Systems Analysis and Design Chapter 4-7
A "many" maximum cardinality is noted on the E-R diagram by: A. placing a crow's foot notation near the entity. B. placing a zero through the line near the entity. C. using a double ellipse near the entity. D. placing two slash marks near the entity. E. using brackets.
A
A collection of entities that share common properties or characteristics best defines: A. entity type. B. entity instance. C. entity occurrence. D. entity collection. E. data set.
A
A cost resulting from the ongoing evolution and use of a system best defines a(n): A) recurring cost. B) one-time cost. C) incremental cost. D) frequent cost. E) variable cost.
A
A major outcome and deliverable from project initiation and planning that reflects the best estimate of the project's scope, benefits, costs, risks, and resource requirements defines the: A) Baseline Project Plan. B) Information Systems Plan. C) Mission Statement. D) Resource Requirements Statement. E) Systems Service Request.
A
A named property or characteristic of an entity that is of interest to the organization defines: A. attribute. B. relationship. C. instance. D. associative entity. E. data flow.
A
A relationship between the instances of one entity type is a: A. unary relationship. B. binary relationship. C. ternary relationship. D. singular occurrence. E. partnership occurrence.
A
A single occurrence of an entity type defines: A. entity instance. B. entity appearance. C. attribute. D. data element. E. multivalued attribute.
A
All of the following might attend a structured walkthrough meeting EXCEPT: A) CEO B) Standards Bearer C) User D) Maintenance Oracle
A
An assessment of the development group's understanding of the possible target hardware, software, and operating environments, system size, complexity, and the group's experience with similar systems should be included as part of: A) technical feasibility. B) political feasibility. C) operational feasibility. D) schedule feasibility. E) construction feasibility.
A
Application software maintenance, new software and hardware leases, and incremental communications are examples of: A) recurring costs. B) one-time costs. C) incremental costs. D) frequent costs. E) consumable costs.
A
As a rule of thumb estimate, what percentage of the entire development effort should be devoted to the project initiation and planning process? A) Between 10 and 20 percent B) Less than 5 percent C) Less than 10 percent D) Between 20 and 30 percent E) Over 50 percent
A
Asking system users and business managers "How many instances of each object might exist?" would help determine: A. the data entities and their descriptions. B. the candidate key. C. attributes and secondary keys. D. relationships and their cardinality and degrees. E. integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data.
A
During systems analysis: A. a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes) is prepared. B. a logical model (relational) is prepared. C. physical files and database designs are prepared. D. an enterprise-wide data model is prepared. E. database and file definitions are prepared.
A
Gathering the information you need for data modeling by reviewing specific business documents handled within the system describes the: A. bottom-up approach. B. conceptual approach. C. top-down approach. D. investigative approach. E. business approach.
A
If the project team and organizational officials reassess the project after each subsequent SDLC phase to determine if the business conditions have changed or if a more detailed understanding of a system's costs, benefits, and risks suggest that the project is not as worthy as previously thought, they are: A) adhering to the incremental commitment principle. B) overly cautious. C) using a CASE methodology. D) adhering to a bottom-up commitment principle. E) using a staged approached to systems development.
A
Process, logic, and data-model descriptions of a system must be consistent and complete since: A. they each describe different but complementary views of the same information system. B. they are prepared during the analysis phase. C. they are constructed in parallel by separate analyst teams. D. a data model indicates when the data are processed. E. a data model shows how the data are processed.
A
Research has found that projects identified by individual departments or business units most often: A) have a narrow, tactical focus. B) reflect diversity and have a cross-functional focus. C) have a strategic, organizational focus. D) will integrate easily with existing hardware and systems. E) have a very high systems development priority.
A
The Project Scope Statement: A) is a short document prepared for the customer that describes what the project will deliver and outlines all work required to complete the project. B) is useful for ensuring that both you and your customer gain a common understanding of the project. C) is an easy document to create because it typically consists of a high-level summary of the BPP information. D) can be used as the basis of a formal contractual agreement outlining firm deadlines, costs, and specifications. E) is all of the above.
A
The data modeling perspective that derives the business rules for a data model from an intimate understanding of the nature of the business, rather than from any specific information requirements in screens, reports, or business forms, is referred to as the: A. top-down approach. B. bottom-up approach. C. overview approach. D. business approach. E. conceptual approach.
A
The extent to which the project is viewed as improving profits, customer service, etc., and the duration of these benefits best defines which of the following evaluation criteria? A) Potential benefits B) Resource availability C) Technical difficulty or risks D) Strategic alignment E) Value chain analysis
A
The first phase of the systems development life cycle is: A) systems planning and selection. B) systems study. C) systems analysis. D) systems design. E) systems implementation and operation.
A
The interest rate used to compute the present value of future cash flows refers to: A) discount rate. B) investment rate. C) transfer rate. D) future cash flow rate. E) valuation rate.
A
The number of instances of entity B that can (or must be associated with each instance of entity A refers to: A. cardinality. B. domain. C. ternary occurrence. D. participation level. E. join level.
A
The objective of the project planning process is the development of: A) a Baseline Project Plan and Project Scope Statement. B) a Systems Service Request. C) entity relationship diagrams. D) corporate strategic plan. E) an information systems plan.
A
The ratio of the net cash receipts of the project divided by the cash outlays of the project, enabling trade-off analysis to be made between competing projects, is often referred to as: A) return on investment (ROI). B) break-even analysis (BEA). C) net present value (NPV). D) future value (FV). E) Currency Rate Analysis (CRA).
A
The reduction of waste creation is an example of a(n): A) intangible benefit. B) qualitative benefit. C) tangible benefit. D) operational benefit. E) profitable benefit.
A
Which of the following alternative methods for making information systems identification and selection decisions has as its focus integration with existing systems? A) Development group B) User department C) Steering committee D) Top management E) End user
A
Which of the following is a true statement? A. A data model explains what the organization does and what rules govern how work is done in the organization. B. To construct a data model, you need to know how data are processed. C. To construct a data model, you need to know when data are processed. D. A data flow diagram graphically illustrates the structure and relationships among data items. E. During conceptual data modeling, the preparation of a Network diagram is necessary.
A
Which of the following is produced and analyzed during conceptual data modeling? A. An entity relationship diagram for the project's application B. A data dialogue diagram for the project's application C. A Gantt chart for the whole database from which the new application's data are extracted D. A Network diagram for the whole database from which the new application's data are extracted E. A data flow diagram that shows how the new system will be physically implemented
A
data dictionary
A central storehouse of information about a system's data.
Selection
A control structure in modular design, it is the completion of two or more process steps based on the results of a test or condition.
Which of the following is NOT a true statement regarding data flows?
A data flow can go directly back to the same process it leaves.
Terminator
A data flow diagram symbol that indicates a data origin or final destination. Also called an external entity.
diverging data flow
A data flow in which the same data travels to two or more different locations.
Which of the following is a true statement regarding a data store?
A data store has a noun phrase label
modular design
A design that can be broken down into logical blocks. Also known as partitioning or top-down design.
diagram 0
A diagram depicting the first level of detail below the initial context diagram. Diagram 0 (zero) zooms in on the context diagram and shows major processes, data flows, and data stores, as well as repeating the external entities and data flows that appear in the context diagram.
exploding
A diagram is said to be exploded if it "drills down" to a more detailed or expanded view.
process description
A documentation of a functional primitive's details, which represents a specific set of processing steps and business logic.
decision tree
A graphical representation of the conditions, actions, and rules found in a decision table.
Which of the following is a true statement regarding data flows?
A join in a data flow means that exactly the same data come from any of two or more different processes, data stores, or sources/sinks to a common location.
data structure
A meaningful combination of related data elements that is included in a data flow or retained in a data store. A framework for organizing and storing data.
black box
A metaphor for a process or action that produces results in a non-transparent or nonobservable manner. In data flow diagrams, a process appears as a black box where the inputs, outputs, and general function of the process are known, but the underlying details are not shown.
physical model
A model that describes how a system will be constructed.
data flow
A path for data to move from one part of the information system to another. data item See data element.
Entity
A person, place, thing, or event for which data is collected and maintained. For example, an online sales system may include entities named CUSTOMER, ORDER, PRODUCT, and SUPPLIER.
four-model approach
A physical model of the current system, a logical model of the current system, a logical model of the new system, and a physical model of the new system are all developed.
Gane and Sarson
A popular symbol set used in data flow diagrams. Processes, data flows, data stores, and external entities all have a unique symbol.
black hole
A process that has no output.
