Architecture Design C. Implementation D. Distributing Answer: B
What are the 3 approaches to RAD (Rapid application Development)? A. Iterative, System Prototyping, and Throwaway Prototyping B. Agile Development, Progress Development, Iterative Development C. V-Model, Parallel, Perpendicular D. System Prototyping, Design Prototyping, Throwaway Prototyping.
A. Iterative, System Prototyping, and Throwaway Prototyping
Which of the following is not in a Systems Request? A. Project Timeline B. Project Sponsor C. Business Need D. Business Requirements
A. Project Timeline
The steps in the basic analysis process are? A. Understand the existing situation, identify improvements, define requirements for the new system B. Define the requirements for the new system, meet with approval committee, write system request C. Understand the new system, write system proposal, hold user interviews D. Identify a business need, write system request, identify improvements
A. Understand the existing situation, identify improvements, define requirements for the new system
Q: What is a question you would need to think of when creating use cases?
A: (Multiple answers could be applied) Is this what you need to do?, Are we missing anything?, Do we need to add something?
Q: What technique is the most commonly used fact-finding technique?
A: Interviews
Q: What is the point of the analysis phase when building requirements?
A: Need to get context on what we want the system to do and understand what the problems are.
What is agile development?
Agile development is a group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC. Much of the modeling and documentation overhead is eliminated; instead, face-to-face communication is preferred. A project emphasizes simple, iterative application development in which every iteration is a complete software project, including planning, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and documentation (Figure 2-8). Cycles are kept short (1-4 weeks), and the development team focuses on adapting to the current business environment. There are several popular approaches to agile development, including extreme programming (XP)8, Scrum9, and dynamic systems development method (DSDM).
Which Development methodology would be suggested when there is a short time schedule?
Agile/Iterative/System Prototyping
Which of the following are duties of the Project Manager: - Select the best project methodology -Develop a project work plan -Establish a staffing plan -Create ways to coordinate and control the project -All of the above
All of the above
What is shown in the project work Plan?
All of the tasks from the work breakdown structure with assigned performers, hours estimated for task completion, actual hours needed for completion of tasks, and variances between the two.
What is the break-even point?
Also called the "payback method". It is the number of years it takes a firm to recover its original investment in the project from net cash flow. BEP = Number of yrs of negative cash flow + (That year's Net Cash Flow - That year's Cumulative Cash Flow)/That year's Net Cash Flow
Why should the system request be created by a businessperson as opposed to an IS professional?
An IS professional is not specialized in identifying business needs, opportunities, and value. A businessperson is more involved in identifying potential opportunities for systems and improvements.
What is direct conversion?
An abrupt change. Instant replacement of the an old system with a new system
What is a process?
An activity or function performed for a specific business reason
What is a process in a Data Flow Diagram (DFD)?
An activity or function performed for a specific business reason that can be either manual or computerized
What is a "process" in the Data Flow Diagram?
An activity or function performed for a specific reason
Define a "process"
An activity or function that is performed by either a system or person and sometimes a combination of both for a business reason.
What is activity-based costing?
An analysis that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken.
Outcome Analysis
An analysis that focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide value to customers.
What is an Attribute in a Entity Relationship diagram?
An attribute is some type of information that is captured about an entity. In a business process, only those that will be used will be included in the model. They are noun that are listed within an entity and the beginning of each attribute clarifies to which entity it belongs. One or more attributes can serve as an identifier and attributes that serve as an identified are noted by an asterisk next to the attribute name.
What is an entity relationship diagram (ERD)?
An entity relationship diagram (ERD) is a picture which shows the information that is created, stored, and used by a business system. ERDs are a graphical representation of the relationships between different entities in a system. They are used to model the system's data requirements and can help identify the entities and relationships that need to be included in the system's data model. ERDs are useful for ensuring that the system's data requirements are met and that the data model is accurate and complete.
What is an external entity and how does it affect data flow diagrams?
An external entity is a person, organization, organizational unit or system that is outside of the system, but is still able to interact with the system. With DFDs, external entities correspond to the primary actor that is identified within the use case. - Examples: customers, government organizations, accounting systems
What is Joint Application Development (JAD)?
An information gathering technique that allows the project teams, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system. This helps understand the system from multiple perspectives while also receiving user feedback.
What does the term project portfolio management refer to?
An organization might have a large number of potential projects (project portfolio), and management must decide on appropriate projects based on size, cost, risk, etc.
What stage of the SDLC involves studying the existing system and its problems?
Analysis
What phase of the SDLC answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used
Analysis Phase
What is the purpose of analysis phase of the SDLC?
Analysis phase provides the answer for who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Also, it provides a clear understanding of the new system's requirements.
Define system prototyping.
Analysis, design, and implementation are performance concurrently to quickly develop a simplified version of the system that's given to the user for feedback
What are a Systems Analysts key roles?
Analyzing the business situation, Identifying opportunities for improvements, Designing an information system to implement the improvements
What is the primary goal of a system analyst?
Analyzing the business situation, identifying opportunity for improvement and implementing.
Which of the following is NOT a Key aspect of working on a team (3 C's) Answer D -A.) Communication: Expectations and team cohesion -B.) Conveyance: Sharing task information and work -C.) Convergence: Making decisions about the work -D.)Connection: Ways to communicate with others
Answer: D
What is benchmarking?
Another requirements analysis strategy; Benchmarking refers to studying how other organizations perform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better. Benchmarking helps the organization by introducing ideas that employees may never have considered, but that have the potential to add value. Informal benchmarking is fairly common for "customer-facing" business processes (i.e., those processes that interact with the customer). With informal benchmarking, the managers and analysts think about other organizations, or visit them as customers to watch how the business process is performed.
Agile Development Methodology is always a better choice than Waterfall Methodology because it's more modern and streamlined. True/False
Ans: False. The choice of the "best" development methodology depends on project characteristics
How does one do root cause analysis?
Ans: It starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem. Each possible root cause is investigated, and additional root causes are identified. Ultimately, the investigation process reveals the true root cause or causes of the problem, enabling the team to design the system to correct the problem with the right solution.
What is the purpose of stating the primary actor for the use case?
Ans: The purpose of stating the primary actor is to identify the external entity who is a person, organization unit, or system that is external to the system but interacts with it. External entity provides data to the system or receive data from the system, and serve to establish the system boundaries.
Estimation A. Is the process of assigning projected values for time and effort. B. Can be performed manually or with software. C. Can use the 15/20/35/30 percentage rule D. Is a process used by project managers to assign values for time and effort. E. All of the above.
Answer E. All of the above
Where would you find a "Happy Path" in a Use Case document? A. Description B. Pre conditions C. Post Conditions D. Exceptions E. Normal Course
Answer E. Normal Course
What is the document called that shows a "Project Work Plan" in graphical format? A. Gantt chart B. PERT Chart C. Function Point Table D. Org Chart
Answer A. Gantt chart
What is the Requirements Definition Statement? Hint- usually called the "requirements definition"? A. Simply a statement of what the system must do or what characteristics it needs to have B. Simply list the functional and NON functional requirements in outline format C. A list of interview questions D. A statement used to identify project sponsors, project champion, and the stakeholders
Answer B. Simply list the functional and NON functional requirements in outline format.
Which of the following is NOT an element of data flow diagrams? A: Requirement B: Data Store C: Process D: Data Flow
Answer: A: Requirement
Which of the following are NOT a RAD approach? A) Iterative development B) Iterative prototyping C) System prototyping D) Throw-away prototyping E) None of the above
Answer: B, Iterative prototyping
Unreasonable demands set by project sponsors and business managers can make project management very difficult. (True / False)
Answer: True
True or False: When conducting a technology analysis to identify business needs, it is important to list all technology considerations.
Answer: True, when conducting a technology analysis to identify business needs, it is crucial to list all relevant technology considerations
What is the second step of the design phase.
Architecture and interface design
A data flow is symbolized by what?
Arrow pointing into a process or out from a process
How many level 1 diagrams should there be?
As many processes as you have in level 0
Describe how scope creep affects a project.
As systems are developed more quickly and users gain a better understanding of information technology, user expectations may dramatically increase and system requirements may expand during the project.
What is the purpose of developing use cases during systems analysis (Chapter 4)?
As use cases represent how a system interacts with its environment, it's purpose is to describe all the tasks that the users needs to perform using the system.
What is Technical Feasibility?
Assessing if the system is possible to be built, and if it might be better to either purchase or outsource the system if it is cheaper, tight deadlines or less experienced staff is onboard. This minimizes risk when tackling a new project, other areas to consider when assessing technical feasibility are: current system combability, the project size, lack of familiarly with the technology needed, business users/analysts familiarity with the application itself.
What are the don'ts of motivating employees?
Assign unrealistic deadlines Ignore good efforts Accept a low-quality product Give everyone on the project the same raise Make an important decision without the team's input Maintain poor working conditions
"Don'ts" when motivating employees
Assign unrealistic deadlines, Ignore good efforts, Create a low-quality product, Give everyone on the project a raise, Make an important decision without the team's input, Maintain poor working conditions
What are several "Don'ts" of motivating employees?
Assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore efforts, give rewards/raises to everyone, make important decisions without telling coworkers, have poor working conditions, or give everyone on the project the same raise
Which of the following relationships describe the communication between the use case and the actors?
Association relationship
What is included in a project work plan?
At minimum it includes the duration of the task, current statuses of the tasks (open/completed), and task dependencies. A more detailed project work plan also includes people who performed the tasks, actual hours the tasks took, variance between estimated and actual completed times.
Give an example of a business need
Automate a business process. Improving interactions with suppliers. Reaching out to a new type of customer.
What are the main ways you can manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction (mitigation), Transfer (insure or share), Acceptance (Retention)
Risk Management Decisions
Avoidance, Reduction(mitigation), Transfer(insure or share), and Retention(accept).
What are 4 ways to manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer , Acceptance
Which of the following are ways to manage risk?
Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, Acceptance
What are the four techniques for managing risk?
Avoidance, Transfer (insure or share), Reduction (mitigation), and Retention (accept)
What are the techniques for managing risk?
Avoidance, Transfer, Reduction, Retention
What are the techniques for managing risk?
Avoidance, transfer, reduction/mitigation, and retention/acceptance
There are four main steps in creating use cases. Which of the following is NOT one of those steps? A. Confirm the use case with user B. Create a condensed version of the use case to chare with others C. Identify the major steps within each use case D. Identify the use cases E. Identify elements ( triggers, inputs, outputs) within steps
B Create a condensed version of the use case to share with others
Which of the following is not a type of information normally included in a use case? A. Exceptions B. Budget constraints C. Actor D. Trigger
B. Budget constraints
Which one of the following is not an example of a tangible benefit: A. better supplier prices B. higher-quality products C. increased sales D. reductions in IT costs
B. higher-quality products
What refers to how other orgs perform a business proccess in order to learn how an org can do something better: A. Activity Based Costing B. Informal Benchmarking C. Duration Analysis
B. informal benchmarking
During the Analysis Phase the three types of requirements needed are all EXCEPT? A.) Business Requirements B.) Preconditions C.) User Requirements D.) System Requirements
B.) Preconditions
All of the following are special techniques and tools of Rapid Application Development EXCEPT? A.) CASE Tools B.) Prototype C.) JAD Sessions D.) Visual Programming Languages (VPL)
B.) Prototype
What is BPM and what does it stand for?
BPM:Business Process Management. It is a methodology used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes. Business process management can be applied to internal organizational processes and to processes spanning multiple business partners. It also follows a continuous cycle of systematically creating, assessing, and altering business processes.
____________ ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD.
Balancing
What is balancing?
Balancing ensures that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately represented in the next level DFD. Data flows toward data stores and external entities on parent diagram are carried down to child diagram. Child diagram adds new processes and new data flows.
What does balancing mean in DFDs?
Balancing means ensuring that all information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next‐level DFD.
Intangible benefits
Based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers." • Increased Market Share • Increased brand recognition • Higher quality products • Improved customer service • Better supplier relations
What is the basic architecture design for the system?
Basic architecture design for the systemdescribes the hardware, software, and network infrastructure to be used
Information inside a use case
Basic information (name, #, priority, actor, description, trigger/type) Name, number, description to describe the use case The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance The actor refers to a person or another system that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The trigger for the use case - the even that causes the use case to begin Can be external (outside) or temporal (The passage of a certain amount of time) Preconditions: what must be complete before beginning of the use case. Normal course: the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. Normal course includes actions of both actor (user / external system) and system in response Post conditions: define what is complete when the use case ends. Exceptions: error condition encountered while performing use case steps.
Errors to avoid in Data Flow Diagrams. Determine Each of them
Black holes: process has inputs but no outputs Miracles: process has outputs but no inputs. Gray holes: process has more than outputs than inputs.
What are the elements of a use case?
Basic: - Name, number, brief description, priority, actor, and trigger (External or Temporal Details: - Normal course (is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event - Exceptions: are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps - Precondition: define what must be complete before beginning the use case - postcondition: define what is complete when the use case ends.
Why is the project sponsor not someone from IT?
Because a project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
Why IT is not always the project sponsor?
Because a project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not aware of all the needs or processes in other departments.
What are the main categories that should be listed in the Cost-Benefit Analysis?
Benefits, Development Costs, & Operational Costs. 1. Tangible Benefits: can be quantified in monetary terms. They include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales, and cost savings resulting from the system, such as a reduction in needed staff or inventory levels. 2. Intangible Benefits: can not be calculated in dollars and is difficult to quantify. They include benefits such as improved customer service, increased brand recognition, and better supplier relations. Intangible benefits are more difficult to incorporate into the economic feasibility analysis because they are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers." 3. Development Costs: Development costs are the costs associated with creating the system. They include development team salaries, consultant fees, hardware and software costs, and data conversion costs. 4.Operational Costs: Operational costs are the costs associated with running and maintaining the system once it is in place. They include software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, and user training.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of working synchronously?
Benefits: Concurrent feedback, creativity, full input Drawbacks: Scheduling, lost efficiency
A process without an output is sometimes called a
Black hole error; called a black hole error because the input is going through a process and not returning any value. Any process is supposed to turn inputs into outputs
Identify 3 common errors when creating a DFD
Black hole: data going in but never going out of the process. Gray hole: send data in and something completely different comes out. Miracle: data flowing out but nothing was ever going into it.
What kinds of errors should you avoid when creating DFD's?
Black holes: , Miracles, and Gray holes.
Definition of Business Needs
Business-related reason for initiation the system o Enable a business initiative or strategy o Support a merger/acquisition o Fix a "point of pain" o Utilize a new technology o Outgrowth of Business Process Management (BPM) §BPM: method used by organizations to continuously improve end-to-end business processes for agility and/or efficiency
What is a process model? What are the two process models? Explain the difference.
By definition, a process model is a formal way of representing how a business process operates. It illustrates activities that are performed and how data moves between them. The two process models are logical and physical. In a logical process model, processes are described without suggesting how they are conducted. In contrast, a physical process model include process implementation information.
Which if the following is NOT a duty of the project manager? A) Chooses a system development methodology that fits the characteristics of the project. B) Estimates the time frame of the project based on its size. C) Ensures that each staff member on the project gets paid. D) Sets in place mechanisms to coordinate the project team throughout the project.
C) Ensures that each staff member on the project gets paid.
Which of the following statements do NOT belong to Timeboxing? A) Sets a tight but realistic deadline. Identify core, essential functional requirements B) Helps with team limits to focus on essential functions C) Projects with high-quality estimates that will need refinement throughout the life of the project D) Helps repeat to add refinements and enhancements
C) Projects with high-quality estimates that will need refinement throughout the life of the project
What is the best method to obtain information from many people? A. Interviews B. JAD Sessions C. Questionnaires D. Document Analysis E. Observation
C. Questionnaires are useful when there are many people from who information and opinions is needed.
What is a work plan? A. Group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC B. Lists the roles that are required for the project and the proposed reporting structure for the project C. A dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project. D. Development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system.
C. A dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project.
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? A.) Economic/Financial feasibility B.) Organizational feasibility C.) Managerial feasibility D.) Technical feasibility
C.) Managerial feasibility
Technical Feasibility
Can we build it?Familiarity with technology, project size, compatibility with the existing technology
What's the pro of an analyst's work?
Challenge Technology Variety Constant Change Problem Solving
What does a root cause analysis do?
Challenge assumptions about why the problem exists and trace symptoms to causes to find the real problem.
What do system analysts like about their work?
Challenge, Technology, Variety, Constant Change, and Problem Solving.
What is process integration?
Changing the fundamental process so that fewer people work on the input, which often requires changing the processes and retraining staff to perform a wider range of duties
Who is challenged to select projects that will provide the highest possible return on IT investments while managing project risk? a) project manager b) chief information officer c) project sponsor d) none of the above
Chief information officers (CIOs)
Criteria to consider when selecting a development methodology:
Clarity of user requirements, familiarity with technology, system complexity, system reliability, short time schedules, and schedule visibility
What type of questions should asked when designing an interview?
Closed-ended questions - questions that require a specific answer. Open-ended questions - questions that that look for more of a wide-ranging response. Probing questions - questions that are meant to follow up on what has been discussed to gain more of an understanding.
What are three different types of interview questions?
Closed-ended, open-ended, probing
What does the PPM Software?
Collects and manages info about all projects and adapt to changing situations
What is the purpose of PPM Software?
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval
What is PPM software? (Project Portfolio Management)
Collects and manages information about all projects - on-going and awaiting approval.
What does a Project Portfolio Management Software do?
Collects and manages information about all projects, both on-going and awaiting approval.
What are three key aspects of working on a team?
Communication Conveyance Convergence
List three techniques to reduce conflict:
Communication Promote Collaboration Make sure everyone is being treated fairly
How would you define Interpersonal Skills?
Communication and interpersonal abilities that are used when dealing with users, management, execs, and team members
What are the three C's of Working on a Team?
Communication, Convergence, and Conveyance.
What are the three C's for working on a team?
Communication, Conveyance, Convergence
What are the 3 C's from a team member expectations?
Communication, conveyance, convergence
What are the three key aspects of teamwork (or the three Cs)?
Communication: Expectations and team cohesion Conveyance: Sharing task information and work Convergence: Making decisions about the work
What is the benefit of Project Portfolio Management Software (PPM Software)?
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions
Benefits of PPM Software
Companies stay up to date on projects and adapt to changing conditions.
Why do companies utilize timeboxing?
Companies use timeboxing to ensure that project teams do not get hung up on the final finishing touches.
Risk Avoidance (elimination)
Completely avoiding the activity that poses the risk (most attractive but usually least feasibile option)
What is Waterfall Development?
Completely finishing a project phase before moving on to the next phase Goal: Doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes Strengths: Systems requirements identified long before construction begins Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets are allowed Weaknesses: Must wait a long time before there is any "visible" evidence of the new system Takes a long time from start to finish
What is the purpose of the USE CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) - software that automates all or part of the development process A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system Use cases are often thought of as an external or functional view of a business process, showing how the users view the process rather than the internal mechanisms by which the process operates. Since use cases describe the system's activities from the user's perspective in words, it is essential to involve users in their development. Therefore, creating use cases helps ensure that users' insights are explicitly incorporated into the new system
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering - software that automates all or part of the development process
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering - software that automates all or part of the development process. Some CASE software packages are primarily used during the analysis phase to create integrated diagrams of the system and to store information regarding the system components.
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering is used during the analysis phase to create integrated diagrams of the system and to store information regarding the system components, also automates all or part of the development process. -CASE is a category of soft ware that automates all or part of the development process.
What is CASE?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering; software that automates all or part of the development process.
What is a CASE tool?
Computer-aided soft ware engineering (CASE) is a category of soft ware that automates all or part of the development process. Advantages: tasks are much faster to complete and alter; development information is centralized; information is illustrated through diagrams, making it easier to understand. Disadvantages: complexity, requires significant training and experience, often serves as a glorified diagramming tool
What is included in the detailed business case for the project?
Computers, Money, People
What is outcome analysis?
Considers the desirable outcomes from customers perspective. Considers what the company could enable the customer to do.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's level 1 diagram.
Create one level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram. It shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram and how information moves to and from each of these Processes. The diagram shows more precise uses the input data flow and which produces the output.
How DFDs are organized into levels (Context, Level 0, Level 1, etc.) and how to number the processes in each level?
Context (start with # 0) diagram decomposes into Level 0 diagram with includes the System and Entities DO NOT include data stores. Used to show the entire system in context with its environment. Level 0 (start with # 1) diagram each decomposes into separate level 1 diagrams with all the flows, data stores, entities, and each of the multiple processes. Start with Level 1 Level 1 (start with # 1.1) shows the internal process that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram. Create a level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram. Level 2 (start with # 1.1.1) decomposes the level 1 diagram if the level 1 diagram seems to have multiple tasks.
What is the top-level DFD in every process model
Context Diagram
List and explain the DFD Hierarchy
Context Diagram - Simple representation of the system and how it functions showing entities and system associated. Level 0 - Expands the system portion of the Context Diagram listing process(es), data stores, entities, and relationships between Level 1 - Changes the viewing scope to that of the individual processes; Breaks down the process into individual steps showing how that portion of the process functions.
