Principles of System Design Ch. 1-4

6 Steps of Preliminary Investigation

1. understand problem or opportunity 2. define the project scope and constraints 3. perform fact-finding 4. analyze project usability, cost, benefit, and schedule data 5. evaluate feasibility 6. present results and recommendations to management

adding more people to a project actually might increase the time necessary to complete the project because of a principle called:

Brooks' Law

electronic commerce between two companies; enables data transfer over private telecommunication lines.

Electronic data interchange (EDI)

compared to traditional methods, when properly used, joint application development (JAD) can result in:

better understanding of common goals, stronger commitment to the success of the new system, more accurate statement of system requirements

_______________________ inventory systems that rely on computer-to-computer data exchange to minimize unnecessary inventory. Enabled through EDI and suppliers.

just-in-time (JIT)

knowledge management systems use a large database called _____________________. It uses ___________________, which are logical rules that identify data patterns and relationships.

knowledge base, inference rules

when maintaining schedules, if enough ______________ and frequent checkpoints exist, problems will be detected rapidly.

milestones

a ____________________________ displays the same information as the Gantt chart, including task dependencies, but uses task boxes to include much more detail.

network diagram

projects where no choice exists are called ______________________________. ex.adding a report required by a new federal law

nondiscretionary projects

system requirements fall into 5 general categories:

outputs,inputs,processes,performance, controls

one of the main activities in the systems analysis phase is _____________________, which involves fact finding to describe the current system and identification of the specifications for the new system.

requirements modeling

five deliverable phases of structured analysis (waterfall model)

requirements, design, construction, testing, maintenance and evolution

a _____________________ is a proactive effort to anticipate a risk and describe an action plan to deal with it.

risk response plan

to evaluate ______________, a systems analyst needs information about projected future volume for all outputs, inputs, and processes.

scalability

a well designed system must be secure, reliable, maintainable, and _____________, which means it can expand to meet new business requirements and volumes.

scalable

_________________________ uses a set of process models to describe a system graphically. Because it focuses of processes that transform data into useful information, it is also called a _______________________ technique

structured analysis, process-centered

_____________________________ is a traditional systems development technique that is time-tested and easy to understand. It uses a series of phases, called ________________________________________________, to plan, analyze, design, implement and support an information system.

structured analysis, systems development life cycle (SDLC)

______________________, often called _______________________, oversee operational employees and carry put day-to-day functions.

supervisors, team leaders

____________________ refers to all the companies who provide materials, services, and functions needed to provide a product to a customer.

supply chain

Systems development typically starts with a __________________, followed by a preliminary investigation, which includes a __________________

system request, feasibility study

__________________________________ is to build a logical model of the new system. the first step is _______________________, where the analyst investigates business processes and documents what the new system must to do satisfy the users. The deliverable is ___________________________.

systems analysis phase, requirements modeling, system requirements document

the primary advantage of rapid application development (RAD) is that:

systems can be developed more quickly with significant cost savings

________________________________ 's purpose is to create a physical model that will satisfy the documented requirements for the system. The deliverable is the _______________________________ which is presented to management and users for review and approval.

systems design phase, system design specification

the systems implementation phase of the systems development life cycle (SDLC) includes an assessment, called ____________, to determine whether the system operated properly and if costs and benefits are within expectation.

systems evaluation

during the ______________________, the new system is constructed. Programs are written, tested, and documented, and the system is installed.

systems implementation phase

combining systems for transaction processing, business support, knowledge management, and user productivity features is called __________________.

systems integration

SDLC phase where a feasibility is done

systems planning

______________________________________begins with a formal request from the IT department, called ___________________, which describes problems or desired changes in an information system or a business process

systems planning phase, systems request

during the ____________________________________, the IT staff maintains, enhances, and protects the system.

systems support and security phase

_________________ costs usually can be measured in dollars and include people, hardware and equipment, software, etc.

tangible

_______________ refers to the practical resources needed to develop, purchase, install, or operate a system.

technical feasibility

what are the 6 main reasons for systems requests?

stronger controls (encryption, biometric devices, accuracy in data), reduced cost, more information, better performance, improved service, more support for new products and services

identify a method of developing systems that is well-suited to traditional project management tools and techniques:

structured analysis

5 steps in the SDLC (system development life cycle) model:

systems planning, systems analysis, systems design, systems implementation, systems support and security

