systems theory chapter 1
________ is/are the final output from the analysis phase.
A description of the alternative solution
Which of the following is one of three key principles shared by the Agile Methodologies?
A focus on self-adaptive processes
Which of the following activities happens during the SDLC planning phase?
A presentation of why the system should or should not be developed by the organization is given.
Which of the following is correct with respect to the logical design?
All functional features of the system chosen for development in analysis are described independently of any computer platform.
What is an application software and its importance?
An important (but not the only) result of systems analysis and design is application software, software designed to support a specific organizational function or process, such as inventory management, payroll, or market analysis. In addition to application software, the total information system includes the hardware and systems software on which the application software runs, documentation and training materials, the specific job roles associated with the overall system, controls, and the people who use the software along with their work methods.
A specialized systems development life cycle is mainly required for ________.
An organization that does not need all phases of the systems development life cycle or needs to modify phases
In which phase of the SDLC are the system requirements studied and structured?
Analysis
Who is a systems analyst and what are the duties of a systems analyst?
Answer: Many people in organizations are responsible for systems analysis and design; in most organizations the systems analyst has the primary responsibility. When you begin your career in systems development, you will most likely begin as a systems analyst or as a programmer with some systems analysis responsibilities. The primary role of a systems analyst is to study the problems and needs of an organization in order to determine how people, methods, and information technology can best be combined to bring about improvements in the organization. A systems analyst helps system users and other business managers define their requirements for new or enhanced information services. As such, a systems analyst is an agent of change and innovation.
In the SDLC, it is not possible to complete some activities in one phase in parallel with some activities of another phase.
Application Software
________ is designed to support organizational functions or processes.
Application software
________ would be classified as software designed to support the payroll function.
Application software
The first procedural, or third-generation, computer programming languages did not become available until the beginning of the ________.
B) 1960s
9) ________ were developed to make systems developers' work easier and more consistent.
B) Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools
________ are large, complex systems that consist of a series of independent system modules.
B) Enterprise-wide systems
10) Most organizations find it beneficial to use a standard set of steps, called ________, to develop and support their information systems.
B) Supply chaiin Systems development methodology
________ is/are the process(es) that an analyst will follow to help ensure that his work is complete, well-done, and understood by project team members.
B) Techniques
Which of the below is NOT considered as the principle as per the agile manifesto?
Businesspeople and developers work separately throughout the project.
Which of the following are delivered after the completion of the implementation phase?
Code, documentation, training procedures, and support capabilities
Compared to traditional coding practices, which of the below is NOT an advantage of pair programming?
Coding written in silos
Under eXtreme Programming, ________ and ________ are intimately related parts of the same process.
Coding; testing
Which of the following is NOT a phase in the Rational Unified Process?
Construction
Under the five critical factors "Thrives in a culture where people feel comfortable and empowered by having many degrees of freedom" is related to which factor?
Culture
Because computers were so expensive, computer memory was also at a premium, so system developers conserved as much memory as possible for
D) Data storage
Which of the following is NOT a general type of CASE tools?
Debuggers
Which of the following are delivered after the completion of analysis phase?
Description of current system and where problems and opportunities are with a general recommendation on how to fix, enhance, or replace current system
Which of the following are delivered after the completion of planning phase?
Description of current system and where problems and opportunities are with a general recommendation on how to fix, enhance, or replace current system
In which phase of the SDLC is the description of the recommended solution converted into logical and then physical system specifications?
Design
Which of the following is NOT a part of the Evolutionary model of the SDLC process?
Design
Which of the following CASE tools is useful in the analysis phase of the SDLC?
Diagramming
Which of the following CASE tools is useful in the project initiation and planning phase of the SDLC?
Documentation generators
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the professional IT workforce will grow by more than 52 percent between 2010 and 2020.
FALSE
An organizational approach to systems analysis and design is not driven by methodologies.
FALSE
As part of logical design, analysts design the various parts of the system to perform the physical operations necessary to facilitate data capture, processing, and information output.
FALSE
Implementation is the final step of the traditional waterfall SDLC method.
FALSE
Maintenance is a separate phase and not the repetition of the other life cycle phases to study and implement the needed changes.
FALSE
Most organizations found it difficult to use the systems development methodology to develop and support their information systems.