How DFDs are organized into levels (Context, Level 0, Level 1, etc.) and how to number the processes in each level
Context Diagram - is always "Process 0" -Top-level DFD in every process model -Shows the context into which the business process fits -Shows the overall business process as just one process (process 'zero') -Shows all the external entities that receive information from or contribute information to the system -No data stores Level 0 Diagram - are always numbered with integer values (1, 2, 3, etc.) -Shows all the major processes that comprise the overall system - the internal components of process 0 -Shows how the major processes are interrelated by data flows -Shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact -Adds stored data via the data stores Level 1 Diagrams - always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) -Create one level 1 diagram for every major process on the level 0 diagram -Shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram -Shows how information moves to and from each of these processes
What two data flow diagrams are always included?
Context Diagram and Level 0 Diagram
List the 3 diagrams on a DFD
Context Diagram, Level 0, Level 1
This shows the overall business process as a single process.
Context Level DFD
What are many levels created in the DFD process?
Context Level, Level 0, Level 1
How is each process numbered on each level?
Context diagram is always "Process 0." Level 0 processes are always numbered with integer values. Level 1 processes always have one "dot" or decimal (ex - 1.1). Level 2 processes always have two "dots" or decimals (ex - 1.1.2, 1.2.1).
What are the 3 C's of teamwork?
Conveyance, Convergence, Communication
What are the three critical aspects that project managers always face during tradeoffs among a project?
Cost, Size, Time
What are the three critical aspects of a project?
Cost, time ,and size
What is another name for the economic feasibility analysis?
Cost-benefit analysis
Which of the following is an example of a nonfunctional requirement for a banking app? A) The ability to transfer funds between accounts B) The use of a simple and intuitive user interface C) The requirement for the app to support multiple languages D) The need for the app to be available 24/7
D) The need for the app to be available 24/7 is an example of a nonfunctional requirement for a banking app. Nonfunctional requirements describe the characteristics that a system must have to meet performance, usability, security, or other quality attributes. In this case, the requirement for the app to be available at all times is a nonfunctional requirement related to the system's availability and reliability, rather than a specific feature or capability of the app. The other options are functional requirements because they describe specific tasks or functions that the app must perform, such as transferring funds between accounts, providing a user-friendly interface, and supporting multiple languages.
Which of the following is not a pro of working as a system analysts? a) challenge b) problem solving c) technology d) unrealistic deadlines e) constant change
D) unrealistic deadlines This is a con of working as a system analysts.
Which of the following is not a pro of working as a systems analyst? a) challenge b) variety c) technology d) unrealistic deadlines e) problem solving
D) unrealistic deadlines This is a con of working as a systems analyst.
Tangible benefits are: a) quantifiable b) measure easily c)hard to measure d) options a&b
D.
Which of these is a level 2 process? A. 1.2.2.2 B. 1.1.a C. 1.2 D. 1.2.3
D. 1.2.3
What is the Law of Conservation of Data? A. Data at rest stays at rest unless moved by a process B. Conserving data for better observation C. Processes cannot consume or create data D. A and C
D. A and C
Goals in the Analysis Phase consist of? A. Collect and Analyze B. Develop new system concept C. Analysis Model of new system D. All of the above
D. All of the above
What are the Pros of Observation gathering technique? A. Data gathered may be highly reliable B. Can see exactly what is being done C. Relatively inexpensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques) D. All of the Above
D. All of the above
Which is not a stage in the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)? A. Analysis B.Implementation C. Design D. Execution
D. Execution
Which of the following statements is NOT true about use cases? A. They help understand the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals B. They are used to derive more detailed functional requirements for the new system C. They show how the users view the process (external or functional view) D. Use cases are only applicable during the design phase of software development.
D. Use cases are only applicable during the design phase of software development.
How do you set up a data flow diagram?
Data flow diagrams must begin with information from use cases and requirements definition, then the DFDs are made after using the use cases as a blueprint
What are the do's and don'ts of motivating employees?
DO Recognize and reward good efforts. Create a positive working environment. Make decisions collaboratively with the team. DONT Assign unrealistic deadlines. Ignore good efforts. Create a low-quality product.
If data flows are data in motion, think of data stores as __________.
Data at rest
DFD common errors: The law of conservation of data
Data at rest stays at rest until moved by a process. (Data cannot move from a data store or an external entity without having a process to push or pull it.
Which data flow diagram (DFD) symbol is usually portrayed with an arrow?
Data flow
What are the 4 main elements/symbols in a DFD?
Data flow (arrow) Data store (open rectangle) External entity/agent (rectangle) Process (rounded rectangle/circle)
What is a data flow diagram (DFD)?
Data flow diagram is the graphical representation which exposes the relationships between the components. The hierarchical representation of DFD typically consists of a top-level diagrams (Level 1, Level 2...) that represent different parts of the system.
a technique that diagrams the business process and the data that passes through the process. it also describes the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented.
Data flow diagramming.
How many steps does Design phase have? and what are they?
Design phase has four steps: 1) Design strategy - Clarifies whether the system will be developed by the company's own programmers, outsourced to another firm (usually a consulting firm), or a prewritten software package will be bought and installed 2) Architecture and interface design - The basic architecture design describes the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that already exists in the organization. The interface design specifies how the users will move through the system and the forms and reports that the system will use 3) Database and file specifications - Define exactly what data will be stored and where they will be stored 4) Program design - Defines the programs that need to be written and exactly what each program will do
Name the three Steps in the Analysis Phase
Determine Analysis Strategy Collect and Analyze Requirements Prepare and present system proposal
What's Design (SDLC)?
Determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user interfaces, forms, and reports used; specific programs, databases, files needed. Must consider: - Determine design strategy: system developed by company's programmers? Outsourced? Buy existing package? - Develop basic architecture and interface design - Develop database and file specifications - Develop program design: defines what programs to write and what each will do
What's Planning (SDLC)?
Determines why and how a system should be built. In Planning, approval of a project is a function of two entities: - system request: summarize business needs, the value of a system that support those needs. - feasibility analysis: technical feasibility, economic feasibility, organizational feasibility (will it be used?). Approved projects enter project management, in which the project manager creates work plan, staffs the projects, and put techniques in place to aid in control.
What is included in the Staffing the project phase?
Determining the average number of staff needed for the project, match peoples skills with the needs of the project, motivate them to meet the projects objectives, and minimize project team conflict.
These are one-time costs at the start of the project, such as consultant fees, hardware and software, office space, equipment, etc.
Development Costs
What is the difference between Development Costs and Operational Costs?
Development Costs are upfront cost in making the system (Buying an Espresso Machine) Operational Costs are ongoing cost for the system, a business incurs through its normal business operations (stocking coffee beans)
What are the four categories of the costs and benefits?
Development Costs, Operational Costs, Tangible Benefits, Intangible Benefits. Development Costs - Tangible expenses incurred during the creation of the system. (Such as project team salaries, hardware and software, etc.) Operational Costs - Tangible costs that are required to operate the system. (Such as operation staff, software licenses fees, etc.) Tangible Benefits - include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect (Revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales. Cost savings would be included as a tangible benefit as well) Intangible Benefits - more difficult to incorporate into the economic feasibility analysis because they are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard numbers."
development cost or operational cost? -consultant fees -hardware and software -data conversion cost
Development cost
Development vs. Operational costs
Development costs (one-time costs) - Are tangible expenses that are incurred during the creation of the system. Operational costs (ongoing cost) - Are tangible costs that are required to operate the system.
Difference between development and operation cost?
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing costs and as long as the project is still in place, the costs are still incurred.
What is the difference between development and operation costs?
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing, to ensure maintenance.
What is the difference between development and operation costs?
Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
What is the difference between a developmental cost vs operational cost?
Development costs are usually thought of as one-time costs. Operational costs are usually thought of as ongoing costs.
How are development and operations costs different?
Development costs are when the project is being built or acquired and operational costs are ongoing after the project is built or acquired.
Development vs operational costs
Development costs: tangible expenses that are incurred during the creation of the system (training, salaries for project team, hardware software expenses) Operational costs: tangible costs that are required to operate the system (salaries to operate the system, equipment upgrades)
What are examples of development costs?
Development team salaries, consultant fees, development training, hardware and software, vendor installation, office space and equipment, data conversion
What are the developmental vs operational costs for an IS project?
Development- development team salaries, consultant fees, development training, hardware and software, vendor installation, office space and equipment, data conversion costs Operational- software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, operational team salaries, communications charges, user training
Iterative Development Goal
Develops the system into a series of versions upon release
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees
Do -Use intrinsic rewards - Recognition - Achievement - The work itself - Responsibility - Advancement - Chance to learn new skills Don't - Assign unrealistic deadlines - Ignore good efforts - Accept a low-quality product - Give everyone on the project the same raise - Make an important decision without the team's input - Maintain poor working conditions
Do's and don'ts of motivating employees
Do's: Recognition, Achievement, The work itself, Responsibility, Advancement, Chance to learn new skills. Don'ts: Assign unrealistic deadlines, Ignore good efforts, Accept a low-quality product, Give everyone on the project the same raise, Make an Important decision without the team's input, Maintain poor working conditions.
Do's and don'ts for motivating employees:
Do: set realistic expectations, acknowledge employee's good efforts, consult the team before making big decisions Don't: maintain poor working conditions, give everyone a raise after a project is done
What is a systems request?
Document that describes the business reason for building a system and value expected to be provided
What are several project standards that helps projects be successful within their team? Examples?
Documentation Standards - All margins should be one inch, all words should be in Times New Roman. Coding Standards - All modules of code should include a header that lists the programmer. Procedural Standards - Report all updates to project meeting every Friday at 10 AM. User interface design Standards - Labels will all be bold.
What is a "miracle" error on a Data Flow Diagram?
Drawing a process without an input.
DFD common errors: Miracle holes
Drawing a process without an input. (output data miraculously appears from the process)
DFD common errors: Black hole
Drawing a process without an output
What is a "black hole" error on a Data Flow Diagram?
Drawing a process without an output.
What is a "miracle" error?
Drawing a process without any input
What is a "black hole" error?
Drawing a process without any output
Which of the following is NOT one of the four main elements/symbols in the type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? A) Data store (open rectangle) B) Process (rounded rectangle or circle) C) External entity (or agent) (rectangle) D) Data flow (arrow) E) Data Entry (triangle)
E) Data Entry (triangle) The four main elements/symbols in the DFD discussed in Chapter 5 are data store, process (or event), external entity (or agent), and data flow.
Elements of a use case - names and purpose of each
Each use case has a name and number, and a brief description Priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The trigger for the use case- the event that causes the use case to begin with The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event Exceptions are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the use case Postconditions define what is complete when the use case ends
What are the basic elements of a use case?
Each use case has a name and number, and brief description. The priority may be assigned to indicate the relative significance. The actor refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal. The trigger for the use case - the event that causes the use case to begin. Events triggers can be external or temporal
What is the goal of Agile Development?
Early customer satisfaction; priority of allowing change; priority of communication over documentation
What are strengths that Document Analysis has to offer over other techniques?
Easy to find nonfunctional requirements and easy to find information-based functional requirements
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "Should we build it?" Explain the factors of this approach.
Economic Feasibility - Development costs, operating costs vs benefits, intangible costs and benefits.
What is economical feasibility (cost-benefit analysis)?
Economical Feasibility: Should we build it? - Development costs - Annual operating costs - Annual benefits (cost savings and/or increased revenues) - Intangible benefits and costs
Characteristics of V-Model Waterfall
Emphasizes system quality through test plan development.Strengths:• Simple and straightforward.• Quality improves through the emphasis on testing.• Including Quality Assurance expertise early in the project strengthens system quality.Weaknesses:• Rigid• Difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.Variants goal: is to complete each phase thoroughly before moving forward to ensure correct and high-quality outcomes.
V-Model Development Goal
Emphasizes/prioritizes system quality through test planning
What is balancing?
Ensuring all the information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next level DFD
What is balancing?
Ensuring that all information presented in a DFD at one level is accurately represented in the next level DFD. Does not mean it is identical, just that it is shown appropriately.
Regarding data flow representation, what is the general rule regarding what two entities cannot be connected using a data flow?
Entity --> Entity Entity --> Data Store Data Store --> Entity Data Store --> Data Store
Which of the following is not a pro for an Analyst's work? - It has a lot of challenges. - There is constant changes. - Lots of variety in the job. - Ever changing business technology
Ever Changing Business Technology
What does every data flow have?
Every data flow has: - a name (a noun) - a description - one or more connections to a process
What does every data store in a DFD have?
Every data store has: - a name (a noun), - a description, - one or more input data flows, - one or more output data flows.
What does every external entity in a DFD have?
Every external entity has - a name (a noun) - a description.
What does every process in a data flow diagram element contain?
Every process has a number, a name (verb phase), a description, at least one output/input flow
What does every process in a DFD have?
Every process has: - a number - a name (verb phase), - a description, - at least one output data flow, and - at least one input data flow.
Which elements of a user case are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps?
Exceptions
What is an Exception and do they have to be included?
Exceptions are errors or alternative cases that may occur within a use case. They help for dealing with known errors and preventing the system from failing. There must be at least 1 use case that exists.
What information is usually included in a use case?
Exceptions, Trigger, Actor
You need to create a use case on the following scenario. "Customer calls to make a reservation" Is the trigger for this case by external or temporal? a) External b) Temporal c) Neither d) Both
External
There are two types of event triggers.............. and................ .
External ,Temporal
Temporal vs External triggers
External - not time-based; often initiated by user/customer or external factor ex: customer places an order Temporal - time-based; initiates actions or processes occurring at certain times or intervals ex: weekly payroll due date
What data flow diagram element represents a square?
External Entity
What are the two triggers in a use case?
External Trigger and Temporal Trigger
What is an example of an event trigger?
External Trigger and temporal trigger
What are the two types of event triggers?
External and Temporal
What are two types of event triggers?
External and temporal
What are the two different types of event triggers?
External and temporal triggers
True
External entities do not perform information processing activities T/F
What is external entities?
External entities is a person, organization, organization unit, or system that is external to the system, but interacts with it.
What are examples for external trigger and temporal trigger?
External trigger occurs when a customer places an order or the fire alarm ringing. Temporal trigger is when the event is time-based, such as when a DVD becomes overdue at the video store or it's time to pay the weekly payroll.
What are external and temporal triggers?
External triggers are events that occur outside the system. An example would be a customer placing an order. Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time. An example would be paying the water bill due at the end of every month.
What is an external trigger?
External triggers are things outside the system that the system must respond to.
What is an external trigger?
External triggers happen when an external event occurs and a system responds to the event. For instance, when I plug in my cellphone charger into my phone, it begins to charge. Another example is a customer placing an order; customer payment is received.
What are the two types of triggers?
External(events that occur outside the system) and Temporal (time-based).
What are two types of event triggers in the context of Use Cases?
External: event that occurs outside the system that the system is responding to (someone placed an order) Temporal: time-based (based upon passage of time)(payment due)
Which is not a stage of the SDLC?: -Analysis -Extraction -Implementation -Design -Planning
Extraction
T / F: The Implementation phase of a project entails creating a system request.
F. A system request is created in the Planning phase.
TRUE or FALSE: Questionnaires are the best requirement elicitation technique.
FALSE
True or False, Systems development life Cycle is the process of determining how an information system can improve business needs, system design, structure, and delivery.
FALSE - systems development life cycle, also referred to as the application development life-cycle, is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system
T/F: DFDs always flow directly from the use cases
FALSE. DFDs sometimes flow directly from use cases
T/F: Salaries for operations staff are development costs.
FALSE: Salaries for operations staff are operation costs.
A strength of agile development is that it requires discipline
False
Advancement, New learning opportunities, and giving everyone a raise on a project are all Do's of motivating employees.
False
True or False: Iterative Development, Waterfall Development have the same goal.
False Iterative Development Goal is to get some portion of system developed quickly and in the users' hands. Waterfall Development Goal is doing each phase thoroughly before moving forward ensures correct and high-quality outcomes.
T/F Normal course only includes the actions of the actor
False Normal Course includes actions of both actors and system in response
The processes in DFDs must be sequential. (T/F)
False The processes in DFDs does not necessarily need to be sequential, especially in Level 0 diagram.
T/F: The level 0 diagram has a decimal process number. (ex. 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2)
False Level 0 diagram has an integral process number (ex. 1, 2, 3)
True or False, A "to-be" system is a system that has already been created.
False - "to-be" system is future state
True or False: Preconditions are defined as what is completed when the use case ends.
False - Preconditions are defined as the state of the system before the use case can commence. Postconditions are defined as what is completed when the use case ends.
T/F: Normal Course defines the state the system must be in before the use case commences.
False - The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event.
System analysts tend to be more technically-oriented where as infrastructure analysts tend to be more generalist. True False
False - Variety of specialized roles: People-oriented: change management analyst, project management Business-oriented: requirements analyst, business analyst Technically-oriented: infrastructure analyst Generalist: systems analyst
(T/F) While diagram numbering 6.4 is a level 2 process.
False - level 2 processes always have two "dots" 6.4 is a level 1 process
True or False: The cost to do a routine check up on the software is a development?
False It is a operational cost.
True or False: Creating a password for the system is a functional requirement.
False it is a non-functional requirement.
True or False: The two types of triggers for Use Cases are External and Internal.
False the two types of triggers are External and Temporal.
True or False: The planning phase involves requirement gathering
False(Analysis)
True or False: The goal of iterative development is to emphasize system quality through test plan development
False(refers to V-Model)
True or False? Use cases are more valuable in business settings such as batch process, computationally intensive applications, or data warehousing, and not as useful for business system applications and websites.
False, The reverse is true: Use cases are valuable in business system applications and websites, but not as useful for batch process, computationally intensive applications, or data warehousing.
True or False, A Data Store is a business where you can buy data from other people and companies.
False, A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model). Every data store is named with a noun and is assigned an identification number and a description. Datastores form the starting point for the data model (discussed in the next chapter) and form the logical connection between the process model and the data model.
True or False: The Waterfall model is the methodology that provide the fastest result for a project.
False, Agile development is the methodology that provide the fastest result.
True or False: Outcome analysis is an analysis that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken.
False, Outcome analysis focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide values to customers
True or False: In a Use Case Preconditions define what must be complete after beginning the case
False, Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the case.
The three RAD approaches is Iterative development, System prototyping, and Rework prototyping
False, RAD approaches include Iterative development, System prototyping, and THROW-AWAY prototyping
Cases use non functional requirements. (True/False) A. True B. False
False, Use cases are often used as a means of discovering and representing functional and system requirements, as a use case defines the interactions and tasks needed to execute to fulfill a specific business goal.
True or False : In data flow diagrams, a data flow includes a name (noun), description, and one or more data flows.
False, a data flow includes a name (noun), description, and one or more connections to a process.
True or False: A use case is a written description of how a developer build tasks within a system. It describe all the tasks that the developer needs to include in the system from the developer point of view.
False, a use case if a written description of how the user will interact with the system, from the user's point of view, as the system responds to a request.
True or False? Adding more staff to a project will help reduce complexity and improve communication.
False, adding more staff can increase complexity and make communication and coordination more difficult as more members are involved in decision making
T/F An alternative course handles exceptions
False, an exception is an error outside of the system.
True or False? The level of a data flow diagram is based on the number of processes in the DFD.
False, if a diagram has more than one process, it's a DFD, which is why is called a Data Flow Diagram because it basically maps out a process through multiple steps that explains more in detail from start to end the way a process unfolds. If it has a single process, labeled 0, it's a Context Diagram.
You can assign a dollar value to intangible benefits when doing a cost-benefit analysis. (True/False)
False, intangible benefits such as brand loyalty or patents are extremely valuable to a company but can not be measured in dollar value.
True or False: A level 2 DFD has numbers with 3 periods.
False, level 2 DFDs only have 2 periods.
T/F The order of steps in the SDLC generally does not matter
False- The steps must be sequential 1. Planning 2. Analysis 3. Design 4. Implementation
True/False. The two strengths of document analysis are, making it easy to find both non-functional requirements and information-based non-functional requirements?
False-The two strengths of document analysis are, making it easy to find both non-functional requirements and information-based functional requirements
True or False, The Major Outputs section on a use case will give the destinations of that output.
False. The Major Outputs section on a use case will give the destinations of that input.
Adding staff resources translates into increased productivity. True or False?
False. A large number of staff members is more difficult to coordinate.
T/F: It is not necessary to incorporate intangible benefits and costs into the economic feasibility analysis.
False. Although they are harder to ascertain, they need to be included into the economic feasibility analysis. If the specific value is difficult to pinpoint, probabilities can be used to produce estimated expected values.
True or False: Operational Costs are made in the first year in a Cost-Benefit Analysis.
False. (Operational Costs occur in the 2nd year in a Cost-Benefit Analysis)
The project sponsor can be the systems analyst or the project manager?
False. A project sponsor can be the person requesting the change or sometimes it is someone different; it can be the CEO, a manager of an individual department, or even an IT person The project sponsor is not the one in charge of the project, just the one who needs it and is involved to make sure it succeeds. The project sponsor is involved in making sure project deadlines are made.
An external trigger is based upon the passage of time. Examples are a deadline to pay a bill or a library book is due. True or False?
False. An external trigger is an event from outside the system to which the system must respond.