____________________________________ or computer resources committee of key managers, users and analysts who use their combined judgement and expertise to evaluate systems requests

systems review commitee

__________________ provides vital protection and maintenance services for system hardware and software, including enterprise computing systems, networks, transaction processing systems, and corporate IT.

systems support and security

________________________ benefits that can result from a decrease in expenses, an increase in revenues, or both. These include: 1. new scheduling system that reduces overtime 2. online packaging system that improves service and decreases the need for clerical staff 3. a sophisticated inventory control system that cuts excess inventory and eliminates production delays

tangible

_____________________ refers to the technical resources needed to develop, purchase, install, or operate the system. some questions an analyst should ask: -does the company have the necessary hardware,software,network resources? -does the company have the needed technical expertise? -does the proposed platform have sufficient capacity for future? -will a prototype be required?

technical feasibility

Questions that _______________________ might ask include: "How much should the company invest in information technology?" or "How much will Internet sales grow in the next five years?" or "Should the company build new factories or contract out production functions?"

top managers

in a typical organizational model, ____________ develop long-range plans, called strategic plans, which define a company's overall mission and goals.

top managers

_________________________ process data generated by day-to-day business operations.

transaction processing (TP) systems

feasibility analysis is an ongoing task that must be performed throughout the systems development process. T/F

true

most large companies require systems that combine transaction processing, business support, knowledge management, and user productivity features. T/F

true

___________________________________ are systems that improve productivity. Examples include email,voice mail, video and web conferencing, word processing, automated calendars, database management, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, presentation graphics, company intranets, and integrated mobile computing systems.

user productivity systems

a _____________________________ involves breaking a project down into a series of smaller tasks.

work breakdown structure (WBS)

an online package tracking system that improves service and decreases the need for clerical staff is an example of:

a tangible benefit

a(n) ____________________ approach emphasizes continuous feedback, and each incremental step is affected by what was learned in the prior steps.

agile

which method of system development stresses intense team-based effort and reflects a set of community-based values?

agile method

________________ attempt to develop a system incrementally, by building a series of prototypes and constantly adjusting them to user requirements. This approach focuses on the end result NOT an overall objective.

agile methods

the term __________________ refers to the reasons, or justifications, for a proposal.

business case

________________________________ describes the information that a system must provide.

business model

______________________ is a specific set of transactions, events, and results that can be described and documented.

business process

____________________________________ graphically displays one of more business processes, such as handling an airline reservation, filing a product order, or updating a customer account.

business process model (BPM)

______________ costs like low employee morale might not have an immediate dollar impact, but certainly will affect the company's performance.

intangible

___________________________ can focus on a specific product/project, division, entire company, or the mission statement itself. The aim is to avoid seeking goals that are unrealistic, unprofitable, or achievable.

SWOT analysis

For complex models, analysts can choose computer-based tools that use ______________________________. It includes standard shapes and symbols to represent events, processes, workflows, and more. (ex. microsoft visio, case)

business process modeling notation (BPMN)

______________________________ is an overview of a company's mission, functions, organization, products, services, customers, suppliers, competitors, constraints, and future direction. _____________________ is the starting point for the modeling process.

business profile

____________________________ provide job-related information support to users at all levels of a company. The systems analyze transaction data, generate information needed to manage and control business processes, and provide information that leads to better decision making.

business support systems

a ____________ is a summary of a project request and a specific recommendation.

case for action

in object-oriented analysis, an object is a member of a ________, which is a collection of similar objects.

class

a _________________ is a serious of events and activities with no slack time.

critical path

a _______________ must be achieved to fulfill a company's mission

critical success factor

__________________ are vitally important to any business and IS for them receive top priority. Many companies implement ______________________ systems that integrate all ________-related events and transactions, including marketing, sales, and customer service activities.

customers, customer relationship management (CRM), customer

a _____________ uses various symbols and shapes to represent data flow, processing, and storage.

data-flow diagram

a ___________________________ cannot be started until a previous task is completed.

dependent task

______________ of prototyping is that important decisions might be made too early. _______________ of prototyping is that it speeds up the development process significantly.

disadvantage, advantage

projects where management has a choice in implementing them are called _________________________. ex. creating a new report for a user.

discretionary projects

__________________ means that the projected benefits of the proposed system outweigh the estimated cots usually considered the __________________________ (TCO), which includes ongoing support and maintenance costs, as well as acquisition costs.

economic feasibility, total cost of ownership

an RFID application called _________________________ is used in creating a digital shipping list to keep track of discrepancies when a customer receives the shipment.