FALSE
Most organizations never developed their applications from scratch using their in-house development staff.
FALSE
New versions or releases of software with associated updates to documentation, training, and support are not part of the maintenance phase.
FALSE
Techniques and tools must make it difficult for system developers to conduct the steps called for in the methodology.
FALSE
The Agile Methodologies focus on the roles that people perform rather than placing the emphasis on individuals.
FALSE
The life cycle can be thought of as a linear process in which the end of the useful life of one system leads to the beginning of another project that will develop a new version or replace an existing system altogether.
FALSE
The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a rare methodology for systems development in many organizations
FALSE
The third phase in the SDLC is planning and in this phase the analyst thoroughly studies the organization's current procedures and the information systems used to perform organizational tasks.
FALSE
eXtreme Programming is not an instance of one of the Agile Methodologies.
FALSE
Which of the following is NOT true regarding iterative development?
Feedback is not provided to developers and customers.
In the inception phase, which of the following is NOT performed by the analysts?
Implement the project
In which phase of the SDLC is the information system coded, tested, installed, and supported in the organization?
Implementation
________ is/are the property that occurs when entity types or object classes are arranged in a hierarchy and each entity type or object class assumes the attributes and methods of its ancestors, that is, those higher up in the hierarchy.
Inheritance
Which of the below is NOT a true statement regarding the SDLC?
It is a rapid method to prototype and develop an application.
Which SDLC phase focuses on the business aspects of the design?
Logical
In which design phase of the SDLC are all functional features of the system chosen for development in analysis described independently of any computer platform?
Logical design
Which of the following is NOT a feature of eXtreme Programming?
Long cycles
In which phase of the SDLC is an information system systematically repaired and improved?
Maintenance
What is meant by system methodologies, techniques, and tools?
Methodologies are comprehensive, multiple-step approaches to systems development. Techniques are particular processes that you follow to help ensure that your work is complete, well done, and understood by others. Tools are typically computer programs that make it easier to use and benefit from techniques and to follow faithfully the guidelines of the overall development methodology. The techniques and tools should support the chosen methodology. Methodologies, techniques, and tools work together to form an organizational approach to systems analysis and design
What is a system development methodology?
Most organizations find it beneficial to use a standard set of steps, called a systems development methodology, to develop and support their information systems. Like many processes, the development of information systems often follows a life cycle. For example, a commercial product follows a life cycle in that it is created, tested, and introduced to the market. Its sales increase, peak, and decline. Finally, the product is removed from the market and replaced by something else.
Which of the following is a component of the Maintenance phase of the SDLC?
New versions or releases of software with associated updates to documentation, training, and support
The structure that encapsulates attributes and methods that operate on those attributes is called a(n) ________.
Object
A logical grouping of objects that have the same attributes and behaviors is known as a(n) ________.
Object class
Systems development methodologies and techniques which are based on objects rather than data or processes are known as ________.
Object-oriented analysis and design
________ is/are often called the third approach to systems development, after the process oriented and data-oriented approaches.
Object-oriented analysis and design
Explain object-oriented analysis and design.
Object-oriented analysis and design refers to systems development methodologies and techniques based on objects rather than data or processes. The goal of OOAD is to make systems elements reusable. OOAD is often called the third approach to systems development, after the process oriented and data-oriented approaches. The object-oriented approach combines data and processes (called methods) into single entities called objects. Objects usually correspond to the real things an information system deals with, such as customers, suppliers, contracts, and rental agreements. Putting data and processes together in one place recognizes the fact that there are a limited number of operations for any given data structure, and the object-oriented approach makes sense even though typical systems development keeps data and processes independent of each other.
Describe the Rational Unified Process (RUP) and its phases.
One of the most popular realizations of the iterative approach for object-oriented development is the Rational Unified Process (RUP), which is based on an iterative, incremental approach to systems development. RUP has four phases: inception, elaboration, construction, and transition. In the inception phase, analysts define the scope, determine the feasibility of the project, understand user requirements, and prepare a software development plan. In the elaboration phase, analysts detail user requirements and develop a baseline architecture. Analysis and design activities constitute the bulk of the elaboration phase. In the construction phase, the software is actually coded, tested, and documented. In the transition phase, the system is deployed, and the users are trained and supported.