Closed-ended questions are typically used in JAD sessions. T/F
False. Closed-ended questions are rarely used during JAD sessions because they prevent participants from having a frank and open discussion. The top down approach is preferred when gathering information via JAD sessions.
T/F Context diagrams are always process 0 and must include data stores
False. Context diagrams never include data stores
True/False: A strength for Agile Methodologies Assessment is that it requires discipline.
False. Discipline is considered a weakness for this assessment.
A system retaining customer order history for 5 years is an example of an operational non-functional requirement.
False. It is an example of an information-oriented functional requirement.
The System Proposal is part of the planning phase. True or False
False. It is part of the Analysis Phase.
What Fail Fast is part of a waterfall methodology? True or False?
False. It's part of agile development methodology. Failing early and often allows your to learn from mistakes and make accurate corrections to the sprint early.
True / False: Meetings and prototyping increases scope creep by at least 5% on a typical project.
False. Meetings and prototyping has been found to reduce scope creep to less than 5% on a typical project.
True or False?: There can only be one entity interacting with a process at a time.
False. Often times entities will interact with each other through processes.
True or False? One of the weaknesses that Observation has is that it is relatively expensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques).
False. One weakness is the psychological impact of being aware of an observer will potentially alter the behavior and output, leading to a mischaracterization of the issue.
True or False: Development costs include hardware repair and upgrades
False. Operational cost involves hardware repair and upgrades.
True or False? If developing a system with unclear user requirements, it's best to use the waterfall method.
False. Since there are unclear user requirements, the users need to interact with technology to really understand what a new system can do and how to best apply it to their needs. The most appropriate method would be system prototyping or throwaway prototyping.
T/F The Project Work Plan is the backbone of the Work Breakdown Structure.
False. The Work Breakdown Structure is a list of tasks hierarchically numbered and serves as the backbone of the Project Work Plan.
The requirement analyst's role is to focus on the business issues surrounding the system. True or False?
False. The business analyst's role is to focus on the business issues surrounding the system.
True / False: The analysis phase is when we should be understanding why an information system should be built.
False. The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built.
The project sponsor and the project manager are the same person. (True/False)
False. The project sponsor and the project manager are not necessarily the same person because a project sponsor can be any other person in the company, not necessarily in management, who sees a significant need for change and would like to sponsor it.
T/F: Questionnaires is the best choice to go since it is inexpensive, can reach a wide range of people, and easy to analyze if developed properly.
False. There is no best option when gathering information. It depends on the situation and how deep we want to gather the data.
When creating data flow diagrams, Level 3 is the ideal level of decomposition. True or False?
False. There is no ideal level of decomposition.
True or False: A customer placing an meal order through Postmates is a temporal trigger because you are ordering food for the next available delivery.
False. This an external trigger because there is an actor (e.g. the customer) and a system (e.g. Postmates) that both respond one after the other. Or without the customer, there is no order through the system. Thus, this is external. External triggers are events that occur outside the system. Temporal triggers are the passage of a certain amount of time.
A context level diagram shows all the major processes at the first level of numbering, the data stores, external entities, and data flows.
False. This describes a Level 0 diagram. A context level diagram only shows a single process representing the entire system, with external entities and data flows.
Throwaway Prototyping presents the user with multiple systems simultaneously and lets the user decide which they like best. (True/False)
False. Throwaway Prototyping refers to creating a proof of concept prototype, which is later discarded. It is like an old bicycle tire that has become more repair patches than actual tire.
T/F A Black Hole error is a process without an input.
False: A black hole error is a process without an output, but with many inputs going into it.
T/F: DFD include both external and internal entities
False: DFD should only include external entities
T/F: A DFD Process must be made manually.
False: It can be manually made or computerized
True or False: The SDLC ends after the implementation phase.
False: It continues as the System becomes obsolete and steps into on-going systems planning, where a new project is launched to create a new system.
True or False: In a data flow diagram an arrow between two entity is okay because they are talking to each other.
False: It does not belong in the data flow diagram if it is not directly using the system.
T/F: Project Managers can adjust either the project time, cost, and size, but not all.
False: Modifying one element requires adjusting the others.
T/F : New technology automatically warrants a complete system overhaul.
False: New technology should only be implemented into the system if it can provide added value.
T/F : A trigger is an element of a system request.
False: The elements of a system request are: Project Sponsor, Business Need, Business Requirements, Business Value, and Special Issues or Constraints.
True or False: Level 1 DFD shows all major processes that comprise the overall system
False; Level 0
In a data flow diagram, a process at least must have one output data flow but does not require an input data flow
False; a process must at least have one output data flow and at least one input data flow
The next step after a completed systems request is to conduct a feasibility analysis.
False; after a systems request is complete the next step is to submit it to the approval committee for consideration.
True/False: The internal entity is one of the four key elements of a data-flow diagram (DFD).
False; external entity
The output of the systems planning phase is a _______ _____. It presents findings and recommendations.
Feasibility report
What are the drawbacks of using divide and conquer?
Feedback and Decision-making
Elements of Use Case
First row: Use Case Name, ID, Priority Second Row: Actor Third row: Description Fourth row: Trigger Fifth row: Type choose between External or Internal Sixth row: Preconditions Seventh row: Normal course Eight row: Postconditions Ninth row: Exceptions
Define the first stage of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
First stage of SDLC is planning/ investigation: why an information system should be built? There are 2 steps in this stage: 1. Project sponsor conducts a system request with feasibility analysis that is approved by approval committee or steering committee o Technical: Can we build it? o Economic: Will it provide business value? o Organizational: Will it be used? 2. Project management/ project plan: project manager creates a work plan and staffs the project
What does the planning phase entail?
First step is Project Initiation. Here, the system request is prepared, and a preliminary feasibility analysis is performed. Second step is to set up a project plan. This includes a work plan and a staffing plan.
What are the five steps in conducting a JAD session (Chapter 3)?
Five steps include: Selecting participants, designing the JAD session, preparing the JAD session, conducting the JAD session, and a post-JAD follow-up
Root Cause Analysis
Focuses on problems first rather than solutions. Root Cause Analysis attempts to identify and deal with the problems, rather than the symptoms. This will produce a more robust solution.
What are the activities performed in the third step of creating use cases: "Identify elements within steps"?
For each step, identify its triggers and its inputs and outputs. Ask how about each step.
What are the activities performed in the second step of creating use cases: "Identify the major steps within each use case"?
For each use case, fill in the major steps needed to complete the task. Ask how about each use case.
What are the activities performed in the fourth step of creating use cases: "Confirm the use case"?
For each use case, validate that it is correct and complete. Ask the user to execute the process - that is, have them role-play the use case.
Best Practices to Avoid Scope Creep
For projects with unclear requirements, consider extensive user meetings and/or prototy[es early in the project Implement a formal change approval process Defer additional requirements as future system enhancements
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one Planning The fundamental process of understanding why an IS should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Has two steps: Project Initiation Project Management Analysis Answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Three steps: Analysis Strategy Requirements Gathering System Proposal Design Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. Has four steps: Design Strategy Architecture Design Database and File Specifications Program Design
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
What is the difference between functional requirements and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirement defines how the system will support the user in completing a task meanwhile a nonfunctional requirement are the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints and external interfaces a product must have.
Define functional requirement and nonfunctional requirement?
Functional requirement is what the software should do. Nonfunctional requirement are characteristics the software should have.
What are the two types of system requirements?
Functional requirement, Nonfunctional requirement
What is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirements are statements of what the system must do, and nonfunctional requirements are statements about characteristics the system should have.
what is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirements are what the system must do, non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must have.
Functional Requirements vs Nonfunctional Requirements
Functional requirements are what the system must do, non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must-have.
What is the difference between functional requirements and non-functional requirements ?
Functional requirements are what the system must do. Non-functional requirements are characteristics the system must have
Which type of System Requirement (functional or non-functional) has the best relationship with use cases?
Functional requirements because use cases contain more details regarding process and information-oriented aspects regarding the system.
Systems requirements: functional vs non-functional
Functional requirements define the basic system behavior. Its what the system does or must not do, and can be thought of in terms of how the system responds to inputs. Whereas non-functional requirements specify how the system should do it. Even if the non-functional requirements are not met, the system will still perform its basic purpose.
Explain the difference between functional and non-functional requirements in system analysis.
Functional requirements specify what the system must do, while non-functional requirements define how it should perform, including aspects like speed, security, and usability.
What is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
Functional requirements state what the system does( information stored or processes supported), while nonfunctional requirements state other important characteristics
Two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements
Functional: 1. The system will only allow managers to review financial reports. 2. The system summarizes all the transactions completed each day and creates a report. Non-Functional: 1. The system will be HIPPA compliant 2. The system can support a maximum of 1,000 users at a time. 3. The system will require users to change their password if they haven't changed it in 365 days. 4. The system will have red white and blue as the main theme colors.
How many steps does Analysis phase have? and what are they?
Goal is to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements. 1. Understand the current situation (current System) 2. Identify improvements 3. Define requirements and concepts of the new system (future system)
What is the goal of a Use Case?
Goal of a use case analysis is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
Most JAD sessions try to follow a formal agenda, and most have formal___________ __________ that define appropriate behavior.
Ground Rules
What are the weaknesses of document analysis?
Harder to see process-based functional requirements. Functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system.
What are the guidelines for creating DFDs?
Have data flowing from one entity to another Have data flowing from an entity to a data store Have data flowing a data store to an entity Have data flowing from one data store to another *Processes must be in between each
How does technology analysis work?
Having analysts and managers develop a list of important and interesting technologies. Then, systematically identify how each one could be applied to the business process and how the business would benefit.
1. Defining and mapping the steps in a business process. 2. Creating ways to improve on steps in the process that add value 3. Finding ways to eliminate or consolidate steps in the process that do not add values. 4. Creating or adjusting electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
How is Business Analysts an important roles in Business Process Management (BPM)?
What method is best for getting information about a specific process handled by a group in a dept? A. Observation B.JAD C. Interviews
I would say C.) Interviews. why: Because you can get direct insight and knowledge on intended inputs and outputs.
Why is IT not always the project sponsor?
IT doesn't normally have the business wide strategic view of each process of the company, therefore would only see the technological side of things
Why is the IT department often NOT the project sponsor of systems development project?
IT is often not aware of needs in other departments
What is the most important step in creating an information system for a business?
Identify and understand the business requirements
What is step 2 of creating Data Flow Diagram?
Identify high-level process(es).
What is the three main steps of the analysis phase?
Identify improvements Understand the existing situation Define requirements for the new system
The three main steps of the analysis phase:
Identify improvements, understand the existing situation, define requirements for the new system
What are the components of a systems request?
Identify project sponsor, business needs, requirements, value, special issues or constraints.
How does one create a use case?
Identify the use cases, identify the steps within each use case, identify the elements within each step of the use case, then confirm the use case with the customer.
What are the steps for writing use cases?
Identify the use cases. Identify the major steps within each use case. Identify elements within steps. Confirm the use case.
What is the Activity Elimination?
Identify what would happen if each organizational activity were eliminated Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated, even if it seems preposterous
Of the SDLC, which phase is usually the longest and hardest to implement? It also can be the least complex.
Implementation
What is the last stage of SDLC?
Implementation ( also the longest and most expensive)
Which phase is usually the longest and most expensive, but can also be the least complex?
Implementation Phase
What is the longest and most expensive phase of SDLC?
Implementation phase
How many steps does Implementation phase have? and what are they?
Implementation phase has three steps: >system construction -System is built and tested to ensure it performs as designed >installation -The new system is installed and the old one is turned off -users are trained for the new system >support plan. -post-implementation review -systematic way for identifying changes needed for the system
What is typically the longest and most expensive phase of SDLC?
Implementation: expensive due to the development costs and operating costs associated.
D. Event-driven modeling
In a use case, everything in a system can be seen as a response to a trigger event. What is the term used in the textbook to describe this type of modeling? A. If-then modeling B. Trigger-to-event modeling C. Response modeling D. Event-driven modeling
How are most questionnaires distributed today?
In an electronic format (Internet, e-mail)
Who usually fills the role of a project manager?
In large organizations or large projects, the role of project manager is commonly filled by a professional specialist in project management. In smaller organization or on smaller projects, the systems analyst may fill this role.
what is project charter?
In project management, a project charter, project definition, or project statement is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project.
What is project charter?
In project management, a project charter, project definition, or project statement is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project. It is a document that lists the project norms and ground rules. For example, the charter may describe when the project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
How are the work plan and work breakdown structure related?
In the work breakdown structure, high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks. Each step is then broken down in turn and numbered in a hierarchical fashion. The WBS serves as the backbone of the work plan. The work plan shows dates and times and who did each task. which is a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project.
Name at least 3 different ways to categorize projects.
Includes: - Size - Cost - Purpose - Length - Risk - Scope - Economic Value
Which of the following are not tangible benefits?: Increased sales Increased market share Reductions in staff Better supplier prices
Increased market share
What are intangible benefits?
Increased market share, increased brand recognition, high-quality products, improved customer service, better supplier relations.
Which of the following are not intangible benefits?: Increased market share Increased brand recognition Increased sales Better supplier prices
Increased sales
What are tangible benefits?
Increased sales, Reductions in staff, reductions in inventory, Reductions in IT costs, Better supplier prices
Which functional requirement does this statement describe: "The system must retain customer reorder history for 3 years"?
Information-oriented
Which data flow diagram (DFD) symbol is usually portrayed with a circle?
Internal entity or process
What could be some sources of methodology?
Internally developed by organization Consulting firms Software vendors Government agencies
What are the benefits of Interviews compared to questioners?
Interviewee can response freely and openly to questions, interviewee can be asked for more feedback, questions can be adapted or reworded for each individual, interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed.
What is the top-down interview structure?
Interviewing starting with broad questions to later ask more specific questions; the most common interview structure
What is the bottom-up interview structure?
Interviewing starting with specific questions to later ask more broad questions; useful for collecting details
When gathering requirements, the most commonly used technique is: __________
Interviews
What's the five commonly used requirement gathering techniques?
Interviews Questionnaires JAD - Joint Application Development Observation Document Analysis
What are the requirements elicitation techniques?
Interviews - Questions conducted face-to-face to gain information. JAD sessions - An information gathering techniques to determine the requirements for the system that involves the project team, users, and management. Questionnaires - A series of written questions to gain input/information from individuals. Document Analysis - Analysis to understand the as-is system. Observation - Watching the process being performed.
What is the most commonly used requirements elicitation technique?
Interviews as they can be adapted for each individual
Which requirement elicitation techniques obtain a high depth of information?
Interviews, JAD Sessions
5 gathering techniques
Interviews, JAD, Questionnaire, Document analysis, Observation
What are the 5 main Requirement Elicitation Techniques?
Interviews, Questionnaires, JAD sessions, Observation, Document Analysis
What are the 5 gathering techniques?
Interviews, Questionnaires, JAD, Observation, Document Analysis
What are the main requirement gathering techniques?
Interviews, questionnaires, joint application development (JAD), observation,, and document analysis
What are the do's of motivating employees?
Intrinsic Reward (i.e. Recognition and achievements) Monetary rewards(i.e. use sparingly) If you feel that you need to give some kind of reward for motivational purposes, try a pizza or free dinner, or even a kind letter or award. The more often you reward team members with money, the more they expect it—and most times monetary motivation will not work.
false, the best practice is to provide awards/recognition but it's important to recognize that monetary incentives can still play a valuable role in motivation if used carefully and occasionally
Is it true that monetary incentives is the best practice for motivating people on a job project?
Level 1 Diagram
Is more explicit and shows internal process that comprise a single process on level 0 (has one "dot"; example: 1.1, 1.2)
What is Business Process Automation?
It creates or adjusts electronic workflows to match the improved process maps.
What is a use case description of?
It describes the activities that are done by the system users and how the system responds.
reasons why scope creep happens
It happens when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined. other reasons could be because users may suddenly understand the potential of the new system and realize new functionality that would be useful. Developers may discover interesting capabilities to which they become very attached. A senior manager may decide to let system support a new strategy that is developed at a recent board meeting.
Pros and Cons of Use Case:
It helps the software developer design from a user's perspective It helps brainstorm the exceptions in the system But it has poor identification of structure and flow
What is iterative development and what are its strengths ans weaknesses?
It is a RAD approach where a system is typically developed in a series of versions. Strengths Users get a system to use quickly. Users identify additional needs for later versions based on real experiences with the current version Weaknesses Users are faced with using an incomplete system for some time. Users must be patient and wait for a fully functional system
What is RAD (Rapid application development)?
It is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations. RAD incorporates special techniques and computer tools to speed up the analysis, design, and implementation phases. Advantages: Can improve the speed and quality of systems development. Disadvantages: As systems are developed more quickly and users gain a better understanding of IT, user expectations may increase and system requirements may expand during the project (scope creep).
What is a system request?
It is a document that describes the business reasons for building a system and the value that the system is expected to provide.
What is a work plan?
It is a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project. A work plan staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).
Is the following scenario functional or nonfunctional: Provide management reports.
It is a functional requirement
What is a project charter and what does it include?
It is a list of the projects norm's and ground rules. It includes things such as when a project team will work, how the group will communicate, when staff meetings will take place, and the procedures that will be used when updating the work plan.
Is the following scenario functional or nonfunctional: Restrict access to profitability information.
It is a nonfunctional requirement because it is describing a characteristic that the system must have. The scenario is describing the security of the system.
What is an external entity?
It is a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
What is Normal Course when referring to a use case?
It is a step-by-step outline of a use case. Exceptions happen when errors are encountered when use case in progress.
What is the requirement definition?
It is a straightforward text report that simply lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in an outline format.
What is activity-based costing?
It is an analysis that examines the cost of each major process or step in a business process rather than the time taken.
What is the Design Phase Deliverable?
It is called the System specification. This is used by the programming team for implementation, which includes architectures/interface design, database and file specifications, and program design
What is the primary objective of a systems analyst?
It is important to remember that the primary objective of the system analyst is not to create a wonderful system. The primary goal is to create value for the organization, which for most companies means increasing tangible and intangible benefits.
What is a development cost?
It is tangible expenses that are incurred during the creating of the system and usually thought of as one-time costs.
What is an entity?
It is the basic building block for a data model; it is a person, place, event, or thing about which data is collected examples: employees, an order, a product
What's the trigger for the use case?
It is the event that causes the use case to begin.
What is the purpose of implementation phase of the SDLC?
It is the final step of SDLC where the system plan is put into the motion and it is important to maintain control of the system.
What is benchmarking?
It is the study of how other organizations perform a business process compared to their own
What is a concatenated identifier?
It is when several fields are combined, or concatenated, to uniquely identify an instance.
In a use case, what purpose does the normal course serve?
It lists the steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system. This is sometimes called the " happy path " because there are no problems or issues that arise when the steps are able to be followed normally.
What purpose does a context-level diagram serve?
It shows the entire system in context with the environment from a top level. It shows the overall business process as just one process. From there, it breaks off into more detailed DFDs with processes.
What are the three RAD approaches?
Iterative Development, System Prototyping, Throw-Away Prototyping
What are the three types of RAD Approaches?
Iterative Development, System Prototyping, Throw-away Prototyping
Which methodology develops the system into a series of different versions that allow users to get the system quickly and identify additional needs for later versions in time?
Iterative developement
What are the three RAD Approaches?
Iterative development - A series of versions developed sequentially System Prototyping - Create prototype (model) of system and grow it into the final system Throw-away prototyping - Prototype alternative designs in an experimental way - Build system following prototype design but discard the actual prototype
What are the three RAD approaches?
Iterative development System Prototyping Throw-away prototyping
What are the three versions of RAD (Rapid Application Development)?
Iterative development - breaks the overall project into a series of sequentially developed versions. System prototyping - Perform analysis, design, and implementation phases at the same time to create simple versions of the system, which are then given to users for feedback. These systems can be thought of as the "quick and dirty" version of the final deliverable. Throwaway prototyping - uses prototypes to explore design alternatives rather than the entire new system. includes the production of a design prototype, which is not the working system. It contains only enough detail to allow users to understand what issues are being addressed.
What are the three RAD approaches?
Iterative development, system prototyping, and throw-away prototyping
What does JAD mean and what is it used for?
JAD (Joint Application Development) is a methodology that involves the client or end user in the design and the development of an application, through a succession of collaborative workshops called JAD sessions. It's thought to lead to faster development times and greater client satisfaction, because the client is involved throughout the development process.
What is a Joint application Development (JAD)
JAD is an information gathering technique that allows the project team, users, and management to work together to identify requirements for the system.
What are the 5 gathering techniques in the Analysis phase?
JAD sessions, interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, and observation.
JAD is
Join Application Development. It is an information gathering technique used to identify requirements of a project. The project team, users, and management defer to an uninvolved facilitator who directs the meeting(s) and discussions.
What information gathering technique allows the project team, users and management to work together to identify system requirements?
Joint Application Development (JAD)
What information gathering technique allows the project team, users and management to work together to identify system requirements?
Joint Application Development (JAD) is helpful in accelerating the system requirements process.
What is JAD?
Joint Application Development - An extensive, structured group process - Produce complete requirements defined document - Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analyst- Requires a trained facilitator and a comfortable facility for long term, intensive group work; preferably off-site
What is a JAD?