Balancing
A process used to maintain consistency among an entire series of diagrams, including input and output data flows, data definition, and process descriptions.
gray hole
A process with an input obviously insufficient to generate the shown output.
record
A set of related fields that describes one instance, or member of an entity, such as one customer, one order, or one product. A record might have one or dozens of fields, depending on what information is needed. Also called a tuple.
data element
A single characteristic or fact about an entity. A data element, field, or attribute is the smallest piece of data that has meaning within an information system. For example, a Social Security number or company name could be examples of a data element. Also called data item.
field
A single characteristic or fact about an entity. A field, or attribute, is the smallest piece of data that has meaning within an information system. For example, a Social Security number or company name could be examples of a field. The terms data element, data item, and field are used interchangeably
functional primitive
A single function that is not exploded further. The logic for functional primitives is documented in a data dictionary process description.
structured English
A subset of standard English that describes logical processes clearly and accurately.
data repository
A symbol used in data flow diagrams to represent a situation in which a system must retain data because one or more processes need to use that stored data at a later time. Used interchangeably with the term data store.
decision table
A table that shows a logical structure, with all possible combinations of conditions and resulting actions.
Pseudocode
A technique for representing program logic.
alias
A term used in various data dictionaries to indicate an alternate name, or a name other than the standard data element name, that is used to describe the same data element.
context diagram
A top-level view of an information system that shows the boundaries and scope.
Yourdon
A type of symbol set that is used in data flow diagrams. Processes, data flows, data stores, and external entities each have a unique symbol in the Yourdon symbol set.
Which of the following is most likely a source/sink for a manufacturing system?
All of the above
Which of the following is a true statement regarding sources/sinks?
All of the above are true statements
Which of the following is NOT a process modeling deliverable?
An entity relationship diagram
sink
An external entity that receives data from an information system.
source
An external entity that supplies data to an information system. spontaneous
generation
An unexplained generation of data or information. With respect to data flow diagrams, processes cannot spontaneously generate data flows — they must have an input to have an output.
Decomposing
Another way of conveying a process or system that has been broken down from a general, top-level view to more detail. The terms exploded and partitioned can also be used.
A candidate key that has been selected as the unique, identifying characteristic for an entity type is called a: A. attribute. B. identifier. C. secondary key. D. gerund. E. index.
B
A cost associated with an information system that can be measured in dollars and with certainty best describes: A) economic cost. B) tangible cost. C) intangible cost. D) one-time cost. E) measurable cost.
B
A cost associated with project start-up and development or system start-up refers to a(n): A) recurring cost. B) one-time cost. C) incremental cost. D) infrequent cost. E) consumable cost.
B
A department head deciding which project requests to submit is an example of: A) a preliminary investigation of the system problem or opportunity. B) identifying potential development projects. C) requirements determination. D) generating alternative initial designs. E) requirements structuring.
B
A document prepared for the customer during project initiation and planning that describes what the project will deliver and outlines generally at a high level all work required to complete the project is the: A) Information Systems Plan. B) Project Scope Statement. C) Mission Statement. D) Baseline Project Plan. E) Systems Service Request.
B
A relationship between instances of two entity types is a: A. unary relationship. B. binary relationship. C. ternary relationship. D. multiple occurrence. E. partnership occurrence.
B
A relationship that the data modeler chooses to model as an entity type best defines: A. recursive relationship. B. associative entity. C. domain. D. complex relationship. E. complex entity.
B
An association between the instances of one or more entity types that is of interest to the organization best defines: A. occurrence. B. relationship. C. natural connection. D. cardinality. E. entity link.
B
An attribute that can have more than one value for each entity instance is referred to as: A. a gerund. B. a multivalued attribute. C. a nonexclusive attribute. D. a data replica. E. none of the above.
B
Asking system users and business managers "Is each activity or event always handled the same way or are there special circumstances?" helps determine: A. the candidate key. B. integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data. C. security controls and understanding who really knows the meaning of data. D. attributes and secondary keys. E. relationships and their cardinality and degrees.
B
Asking system users and managers "Who is responsible for establishing legitimate values for these data?" helps determine: A. the candidate key. B. security controls and understanding who really knows the meaning of data. C. relationships and their cardinality and degrees. D. attributes and secondary keys. E. integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data.
B
During systems design: A. a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes is prepared. B. a logical model (relational is prepared. C. a conceptual data model (E-R with only entities for the specific project is prepared. D. an enterprise-wide data model is prepared. E. database and file definitions are prepared.
B
If each employee can have more than one skill, then skill is referred to as a: A. gerund. B. multivalued attribute. C. nonexclusive attribute. D. repeating attribute. E. data replica.
B
On an entity-relationship diagram, a rectangle represents a: A. data flow. B. entity. C. multivalued attribute. D. repeating group. E. relationship.
B
On an entity-relationship diagram, the entity's identifier is: A. identified by using a double-lined ellipse. B. underlined on an E-R diagram. C. bold on an E-R diagram. D. written in all capital letters on an E-R diagram. E. placed in italics.
B
The analysis technique that finds the amount of time required for the cumulative cash flow from a project to equal its initial and ongoing investment is referred to as: A) return on investment (ROI). B) break-even analysis (BEA). C) net present value (NPV). D) future value (FV). E) Currency Rate Analysis (CRA).
B
The current value of a future cash flow is referred to as: A) future value. B) present value. C) investment value. D) discount rate. E) cash flow rate.
B
The minimum number of instances of entity B that may be associated with each instance of entity A defines the: A. degree of the relationship. B. minimum cardinality of the relationship. C. maximum cardinality of the relationship. D. domain of the relationship. E. join level.
B
The most common format used for data modeling is: A. state-transition diagramming. B. entity-relationship diagramming. C. process modeling. D. logic modeling. E. a flowchart.
B
The primary deliverable from the conceptual data-modeling step within the analysis phase is: A. a state-transition diagram. B. an entity-relationship diagram. C. a context data flow diagram. D. a decision table. E. Structured English.
B
Which of the following is NOT a project initiation activity? A) Establishing management procedures B) Dividing the project into manageable tasks C) Establishing a relationship with the customer D) Establishing the project initiation team E) Establishing the project initiation plan
B
Which of the following is NOT a project planning activity? A) Determining project standards and procedures B) Establishing management procedures C) Developing a Statement of Work D) Dividing the project into manageable tasks E) Developing a communication plan
B
Which of the following is one of the three primary activities associated with identifying and selecting IS development projects? A) Preliminary investigation of the system problem or opportunity B) Identification of potential development projects C) Requirements determination D) Generate alternative initial designs E) Requirements structuring
B
Which of the following would be classified as a tangible cost? A) Loss of customer goodwill B) Cost of hardware C) Employee morale D) Operational inefficiency E) Not all customers use the Internet.
B
A benefit derived from the creation of an information system that can be measured in dollars and with certainty is a(n): A) intangible benefit. B) qualitative benefit. C) tangible benefit. D) operational benefit. E) profitable benefit.
C
A cost associated with an information system that cannot be easily measured in terms of dollars or with certainty refers to a(n): A) economic cost. B) tangible cost. C) intangible cost. D) one-time cost. E) nonconsumable cost.
C
A detailed, logical, and graphical representation of the entities, associations, and data elements for an organization or business area best describes a: A. logic model. B. data-flow diagram. C. entity-relationship diagram or E-R diagram. D. structure chart. E. data tree.
C
A major outcome and deliverable from the project initiation and planning phase that contains an estimate of the project's scope, benefits, costs, risks, and resource requirements best defines: A) Baseline Project Plan. B) Information Systems Plan. C) Business Case. D) Statement of Work. E) System Service Request.
C
A peer-group review of any product created during the systems development process is called a(n): A) baseline project plan. B) structured workflow. C) structured walkthrough. D) statement of work. E) none of the above.
C
A product is an example of a: A. data element. B. attribute. C. entity. D. relationship. E. process.
C
A renewal is an example of a: A. data element. B. attribute. C. entity. D. relationship. E. action stub.
C
A savings of $5,000 resulting from data entry error reductions would most likely be classified as a(n): A) intangible benefit. B) qualitative benefit. C) tangible benefit. D) operational benefit. E) profitable benefit.
C
A set of two or more multivalued attributes that are logically related defines: A. relationship. B. associative entity. C. repeating group. D. class. E. repeating entity.
C
A simultaneous relationship among instances of three entity types is a: A. unary relationship. B. binary relationship. C. ternary relationship. D. multiple occurrence. E. recursive join.
C
A ternary relationship occurs when a simultaneous relationship exists among instances of: A. the same entity. B. two entity types. C. three entity types. D. four entity types. E. nine entity types.
C
Activities designed to assist in organizing a team to conduct project planning is the focus of: A) project development. B) project identification and selection. C) project initiation. D) analysis. E) implementation and operation.
C
An attribute (or combination of attributes that uniquely identifies each instance of an entity type defines: A. data element occurrence. B. trigger. C. candidate key. D. associative entity. E. data marker.
C
Analyzing an organization's activities to determine where value is added to products and/or services and the costs incurred best describes: A) affinity clustering. B) business process reengineering. C) value chain analysis. D) resource availability. E) technical difficulty.
C
Conceptual data modeling is typically done in parallel with other requirements analysis and structuring steps during: A. systems planning and selection. B. systems design. C. systems analysis. D. systems implementation and operation. E. systems evaluation.
C
Cost reduction and avoidance, error reduction, and increased flexibility are examples of: A) intangible benefits. B) qualitative benefits. C) tangible benefits. D) legal and contractual benefits. E) profitable benefits.
C
If STUDENT and COURSE participate in a relationship, this is an example of a: A. unary relationship. B. coupled relationship. C. binary relationship. D. ternary relationship. E. extraordinary relationship.
C
If entity B is a mandatory participant, then: A. the minimum cardinality of the relationship is two. B. the minimum cardinality of the relationship cannot be defined. C. the minimum cardinality of the relationship is one. D. the minimum cardinality of the relationship is optional. E. the join level is not null.
C
Research has found that projects identified by top management more often: A) have a narrow, tactical focus. B) reflect diversity and have a cross-functional focus. C) have a strategic, organizational focus. D) will integrate easily with existing hardware and systems. E) have a very low systems development priority.
C
Reviewing computer screens, reports, and business forms for the purpose of gaining an understanding of data is indicative of the: A. investigative approach. B. business approach. C. bottom-up approach. D. top-down approach. E. conceptual approach.
C
The analysis technique that uses a discount rate determined from the company's cost of capital to establish the present value of a project is commonly called: A) return on investment (ROI). B) break-even analysis (BEA). C) net present value (NPV). D) future value (FV). E) Currency Rate Analysis (CRA).
C
The concept of comparing present cash outlays to future expected returns best defines: A) cost/benefit analysis. B) internal rate of return. C) time value of money. D) investment return analysis. E) monetary futures analysis.
C
To gain an understanding of the organization's ability to construct the proposed system is the goal of: A) operational feasibility. B) schedule feasibility. C) technical feasibility. D) political feasibility. E) construction feasibility.
C
When selecting an identifier, one should: A. use intelligent keys. B. use large composite keys instead of single-attribute surrogate keys. C. choose a candidate key that will not change its value over the life of each instance of the entity type. D. choose a candidate key such that for each instance of the entity, the attribute is guaranteed to have valid values or is null. E. choose a candidate key that allows for duplicate values.
C
Which of the following is a project planning activity? A) Establishing management procedures B) Establishing a relationship with the customer C) Estimating resources and creating a resource plan D) Establishing the project management environment and project workbook E) Establishing the project initiation plan
C
Which of the following is a true statement? A. Data characteristics are dynamic. B. A data model explains the transient form of an organization. C. An information system design based on a data orientation, rather than a process or logic orientation, should have a longer useful life. D. Data flow paths are permanent. E. A data model graphically represents the processes that capture, manipulate, store, and distribute data between a system and its environment and among components within a system.
C
Which of the following is a true statement? A. Data entities correspond to sources/sinks on a data flow diagram. B. Relationships correspond to data flows on a data flow diagram. C. A data entity will have many possible instances. D. Verbs are used to name entity types. E. An entity type is described many times in the data model.
C
Which of the following would be classified as an intangible cost? A) Hardware costs B) Labor costs C) Employee morale D) Operational costs E) Internet service setup fee
C
validity rule
Check that is applied to data elements when data is entered to ensure that the value entered is valid. For example, a validity rule might require that an employee's salary number be within the employer's predefined range for that position.
A person, place, object, event, or concept in the user environment about which the organization wishes to maintain data refers to a: A. attribute. B. data element. C. relationship. D. entity. E. process.
D
An Internet-based communication that supports business-to-business activities best describes: A) Internet. B) electronic commerce. C) electronic data interchange. D) extranet. E) intranet.
D
During systems planning and selection: A. a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes) is prepared. B. a logical model (relational) is prepared. C. physical files and database designs are prepared. D. an enterprise-wide data model is prepared. E. database and file definitions are prepared.
D
During which of the following steps will you bring the current phase to a close, prepare a report and presentation to management concerning continuation of the project, and get ready to move the project into design? A. Designing the human interface B. Requirements determination C. Project initiation and planning D. Alternative generation and selection E. Requirements structuring
D
Tangible benefits would include: A) improved organizational planning. B) ability to investigate more alternatives. C) improved asset control. D) lower transaction costs. E) first to market.
D
The Baseline Project Plan: A) contains all information collected and analyzed during project initiation and planning. B) specifies detailed project activities for the next life cycle phase, analysis, and less detail for subsequent project phases. C) is used by the project selection committee to help decide if the project should be accepted, redirected, or canceled. D) reflects the best estimate of the project's scope, benefits, costs, risks, and resource requirements given the current understanding of the project. E) does all of the above.
D
The extent to which the project is viewed as helping the organization achieve its strategic objectives and long-term goals describes: A) potential benefits. B) resource availability. C) technical difficulty or risks. D) strategic alignment. E) value chain analysis.
D
The number of entity types that participate in a relationship refers to: A. cardinality. B. association. C. count. D. degree. E. normalization.
D
The use of telecommunications technologies to transfer business documents directly between organizations best defines: A) electronic delivery. B) computer conferencing. C) extranet exchange. D) electronic data interchange (EDI). E) electronic commerce.
D
To identify the financial benefits and costs associated with the development project is the purpose of: A) financial feasibility. B) technical feasibility. C) operational feasibility. D) economic feasibility. E) schedule feasibility.
D
Which of the following alternative methods for making information systems identification and selection decisions has the highest associated cost? A) Development group B) User department C) Steering committee D) Top management E) End user
D
Which of the following is a project initiation activity? A) Developing a preliminary schedule B) Setting a baseline project plan C) Determining project standards and procedures D) Establishing a relationship with the customer E) Developing a communication plan
D
Which of the following possible project sources most often reflects the broader needs of the organization? A) User department B) Development group C) IS manager D) Top management E) Production manager
D
The extent to which all necessary components of a data-flow diagram have been included and fully described defines:
DFD completeness
The extent to which information contained on one level of a set of nested data-flow diagrams is also included on other levels refers to:
DFD consistency
During systems implementation and operation: A. a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes is prepared. B. a logical model (relational is prepared. C. physical files and database designs are prepared. D. an enterprise-wide data model is prepared. E. database and file definitions are prepared.
E
Selecting the best alternative system involves: A. generating a comprehensive set of alternative design strategies. B. selecting the alternative design strategy that is most likely to result in the desired information system, given all of the organizational, economic, and technical constraints that limit what can be done. C. developing all technology and organizational specifications necessary to implement the new information system. D. working with a customer to establish work standards and communication procedures. E. both A and B.
E
Some systems developers believe that a data model is the most important part of the statement of information system requirements because: A. the characteristics of data captured during data modeling are crucial in the design of databases, programs, computer screens, and printed reports. B. data rather than processes are the most complex aspects of many modern information systems and thus require a central role in structuring system requirements. C. the characteristics about data are reasonably permanent. D. structural information about data is essential to generate programs automatically. E. of all of the above.
E
The primary deliverable from the project identification and selection phase is: A) a context data flow diagram. B) at least three substantively different system design strategies for building the replacement information system. C) the development of a new version of the software and new versions of all design documents. D) an entity relationship diagram. E) a schedule of specific IS development projects.
E
Vehicle identification number, color, weight, and horsepower best exemplify: A. entities. B. entity types. C. data markers. D. identifiers. E. attributes.
E
Which of the following is a section of the Baseline Project Plan? A) Management Issues B) System Description C) Introduction D) Feasibility Assessment E) All of the above
E
Which of the following is a true statement? A. The goal of conceptual data modeling is to capture as much of the meaning of data as is possible. B. The efficiencies gained by maintaining systems at the rule rather than code level drastically reduce cost. C. If a thorough repository of data descriptions is kept, the system can be regenerated as the business rules change. D. The more details about data that we can model, the better the system we can design and build. E. All of the above are true statements.
E
process 0
In a data flow diagram, process 0 (zero) represents the entire information system, but does not show the internal workings.
Which of the following would be considered when diagramming?
None of the above
Looping
Refers to a process step that is repeated until a specific condition changes. For example, a process that continues to print paychecks until it reaches the end of the payroll file is looping. Also known as repetition.
business logic
Rules to determine how a system handles data and produces useful information, reflecting the operational requirements of the business. Examples include adding the proper amount of sales tax to invoices, calculating customer balances and finance charges, and determining whether a customer is eligible for a volume-based discount. Also called business rules.
control structure
Serve as building blocks for a process. Control structures have one entry and exit point. They may be completed in sequential order, as the result of a test or condition, or repeated until a specific condition changes. Also called logical structure.
logical model
Shows what a system must do, regardless of how it will be implemented physically.
partitioning
The breaking down of overall objectives into subsystems and modules.
Iteration
The completion of a process step that is repeated until a specific condition changes.
sequence
The completion of steps in sequential order, one after another.
parent diagram
The higher or more top-level diagram in an exploded data flow diagram.
child diagram
The lower-level diagram in an exploded data flow diagram.
leveling
The process of drawing a series of increasingly detailed diagrams to reach the desired level of detail.
Which of the following is true regarding the context diagram?
The process symbol is labeled "0."
domain
The set of values permitted for a data element.
The part of a decision table that lists the actions that result for a given set of conditions is called:
action stubs
If an input from a source appears on a level-0 diagram, it must:
appear on the context diagram
If a data flow appears on the context diagram and is also represented on a level-0 diagram, this would be referred to as:
balancing
The conservation of inputs and outputs to a data-flow diagram process when that process is decomposed to a lower level defines:
balancing
If two processes are connected by a data flow, they are said to:
be coupled to each other
If your DFD contains data flows that do not lead anywhere, it is not:
complete
The diagram that shows the scope of the system, indicating what elements are inside and outside the system, is called a:
context diagram
An arrow on a data-flow diagram represents a(n):
data flow
Data contained on a customer order form would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a:
data flow
Data in motion, moving from one place in a system to another, best describes a:
data flow
Recording a customer's payment would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n):
data flow
Student data contained on an enrollment form would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a:
data flow
A computer-based file containing employee information would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n):
data store
A file folder containing orders would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a:
data store
Data at rest, which may take the form of many different physical representations, best describes a:
data store
On a data-flow diagram, a rectangle with the right vertical line missing represents a:
data store
Techniques used for modeling system logic include:
decision tables
The act of going from a single system to several component processes refers to:
decomposition
By placing a data store between two processes, this:
decouples the processes
The process of discovering discrepancies between two or more sets of data-flow diagrams or discrepancies within a single DFD is referred to as:
gap analysis
A black hole is a process that:
has only inputs
A miracle process is one that:
has only outputs
A data-flow diagram that represents a system's major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail refers to a:
level-0 diagram
A DFD that is a result of three nested decompositions of a series of subprocesses from a process on a level-0 diagram describes a:
level-3 diagram
Data-flow diagrams allow you to:
model how data flow through an information system
The lowest level of DFDs are:
primitive data-flow diagrams
When you believe that you have shown each business form or transaction, computer screen, and report as a single data flow, you have probably reached the:
primitive data-flow diagrams
The lowest level of decomposition for a data-flow diagram is called the:
primitive diagram
On a data-flow diagram, a rectangle with rounded corners represents a(n):
process
The calculation of an employee's salary would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n):
process
The work or actions performed on data so that they are transformed, stored, or distributed defines:
process
Graphically representing the processes that capture, manipulate, store, and distribute data between a system and its environment and among components within a system refers to:
process modeling
Since data-flow diagrams concentrate on the movement of data between processes, these diagrams are often referred to as:
process models
On a data-flow diagram, you may:
repeat both data stores and sources/sinks
The part of a decision table that links conditions to actions is the section that contains the:
rules
A square on a data-flow diagram represents a:
source
A supplier of auto parts to your company would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a:
source
The origin and/or destination of data, sometimes referred to as external entities defines:
source
Having a level-1 diagram with no level-0 diagram is an example of a:
violation of consistency