According to Fowler, which of the following is NOT considered a valid individual methodology that comes under the umbrella of Agile Methodologies?
Passive Software development
In which design phase of the SDLC are logical specifications of the system from logical design transformed into technology-specific details from which all programming and system construction can be accomplished?
Physical design
In which part of the design phase of the SDLC are the logical specifications of the system from logical design transformed into technology-specific details from which all programming and system construction can be accomplished?
Physical design
What is the first phase in the Systems Development Life Cycle?
Planning
Which of the following is NOT valued according to the Agile Manifesto for software development?
Prioritizing the plan over the change required
List the outputs delivered from each of the SDLC phases.
Products for the planning phase include priorities for systems and projects; an architecture for data, networks, and selection hardware as well as IS management; detailed steps, or work plan, for the project; specification of system scope and high-level system requirements or features; assignment of team members and other resources; and the system justification or business case. The products for the analysis phase include a description of the current system and where problems or opportunities are with a general recommendation on how to fix, enhance, or replace the current system; and an explanation of alternative systems and justification. The design phase provides functional, detailed specifications of all system elements; technical, detailed specifications of all system elements; and an acquisition plan for new technology. Implementation provides code, documentation, training procedures, and support capabilities. Maintenance products include new versions or releases of software with associated updates to documentation, training, and support.
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of the traditional waterfall SDLC approach?
Prototypes do not work properly.
One of the most popular realizations of the iterative approach for object-oriented development is the ________.
RUP
An integrated and standard database called a ________ is the common method for providing product and tool integration, and has been a key factor in enabling CASE to more easily manage larger, more complex projects and to seamlessly integrate data across various tools and products.
Repository
The critical factor "Personnel" is related to which of the following critical factors in distinguishing agile methods from traditional systems development?
Requires continuous presence of a critical mass of scarce experts
Which of the below is a traditional methodology used to develop, maintain, and replace information systems?
SDLC
The critical factor "Dynamism" refers to which of the following agile methods critical factors?
Simple design and continuous refactoring are excellent for highly dynamic environments but a source of potentially expensive rework for highly stable environments.
Who has the primary responsibility for the design and analysis of information systems?
Systems analyst
Attempts to make systems development less of an art and more of a science are usually referred to as ________.
Systems engineering
According to Griss, finding and fixing a software problem after the delivery of the system is often far more expensive than finding and fixing it during analysis and design.
TRUE
Although almost all systems development projects adhere to some type of life cycle, the exact location of activities and the specific sequencing of steps can vary greatly from one project to the next.
TRUE
CASE helps programmers and analysts do their jobs more efficiently and more effectively by automating routine tasks.
TRUE
Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools were developed to make systems developers' work easier and more consistent.
TRUE
Information systems analysis and design is a process to develop and maintain computer-based information systems.
TRUE
The SDLC is a highly linked set of phases whose products feed the activities in subsequent phases.
TRUE
The analysis and design of computer-based information systems began in the 1950s.
TRUE
The part of the design process that is independent of any specific hardware or software platform is referred to as logical design.
TRUE
The response at the end of the SDL refers to a response plan developed during the release phase.
TRUE
To be effective, techniques and tools must both be consistent with an organization's systems development methodology.
TRUE
What are Agile Methodologies? What are the three key principles of the Agile Methodologies?
The Agile Methodologies are a response to the problems associated with the traditional SDLC methodology. The Agile Methodologies group argues that software development methodologies adapted from engineering generally do not fit with real-world software development. The three key principles are a focus on adaptive rather than predictive methodologies, a focus on people rather than roles, and a focus on a self-adaptive process.
Explain the importance of the maintenance phase in the SDLC process.
The fifth and final phase in the SDLC is maintenance. When a system (including its training, documentation, and support) is operating in an organization, users sometimes find problems with how it works and often think of better ways to perform its functions. Also, the organization's needs with respect to the system change over time. In maintenance, programmers make the changes that users ask for and modify the system to reflect evolving business conditions. These changes are necessary to keep the system running and useful. In a sense, maintenance is not a separate phase but a repetition of the other life cycle phases required to study and implement the needed changes. One might think of maintenance as an overlay on the life cycle rather than as a separate phase. The amount of time and effort devoted to maintenance depends a great deal on the performance of the previous phases of the life cycle. There inevitably comes a time, however, when an information system is no longer performing as desired, when maintenance costs become prohibitive, or when an organization's needs have changed substantially.
Explain the importance of the implementation phase in the SDLC process.
The fourth phase in the SDLC is implementation. The physical system specifications, whether in the form of a detailed model or as detailed written specifications, are turned over to programmers as the first part of the implementation phase. During implementation, analysts turn system specifications into a working system that is tested and then put into use. Implementation includes coding, testing, and installation. During coding, programmers write the programs that make up the system. Sometimes the code is generated by the same system used to build the detailed model of the system. During testing, programmers and analysts test individual programs and the entire system in order to find and correct errors. During installation, the new system becomes part of the daily activities of the organization. Application software is installed, or loaded, on existing or new hardware, and users are introduced to the new system and trained. Testing and installation should be planned for as early as the project initiation and planning phase; both testing and installation require extensive analysis in order to develop exactly the right approach.
Which of the below is a true statement regarding the systems development life cycle?
The life cycle can be thought of as a circular process in which the end of the useful life of one system leads to the beginning of another project to develop a new version of or replace an existing system.
What are the five major phases of the SDLC?
The major SDLC phases include planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance. Planning is the first phase of the SDLC in which an organization's total information system needs are identified, analyzed, prioritized, and arranged. Analysis is the second phase of the SDLC in which system requirements are studied and structured. During the third phase, the design phase, a description of the recommended solution is converted into logical and then physical system specifications. Implementation is the fourth phase of the SDLC in which the information system is coded, tested, installed, and supported in the organization. Maintenance is the fifth and final phase of the SDLC in which an information system is systematically repaired and improved.
Explain in detail the importance of the analysis phase of the SDLC.
The second phase in the SDLC is analysis. During this phase, the analyst thoroughly studies the organization's current procedures and the information systems used to perform organizational tasks. Analysis has two subphases. The first is requirements determination. In this sub-phase, analysts work with users to determine what the users want from a proposed system. The requirements determination process usually involves a careful study of any current systems, manual and computerized, that might be replaced or enhanced as part of the project.
Explain the design phase in the SDLC and its types.
The third phase in the SDLC is design. During design, analysts convert the description of the recommended alternative solution into logical and then physical system specifications. The analysts must design all aspects of the system, from input and output screens to reports, databases, and computer processes. The analysts must then provide the physical specifics of the system they have designed, either as a model or as detailed documentation, to guide those who will build the new system. That part of the design process that is independent of any specific hardware or software platform is referred to as logical design. Theoretically, the system could be implemented on any hardware and systems software. The idea is to make sure that the system functions as intended. Logical design concentrates on the business aspects of the system and tends to be oriented to a high level of specificity. Once the overall high-level design of the system is worked out, the analysts begin turning logical specifications into physical ones. This process is referred to as physical design. As part of physical design, analysts design the various parts of the system to perform the physical operations necessary to facilitate data capture, processing, and information output.
Describe the criticism of traditional waterfall SDLC process.
There are several criticisms of the traditional life-cycle approach to systems development. One relates to the way the life cycle is organized. Note how the flow of the project begins in the planning phase and from there runs "downhill" to each subsequent phase, just like a stream that runs off a cliff. It became too tempting to ignore the need for feedback and to treat each phase as complete unto itself, never to be revisited once finished. Another criticism of the traditional waterfall SDLC is that the role of system users or customers was narrowly defined. User roles were often relegated to the requirements determination or analysis phases of the project, where it was assumed that all of the requirements could be specified in advance. Such an assumption, coupled with limited user involvement, reinforced the tendency of the waterfall model to lock in requirements too early, even after business conditions had changed.
hat are computer programs that make it easy to use and benefit from techniques and to faithfully follow the guidelines of the overall development methodology?
Tools
List the phases in Microsoft's Security Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
Training, Requirements, Design, Implementation, Verification, Release, and Response Difficulty: Moderate
There are five factors that separate agile from traditional approaches to systems development. The factor "Criticality" describes which of the following agile methods factors?
Untested on safety-critical products
Which of the following is a drawback of the traditional waterfall SDLC approach?
Users are locked into requirements.
Which of the following is the best known Agile development methodology?
eXtreme Programming
Which is the fourth phase in a SDLC cycle?
implementation