Joint Application Development. Which is an extensive, structured group process. The goal is produced complete requirements definition document.
a. 50%
Joint application development can reduce scope creep by ____%. a. 50% b. 25% c. 30% d. 65%
What are the key elements of the system proposal?
Key elements of a System Proposal include: detailed requirements definition, use cases, process models, data models, a revised feasibility analysis and a work plan
What level does the Context diagram decompose into?
Level 0
What is the the most general scope of Data Flow Diagrams called?
Level 0 Diagram
What is the difference between a Level 0 Diagram and a Level 1 Diagram?
Level 0 Diagram shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact. Adds stored data via the data stores. While Level 1 Diagram shows the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram. Shows how information moves to and from each of these processes.
Processes on Level 0 diagram decompose into what level diagram?
Level 1
Which level diagram shoes the internal processes that comprise a single process on the level 0 diagram?
Level 1 diagram
How do you number a level 1 DFD?
Level 1 processes always have one "dot": parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.)
What is the risk equation?
Likelihood * Potential Impact
What is the formula to calculate risk?
Likelihood x Potential Impact
How is risk calculated?
Likelihood x Potential Impact Project manager takes responsibility for managing project risks
Explain the normal course
Lists the steps that are performed when everything is flowing smoothly in the system
___________ process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted.
Logical
What is the difference between Logical and Physical process models?
Logical - describes processes without suggesting how they are conducted Physical - include process implementation information
Difference between Logical and Physical Process Model.
Logical - which are models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical - which provide information is needed to ultimately build the system.
What is the difference between a Logical process model vs a Physical process model?
Logical Process Models describe the process(es) associated with the DFD without implying how they are conducted. Physical Process Models include information regarding how a process is to be implemented.
How do Logical and Physical Process models differ?
Logical Process models describe processes without suggesting a conclusion while physical models include implementation information
What describes a process without suggesting how they are conducted. It asks what needs to be done?
Logical process model.
____________ describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted.
Logical process models
What is the difference between Logical Process Models and Physical Process Model?
Logical process models are models that describe processes, without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical Process Models are providing information that is needed to ultimately build the system.
Difference between logical and physical process models
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted while the physical process models provide the information that is needed to build the system
What is the difference between logical and physical process models?
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted, while physical process models include process implementation information
Difference between logical and physical process models
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical process models include process implementation information
What's the difference between logical and physical process models?
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted. Physical process models include process implementation information.
Distinguish between logical process models and physical process models
Logical process models describe processes without suggesting how they are constructed. Physical process models provide information that is needed to ultimately build the system.
Difference between logical and physical process models
Logical: process models describe processes without suggesting how they are conducted Physical: process models include process implementation information
Define MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in software development.
MVP is the most basic version of a product that includes essential features to satisfy early users and gather feedback.
What is important when it comes to success in project management?
Make sure that there is a realistic assessment of what needs to be accomplished
What Do System Analysts Dislike About Their Work?
Management's lack of communication/recognition End-user mistakes and demands Unrealistic deadlines
List cons of an Analyst work
Management's lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, Stress/pressure/burnout, Ever-changing business technology, Unrealistic deadlines
What do system analysts dislike about their work?
Managements lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, stress/pressure/burnout, ever-changing business technology, and unrealistic deadlines.
How do managers use informal benchmarking?
Managers and analysts think about other organizations, or visit them as customers to watch how the business process is performed.
What kind of relationship is not acceptable in most ERD's ?
Many to many ( M-M) relationships
Information about the components of the mode
Metadata
What are the Elements of Use Cases?
Name, number, brief description, Priority indicator, actor, & trigger
What are the 9 elements of a use case?
Name, number, brief description, priority, actor, trigger, normal course, precondition, postcondition
What is scope creep?
New requirement is added to the project after original project scope was defined
What is scope creep?
New requirements are added to a project that has already defined its project scope.
How many decimal points do level 0 DFD process numbers have?
No decimal points (ex. 1, 2)
Should an unmotivated employee be motivated by money?
No, money should be the last incentive for motivating employees. Things like awards and recognition are much better.
In cases where a process has an input and output, is it best practice to do a double headed arrow?
No. Best practice is to have two separate arrows going in opposite directions.
Operational, Performance, Security and Cultural and Political represent what type of requirement?
Nonfunctional Requirement · Operational: Physical and technical operating environment · Performance: speed, capacity, and reliability need · Security: access restrictions, needed safeguards · Cultural: legal requirements, cultural norms
Which type of requirements are defined as the quality attributes, design and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have?
Nonfunctional requirements, which describe how the system works and behaves, as opposed to what it must do.
What is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event?
Normal Course
Errors to avoid when creating DFD's
Not having a process in between data flow from agent/datastore Black Hole: Data Sink, nothing happens with the data Miracle: Data is produced out of nothing. Has no input Gray Hole: Data coming in from 2 sources, with a result of something completely unrelated
What is object-oriented analysis and design? (OOAD)
OOAD is a methodology that uses object-oriented techniques to analyze and design systems. It involves identifying the objects in the system and their relationships, and designing classes and methods that implement the system's functionality. OOAD is useful for developing complex systems and can help ensure that the system is scalable, maintainable, and reliable.
What is Structured English?
One of the techniques used to describe processing logic by using short sentences to describe the work that a process performs
Describe two ways to handle a situation in which there are a large number of use cases.
One possibility for the large number is that the use cases are not defined at the right level of detail. If the use cases are too 'small' we do not need to bother to create a use case, but simply use the information in the requirements definition itself to build the process and data models. If there really are more than eight or nine major use cases, the use cases are grouped together into packages of related use cases. These packages are then treated as the major processes for the top level of the process model with the use cases appearing on lower levels. The packages could also be treated as separate systems and modeled as separate systems.
what are question types of interviews ?
Open-ended - broad concepts; opinions Closed-ended - learn or confirm facts and details Probing - resolve confusion; follow-up
What is difference between development and operation cost?
Operation costs are ongoing and development cost are occur during the project when the system being built
Development cost or operational cost? -software upgrade -software license -hardware repair -cloud storage fee -operational team salaries
Operational cost
What are the four system characteristics of a nonfunctional requirement?
Operational, Performance, Security, & Cultural/Political
What are the four behavioral properties a system must have?
Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate Performance: The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system Security: Who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances Cultural and political: Cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affect the system
4 types of non-functional system requirements
Operational: physical & technical operating environment Performance: speed, capacity, & reliability needs Security: Access restrictions, safeguards Cultural and Political: Legal requirements, cultural norm...
What are the three-feasibility analysis?
Organizational, economic, and technical
What gathering strategy is best for redesigning whole process?
Outcome Analysis, technology analysis, Activity Elimination
Which type of analysis is based on what customers would like to see from a company?
Outcome analysis
What are the desirable outcomes from customer' perspective?
Outcome analysis focuses on understanding the fundamental outcomes that provide values to customers and along with the end result of the procedures and how they will achieve the customer's goals.
What is the role of a Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Oversees all uses of IT and ensures the strategic alignment of IT with business goals and objectives
What is Project Manager?
Oversees the project to ensure that it meets its objectives on time and within budget.
What are the four phases in the Systems Development Life Cycle?
P-A-D-I I. Planning Phase: Fundamental process of understanding why an info system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it II. Analysis Phase: Answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used III. Design Phase: Decides how the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure VI. Implementation Phase: When the system will actually be built (or purchased and installed).
Convert a future cash flow to its present value
PV = Cash Flow Amount / (1 + Rate of return)^n , where "n" is the year in which the cash flow occurs
Four stages of the SDLC- What are they called and what generally happens in each one:
Panning: This 1st stage is a feasibility study that is conducted to determine whether the new system is feasible. Analysis: This 2nd stage the requirements of the information system are clearly defined once the analysis phase has determined what the system will do. Design: This 3rd stage will determine how the system will work. Implementation: The 4th stage is composed of creating all the components of the system and testing the system to ensure each component works as it should.
what are the two variants of waterfall development?
Parallel Development V-Model Variant
What are waterfall development's two variants?
Parallel Development and V-Model
What are two variants of the Waterfall development?
Parallel and V-model
What are the two variants of waterfall development called? How are they different than waterfall development?
Parallel development and V-Model. Parallel development involves multiple subprojects working at the same time, then coming together at the end to create one deliverable. V-Model is similar to waterfall in most ways, but instead of testing at the end of the project, testing is done throughout the project. This results in more time spent on the project, but also fewer errors in the final deliverable.
Describe the major elements and issues with parallel development.
Parallel development reduces the time required to deliver a system, so changes in the business environment are less likely to produce the need for rework.If the sub projects are not completely independent, design decisions in one sub project may affect another, and at the project end, integrating the sub projects may be quite challenging.
What is the cost-benefit analysis as part of the systems development life cycle?
Part of the feasibility analysis in a project's planning phase Also known as economic feasibility Process of identifying costs and benefits associated with the system and assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring financial worthiness 4 step process comprised of: (1) identifying costs and benefits (2) assigning values to costs and benefits (3) determining cash flow (4) assessing project's economic value, which includes computations of Return on Investment (ROI), Break-Even Point (BEP), and Net Present Value (NPV)
What is a Non-Functional Requirement?
Parts of the system that are only behavioral properties, not tied to a process itself but still a requirement that must be met within the system. They can be Operational, Performance, Security, Cultural, or Political requirements.
What are the different specialized roles of a Systems Analyst?
People oriented: change management analyst, project management Business oriented: requirements analyst, business analyst Technically oriented: infrastructure analyst Generalist: systems analyst
What is the role of the project sponsor?
Person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side.
What is the difference between a logical process model and a physical process model?
Physical process models describe both how and what needs to be done. In a physical process model, the process implementation information is included.
Four Stages of SDLC
Planning - Determine how system is built Analysis - Who uses the system/how it will be used Design - Exactly how the system will operate in terms of hardware/software Implementation - System is built and purchased
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)
What are the four stages of SDLC (System Development Life Cycle) and what happens in each one.
Planning = Fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Analysis = answers the questions of who will use the system, and what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Design = Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place Implementation = the system is actually built. It is the longest and most expensive single part of the development process.
What phase of the SDLC is a fundamental process of understanding why an info system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it
Planning phase
How many steps does Planning phase have? What are they?
Planning phase has two steps: -Project initiation: Prepare system request Perform preliminary feasibility analysis -Project management: Project Plan, including work plan & staffing plan
What is the purpose of planning phase of the SDLC?
Planning phase is the first step of the SDLC to understand why an information system should be build and how the project team plan to build it.
Which stage of the SDLC determines why and IS system is built and how it will go about building it?
Planning stage
What are the four phases of the SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are waterfall development methodology steps?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, System
What are the phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation.
What are the 4 stages of the SDLC? (SoftWare Development Life Cycle)
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation.............. (tip - use pad i, pronounced patty to remember)
Four stages of Systems Development Life Cycle
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation
What are the 4 fundamental of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
What are the 4 fundamentals of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
What are the four stages of the SDLC?
Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Planning-why/how built, analysis who/what, design-how/operate, implementation-installed/work done
What happens in each stage of SDLC?
Planning/Investigation - feasibility study conducted Analysis - Requirements of info system defined/what the system will do Design - How the system will work Implementation - Creation/testing of all components to ensure that they work Maintain - maintain until the system is no longer in use
What are the four stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and what generally happens in each stage?
Planning: Define project scope and objectives. Includes the creation of a system request. Analysis: Gather requirements, leading to the development of a system proposal. Design: Create a system design, including system specification and alternative matrix. Implementation: Develop and deploy the system, involving a test plan, programs, and documentation.
What are the 4 phases of SDLC?
Planning: The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. Analysis: The analysis phase answers the question of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where & when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. Design:The design phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed. Implementation: The final state in the SDLC, during which the system is actually built. This is the phase that usually gets the most attention, because for most systems it is the longest and most expensive single part of the development process.
What are the 4 SDLC steps and describe them?
Planning: Understanding why an information system should be built and determine how a project team will go about building it ;Analysis: Answers the question of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used - team also investigates any current systems and identifies improvement opportunities for the new system ;Design: Decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, software and network infrastructure that will be in place - will determine if the system will be developed by the company's own programmers or if the company will purchase prewritten software; Implementation: The system is actually built or purchased - usually the longest and most expensive phase
· Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Planning: determines why and how a system should be built Analysis: seeks to answer who uses the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used Design: determines how exactly the system will operate in terms of hardware, software, and network infrastructure; user interfaces, forms, and reports used; specific programs, databases, and files needed Implementation: the system is built or purchased.
Data flow diagramming
Popular technique for creating process models
_________ define what must be complete before beginning the use case.
Preconditions
Define Preconditions
Preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case begins
Explain the importance of preconditions
Preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case commences. Preconditions also clearly define what what needs to be accomplished before each use case begins
Jane needs to interview Sean. She contacts him to verify the areas where he has knowledge so he is able to answer the questions. This would be done in which step of the interview process?
Preparing for the interview
What is the formula for Risk
Probability x Potential Impact
What are probing questions?
Probing questions follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more
Which requirements analysis strategies are the best for finding small improvements over a current situation?
Problem Analysis and Root Cause Analysis
Which requirements analysis strategies are best for finding small improvements over a company's current situation?
Problem Analysis, Root Cause Analysis
Which analysis strategies are best for finding small improvements over current situations?
Problem Solving and Root-Cause Analysis
What is the most straightforward and commonly used requirements analysis strategy?
Problem analysis
List the learned requirements analysis strategies
Problem analysis, root cause analysis, duration analysis, activity-bases costing, informal benchmarking, outcome analysis, technology analysis, activity elimination
What are the requirement gathering strategies explained in Ch 3?
Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking
What is the difference between root cause analysis and problem analysis
Problem analysis: asks user to identify problems and solutions. Root cause analysis: tracing symptoms to their causes to discover the root problem
Two types of functional system requirements
Process-oriented: things the system must do Information-oriented: content the system must have
What data flow diagram element represents an oval/rounded square?
Process
Four elements of a DFD, what they represent, and how they are depicted visually
Process - An activity or function performed for a specific business reason. Data Flow - A single piece of data or a logical collection of data. Names describe the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented. Always starts or ends at a process. Data Store - Most information systems capture data for later use and the collection of data is stored in some way. External Entity - A person, organization, or system that is external to the focal system. Has interactions with the focal system.
Define the elements (shapes) used when developing a DFD
Process - Rounded square numerated at the stop; Defines an action that the system does within the scope of the system itself. Data Flow - Arrow pointing in one direction; Used to name the content that is moving from one element to another. Data Store - Rectangle labeled using D1, D2, etc.; Used to demote a part in the system that is used to store information. External Entity - Square; Represents entities that will use the system in some fashion but are otherwise outside of the scope of the system.
What are the 4 elements of a DFD?
Process - an activity or function performed for a specific business reason. Data Flow - describe the content of the data flow but not how it is implemented. Data Store - is a collection of data that is stored in some way. External Entity - a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
What is the model for the formal way of representing how a business process operates
Process Model
What are the two types of Functional Requirements?
Process and Information
Miracle error
Process or data store with a data element that is created out of nothing; when there was no input yet output data miraculously appear
What is the difference between process and information oriented in functional requirements?
Process oriented: process the system must perform or do Ex: system must allow registered customers to review their own order history for the past three years. Information oriented: information the system must contain Ex: system must retain customer order history for three years.
What are the four elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
Process, Data Flow, Data Store, External Entity
Four elements of DFD
Process, Data Flow, External Entities, Data store
Elements of a DFD
Process, data flow, data store, and external entity
What are the four elements of a DFD?
Process, data flow, data store, external entity
What are the four elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
Process- an activity or function that is performed for some specific business reason (manual or computerized). Every process should be named starting with a verb and ending with a noun. Data flow- a single fact, such as quantity available or a logical collection of several facts. Every data flow should be named with a noun. Data store- a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model) External entity- a person, organization, organization unit or system that is external to the system, but interacts with it (customer, clearinghouse, government organization, accounting system)
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Process-oriented and information oriented
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Process: a process the system should perform as part of supporting a user task Information: information the system should provide as the user performs a task
2 types of functional system requirements
Process: the system should perform Information: the system should provide
What are the four symbols in the DFD process?
Processes are activities or functions performed for specific business reasons. They can be manual or computerized. A data flow is a single piece of data or logical collection of data. Data stores are collections of data that are stored in some way. An external entity is a person, organization, or system that is external to the system.
Are DFDs always sequential?
Processes in DFDs do not always have to be sequential, especially in the Level 0 diagram.
What are the four basic elements of a Data Flow Diagram?
Processes, Data Flows, Data Stores, External entities
What are the 4 elements of a DFD?
Processes, data flows, data stores, and external entities
What are elements of data flow diagrams?
Processes, data flows, data stores, external entities
Waterfall
Produces a system deliverable by going through 4 phases (planning, analysis, design, implementation)
What is a project charter?
Project Charter lists the project's norms and ground rules Ex: the charter may describe when the team should be at work, when meeting will be held, how teams should communicate
What is a project charter and what does it include?
Project Charter: A document that lists the project norms and ground rules. Included: -Availability -Status reporting（What are the individual deadlines?） -Meetings -Documentation storage
What is Project Estimation and what are some sources for estimating these values?
Project Estimation - The process of assigning projected values for time and effort Sources : - Methodology in use - Actual previous projects - Experienced developers - Industry standards
Process of planning and controlling the project within a specified time frame?
Project Management
What is Project Methodology and what the list of project characteristics that will affect the methodology selection decision?
Project Methodology is a formalized approach to implementing the systems development life cycle. There are 6 project characteristics: 1. Clarity of User Requirements - How well the users and analysts understand the functions and capabilities needed from the new system. 2. Familiarity with Technology - How much experience does the project team have with the technology 3. System Complexity - How much complexity is anticipated in the new system? What features will be included in the new system? Will the systems have to be integrated with the other existing systems? 4. System Reliability - Will the new system be highly reliable or will there be downtime? 5. Short Time Schedules - Will the project time frame be tight? 6. Schedule Visibility - Will the project sponsors, users, and/or organizational managers be anxious to see the progress?
What are three elements that a project charter should have?
Project Objectives Scope Responsibilities
C. Make trade-offs
Project Selection: In order to keep its project portfolio well balanced and as a result of limited funds, what must the approval committee of an organization do? A. Conduct a realistic assessment B. Keep high-risk projects less than 20% C. Make trade-offs D. Examine business need
What are the three elements of the project management task, that affect/ modify/adjust the other two?
Project Size Project Costs Project Time
3 main things project managers need to balance
Project Size Project Length Project Cost Modifying 1 requires adjusting of the other 2
What are the five elements of a system request?
Project Sponsor - person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. Business Need- Business related reason for initiating the system Business Requirements- the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide Business Value- the benefits that the system will create for the organization Special Issues & Constraints - Issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision
What are the elements of a system request?
Project Sponsor - the person who serves as the primary contact for the project Business Need - What prompted the need for a new system or update Business Requirement - What the business needs from the system or update Business Value - Benefits to the business that will come from the system. Special Issues or Constraints - any other information that would be pertinent to the project ( i.e deadlines)
Which positions need awareness of feasibility risks and assessments?
Project Sponsor, Project Manager, and other team members.
Elements in a System Request:
Project Sponsor: Persons name and organization goes here. Business need: Defines in detail what the issue is and what the analyst plans to do. Business requirements: What may be needed for the companies issue as a solution. Special Issues or Constraints: What may be a problem for the employees for when the analyst first installs the program.
What are the 3 main things that project managers have to balance?
Project cost, Project size, and Project time
What are the three trade-offs of every project?
Project cost, project time, project size
Once a project is approved, someone must be appointed to lead the project, who is that person?
Project manager
Project Cost, Project Size, Project Time
Project managers always face trade-offs among three critical aspects of a project. Modifying one element requires adjusting the others. What are those three critical aspects?
Duties of a project manager
Project managers have to select the best project methodology, develop a project work plan, establish a staffing plan, and create new ways to coordinate and control the project at hand.
What is the deliverable for the planning phase?
Project plan that describes how the project team will go about developing the system
What are three categories of feasibility analysis?
Project portfolio perspective, Trade-offs needed, and viable projects may be rejected or deferred due to project portfolio issues
What are the features of PPM Software?
Project prioritization Employee allocation Real-time project monitoring Flagging cost and time variances Monitoring economic feasibility
What are features of project portfolio management?
Project prioritization, employee allocation, real-time project monitoring, flagging cost and time variances, monitoring economic feasibility
What are the three trade-offs involved in project management?
Project size (in terms of what it does), project time (when it will be finished) and project cost. Modifying one element requires adjusting the others. The project manager and sponsor balance the three trade-offs as the project develops.
Three main things that project managers have to balance?
Project size, Project cost, project time
What are the 3 things Project Manager must manage?
Project size, Project cost, Project time
Three main things that project managers have to balance
Project size, Project cost, Project time.
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
Project sponsor generates the request for the project. Other departments such as accounting, booking does not have IT knowledge to develop the project. Therefore, they need to generate the request to IT. Projects sponsors provide inputs for the requirement gathering steps in analysis phase Project Sponsors review the system proposal and decide whether the project should continue to move forward. At the end of the design phase, the feasibility analysis and project plan are reexamined and revised, and another decision is made by the project sponsor and approval committee about whether to terminate the project or continue
· Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
Project sponsor is the person who initiates the project and serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. IT is not always the project sponsor because it is not in business side of it.