electronic proof of delivery (EPOD)

________________________________ refers to the information systems that support company-wide operations and data management requirements. The main objective of _________________ is to integrate a company's primary functions to improve ________________, reduce ______________, and help _______________ make _________________.

enterprise computing, enterprise computing, efficiency, costs, managers, key decisions

______________________________________ systems provide cost-effective support for users and managers throughout the company.

enterprise resource planning (ERP)

______________________________________ -will the proposed system reduce costs?when?how much? -will the system increase revenue for the company? -will the system result in more information or produce better results? -will the system serve customers and the organization better? -reasonable implementation period?

factors that affect priority

since middle managers focus on a longer time frame, they need less detailed information than top managers, but somewhat more than supervisors who oversee day-to-day operations. T/F

false

system requests seldom (rarely) are aimed at improving service to users within a company. T/F

false

the purpose of an interview, and of the preliminary investigation itself, is to convince others that a project is justified, not to uncover facts. T/F

false

when using fact finding techniques, asking what is being done is the same as what could or should be done. T/F

false

__________________________ reviews anticipated costs and benefits and recommends a course of action based on operational, technical, economic, and time factors

feasibility study

step 1 of the preliminary investigation: understand the problem or opportunity, a popular technique for investigating causes and effects is called ____________________

fishbone diagram

using ___________________________, an analyst can show business functions and break them down into lower-level functions and processes.

functional decomposition diagrams (FDD)

user productivity systems also include ______________________, that enable users to share data, collaborate on projects, and work in teams.

groupware

in an ____________ structure, which is usually based on interpersonal relationships, some people have more influence or knowledge than appears on an organization chart.

informal

__________________________ are difficult to measure in dollars, but are important to the company. Examples include: 1. user-friendly system that improves employee job satisfaction 2. sales tracking system that supplies better information for marketing decisions 3. new website that enhances company's image

intangible benefits

____________________________ are important to a systems analyst who must work with people at all organizational level, balance conflicting needs of users, and communicate effectively.

interpersonal skills

_______________________________ include systems analysts, programmers, accountants, researchers, trainers, human resource specialists, and other professionals who provide support for the organization's basic functions.

knowledge workers

____________________________________ provide direction, necessary resources, and performance feedback to supervisors and team leaders. Because they focus on a shorter time frame, ____________________________ need more detailed information than top managers, but somewhat less than supervisors who oversee day-to-day operations.

middle managers

_____________________ produces a graphical representation of a concept or process that systems developers can analyze, test, and modify.

modeling

_________________________ combines data and the processes that act on the data into things called objects. Built-in processes called ______________ can change an object's properties.A _______________ requests specific behavior or information from another object. By describing the objects and methods needed to support a business operation, a system developer can design _______________ components that speed up system implementation and reduce development costs.

object-oriented analysis, methods, message, reusable

______________________ include users who rely on transaction processing systems to enter and receive data they need to perform their jobs. In many companies they also need information to handle tasks and make decisions that were assigned previously to supervisors. This is called ___________________ which improves employee motivation and increases customer satisfaction.

operational employees, empowerment

__________________________ means that a proposed system will be used effectively after it has been developed.

operational feasibility

of the measures of feasibility, questions such as "does management support the project?" and "will the new system require training for users?" would help predict a system's __________________________.

operational feasibility

using a _____________________________________, a project manager can convert task start and finish times to actual dated by laying out the entire project on a calendar.

program evaluation review technique (PERT) chart

to avoid the problem of _______________________, a project's scope should be defined as clearly as possible.

project creep

________________________________, an activity of a project manager, involves staffing, which includes selecting the project team and assigning specific tasks to team members.

project scheduling

____________________________ give project managers an opportunity to seek input and conduct brainstorming sessions.

project status meetings

_______________________ is an early working version of an information system. _________________ tests system concepts and provides an opportunity to examine input, output, and user interfaces before final decisions are made.

prototype, protyping

______________________________ means that a project can be implemented in an acceptable time frame. When assessing this, a systems analyst must consider the interaction between _______ and _______.

schedule feasibility, time, costs

agile methods typically use a _______________________, which represents a series of iterations, or revisions, based on user feedback.

spiral model

what does the internet offer for B2B transactions?

standard protocols, universal availability, low communication costs

______________________ is the process of identifying long-term organizational goals, strategies, and resources.

strategic planning

What does SWOT stand for?

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats