Test Ch 3, 20, 21
How do people resist change in an AIS
1. Aggression 2. Projection 3. Avoidance
What are the 4 parts of a decision table
1. Condition stub 2. Action Stub 3. Condition entry (Y, N, -) 4. The action entry (X, [blank])
Why is planning an important step in systems development
1. Consistency 2. Lower costs 3. Efficiency 4. Adaptability
Name the 5 documentation tools
1. Data Flow Diagrams 2. Document Flowcharts 3. Computer system flowcharts 4. Program flowcharts 5. Decision tables
A DFD is composed of what 4 basic elements
1. Data source and destinations 2. Data Flows 3. Transformation processes 4. Data stores
What is included in a request for systems development
1. Description of the current system's problems 2. Why the change is needed 3. The proposed system's goals and objectives 4. Anticipated benefits/costs
What is included in accountants roles
1. Determine their information needs 2. May be members of the project development team 3. Play an active role in designing system controls
What are the different types of flowcharts
1. Document 2. Computer System 3. Computer configuration 4. Program
What are the steps involved in prototyping
1. Identify basic systems requirements 2. Develop an initial prototype that meets the agreed-on requirements 3. Users identify changes, developers make changes, and the system is turned to the user 4. Use the system approved by the users
What are the 5 steps in the analysis phase
1. Initial investigation 2. Systems survey 3. Feasibility analysis 4. Information needs and systems requirements 5. Systems analysis report
What is included in the systems survey techniques
1. Interviews 2. Questionnaires 3. Personal observation 4. Systems documentation
What are some risks of end-user computing
1. Logic and development errors 2. Inadequately tested applications 3. Inefficient systems 4. Systems incompatibility 5. Duplication of systems 6. Increased costs
Who are the players (people involved in developing and implementing an AIS)
1. Management 2. Accountants 3. Information systems steering committee 4. Project development team 5. Systems analysts and programmers 6. External players
How can behavioral problems be improved
1. Meeting the needs of the users 2. Keeping communication lines open 3. Obtaining management support 4. Allaying fears 5. Soliciting user participation 6. Making sure users understand the system
What are the basic principles of BPM
1. Organize around outcomes, not tasks 2. Have output users perform the process 3. Have those who produce information process it 4. Centralize and disperse data 5. Integrate parallel activities 6. Empower workers, use built-in controls, and flatten the organization chart 7. Capture data once, at its source
What are 2 techniques for scheduling and monitoring systems development activities
1. PERT 2. Gantt chart
Behavioral problems occur due to what
1. Personal characteristics and background 2. Manner in which change is introduced 3. Experience with prior changes 4. Communications 5. Disruptive nature of the change process 6. Fear
What is included in the project development team's roles
1. Plan each project 2. Monitor project 3. Make sure proper consideration is given to the human element
What are CASE tools used for
1. Plan, analyze, design, program, and maintain an info system 2. Enhance the efforts of managers, users, and programmers in understanding info needs
What are the 2 types of systems development plans
1. Project development plans 2. Master plan
What are additional ways behavioral problems can be improved
1. Providing honest feedback 2. Describing new challenges and opportunities 3. Reexamining performance evaluation 4. Avoiding emotionalism 5. Presenting the system in the proper context 6. Keeping the system simple
What are duties of the help desk
1. Providing hot-line assistance to help resolve problems 2. Serving as a clearinghouse for info, coordination, and assistance 3. Training end-users, and providing technical maintenance and support 4. Evaluating new end-user hardware and software products 5. Controlling data
What is included in the top management's roles
1. Providing support and encouragement 2. Establishing system goals and objectives 3. Determine information requirements
What are some features of BPM's
1. Reduces a company to its essential business processes and focuses on why they are done rather than on the details of how they are done 2. Completely reshapes organizational work practices and info flows to take advantage of technological advancements
What are some examples of end user development
1. Retrieving info from company data bases to produce simple reports/answer one-time queries 2. Perform "what-if" sensitivity/statistical analysis 3. Developing applications using prewritten software
What is included in the steering committee's roles
1. Set policies that govern the AIS 2. Guidance and control 3. Facilitates coordination and integration of AIS activities
What is included in the system analyst's and programmer's roles
1. Study existing systems 2. Design new systems prepare specifications 3. Write computer programs
What are the 5 steps in the systems development life
1. Systems analysis 2. Conceptual design 3. Physical design 4. Implementation and conversion 5. Operations and maintenance
What 5 areas should be considered during a feasibility study
1. Technical 2. Operational 3. Legal 4. Scheduling 5. Economic
What are some benefits of end-user computing
1. User creation, control, implementation 2. System that meets user needs 3. Timeliness 4. Freeing up IS resources 5. Versatility and ease of use
What 2 things occur when end users begin to meet their initial information needs
1. Users realized computers could be used to meet more and more info needs 2. Increased access to data created many new uses and needs for info
What are the 4 categories of flowchart symbols
1. input/output 2. flow & miscellaneous 3. processing 4. storage
What is a Gantt chart
A bar chart with project activities listed on the left-hand side and units of time across the top For each activity a bar is drawn from the scheduled starting date to the ending date As activities are completed the bar is filled in
What is a turnkey system
A combination of software and hardware that are sold as a package
What is canned software
A software written by computer manufacturers/software development companies that is sold on the open market to a broad range of users
What is a decision table
A tabular representation of decision logic
What is a Data Store?
A temporary or permanent repository of data
What is prepared when a new/improved system is needed
A written request for systems development
What is a Flowchart
An analytical technique used to describe some aspect of an information system
What is prototyping
An approach to systems design in which a simplified working model of a system is developed
What is a document flowchart
An illustration of the flow of documents and info between areas of responsibility w/in an organization
What is computer-aided software engineering (CASE)
An integrated package of computer based tools that automate important aspects of the software development process
What is the function of a Data Dictionary
Contains a description of all the data elements, stores, and flows within a system Includes: storage and processing of data, documents, and physical items (i.e. inventory)
DFD/FLOWCHART Emphasize the flow of data and what is happening in a system
DFD
DFD/FLOWCHART Primarily used in the design of new systems and do not concern themselves with the physical devices used to process, store, and transform data
DFD
DFD/FLOWCHART Represents the logical flow of data
DFD
DFD/FLOWCHART Use only 4 symbols
DFD
What is a system flowchart
Depiction of the relationship among the input, processing, and output of an AIS
What is a program flowchart
Description of the specific logic to perform a process shown on a systems flowchart
What is a DFD used for
Document existing systems, plan and design new ones
T/F DFD's show the physical storage medium used to store the data
FALSE
T/F CASE tools replace skilled desingers
FALSE (do not)
DFD/FLOWCHART Emphasizes the flow of documents or records containing data
Flowchart
DFD/FLOWCHART Represents the physical flow of data
Flowchart
DFD/FLOWCHART Use many symbols
Flowchart
DFD/FLOWCHART Used primarily to document existing systems
Flowchart
What is an internal control flowchart
Flowcharts that describe and evaluate internal controls
What does a decision table contain
For any given situation, lists of all of the conditions that are possible in making a decision and alternative actions
What is a Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
Graphic description or the flow of data
What does outsourcing involve
Hiring an outside company to handle all or part of an organization's data processing activities
What are document flowcharts useful for
In analysis of the adequacy of control procedures
What is the function of a flow line in a program flowchart
It connects the symbols and indicates the sequence of operations
What is the function of the processing symbol in a program flowchart
It represents a data movement or arithmetic calculation
What should a company maintain if they engage an outside company to develop a package or assembly
Maintain control over the development process
When is the feasibility analysis prepared and updated
Prepared during systems analysis Updated as necessary throughout the remainder of the process
What does PERT stand for and require
Program Evaluation and Review Technique Requires that all activities and relationships should be indentified
What is custom software
Software that is developed to fit a companies specific needs Difficult to develop and error-prone Consumes a great deal of time and resources Developed and written in house
What are system flowcharts useful for
System analysis, design and evaluation
T/F Companies that buy rather than develop AIS software still go through the systems development life cycle
TRUE
T/F Data flow diagrams can be subdivided into successively lower levels in order to provide increasing amounts of detail
TRUE
What is End-use computing (EUC)
The hands-on development, use, and control of computer based information systems by users
Who uses the feasibility analysis and why
The steering committee uses the study to decide whether to terminate a project, proceed unconditionally, or proceed conditionally
What is the business process management (BPM)
Thorough analysis and complete redesign of business process and info systems to achieve performance improvements Process that challenges traditional organizational values and cultures associated with under performance
What are the obstacles to re engineering efforts
Tradition, resistance, risk, time requirements, lack of management support, skepticism, retraining, controls