What are the key elements of the system request?
Project sponsor, Business need, Business requirement, Business value, and Special issues or constraints
· Elements of a systems request
Project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, special issues and constraints (special issues are included on the document as a catchall category for other information that should be considered in assessing the project. For example, the project may need to be completed by a specific deadline. Any special circumstances that could affect the outcome of the project must be clearly identified.)
What elements are in the system request form?
Project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, special issues or constraints
What is the document that project managers use to track scheduling, cost, and resources?
Project work plan -records and keeps track of all tasks needed to be accomplished over the course of the project - when a project needs to be completed -the person assigned to do the work any deliverables that will result
What is the purpose of a project work plan?
Project work plans are used to compile a structured strategy to complete a project. Breaks down tasks with specific details on how and who will be executing it.
What are the pros of an analysts work?
Pros: - High paid salary - interact with variety fields - work with up to date Technology - Challenging and Problem Solving reward - Constantly changing
What are the "pros and cons" of an analyst's work?
Pros: -Challenge -Technology -Variety -Constant Change -Problem Solving Cons: -Management's lack of communication/recognition -End-user mistakes and demands -Stress/pressure/burnout -Ever-changing business technology -Unrealistic deadlines
What are the pros and cons of an analyst's work?
Pros: • High paid salary • Interact with variety fields • Work with up to date technology • Challenging and problem solving reward Cons: • Management's lack of communication/recognition • End-user mistakes and demands • Stress/Pressure/Burnout • Ever-changing business technology • Unrealistic deadlines
What are the pros and cons of analyst work?
Pros: Challenging, technology, variety, constant change, and problem solving; Con: management's lack of communication/recognition, End user mistakes and demands, stress/pressure/burnout, every-changing business technology, unrealistic deadlines
· The "pros and cons" of an analyst's work
Pros: challenge, variety, constant change, problem-solving Cons: management's lack of communication/recognition, end-user mistakes and demands, stress, pressure, burnout, ever-changing business technologies, unrealistic demands
What is the best way to motivate people on a project team?
Provide awards and recognition
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team?
Provide awards/recognition
What gathering technique is best to use when you want broad range of information?
Questionnaire and Document Analysis
What Development Methodologies do NOT emphasize the 'as is system'?
RAD and Agile
What is ROI and how is it calculated?
ROI is return on investment. It calculates the average rate of return earned on the money invested in the project. To calculate ROI, you use the formula: (Total Benefits - Total Costs)/Total Costs
What does RAD stand for?
Rapid Application Development
What will most technical employees on a project team be motivated by assuming team members are paid a fair salary?
Recognition, achievement, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and the chance to learn new skills.
What is an effective way of motivating people on a team?
Recognitions and awards
What are several "Do's" of motivating employees
Recognize achievements, give advancements opportunities, give chances to learn new skills, give rewards
What shape is drawn around external entities in a DFD?
Rectangles
What are some potential benefits of CASE tools used in a project?
Reduce maintenance costs, improve software quality, and enforce discipline; and some project teams use CASE to assess the magnitude of changes to the project.
Risk Reduction (mitigation)
Reduce the probability or potential impact of the risk
Which of the following is a tangible benefit? Reductions in staff Software upgrades Data Conversion costs Higher-quality products
Reductions in staff
What are the three types of documentation?
Reference documents, procedure manuals, and tutorials
Why is IT typically not the project sponsor?
Requested projects enhance business processes. As such, it is more natural to expect the Project Sponsor to be someone more on the business side. The project sponsor is usually part of the organization that owns the project.
_________ straightforward text report that simply lists the functional and nonfunctional requirements in an outline format.
Requirements Definition Statement
What duration analysis requires ?
Requires detailed examination of the amount of time it takes to preform each process in the system
What weaknesses plague questionnaires?
Response is often low. Cannot clarify vague answers and body language can't be observed.
If data flows are described as data in motion, data stores are described as data at .....
Rest
Intangible Benefits
Results from an intuitive belief that the system provides
How do you calculate risk?
Risk = Probability * Potential Impact
Risk = ______ x _______
Risk = Probability x Potential Imp
Which type of analysis challenges assumptions about why a problem exists?
Root cause analysis
Why are the reasons why most large system developments fail?
Scope Creep, Lack of understanding during business process, Lack of Communication between project sponsor and project lead
Adding additional features, functions, requirements or work that is not authorization AFTER the original project scope was defined. Occurs during project management when changes are continuous leading to uncontrolled growth in the scope of a project. Typically occurs when a project isn't properly defined, documented, or controlled and is the most common reason for schedule and cost overruns.
Scope creep
The most common reason for schedule and cost overruns is ___________
Scope creep
Duties of a project manager (who is not always the systems analyst)
Select the best project methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project
What is scope creep and what is timeboxing:
Scope creep - When new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was already defined Timeboxing - Allocating a certain amount of time for an activity and then working to complete that task in that relatively fast time frame
Why is scope creep important to keep track of in project management?
Scope creep can decrease efficiency and change the functionality of a deliverable according to its original agreed-upon scope
What is scope creep, and what is timeboxing?
Scope creep happens when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined. Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced.
What is Scope Creep, and how can it be managed?
Scope creep is defined as the new requirements that are added to the project after the original project scope was defined and frozen. Scope creep can be managed by requirements should be clarified in the beginning of the project by communication with users and prototyping. Only the necessary requirement should be allowed by the project manager after the project begins.
What is scope creep?
Scope creep occurs when additional requirements are added to the project after the original scope was defined, including the incorporation of unauthorized features, product additions, or extra work.
What is scope creep?
Scope creep occurs when new requirements are added to an already-defined project.
What is scope creep?
Scope creep occurs when new requirements are added to the project after the original project scope was defined
What are examples of things that can cause risks?
Scope creep, overestimations, bad design
What's Analysis (SDLC)?
Seeks to answer who use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. Investigates current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develop concepts for the new system. Also: Deliverable: project plan Analysis strategy: -studies the as-is system and envisions designs of the to-be system -has to be determined Requirements gathering: develop system concept based on analysis of gathered info. The system concept is then used to develop a set of business analysis models - that describe how the business will operate. The models typical represent data and processes needed to support the business. System proposal: analysis + system concept + models -> system proposal to be evaluated by project sponsor and approval committee.
Duties of a Project manager
Select best methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project
What are the duties of the project manager?
Select best project methodology, develop a project work plan, establish the staffing plan, create ways to coordinate and control the project. To keep minimum cost for project. creates a work plan , staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC.
What methodology is best to use when the user requirements are unclear?
System and throwaway prototyping
Duties of a project manager (who is not always the systems analyst)
Select the best project methodology Develop a project work plan Establish a staffing plan Create ways to coordinate and control the project.
What can timeboxing help with?
Setting a tight, but realistic deadline. Stress high quality. Identifying core and essential requirements. All of the above
What does a level 0 data flow diagram show?
Shows all major processes such as data stores, external entities, and data flow among them. Most level 0 DFD's have one input and one output and has process numbers with no decimal points.
What is the user role in a use case?
Similar to an actor, but some organizations use this term instead because there may be several different user groups who interact with the system in the same way.
What are the ways to Characterize Projects?
Size Cost Purpose Length Risk Scope Economic Value
What are some ways to classify projects?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, and economic value.
What are some of the different ways to characterize/categorize projects?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, economic value
What are the different ways to characterize projects?
Size, cost, purpose, length, risk, scope, economic value
What are the different ways to characterize/categorize projects?
Size: What is the size? How many people are required to work on the project. Cost: How much will the project cost from the organization? Purpose: What is the purpose of the project? Length: How long will the project take before completion? How much time before value is added to the business? Risk: How likely that the project will succeed? Scope: Which parts of the organization will be affected? Economic Value: How much does the company expect to receive in return for the project?
What are the skills needed for a system analyst?
Skills needed for a system analyst are technical, business, analytical, interpersonal, management, and ethical.
What are gathering strategies? Describe each of them.
Small Improvements over current situation: Problem and Root Cause Analysis.Creating moderate improvements in effectiveness: Duration Analysis, Activity-Based Costing, and Informal Bench-marking.Best for redesigning whole processes: Outcome Analysis, Technology Analysis, and Activity Elimination
Do Agile methodologies work best in larger or smaller projects?
Smaller projects
What are operational costs?
Software upgrades, software licensing fees, hardware repair and upgrades, cloud storage fees, operational team salaries, communications charges, user training
What are some characteristics of an external entity?
Some characteristics are: - Corresponds typically to the primary actor in the use case. - Provide or receive data from the system and serves to establish system boundaries. - Each has a name and a description - It is external to the system but does not necessarily have to be a part of the organization. - People who use information from the system to perform other process or who decide what information goes into the system are documented as external entities.
Do DFD's also have beyond Level 4?
Sometimes. Its possible
What is the purpose of standards?
Standards are made to ensure that team members are following the same procedures to perform the necessary tasks.
What are the activities performed in the first step of creating use cases: "Identify the use cases"?
Start a use case report form for each use case by filling in the name, description and trigger. If there are more than nine use cases, group them into packages. Ask who, what, when, and where about the use cases (or tasks).
How should a process be named?
Starting with a verb and ending with a noun (e.g. Determine request quantity)
What is functional requiremens?
State what the system does, information stores or processes supported
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Step 1: Identify the external entities Step 2: Identify high-level processes Step 3: Identify data stores Step 4 (optional): Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table Step 5: Draw the Context Diagram Step 6: Draw the data flow Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers
What are the steps in building a Data Flow Diagram?
Step 1: Identify the external entitiesStep 2: Identify high-level process(es).Step 3: Identify date stores. Step 4: Build an Event-Agent-Data Store (EAD) table. (Optional)Step 5: Draw Context Diagram (using the EAD table).Step 6: Draw the data flow (using the EAD table).Step 7: Repeat steps for more detailed layers
What is the "happy path" in a normal course?
Steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system because there are no problems or issues that arise when the steps are able to be followed.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a JAD Session?
Strength: Understand multiple perspectives at once & have user feedback wil documentation is being made Weaknesses: Facilitator required, can take valuable time from other work, and coordination required and group issues arise
What are the strengths and weaknesses of an interview?
Strengths Interviewee can respond freely and openly to questions and can be asked for more feedback. Questions can be adapted or reworded depending on the individual. Interviewee's nonverbal communication can be observed. Weaknesses Can be very time consuming and a costly fact-finding approach. The success of the interview is dependent on the analyst's human relation skills. It may be impractical due to the location of the interview.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Observations
Strengths: - Data gathered may be highly reliable. -Can see exactly what is being done. - Relatively inexpensive (compared with other fact-finding techniques). Weakness: - People may perform differently when being observed. - Work may vary in difficulty and volume. -Some activities may take place at odd times. - The tasks being observed are subject to various types of interruptions.
What are the strengths & weaknesses of the V-Model?
Strengths: -simple & straight forward - quality improves through the emphasis on testing - inc. quality assurance early on strengthens system quality Weaknesses: - Rigid - Difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
Waterfall Methodology Assessment
Strengths: • System requirements identified long before construction begins • Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed Weaknesses: • Must wait a long time before there is "visible" evidence of the new system • Takes a long time from start to finish Variations of the traditional waterfall development • Parallel Development • V-model
What are the strengths and weaknesses of system prototyping?
Strengths: provides a system for users to assess, as well as giving a clear sign of progress being made along the development cycle. Weaknesses: Lack of careful analysis before making design decisions. The prototypes can have design limitations that are a result of a failure to understand the system's true purpose.
What are strengths and weaknesses of using questionnaires?
Strengths: quick answers, relatively inexpensive, anonymity, can be quickly analyzed and tabulated. Weaknesses: low response, incomplete ones may be useless, usually inflexible, cannot observe individual, no clarification if necessary, may be improperly designed.
What is structured analysis?
Structured analysis is a technique used to analyze and model complex systems. It involves breaking down the system into smaller components and identifying the relationships between them. Structured analysis is useful for understanding the system's requirements and can help ensure that the system is designed to meet the user's needs.
What does the parallel development methodology do?
Subdivide the project into subprojects that can be worked on at the same time reducing the overall project length
Give three examples of business needs for a system.
Supporting a new marketing campaign Reaching out to a new type of customer Improving interactions with suppliers
What are the two ways that a team can work on a project?
Synchronously - Meeting in person, meeting on Google Docs, Screen sharing on various applications such as Discord, Skype, Zoom, Slack - Benefits: Full input, creativity, quick response/feedback - Disadvantages: Scheduling, lost efficiency Divide and conquer - Meeting to only decide how the work will be divided, then work is completed individually. Once work is done, everything is combined at the end after approval - Benefits: Efficient, scheduling, allows people to focus on their one task - Disadvantages: Slow feedback and responses, decision making can take a while
What is the difference between syntax and semantic errors in DFDs?
Syntax: the structure of the DFDs and if the diagram follows the rules of the diagram language. These errors are typically made by the creator. Semantic: meaning of the DFDs and if they correctly describe the business process that is being modeled. These errors are typically made by the analyst who is collecting, analyzing and reporting the system's information.
What does SDLC stand for and what is it?
System Development Life Cycle is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system. SDLC encompasses various phases, including requirements analysis, system design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance, with the goal projects being completed on time, within budget, and meet the desired quality and functionality standards.
What is the primary output of the analysis phase?
System Proposal
What is the final deliverable of the analysis phase?
System Proposal, which includes + Detailed requirements definition statements + Use cases + Process model + Data model + Revised feasibility analysis and work plan
What is System Prototyping?
System Prototyping performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the user for evaluation and feedback.
What predominant Methodology would be concerned with making sure the system doesn't crash?
System Reliability
The normal sequence of SDLC phase outputs (from beginning to end) would be:
System Request; System Proposal; System Specifications; and Installed System.
What is the system proposal often accompanied by during the Analysis phase?
System Walk-Through presentation
What are the six different roles as a system analyst?
System analyst Focus: IS issues surrounding the system and have significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming. Function: Develops ideas and suggestions for ways that IT can support and improve business processes, help design new business processes supported by IT, design the new information system, and ensure that all IS standards are maintained. Skills: Significant training and experience in analysis and design and in programming Business analyst Focus: Business issues surrounding the system Function: Helps to identify the business value that the system will create, develops ideas for improving the business processes, and helps design new business processes and policies. Skills: Business training and experience, plus knowledge of analysis and design. Requirements analysts Focus: Brings out the requirements from the stakeholders associated with the new system. Skills: Understand the business well, excellent communicators, and are highly skilled in an array of requirements elicitation techniques. Infrastructure Analyst Focus: Technical issues surrounding the ways the system will interact with the organization's technical infrastructure. Function: Ensures
What is the deliverable of the analysis phase?
System proposal - it is the document compiling the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan.
What is the last deliverable in the analysis stage?
System proposal, which details the requirements definition, use cases, and models, which are collectively sent over to the an approval committee
What is the difference between system prototyping and throwaway prototyping?
System prototyping builds the final system from the prototypes used while throwaway prototyping does not include the prototypes used in its final system.
Which three methodologies work best when there are unclear user requirements?
System prototyping, Throwaway prototyping, and Agile development
Systems development typically starts with
System request
What are the deliverables of the planning phase?
System request & project plan
Elements of a system request:
System requests are comprised of five major elements: the project sponsor, business need, business requirements, business value, and the special issues or constraints that might arise.
Strengths of Waterfall Development
System requirements identified long before construction begins Requirements are "frozen" as project proceeds - no moving targets allowed
- Functional: specify the support the system will provide to the user in fulfilling his/her work tasks - Non-functional: includes important behavioral properties that the system must have
System requirements: functional vs non-functional
What is the deliverable of the design phase?
System specifications
Which of the meaning of SDLC?
Systems Development Life Cycle
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) -Planning： 1. Project Initiation: During project initiation, the system's business value to the organization is identified; how will it contribute to the organization's future success? The system request and feasibility analysis are presented to an information systems approval committee (sometimes called a steering committee ), which decides whether the project should be undertaken. 2. Set Up the Project: Once the project is approved, it enters project management. -Analysis: 1. Determine Analysis Strategy: An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. Collect and Analyze Requirements: The next step is requirements gathering (e.g., through techniques such as interviews, group workshops, or questionnaires). 3. Prepare and Present System Proposal: The system proposal document is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision-makers (e.g., members of the approval committee) who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward. -Design: 1. Determine Design Strategy: This clarifies whether the company's own programmers will develop the system, whether its development will be outsourced to another firm
What the MAIN difference between systems prototyping and throwaway prototyping?
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
True
T/F: Top-down interview questions mean that the interviewer starts with broad, general issues and gradually works towards more specific questions.
A JAD session requires the most user time, effort, and coordination to complete out of all the requirements elicitation techniques. T/F
TRUE
What is the difference between tangible and intangible benefits?
Tangible benefits include revenue that system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales Intangible benefits are based on intuition and belief rather than on "hard number"
What is tangible benefit?
Tangible benefits include revenue that the system enables the organization to collect, such as increased sales.
Tangible benefits
Tangible benefits: can be quantified and measured easily • Increased sales • Cost Savings • Reductions in staff • Reductions in inventory • Reductions in IT costs • Better supplier prices
What are the tangible vs intangible benefits for an IS project and when are tangible benefits made?
Tangible- includes revenue that system enables organization to collect -- EX: increased Sales, reductions in staff, reductions in inventory, reductions in IT costs, and better supplier prices Intangible- Based on intuition and belief rather than on hard numbers -- EX: increased market share, increased brand recognition, higher-quality products, improved customer service, better supplier relations - tangible benefits are made after system implementation
A minimum, the information should include the duration of the task, the current statuses of the tasks, and the _________________
Task Dependencies
Feasibility Analysis includes three important categories:
Technical (can we build it?), Economic (will it provide business value, Should we build it?), and Organizational (if we build it, will it be used?).
Three categories of feasibility analysis
Technical Feasibility Economic Feasibility Organizational Feasibility
What feasibility approach uses the target question, "Can we build it?" Explain the factors of this approach.
Technical Feasibility - Familiarity with application, familiarity with technology, project size, and compatibility.
What are the 3 categories of a feasibility analysis?
Technical Feasibility(can we build it), Economic Feasibility(should we build it), Organizational Feasibility(if we build it, will they come?)
What are the three types of feasibility analysis?
Technical Feasibility: Can we build it? Economic Feasibility: should we build it? Organizational Feasibility: if we build it, will they com?
What are the three types of feasibility analysis?
Technical feasibility = is to assess the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group. economic feasibility =Attempt to answer the questions "should we build the system". Identifies the cost and benefits associated with the system. organizational feasibility =Measures how well the system ultimately will be accepted by its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis, and what do they entail?
Technical feasibility assesses whether the technology needed for the project is available. Economic feasibility evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the project. Organizational feasibility assesses whether the project aligns with organizational goals and culture
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical feasibility: Can we build it? - the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group; Economic feasibility: Should we build it? - determined by identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring the financial worthiness of the project (also known as cost-benefit analysis; Organizational feasibility: If we build it, will they come? - how well the system ultimately will be accepted bu=y its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization
What are the 6 major skills categories of a Systems Analyst?
Technical, Business, Analytical, Interpersonal, Management, Ethical skills
What are the six general skills all project team members should have?
Technical, Business, Analytical, Interpersonal, Management, and Ethical skills
What are the 3 types of feasibility analysis?
Technical, Economic, Organizational
What are three types of feasibility?
Technical, economic, and organizational
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical,Economic, and Organizational
Three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail
Technical- Is it possible to actually complete it? Economic- is it financially viable Organizational- does completing the action align with our beliefs/message?
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis?
Technical: Can we build it? - familiarity with application/technology - project size - compatibility Economical: Should we build it? - development costs - annual operating costs and benefits - intangible benefits and costs Organizational: If we build it, will they continue? - is the project strategically aligned with the business? - project champion(s), senior management, users, other stakeholders
What is duration analysis?
Tell us how long the process the whole process would take, and how long the specific steps would take. During this process you can choose which activities need to be shortened.
Which of the following trigger type(s) is initiated after a set duration of time?
Temporal
What are the two types of event triggers?
Temporal and External
What are two types of triggers and how are the different?
Temporal are based on time passage while and external triggers are caused by an outside entity or event
Temporal Triggers vs External Triggers
Temporal is a schedule or time-based reaction to an event. External is a response or action when a specific action occurs
What are the two possible types for a use case?
Temporal or External
What is the difference between temporal and external triggers?
Temporal trigger- is a time-based trigger that occurs based on a time frame, rather than an external event. An example might be sending an email about special offers once a week on Tuesday morning or paying a monthly bill External trigger- trigger is an action-based trigger, set in motion by some event outside of the system. An example can be a patient calling the doctor for an appointment.
Temporal vs external triggers
Temporal triggers - Where the event is time‐based. such as eBook becoming overdue at the library or it's time to process the weekly payroll External - events that occur outside system - Not time based
Temporal vs External triggers:
Temporal triggers are time-based, external triggers are those that require the input of an actor regardless of whether the actor is a person, or another system.
Temporal triggers vs External triggers
Temporal- Events based on time or timing-related parameters i.e. scheduled updates/backups, email reminders for meetings External triggers: Events or conditions that come from outside the system i.e. security alarms, ordering, phone notifications.
What does the V Model focus primarily on?
Testing
What is the purpose of a context diagram
The "big picture" of the system with external entities and only one process
What are the four parts to the systems development life cycle?
The 4 parts of a systems development life cycle are Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation.
What is an entity relationship diagram (ERD)?
The ERD shows what information is used in the system. It also shows the relationships between different entities.
What is Net Present Value?
The NPV is simply the difference between the total present value of the benefits and the total present value of the costs. As long as the NPV is greater than zero, the project is considered economically acceptable. NPV = Sum of PV of Total Benefits - Sum of Present Value of Total Costs
The main difference between the Parallel Development Methodology and the Iterative Development Methodology is that:
The Parallel Methodology will have sub-projects and the Iterative Methodology will have various releases
What is the most straightforward requirements analysis strategy and how is it completed?
The Problem Analysis -Asks users and managers to identify problems with the as-is system -Most users have a good idea of what kind of changes they would like to see implemented into a system.
Who is the leader of a project?
The Project Manager. The leader of a project is normally NOT the sponsor because the project sponsor is typically the one requesting the project. The project manager is responsible for heading up the project and being the point person to define and shape the progress and direction of the project.
False - it is the process of determining how an IS. can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
The SDLC is a feasibility model. True or False?
4 Stage of the SDLC:
The SDLC is the systems development life cycle and is made up of four stages. These stages are: 1. Planning, this stage is where we find out why the system should be built and we determine how the team will go about building it. 2. Analysis, in this stage we answer the following queations; who will be using the system, what the system will do, as well as where and when the system will be used. 3. Design, the design phase dtermies how the system will operate in technical terms. These include, hardware, software, and network infastructure. 4. Implementation, this is the phase in which the system is actually built. This phase includes system construction, installation, and support.
What are the benefits and weaknesses of having a V-Model?
The V-Model is simple and straight forward. Each part of testing is linked to the Analysis and Design phase where it helps ensure high quality and relevant testing. Weaknesses include the rigid process of waterfall development and might not always be appropriate for the dynamic nature of a business environment.
What is a work breakdown structure and a project work plan
The WBS is the tool for breaking down a project into its component parts. A project plan is a structured list of all the tasks an associated activities needed to complete a project, along with timescales
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating...
The activities that are speech and the system's responses
What is the System Proposal?
The analyses, system concept, requirements, and models are combined into a document called the system proposal, which is presented to the project sponsor and other key decision makers who will decide whether the project should continue to move forward.
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include?
The analysis phase of your project should result in three important deliverables: a business requirements report, a conceptual system design plan, and high-level strategy documents for the entire process.
A survey found that 37% of fortune 500 companies software product users felt it met their needs. What phase could more attention have been given to?
The analysis phase: It is here that major elements of the system begin to emerge.
What is the purpose of an approval committee? Who is usually on this committee?
The approval committee is usually the decision making body regarding business investments in information systems projects. The committee could be any of the following: Company steering committee that makes information systems decisions Senior executive who controls organizational resources Another decision-making body that governs use of business investments. This committee is usually diverse in organizational representation, this can help in preventing the allocation of resources that will serve only narrow organizational interests.
Who is considered the "portfolio manager"
The approval committee, who determine the costs and b of projects.
Three steps/goals of the Analysis Phase
The basic process of analysis involves three steps: 1. Understand the existing situation (the as-is system). 2. Identify improvements. 3. Define requirements for the new system (the to-be system).
What are the benefits of a business process model?
The benefits include: enhanced process agility, process alignment with industry "best practices" and increased process efficiencies.
What is business value?
The benefits that the system will create for the organization.
What is Break-Even point?
The break-even point (also called the payback method) is defined as the number of years it takes a firm to recover its original investment in the project from net cash flows.
Business need
The business-related reason for initiating the system
Which element is never included in Context Diagram
The data store element
What is the deliverable of the Analysis phase and what does it include?
The deliverable is the system proposal. It includes an updated feasibility analysis and work plans, requirement definition document, use cases, process data models, and/or OO equivalent
What is the purpose of design phase of the SDLC?
The design phase decides how the system will operate in term of hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be in place such as user interface, forms, programs, databases, and files.
Why are cash flow projections, ROI, and BEP calculations inherently weak against the discounted cash flow technique?
The discounted cash flow technique takes the time value of money into consideration
Who is the project sponsor?
The driving force behind a project, specifies overall business requirements, determines business value and formally requests the project via a Systems Request. The project sponsor is not the systems analyst or the project manager. Provides funds and back the project
What is scope creep?
The expansion of user expectations and increase in system requirements during the project.
What is the key point in root cause analysis?
The key point in root cause analysis is to always challenge the obvious and dig into the problem deeply enough that the true underlying cause(s) is revealed
Define technical feasibility.
The extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT Group. It basically measures how well the proposed system solves the problems stated by the customer. Strives to answer the question, "Can we build it?"
What is strategic alignment?
The fit between the project and business strategy - the greater the alignment, the less risky the project will be from an organizational feasibility perspective.
Elements of systems request
The five elements of system request is Project Sponsor, Business need, Business requirements, business value, and special issues or constraints. 1. Project Sponsor is the person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side. 2. Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system. 3. Business requirements is the new or enhanced business capabilities that the system will provide. 4. Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization. 5. Special issues or constraints is the issues that pertain to the approval committee's decision.
4 stages of SDLC:
The four stages of SDLC are planning, analysis, design, and implementation. The planning phase focuses on questions like why you are building the system and how the project will be structured. Analysis focuses on questions like the who, what, where, when and why of the project. Design is more about how the system itself will work, and implementation is focusing on what the end result will be when everything is put into place.
What is the goal of use case analysis?
The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is the goal of use case analysis?
The goal is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system. It assists in understanding the system's functionalities, requirements, and how it fulfills user needs.
What is the goal of a use case analysis?
The goal of a use case analysis is to create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
Pros and Cons of DFD:
The graphical representation is easy to understand It clearly shows how the data flow and transmitted through the process Takes time to generate, especially to expand the diagram to a higher level
Context Level Diagram
The highest level data flow diagramming that contains the least amount of detail. It is used to represent the system, its boundary and the external entities that interact with the system
What is the purpose of the inputs and outputs section of the use case?
The inputs and outputs section in a use case document defines requirements, boundaries, facilitates communication and testing, and specifies necessary data and results, making it crucial for functionality and validation.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's level 0 diagram.
The level 0 diagram shows all the major processes at the first level of numbering. Shows how the major processes are interrelated by data flows. Shows external entities and the major processes with which they interact.
What is the purpose of a level 1 data flow diagram?
The level 1 DFD shows how each process operates in greater detail. Each process on the level 0 DFD must be decomposed into a more explicit DFD, called a level 1 diagram.
Distinguish between logical process modes and physical process models
The logical process models serve to describe the process without the suggestion of construction. Physical process models give the necessary information for building the system.
System Proposal
The main deliverable of the analysis phase is the ______ ________ which includes a feasibility analysis and work plan, requirement definition document, use cases, and process/data models.
What are the detailed elements of a use case?
The normal course is the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. List BOTH actions of the actor (user / external system) AND the system's response to those actions Exceptions are error conditions encountered while performing use case steps Preconditions define what must be complete before beginning the use case. Postconditions define what is complete when the use case ends.
What is the source of technical risk pertaining to project size?
The number of people, time frame, distinct features
What is the difference between waterfall development and parallel development methodologies?
The parallel development methodologies evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development because the waterfall method requires each part to be completed to more on to the next step. The parallel method is made to allow multiple portions to be developed and tested at the same time. Waterfall - steps are frozen until completed entirely and does not allow users to work ahead Parallel - Reduces the need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing
What are some benefits and weaknesses of the Parallel and V model development methodologies?
The parallel reduces the overall time of the project, but might take longer in design because it will need to be compatible later on, and in implementation because of the combination at the end. The V model is straightforward, and easy to use and includes quality assurance, but it is very rigid and difficult to use in a dynamic business environment.
What is a project sponsor?
The person that initiated the project and is the primary point of contact for the business.
What is a Project Sponsor?
The person who drives the project and provides key requirements.
role a project sponsor
The person who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for the project on the business side
How many steps does Planning phase have? and what are they?
The planning phase has 2 steps: 1) Project initiation -system's business value is identified -system request -feasibility analysis (can we build it?)(will it provide value?)(if we build it will w=it be used?) - enters the approval committee to determine the feasibility 2) after approval it enters project management - project manager creates a work plan -staffs project -set techniques to help control -project work plan * how the project team will go about developing system
What phase of the SDLC has a feasibility analysis? What are they called and what are they about?
The planning phase has a feasibility analysis. The 3 types of feasibility studies are technical, economic, and organizational. -Technical: the extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed by the IT group -Economic: identifying costs and benefits associated with the system, assigning values to them, calculating future cash flows, and measuring the financial worthiness of the project. -Organizational: how well the system ultimately will be accepted by its users and incorporated into the ongoing operations of the organization.
What is the planning phase?
The planning phase is a fundamental process that details the why for for building an information system and the steps in how the system will be build. The planning phase entails two steps: 1. Project Initiation identifies the added business value to the business. Most ideas for new systems come from outside the Information System Department and are recorded on a system request. The systems requests documents the business need for building the system and the value that the system will provide through addressing then need. The IS Department will work alongside the project sponsor to conduct a feasibility analysis. The feasibility analysis examines the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility. The system request and feasibility are then presented together to an IS approval committee, who will determine if the project will be undertaken. 2. Project Management is a stage where the project manager will create the project work plan, staff the project, and strategically put techniques in place to help in controlling and directing the project. The project plan is a deliverable for project management that details how the team will develop the system through the systems development lif
Four stages of the SDLC - what are they called and what generally happens in each one
The planning phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built and determining how the project team will go about building it. It has two steps: 1. During project initiation , the system's business value to the organization is identified— how will it contribute to the organization's future success? 2. Once the project is approved, it enters project management. During project management, the project manager creates a workplan , staff s the project, and puts techniques in place to help control and direct the project through the entire SDLC The analysis phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used. During this phase, the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three steps: 1. An analysis strategy is developed to guide the project team's efforts. 2. The next step is requirements gathering 3. System proposal: The analyses, system concept, requirements, and models are combined into a document The design phase decides how the system will operate in terms of the hardware, soft w
If you are making a project plan what step in the SDLC are you working on?
The planning step
How do postconditions relate to the next use case in the series?
The postconditions for one use case serves to define the preconditions for the next use case
What is the primary purpose of a Data Flow Diagram (DFD) in system analysis?
The primary purpose of a DFD is to represent the flow of data within a system, showing processes, data stores, data flows, and external entities.
Why is it important to state the priority level for a use case?
The priority level of a use case identifies its significance and allows for immediate identification of essential use cases
Why is it important to state the priority level for a use case?
The priority level of a use case identifies the relative significance of the use case in the system. They are classified as high, medium, or low.
What is project estimation?
The process of assigning projected values for time and effort
systems development life cycle
The process of determining how an information system can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
What is a project charter
The project charter lists the project's norms and ground rules. For example, the charter may describe when the project team should be at work, when staff meetings will be held, how the group will communicate with each other, and the procedures for updating the work plan as tasks are completed.
What are the three critical aspects Project managers have to deal with?
The project management triangle visualizes the problem of "triple constraints"—the need to balance scope, cost, and time in order to maintain a high-quality final product.
What are 3 elements that a project manager must balance?
The project manager must balance the project cost, project size, and project time. Often, only 2 elements of the triad can be selected.
Duties of a project manager
The project manager must make a myriad of decisions regarding the project, including determining the best project methodology, developing a work plan for the project, determining a staffing plan, and establishing mechanisms to coordinate and control the project.
Describe the roles of the project sponsor and the approval committee.
The project sponsor has an interest in the system's success. They develop the initial vision of the new system and works throughout the SDLC to make sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business and serves and the primary point of contact for the project team. Usually from marketing, accounting, or finance, but can be from IT. Approval committee reviews the complete system request and makes an initial determination, based on the information provided, of whether to investigate the proposed project or not.
Why might the project sponsor not be someone who works in IT?
The project sponsor has to make sure that the project aligns with the business needs and the business perspective, which at times, the person in IT might not be the best fit. It is better to have someone who is apart of the business functions in the organization such as someone who works in the Marketing, Accounting, or Finance department.
What does the project sponsor do?
The project sponsor is the person who commissions a project and explains the requirements and needs of a project.
What is the role of the project sponsor?
The project sponsor works with the project management team, especially helping with project matters such as funding, scope clarification, progress monitoring, and influencing others in order to benefit the project.
Role of the project sponsor, and why IT is not always the project sponsor
The project sponsor: - often develops the initial vision of the new system - makes sure the project is moving in the right direction from the perspective of the business - serves as primary point of contact for the project team One of the project sponsor's goal is to make sure the project is in line with the business perspective. Therefore the project sponsor should come from a business function such as marketing, accounting, or finance. This explains why IT is not always the project sponsor. An IT person may not be very knowledgeable about the business and its operation - the project should be based on a business need, not just on technology. Often the IT department is not familiar with all of the needs or processes in other departments. The project sponsor will usually have a great level of understanding which can help develop new systems for specific business purposes.
What are the three categories of feasibility analysis and what they entail?
The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?) The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
1. What is the project work plan?
The project work plan is a table that lists all the tasks in the work breakdown structure, along with important task information such as the people who are assigned to perform the tasks, the actual hours that the tasks took, and the variances between estimated and actual completion times.
What is the project work plan?
The project work plan is the mechanism used to manage the task that are listed in the work breakdown structure.
What is especially useful about a system prototype methodology ?
The prototype methodologies allow you to get a rough product in the hands of the end users, and produces important feedback that allows for the system to be more geared to the user.
Why is it important to know exactly what state the system should be in before the use case can begin?
The purpose is for precondition and postcondition sections of the use case, where preconditions define the state the system must be in before the use case commences. Postconditions serve as the final product of the use case.
What is the purpose of a use case?
The purpose of a use case is to express and clarify user requirements
What is the purpose of the inputs and outputs section of the use case?
The purpose of the inputs and outputs section is to list all inputs and associated sources, and outputs and associated destinations for the proposed system.
What is the purpose of a level 0 DFD and how many do all process model have?
The purpose of the level 0 DFD is to show all the major high - level process of the system and how they relate to each other ad store data One.
What is the purpose of a level 0 DFD and how many do all process models have?
The purpose of the level 0 DFD is to show all the major high - level processes of the system and how they relate to each other and stored data. All process models have one and only one level 0 DFD
What is the normal course element of a use case?
The set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event.
What are three main things that project managers have to balance?
The size of the system, the time to complete the project, and the cost of the project
What happens during System Construction?
The system is built and tested to make sure it performs as designed.
What is the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is the process of determining how an information system(IS) can support business needs, designing the system, building it, and delivering it to users.
What are the 3 categories of feasibility analysis?
The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?) The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
What are three key aspects examined the the feasibility analysis?
The technical feasibility, the economic feasibility, and the organizational feasibility.
What are the three main things project managers have to balance?
The three main things project managers have to balance are size, time, and cost.
Explain the meaning and purpose of a process model's context diagram.
The top level DFD in every business process model. It shows the entire system in context with its environment.
What are the two types of functional requirements? What are the four types of non-functional requirements?
The two types of functional requirements are process-oriented and information-oriented. The four types of non-functional requirements are operational, performance, security, cultural and political.
How can the work breakdown structure be organized?
The work breakdown structure can be organized in one of two ways: by SDLC phase or by product.
How many steps make up the building of a DFD? What are they?
There are 7 steps associated with this process 1. Identify external entities 2. Identify high-level process(es) 3. Identify data store 4. Build an Event-Agent-Data store (EAD) table; This step is optional 5. Draw the context diagram (Using the EAD Table) 6. Draw the dataflow (Using the EAD Table) 7. Repeat steps for more detailed layers (Level 1.1, 1.2, etc)
In what case are questionnaires preferable over interviews?
There are a large number of users outside of the organization whose input is valuable
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels might give more detail.
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels then give more detail.
What is the purpose of a context diagram?
There are several levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire system in context with the environment. Lower levels then give more details. A context diagram shows the overall business process, without data stores. It also shows the external entities, which are the who or what that interact with the system in the said environment.
How many phases does the Planning phase have? What are they?
There are two distinct phases in a project's lifecycle: Project initiation, which focuses on recognizing the system's value to the organization, and Project Management, during which the project manager formulates a task schedule, assembles the project team, and implements strategies to oversee and guide the project effectively.
Why is it so common for large system development projects to fail?
There may be Missed Deadlines, Scope Creep, Poor Planning, etc. It all comes down to whether the project was correctly and carefully planned and whether the organization stuck to the plan.
Why are use cases useful?
They allow for multiple users to look at it and understand the elements that are required. They provide a guide of how a part of a system is to function.
How are process model and data flow diagram related?
They are related because the process model is the main concept in structured analysis and design also known as a design flow diagram. In every process it transforms the input into output and also the arrow in the process shows the direction of the flow.
What is the purpose of a use case?
They are used to determine how users perform tasks through the system, along with any interactions with other users or systems.
How can the processes be throughout the Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)?
They can be manual or computerized.
How do Project Teams draw process models?
They draw process models using process modeling tools or CASE tools.
What does the maintenance of a system entail?
This phase involves ongoing maintenance and support of the system, including bug fixes, updates, and enhancements. This requires a deep understanding of the system's architecture and underlying technologies, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure that the system continues to meet their needs and expectations.
What skills are important for a Systems Analyst to have?
They need to understand what to change, how to change it and convince others of the need for change. This person develops Ideas and suggestions for ways that IT can support and improve business processes, helps design new business processes supported by IT, designs the new information system, and ensures that all IS standards are maintained. They must also be able to communicate effectively with both technical and business people.
Why are project charters important?
They provide a guideline/schedule of how a project should progress. Without it there is a chance that steps are delayed and the whole project becomes delayed. By ensuring that it follows a set schedule, it allows for a smoother process for the project
What is the waterfall development methodology?
This is when a project team proceeds sequentially from one phase to the next. Once work is produced in one phase and approved it is aloud to move to the next.
What is a fully dressed use case?
This means that the use case is very thorough, detailed, and highly structured.
What is a fully dressed use case
This means that the use case very thorough, detailed, and highly structured.
What is timeboxing?
This technique sets a fixed deadline for a project, ensuring the most critical requirements of the software are deployed in a timely manner, with enhancements coming later if needed, and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if the functionality needs to be reduced.
What is timeboxing?
This technique. sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced
- Project size: the size of the system (what it does) - Project time: the time to complete the project (when it will be finished) - Project cost: Cost of the project
Three main things that project managers have to balance
The goal and three steps of the Analysis Phase:
Three steps: 1. Understand the current situation (e.g., "As-Is" system)-<Problem Analysis> 2. Identify Improvements-<Root Cause Analysis> 3. Define requirements and concepts of the new system-<Duration Analysis> The goal of the Analysis Phase: The goal is for the systems analyst works extensively with the business users of the new system to understand their needs from the new system.
What are the common ways to obtain information for use cases?
Through interviews and JAD sessions. Observation also is sometimes used for as-is use cases. Interviews are also used in effort to clarify use cases. Questionnaires are used as well.
What are the 3 main things that project managers must balance?
Time Cost Scope
What is the fastest way to complete a project deadline even with reduced functionality?
Timeboxing
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality is reduced
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system even if functionality needs to be reduced.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique that sets a fixed deadline for a project, minimizing risk for indefinite improvements and allowing for expedited project completion.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is a technique used that ensures that developers do not get hung up on putting finishing touches on projects by establishing a deadline and turning in a project with core functionality, even if its functionality must be reduced. This is a hard deadline and all parts that have been completed must be turned in no matter what.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is creating a hard deadline for a project, regardless of current progress. This could mean having to reducing functionality or utility of the project.
How does timeboxing work?
Timeboxing sets a fixed deadline for a project and ensures that the system will be delivered by the deadline no matter what, even if functionality will need to be cut. Important day-to-day functions are developed before other less used features
What is the goal of a use case?
To create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that user need to perform using the system
Creating the Context Diagram
To create the context diagram, you simply draw one process symbol for the business process or system being modeled. Then add the inputs and outputs listed on the Use Case forms.
What is the goal of Joint Application Development (JAD)?
To produce complete requirements definition document
What is the role of the project sponsor?
To provide interest and motivation in pushing the system's success forward. May also provide a bridge between end users and system developers. Develops the initial vision of the new system. Works throughout the SDLC to make sure the project is moving in the right direction. Project sponsor is usually from a business function such as marketing, accounting, or finance.
1. Describe the Context Diagram
Top-level DFD in every process model Shows the context into which the business process fits Shows the overall business process as just 1 process (process "zero") Shows all external entities that received information from or contributed to the system
The science (or art) of project management is in making ___________ of size, time and cost.
Trade-offs
Risk Transfer (insure or share)
Transfer or share the risk to/with a third-party
Important components of a use case include:
Trigger - the event that causes the use case to begin. Events triggers can be external or temporal Actor- refers to a person(s) (or another system) that interacts with the system to achieve a useful goal The normal course - the set of major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event. Exceptions - error conditions encountered while performing use case steps. Preconditions - define what must be complete before beginning the use case. Postconditions - define what is complete when the use case ends.
Which is not an element of a use case?
Trigger, Actor, Major inputs/outputs, steps, Relationship Not an element: Relationship
True or False: Every DFD process has at least one input data flow?
True Data must always be flowing into each process.
Is the statement below true or false? The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. Each part of the SDLC is carefully completed before moving on to next step.
True (Waterfall Development Methodology focuses on Moving from phase to phase. Emphasis on deliverables from one phase flowing into the next phase)
Most important purpose of the requirements definition is to define the scope of the system. True or False
True - Creating the initial scope of work to be done is the purpose of the requirements definition
True or False: There are two fundamentally different types of problems that can occur in DFDs: syntax errors and semantics errors
True - In Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs), there are two different types of errors that can occur: syntax errors and semantics errors.Syntax errors involve violations of the DFD notation or grammar rules, while Semantics errors, on the other hand, are errors related to the meaning or logic of the DFD.
True or False, Rapid application development is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations.
True - RAD was developed to address the shortcomings of waterfall by becoming more flexible and allowing for a better customer approach.
One problem of the JAD technique is that sometimes people are reluctant to challenge the opinions of others, few people dominate convo, and not everyone participates (T/F)
True - can run in to typical groupwork issues, such as groupthink, hesitancy to share opinions or information, lack of consensus when sticking to initial individual preferences, etc.
Timeboxing ensures that the teams do not get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely (T/F)
True - the goal is to complete the essential aspects of a task within the allocated time.
True
True or False? Development costs and operational costs are both tangible.
A data store is a collection of data that is stored in some way (which is determined later when creating the physical model) True or False
True, A data store is a repository for persistently storing and managing collections of data which include not just repositories like databases, but also simpler store types such as simple files, emails etc
True or False: Use cases are means of expressing user requirements?
True, The statement is true because use cases are indeed a means of capturing the requirements of a system. Use cases describe the interactions between users and the system, outlining the desired functionality and behavior of the system.
True of False, risk and cost are two way to classify a project.
True.
T/F: Key stakeholders are the people who can affect the system or who will be affected by the system.
True. This can include managers, employees, staff members, and even some customers and suppliers.
Context diagrams never show data stores. (True/False)
True. The context diagram shows the overall business process as just one process (i.e., the system itself) and shows the data flows to and from external entities. Data stores usually are not included on the context diagram, unless they are "owned" by systems or processes other than the one being documented.
Parallel Development and V-model are variations of the traditional Waterfall Development. (True/False)
True. All believe a phase should be complete before moving on to the next phase.
A use case is a description of how a system interacts with its environment by illustrating the activities that are performed by the users of the system and the system's responses. ( True or False)
True. Answer is true because a use case certainly tells a description how a system works out with the environment setting. And so explains answer is True.
True or False: The parallel development methodologies evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development.
True: Because the waterfall method requires each part to be completed to more on to the next step, the parallel method is made to allow multiple portions to be developed and tested at the same time
True or False: The project sponsor is NOT the systems analyst nor the project manager.
True: Driving force behind project Specifies overall business requirements Determines business value Formally requests a project via the System Request
True or False: The numbering in a DFD Level 2 would include two dots like this 1.3.2
True: The number of level = number of dots. It is supposed to make it easer when people are looking at different level diagrams.
Level 1 processes always have one parent number "dot" unique number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) (True/False)
True; This is when the level 0 diagram (parent) is decomposed into its separate Level 1 diagrams
What are the two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements?
Two Types of Functional Requirements 1.) Process-Oriented: A process the system must perform; a process the system must do. It suggests a direct action resulting from an external or temporal event Ex.) The system must allow registered customers to review their own order history for the past 3 years; The system must check incoming customer orders for inventory availability; The system should allow students to view course schedules while registering for classes 2.) Information-Oriented: Information the system must contain. It suggests things that happen involving information or time triggers to collect or produce information Ex.) The system must retain customer order history for 3 years; The system must include real-time inventory levels at all warehouses; The system must include budgeted and actual sales and expense amount for the current year and 3 previous years. Four types of Nonfunctional Requirements 1.) Operational: The physical and technical environments in which the system will operate. Ex.) The system will run on Android mobile devices; The system should be able to integrate with the existing inventory system; The system should be compatible with any Web browser. 2.) Performance
2 types of Functional Requirements: 1. Process-oriented: a process the system must perform/do 2. Information-oriented: information the system must contain 4 types of Non-Functional Requirement: 1. Operational: the physical and technical environments in which the system will operate 2. Performance: the speed, capacity, and reliability of the system 3. Security: who has authorized access to the system under what circumstances 4. Cultural and Political: cultural and political factors and legal requirements that affects the system
Two types of functional and four types of non-functional system requirements
What are the two types of functional requirements?
Two types: A process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task, or Information the system should provide as the user performs a task
What are the three goals of the Analysis Phase?
Understand the current situation, identify improvements, and define requirements/concepts of the new system
What is the difference between a structured interview and an unstructured interview?
Unstructured seek a broad and roughly defined set of information with few closed-ended questions, while structured have specific question sets that are developed prior to interviews.
What are sections found in a Use Case Document?
Use Case Name, ID, Priority, Actor, Description, Trigger, Type, Preconditions, Normal Course, Postconditions
For very simple processes that are well explained in the requirements definition, it is not necessary to create a
Use case Use cases are created whenever we are reengineering processes or making any changes to business processes that will significantly alter the way people work.
What is the relationship between the use case and system requirements?
Use case are useful tools to clarify requirements Use cases convey only the user's point of view Transforming user's view into the developer's view through functional requirements is one of the system analyst's key contributions The derived functional requirements tell the developer more about what the system must do
What is use case driven?
Use case driven means that use cases are the primary modeling tool employed to define the behavior of the system.
What's the purpose of a use case?
Use cases are created to help the development team understand more fully the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals. Once created, use cases often can be used to derive more detailed functional requirements for the new system.
Why is it hard to determine a writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read and used by different groups of people, user/business experts and system development.
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers.
Why is it sometimes hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to system developers
Why is it hard to settle on an appropriate writing style for a use case?
Use cases are read by a wide variety of people, ranging from business users to systems developers.
What is the purpose of Use Cases?
Use cases are used to explain and document the interaction required between the user and the system to accomplish the user's task. Use cases are created to help the development team understand more fully the steps that are involved in accomplishing the user's goals.
What is the relationship between use cases and system requirements?
Use cases can help find system requirements but leave out specific details that need to be known before developing the system (only user's pov). So, a systems analyst must develop functional requirements by transforming the user's view into the developer's view.
What is the relationship between the use case and functional requirements?
Use cases clarify requirements and create more descriptive and complete functional requirements.
Relationship between use cases and system requirements
Use cases do explain the user's interaction with the system, but they omit a lot of details that are necessary to know before the system can be developed. To make it more detailed, system analyst must convey them into functional requirement.
What is the purpose of a use case?
Use cases express and clarify user requirements. They define the expected interaction between user and system. Used extensively in the analysis phase. Text-based use cases are easy for the users to understand.
What is the purpose of a use case?
Use cases help the whole project team to understand processes within the software. Clients can be involved easily, programmers are able to understand project objectives and figure out functionalities for the software. Use cases are interfaces between business and technology.
Relationship between use cases and system requirements
Use cases omit a lot of details that are necessary to know before the system can be developed. Use case only convey the user's point of view and not behind the scene processing details. the use case can be changed into developer case by creating a functional requirement is one of the most contributions that the systems analyst can make to the development project.
The relationship between use cases and data flow diagrams is:
Use cases tend to be developed with users to make sure the analyst has fully captured the processes and relationships; DFDs are built upon the use cases to more fully formally understand the processes involved.
Name two ways to motivate employees
Use monetary rewards (cautiously) Use intrinsic value
How do you number Level 1 Processes?
Use one dot to separate parent number from unique number
When should you preform an observation?
Use when the validity of data collected using other methods is in question, or Use when the complexity of certain aspects of the system prevents end-users from providing a clear explanation
In what situations are the questionnaires best used in gaining more information?
Used best when there is a large number of people,
Use cases express and clarify __________
User requirements
What is a strength of waterfall development?
Waterfall development is usually well structured, with all of its requirements and steps defined, remaining unchanged throughout the development cycle
What is the most common Development Methodology?
Waterfall development, which consists of the Parallel Development, and the V-model
What is the difference between Waterfall and Agile project management approaches?
Waterfall follows a sequential, step-by-step process, while Agile is iterative and adaptable to changing project needs.
Compare the Waterfall and Agile software development models. When is each model suitable?
Waterfall: Suitable for projects with clear requirements and predictable timelines. Agile: Ideal for evolving projects where requirements change frequently.
- Ensures group follows agenda - Defines technical terms / jargon surrounding the development process - Records the group's input on a public display area (whiteboard, flip chart, computer display)
What are 3 key functions a JAD facilitator performs?
Process, Data Flow, External Entities, Data store
What are four elements of DFD?
4 stages of the SDLC: Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are four stages of SDLC?
Operational costs are those tangible costs that are required to operate the system, such as the salaries for operations staff, software licensing fees, equipment upgrades, and cloud vendor fees. Operational costs are usually thought of as ongoing costs.
What are operational costs?
Pros: Challenging, Up-to-date technology, Variety of fields, Constant Change, Problem Solving, High paid salary Cons: Management's lack of communication/recognition, End-user mistakes and demands, Stress/pressure/burnout, Ever-changing business technology, Unrealistic deadlines
What are the "pros and cons" of an analysts work?
1. Technical - Can it be built 2. Economic - Should the system be built 3. Organizational - If the system is built, will users come
What are the 3 categories of a feasibility analysis?
Black holes, miracles, and gray holes
What are the 3 errors to avoid when creating DFDs?
Management's lack of communication/recognition End-user mistakes and demands Stress/pressure/burnout Ever-changing business technology Unrealistic deadlines
What are the cons of an analyst's work?
Logical process models describe process without suggesting how they are conducted; physical processes are models that provide information that is needed to ultimately build the system. Logical data model shows the organization of data without indicating how it is stored, created, or manipulated. Physical data model shows how the data will actually be stored in databases or files.
What are the differences between logical and physical process models?
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
What are the four stages of SDLC?
- Determine how many people should be assigned to the project - Matching skills with the needs - Motivating people to meet objectives - Minimizing any project team conflict that occurs
What are the goals of Staffing the Project?
Technical feasibility (can we build it?) · The extent to which the system can be successfully designed, developed, and installed Economic feasibility (will it provide business value?) · Identifies costs and benefits Organizational feasibility (if we build it, will it be used?) · Is the project strategically aligned with the business?
What are the three categories of the feasibility analysis?
Understanding the "as is" system, recognize improvements, and creating requirements for the "to be" system.
What are the three major steps in the analysis process?
1. External - A trigger that is started from outside of the system 2. Temporal - A trigger that is tipped based on a time-based event
What are the two different types of triggers?
The technical feasibility (Can we build it?) The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value? The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
What are three categories of feasibility analysis?
1. The satisfaction of working with a team 2. Seeing the positive impact of their work on the business
What are two things that drive a system analyst to do a good job?
There are two event trigger types: external triggers, like customer orders or fire alarms, and temporal triggers, which are time-based, such as overdue library e-books or weekly payroll processing.
What are two types of event triggers? Provide examples.
What is a trigger?
What causes a use case to begin
Elements of a systems request
What does a system request do? Describes business reasons for project, Defines system's expected value, Forces the sponsor to formalize his/her ideas, Lists project's key elements -- Elements: Project Sponsor, Business Need, Business Requirements, Business Value, Special Issues or Constraints
user requirements
What does a use case express?
definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan
What does the system proposal include?
Data stores
What is NOT included in context diagrams?
Rapid application development (RAD) is a collection of methodologies that emerged in response to the weaknesses of waterfall development and its variations. RAD incorporates special techniques and computer tools to speed up the analysis, design, and implementation phases in order to get some portion of the system developed quickly and into the hands of the users for evaluation and feedback.
What is Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
Motivation has been found to be the number one influence on people's performance but determining how to motivate is the difficult part.
What is a best practice for motivating people on the project team?
Feasibility analysis guides the organization in determining whether to proceed with the project. Feasibility analysis also identifies the important risks associated with the project that must be managed if the project is approved.
What is a feasability analysis?
A process that has outputs but no inputs
What is a miracle?
A) Follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more
What is a probing question? A) Follow up on what has just been discussed in order for the interviewer to learn more B) Ask the interviewer a question to learn more about them C) Seeks a more wide-ranging response from the interviewee D) Requires a specific answer
The project manager is often a seasoned systems analyst who, through training and experience, has acquired specialized project management knowledge and skills. The project manager role ensures that the project is completed on time and within budget and that the system delivers the expected value to the organization.
What is a project manager and what is their role?
A list of tasks where high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks. Each step is then broken down in turn and numbered in a hierarchical fashion.
What is a work breakdown structure?
- Identify what would happen if each organizational activity were eliminated - Insist that all activities are potentially eliminated, even if it seems preposterous - work to eliminate non-value added activities - it's best for redesigning the whole processes or "overhauling the whole system"
What is activity elimination?
D. System Request
What is an important deliverable pertaining to the planning phase? A. Data Flow Diagram (DFD) B. Use Case C. System Proposal D. System Request
What is a requirement?
What is necessary for the system to carry out and/or a necessary characteristic that must be available. Requirement is a condition or capability possessed by the software or system component in order to solve a real world problem. The problems can be to automate a part of a system, to correct shortcomings of an existing system, to control a device, and so on.
A methodology is a formalized approach to implementing the SDLC (i.e., it is a list of tasks, steps, and deliverables). There are many different systems development methodologies, and they vary in terms of the progression that is followed through the phases of the SDLC. Many organizations have their own in-house developed methodologies that explain exactly how each phase of the SDLC is to be performed in that company.
What is project methodology?
b) Data Sort
Which of the following is not component of DFDs? a) Data Store b) Data Sort c) External entity d) Data Flow e) All of the above
answer: d) economic feasibility
Which of the three categories of feasibility analysis deals with identifying the costs & and benefits and assigning values to those costs and benefits? a) technical feasibility b) organizational feasibility c) finance feasibility d) economic feasibility
C) A written description of the expected interaction between the user and the system.
Which of these describes a use case? A) A method that helps the developer specify the language the system will be written in. B) A function in a system C) A written description of the expected interaction between the user and the system.
answer: d) economic feasibility
Which one of the three categories of feasibility analysis deals with identifying the costs & and benefits and assigning values to those costs and benefits? a) technical feasibility b) organizational feasibility c) finance feasibility d) economic feasibility
B. Analysis
Which phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) has system proposal as its primary output? A. Planning B. Analysis C. Design D. Implementation
A. Duration analysis
Which requirements analysis strategy is known for examining the amount of time it takes to perform a process in an as-is system? A. Duration analysis B. Activity-based costing C. Informal benchmarking D. Outcome analysis
A) Whoever is using the system
Who is the actor in a use case? A) The system itself B) Whoever is using the system C) Who the system is built for D) Whoever benefits from the system
What is the name of a list of tasks hierarchly numbered?
Work Breakdown Structure
What are two team strategies?
Work Synchronously and divide and conquer
What is known as the backbone of a project work plan?
Work breakdown structure
What are a work breakdown structure and a project work plan
Work breakdown structure: a structured, top-down approach whereby high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks, numbered in a hierarchical fashion. It is the backbone of the project work plan. Project work plan: a dynamic schedule that records and keeps track of all of the tasks that need to be accomplished over the course of the project
What are two team strategies?
Work synchronously and divide and conquer
Two team strategies
Working synchronously Divide and conquer
Is it critically important to reassess feasibility throughout the project?
Yes, regularly reassessing feasibility throughout a project is critically important to ensure that the project remains viable and achievable within its constraints.
What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
a hierarchy of the tasks required to complete a project
4. Which of the following is a good way to motivate technical people? a) Recognition b) Unrealistic deadlines c) Poor work condition d) Failing to recognize good effort
a) Recognition
Testing pays explicit attention to a) V-model b) Waterfall C) Parallel D) Iterative
a) V-model
Which of these is the role of a systems analyst? a) develops ideas and suggestions for ways IT can support and improve business processes b) helps identify the business value that the system will create c) ensures that the new IS conforms to organizational standards and helps identify infrastructure changes that will be needed to support the system
a) a) develops ideas and suggestions for ways IT can support and improve business processes
The costs and benefits can be broken down into which categories:
a) development costs, b) operational costs, c) tangible benefits, d) intangibles. e) All of the above
What is root cause analysis (RCA)?
a) focuses on problems first rather than solutions. b) The analyst starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. c) Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem d) All of the above
What is root cause analysis (RCA)?
a) focuses on problems first rather than solutions. b) The analyst starts by having the users generate a list of problems with the current system, then prioritizes the problems in order of importance. c) Starting with the most important, the users and/or analysts generate all possible root causes for the problem d) None of the above e) All of the above
JAD stands for a) joint application development b) joint approval development c) joint action development d) joint agile development
a) joint application development
Logical data models: a) show the organization of data without indicating how the data is stored, created, or manipulated b) shows how the data will actually be stored in databases or files
a) shows the organization of data without indicating how the data is stored, created, or manipulated
What needs to be refined as the project progresses during the planning phase? a)the estimates b) the costs c)the plan d)the system
a) the estimates
Which of the following is not a conversion plan? a. Contingency plan b. Business Contingency Plan c. Migration Plan d. Training Plan
a. Contingency plan
Which of the following is NOT one of the project methodologies explained in Chapter 2? a. Forward-backward development (e.g., Prototype-User development, X-model) b. Agile development (e.g., XP, Scrum) c. Waterfall development (e.g., traditional, parallel development, V-model) d. Rapid application development (RAD) (e.g., iterative, system prototyping, throwaway prototyping)
a. Forward-backward development (e.g., Prototype-User development, X-model) Correct
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the external entity? a. It is represented by a noun and may include a description. b. It can ONLY be a person or an organization. c. It doesn't need to interact with the system. d. It cannot be a system.
a. It is represented by a noun and may include description.
Which of the following are some of the requirement gathering strategies explained in chapter 3? a. Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking b. Phone interviews, interface structuring, use case diagramming
a. Problem analysis, root cause analysis, informal benchmarking
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? a. System proposal b. Revised feasibility analysis c. Use case document d. Revised project work plan
a. System proposal
Which of the following is not part of the course? a. Team presentations b. Homework c. Team project d. Exams
a. Team presentations
Which of the following statements about the waterfall methodology is true? (Hint: We are using the Waterfall methodology for the case project in this course) a. The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. b. The waterfall methodology is iterative (i.e., cyclical) -- several rounds of planning, analysis, design, and implementation occur. c. The waterfall methodology is useful when organizations want to quickly develop a working prototype.
a. The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to analysis, to design, to implementation. Correct
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. Waterfall
What is not a con of System Analysis work? a. Challenging work b. Management's lack of communication c. Unrealistic deadlines d. Stressful e. All of the above
a. challenging work
In which of the following situation(s) we don't need to create use cases: a. simple events b. complex events c. fully-automated events d. None of them need to create use cases
a. simple events c. fully-automated events
Under Parallel Development Methodology, which one is true? a.) Reduce the overall project length b.) Move from phase to phase c.) Emphasizes system quality through test plan development d.) RAD approach
a.) Reduce the overall project length
1.Which is not a business need identified by BPM? a)Business Process Reengineering b)Business Process Modeling c)Business Process Automation d)Business Process Improvement
b
Michael is a system analyst who is determining business requirement. What would most likely is the SDLC phase for her? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Design d) Implementation e) Project plans are created in both Analysis and Design Phase
b) Analysis
Drawing a process without an output is what type of error? a) Miracle Error b) Black Hole c) Gray Hole d) Disaster Error
b) Black Hole
Which of the following is NOT a type of requirement to be defined during Analysis? a) Functional (system) requirement b) Business requirement c) Nonfunctional (system) requirement
b) Business requirement
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) Interviews
Which is not a step in the interview process? a) Designing Interview Questions b) Meditating before the Interview c) Preparing for the Interview d) Conducting the Interview
b) Meditating before the Interview
What is the top level DFD in every business model? a)data store b) context diagram c)external entity d)process description
b) context diagram
Which of the following is not a gathering strategy? a) outcome analysis b) cost-benefit analysis c) activity-based costing d) problem analysis
b) cost-benefit analysis
Which of the following accurately describes a work breakdown structure (WBS)? a. A document detailing stakeholder roles and responsibilities in a project. b. A hierarchical representation of project tasks, breaking them down into manageable components. c. A list of potential risks associated with a project. d. A timeline specifying project milestones and deadlines.
b. A hierarchical representation of project tasks, breaking them down into manageable components.
Which of the following is the single main deliverable of the analysis phase? a. Revised feasibility analysis b. System proposal c. Use case document d. Revised project work plan
b. System proposal
Use cases are especially valuable for _________ and __________. a. smartphone applications, social media b. business system applications, websites
b. business system applications, web sites
Which is not one of the three C's of teamwork? a. communication b. confidence c. conveyance d. convergence
b. confidence
CRUD is an acronym for _______ _______ ________ _______. a. crawl, right, under, desk b. create, read, update, delete c. create, ribbon, under, den d. carry, really, unstable, dreams
b. create, read, update, delete
What of the following statements is not a strength of the V-Model methodology? a. simple and straightforward b. easy to use in a dynamic business setting c. quality improves though the emphasis on testing d. including quality assurance early in the project strengthens system quality
b. easy to use in a dynamic business setting
which of the following is NOT one of the three C's of teamwork? a.) Conveyance b.) cooperation c.) communication d.) convergence
b.) cooperation
What is a non functional requirement?
behavioral characteristics that define how the system should function, Operational, Performance,Security,Cultural and political
What are the three major components of calculating a cost-benefit analysis?
benefits, developmental costs & Operational costs
How would you define Decomposition?
breaking down of the DFD into a hierarchy, each level down representing less scope, but more detail
The deliverable, System Proposal, is the output of which phase of the systems development life cycle (SDLC)? a) Implementation b) Design c) Analysis d) Planning
c) Analysis
Which of the following is NOT a development cost? a) Consultant fees b) Hardware and software c) Cloud storage fees d) Data conversion costs
c) Cloud storage fees
Which element of DFD does not included in Context Diagram? a) External entity b) Data Flow c) Datastore d) Process
c) Datastore
Which of the following isn't a type of non-functional system requirement? a) Operational b) Performance c) Process d) Security
c) Process
_____ can occur when the scope of a project is not clearly defined, or development expectations expand during the project. a.) Scope parallax b.) Project slippage c.) Scope creep d.) Development drift
c.) Scope creep
Which of the following is an example of a probing question? a) How many telephone orders are recieved per day? b) What information is missing from the monthly sales report? c) Why? d)What are some of the problems you face on a daily basis?
c) Why?
All of the following are tangible benefits to a system except? a) increased sales b)reduced staff c)better supplier relations d)reductions in inventory e)better supplier prices
c) better supplier relations is an intangible benefit. (A relationship that's value is not able to be accounted for or rather quantifiable)
Which of the following is not part of the project manager's balancing act? a) project cost b) project size c) project scale d) project time
c) project scale
Which of the following is not a key element of a use case? a) preconditions b) exceptions c) project sponsor d) trigger
c) project sponsor
What is the job of JAD facilitator? a) They provide meeting design b) They keep track of participant information c) They set the meeting agenda d) They help participant in discussion
c) set the meeting agenda
What is part of the planning phase? a. Process Modeling b. Data Modeling c. Feasibility Analysis d. System Conversion
c. Feasibility Analysis
Which of the following is not part of the casual use case format? a. Actor b. Trigger c. Information for Steps d. ID
c. Information for Steps
Which of the follow is NOT one of the main types of feasibility discussed in Chapter 1? a. Economic/Financial feasibility b. Organizational feasibility c. Managerial feasibility d. Technical feasibility
c. Managerial feasibility
Throttling internet speeds is an example of: a. Functional b. Cats c. Nonfunctional d. JAD
c. Nonfunctional
The _______________ evolved to address the lengthy time frame of waterfall development. a. Formalized Methodology b. SDLC c. Parallel Development Methodologies d. Design Phase
c. Parallel Development Methodologies
During this stage, the main focus is understanding why an information system should be built. a. Analysis phase b. Design phase c. Planning phase d. Implementation phase
c. Planning phase
Which of these is not a nonfunctional requirement? a. Performance b. Security c. process- oriented d. operational
c. Process-oriented
Which of the following is not a Requirements Elicitation Technique? a. JAD - Joint Application Development b. Interviews c. Use Cases d. Observation
c. Use Cases
Which one is NOT true about use cases? a. Clarifying functional requirements b. Uses Triggers c. Uses nonfunctional requirements d. All of them is true
c. Uses nonfunctional requirements
Which of the following is NOT a project methodology? a. Waterfall b. Parallel c. Y-Model d. Iterative Development e. Agile Development
c. Y-Model
Which of the following steps is NOT a component of the systems analyst stage? a. gathering info from previous system b. examining the business problem c. defining system problem d. defining specific requirements
c. defining system problem
Which of the following projects would an IT manager be most likely to sponsor? a. Customer resource management system b. Accounting program c. server room upgrade d. business process management
c. server room upgrade
process parallelization
changing the process so that all the individual steps are performed at the same time
Rapid Application Development (RAD)
collection of methodologies that emerged in response to weakness of waterfall development. Incorporates special techniques to speed up analysis, design and implementation.
What are the three critical aspects Project managers have to deal with?
cost, size, time
what is the purpose of the a use-case?
create a set of use cases that describe all the tasks that users need to perform using the system.
What is an external entity? a) An activity or a function that is performed for some specific business reason b) A single piece of data outside the process c) A database in a process d) A person, organization or system outside of the system e) A single process inside the system
d) A person, organization or system outside of the system
Which of the following is a role of a Systems Analyst? a) Analyzing the business situation b) Identifying opportunities for improvements c) Designing an information system to implement the improvements d) All of the above
d) All of the above
A System Proposal includes all of the following except? a) Updated feasibility analysis and work plan b) Requirement definition documents c) Use Cases d) All the above e) None of the above
d) All the above
Time Boxing is not helpful in all of these situations except? a) A flexible deadline is set b) High quality is stressed c) Other functions will be added later d) B and C only e) all the above
d) B and C only
Which of the following is not a pro of being an analyst? a) High Paid Salary b) Interact with multiple different fields c) Work with up to date technology d) Ever-changing business technology
d) Ever-changing business technology
Which of the following are the two types of event triggers? a. External trigger b. Case Trigger c. Temporal trigger d. both a and c
d) External trigger and Temporal trigger
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) Implementation
Which one of these is NOT requirement needed during the analysis phase? a) Business requirement b) User requirement c) System requirement d) Location requirement
d) Location requirement
Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of feasibility? a) Technical feasibility b) Economic/Financial feasibility c) Organizational feasibility d) Managerial feasibility
d) Managerial feasibility
The question "How much of the organization is affected by the system?" references which project classification? a) Size b) Cost c) Risk d) Scope e) Economic value
d) Scope
The outcome of the planning phase is the a) Test plan b) System proposal document c) System modification document d) System request document e) Business Process document
d) System request document
Which approach to organizing the interview questions is an appropriate strategy for most interviews? a) Bottom-Up Interview b) Middle-Up Interview c) Middle-Down Interview d) Top-Down Interview
d) Top-Down Interview The top down approach enables the interviewee to become accustomed to the topic before he or she needs to provide specifics. It also enables the interviewer to understand the issues before moving to the details.
Which of these is a Closed-Ended question? a) What do you think about the way invoices are currently processed? b) What are some of the problems you face on a daily basis? c) What are some of the improvements you would like to see in the way invoices are processed? d) What information is missing from the monthly sales report?
d) What information is missing from the monthly sales report?
What are some additional use case issues? a)Frequency of use b)business rules c)assumptions d)all of the above
d) all of the above
What is NOT a key role in developing information systems? a) analyzing the business situation b) identifying opportunities for improvements c) designing an information system to implement the improvements d) evaluating the most efficient way possible to solve key problems
d) evaluating the most efficient way possible to solve key problems
Which of the following is NOT an example of a business value? a) increase in sales b) cost savings from decreased supply costs c) increase in market share d) none of the above
d) none of the above
Which of the following is not a nonfunctional requirement? a) operational b) security c) performance d) process-oriented
d) process-oriented
Which of the following logical processes would you include in a data flow diagram? a. make decisions b. organize data c. perform computations d. All of the above
d. All of the above
What is the difference between development and operation costs? a. Development costs are intangible and operational costs are tangible. b. Development costs are tangible and operational costs are intangible. c. Operational costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Development costs are ongoing. d. Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
d. Development costs are those that occur during the project when the system is being built or acquired. Operational costs are ongoing.
When creating a Data Flow Diagram (DFD), what is the purpose of including external entities in the diagram? a. External entities represent internal processes within the system. b. External entities serve as placeholders for future development. c. External entities identify individuals responsible for system maintenance. d. External entities represent people, organizations, or systems interacting with the system being modeled.
d. External entities represent people, organizations, or systems interacting with the system being modeled.
Which of the following is not an element of a DFD? a. Process b. Data flow c. Data store d. Internal entity
d. Internal entity
Which is NOT a requirement analysis strategy? a. Duration b. Root Cause c. Activity-Based Costing d. JAD Session
d. JAD Session
Which requirements elicitation technique requires the most user time, effort, and coordination to complete? a. Interview b. Document Analysis c. Questionnaire d. JAD Session
d. JAD Session -Extensive, structured group process -Facilitator required -Requires coordination -Directly involves project sponsor, key managers, and key users with systems analysts
Which of the following is not an error to avoid in making a DFD? a. Miracles b. Black Holes c. Gray Hole d. None of the above
d. None of the above
The speed, capacity, and reliability of the system would fall under what kind of nonfunctional requirement? a. Those are functional requirements b. Security c. Operational d. Performance
d. Performance
This course follows the responsibilities of a(n)... Select one: a. Project Manager b. Programmer c. Database Administrator d. System Analyst
d. System Analyst
Which of the following is NOT included in project methodology? a. Clarity of user agreements b. System Complexity c. System Reliability d. Technology Requirements e. Familiarity with Technology
d. Technology Requirements
Which of the following are not a deliverable of any the SDLC phases? a. System Specification b. Project Plan c. System Proposal d. Work Plan
d. Work Plan
What of the following is usually found in a Use Case? a. Actor(s) b. Exception(s) c. Trigger(s) d. all the above
d. all the above
Which method should be used to motivate employees? a. giving everyone a raise b. accepting low-quality products c. providing overly optimistic deadlines d. recognition of achievements
d. recognition of achievements
Which of the following is NOT one of the concepts covered in the assigned reading of Chapter 2? a. project management b. development methodologies c. project work plan d. user interface best practice
d. user interface best practice
Use cases convey _____ a. system designer's point of view b. project manager's point of view c. software developer's point of view d. user's point of view
d. user's point of view
In a DFD, a ______ is a collection of data that is stored in some way and is depicted as a rectangle. These should describe "Things" about which the business wants to store data. a.) Data Flow b.) Context Diagram c.) External Identity d.) Data Store
d.) Data Store
what is a gray hole?
data coming in with irrelevant data going out as output
which element is never included in a context diagram?
data store
If a use case becomes too complex, it should be _____.
decomposed into a set of use cases
What is the Risk Assessment Matrix?
detailing the probability and impact in a formal document One axis of the risk assessment matrix represents the probability of the event occurring. The other represents the impact to the organization if that event were to occur.
What are the different types of standards?
documentation standards, coding standards, procedural standards, specification requirements standards, and user interface standards
Which of the following are elements of a system request? a) Project sponsor b) Business requirements c) Business value d) none of the above e) all of the above
e) All of the above
Which of the following are steps to creating use cases? a. Identify the use cases. b. Identify the major steps within each use case. c. Identify elements within steps. d. Confirm the use case. e. All of the above.
e. All of the above
Which of the following is part of the four main elements/symbols in DFD a. Process (rounded rectangle or circle) b. External entity (or agent) (rectangle) c. Data store (open rectangle) d. Data flow (arrow) e. all the above
e. all the above
Behavioral properties the system must have include the following EXCEPT: a: Operational b: Performance c: Security d: Cultural and political e: Organized
e: Organized
What is event-driven modeling?
everything in the system can be thought of as a response to some triggering event; When a trigger event occurs, the system (and the people using it) responds, performs the actions defined in the use case, and then returns to the waiting state.
system walk-through
explain the concepts and ideas of the new system and make sure that all requirements are understood.
What types of events trigger the use cases?
external and temporal
what is the difference between temporal and external triggers?
external: events that occur outside the system temporal: passage of a certain amount of time
true or false rewarding staff with money is a way to get them to do their work on time and efficiently.
false
Systems development typically starts with
feasibility study
Which is a functional requirement? -Schedule a client appointment -find available openings matching client availability
find available opening matching client availability
Ex. Customer placing order
fire alarm ringing, LCA needing chemical for job
What is timeboxing?
fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced. Time boxing ensures that project teams don't get hung up on the final "finishing touches" that can drag out indefinitely, and it satisfies the business by providing a product within a relatively fast time frame.
What are the two types of question formats asked in questionnaires?
fixed-format (multiple choice) and free-format (essay)
Primary advantage of RAD (Rapid application development)
focuses on the reuse of code, templates, tools, and processes
A process model is a ___________ way of representing how a business system operates.
formal
What's the difference between casual use case and fully dressed use cases?
fully dressed use cases are very thorough, detailed, and highly structured. Helps to more fully explain the user-system interactions outlined in the steps.
"Provide monthly rankings of salesperson performance" is a ________ (_______) system requirements.
functional (information)
What it the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
functional requirement relates directly to a process the system should perform as a part of supporting a user task and/or information it should provide as the user is performing a task. nonfunctional requirement is a group of requirements as "the quality attributes, design, and implementation constraints, and external interfaces which a product must have.
what is the difference between functional and nonfunctional requirements?
functional: states what the system does nonfunctional:states other important characteristics
Which of the following will not motivate your staff? responsibility recognition giving everyone on the project the same raise the work itself
giving everyone on the project the same raise
Agile Development
group of programming-centric methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC. Emphasizes simple, iterative application development
Who is the project champion?
high level executive and is usually but not always the project sponsor who created the system request.
what does the project scope mean?
how much of the organization is affected by the system?
throwaway prototyping
includes the development of prototypes, but uses the prototypes primarily to explore design alternatives rather than as the actual new system.
What does project charter include:
including what the objectives are, how it will be carried out, and who the stakeholders are.
No. The project sponsor is the person who initiates the project and serves as point of contact.
is the IT always the project sponsor?
What is a Normal Course?
is the description of the major steps that are performed to execute the response to the event, the inputs used for the steps, and the outputs produced by the steps. It also lists the steps that are performed when everything flows smoothly in the system.
What is the purpose of the requirements definition statement?
is to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. Additionally, it defines the scope of the project.
What is the V-model?
it is a variation of the waterfall development model that pays more attention to testing.
What is a black hole error?
it is an error to avoid when creating DFD's and represents information or input coming in, and never going out
What does the term project portfolio management mean?
it means that an organization might have a large number of potential projects (Project portfolio)
What does the DFD hierarchy mean?
it means that processes that are on a Level 0 DFD will decompose into another Level 1 DFD. In addition, the processes on the Level 1 DFD may or may not decompose into a Level 2 DFD.
what is system prototyping?
it performs the analysis, design, and implementation phases concurrently in order to quickly develop a simplified version of the proposed system and give it to the users for evaluation and feedback.
What are two types of process models?
logical and physical
What is a functional requirement?
related directly to a process the system has to perform as part of supporting a user task and or information it needs to provide as the user is performing a task
What is agile development?
methodologies that focus on streamlining the SDLC
what is a miracle?
no information coming in, and lots of information going out with no process between them
A black hole is a process that has___
no output
Level 0 data flow diagram
numbered with integer value (1, 2, 3) Shows all major processes that comprise the overall system - internal components of process 0 Show how major processes are interrelated by data flows Show external entities and the major processes with which they interact. Adds stored data via the data stores.
Elements of a systems request
o Project Sponsor o Business Need o Business Requirements o Business Value o Special Issues and Constraint
Ways to Characterize Projects
o Size: what is the size? how many people needed to work on the project? o Cost: how much will the project cost the organization? o Purpose: what is the purpose? Is it meant to improve technical infrastructure? support a current business strategy? improve operations? o Length: how long will the project take before completion? How much time will go by before value is delivered to the business? o Risk: how likely is it that the project will succeed or fail? o Scope: how much of the organization is affected by the system? o Economic Value: how much money does the organization expect to receive in return for the amount the project costs?
Ways to Characterize Projects
o Sizeo Cost o Purpose o Length o Risk o Scope o Economic Value
What are the four stages of SDLC?
planning, analysis, design, implementation
What are the four fundamental phases of SDLC?
planning: why make the project?, analysis: what does who uses, when and where system is used? design: how does the system work? implementation: deliver system
What is a Process Model?
process model is a graphical way of representing how a business system should operate.
This document includes: group members' availability, status reporting, group meetings, and documentation storage. What kind of document is this?
project charter
Three main things that a project manager must balance
project cost project time frame project size
Once a project is approved, the _________ is appointed to lead the project.
project manager
Features of PPM software
project prioritization, employee allocation, real- time project monitoring, flagging cost and time variances, monitoring economic feasibility.
What are the strengths of parallel methodology assessment?
reduces overall project time (Waterfall Comparison) reduces need for rework; with shorter time frame, less chance of requirements changing
strength and weakness of interviews
strength: it is one on one, you can ask questions naturally and in real time weakness: due to time constraints, several people are interviewed at the same time
What is the deliverable of the Analysis Phase, and what does it include
system proposal. A document compiling the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process model, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan.
What are the key aspects of what the feasibility analysis examines?
technical feasibility (can we build it?) economic feasibility (will it provide business value?) organizational feasibility (if we build it, will it be used?)
What are the key factors in selecting a methodology?
the key factors in selecting a methodology are: - Clarity of the user requirements - Familiarity with the base technology - System complexity - Need for system reliability - Time pressures & - Need to see progress on the time schedule
Define Project Estimation
the process of analyzing available data to predict the time, cost, and resources needed to complete a project.
What is risk management?
the process of assessing and addressing risks that are associated with developing a project
Why is IT not always the project sponsor?
the project sponsor is generally not someone from the IT department because he/she is mainly in charge of the business side of things and the projects success. The project sponsor is responsible for creating a systems request that he submits to the IT department to execute.
What is informal benchmarking?
the study of how other organizations preform a business process in order to learn how your organization can do something better
User Requirements
the things the users need to accomplish with the new system
Ex. DVD becoming overdue at video store
time to pay weekly payroll
What is the goal of the analysis phase?
to develop a clear understanding of the new system's requirements
What is the goal of a walk-through?
to explain the system in moderate detail so that users, managers, and key decisions makers can: - clearly understand it. - identify areas requiring modification - decide whether project should continue
What's the purpose of The Requirements Definition Statement?
to provide a clear statement of what the new system should do in order to achieve the system vision described in the system request. -Defines the scope of the system. -Describes exactly what the final system needs to do. -Establishes the users' expectations for the system. -Serves as a resource for clarification when discrepancies or misunderstandings arise.
V model methodology assessment is difficult to use in a dynamic business environment
true
What are the strengths of using JAD as a requirements elicitation technique?
understand multiple perspectives at once and have user feedback while documentation is being made
What type of requirement would you classify how a booking agent's procedures to log in to a system?
user requirement
What is a temporal trigger?
where the event is time based an example would be a system producing a annual reports. This is triggered when a specific date time is reached.
System Proposal
which compiles the detailed requirements definition statement, use cases, process models, and data model together with a revised feasibility analysis and work plan, Primary and final deliverable in the analysis phase
A ______ is a list of tasks hierarchically numbered in top-down approach whereby high-level tasks are defined first and then broken down into subtasks.
work breakdown structure
don'ts of motivating employees
~ Assign unrealistic deadlines ~ Ignore good efforts ~ Accept a low-quality product ~ Give everyone on the project the same raise ~ Make an important decision without the team's input ~ Maintain poor working conditions
Do's of motivating employees
~ Recognition ~ Achievement ~ The work itself ~ Responsibility ~ Advancement ~ Chance to learn new skills
Definitions of business needs, business requirements, business value
§ Business needs: Business related reasons for initiating the system § Business requirements: new or enhanced business capabilities that system will provide § Business Value: The benefits the system will create for the organization
Name the strengths and weaknesses of the 5 gathering techniques
· Interviews- Strength: Open questions, Asked for feedback, Questions can be adapted, Nonverbal can be observed. Weakness: Time-consuming, costly, success determined on analyst human skills, impractical due to location · Questionnaires- Strength: Quick answers, inexpensive, can be tabulated. Weakness: Response is low, incomplete, inflexible, difficult to prepare questionnaire. · JAD- Strength: Understand multiple perspectives, have user feedback. Weakness: Facilitator required, takes valuable time, Coordination required · Observation- Strength: Data gathered may be highly reliable, Can see exactly what is being done, relatively inexpensive. Weakness: People may perform differently when being observed, work may vary in difficulty and volume, subject to various types of interruptions · Document Analysis- Strength: Easy to find Nonfunctional requirements and information-based functional requirements Weakness: Harder to see process-based functional requirements, Functions and characteristics of the current system may be different than what is wanted/needed in the new system
What strategies can an analyst employ with the stakeholders to think critically about the needs for a new system?
• Problem Analysis: Asking users and managers to identify problems with the as-is system and describe how to solve them in the to-be system. • Root Cause Analysis: All solutions make assumptions about the nature of the problem, assumptions that may or may not be valid. • Duration Analysis: Detailed examination of time it takes to perform each process in the current as-is system.
Timeboxing
• Time estimating techniques may reveal that the project requires more time than we have available • Timeboxing helps in these situations Set a tight but realistic deadline. Identify core, essential functional requirements Team limits its focus just to essential functions High quality is stressed Other functions will be added later Repeat to add refinements and enhancements
