CH13. Understanding Software: A Primer for Managers

While the Health.gov failure was large and public, it was by no means an anomaly. Research firm the Standish Group estimates that in the past ten years, some ____ percent of large federal information technology projects were unsuccessful

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software

A computer program or a collection of programs. It is a precise set of instructions that tells hardware what to do.

distributed computing

A form of computing where systems in different locations communicate and collaborate to complete a task.

capability maturity model integration (CMMI)

A process-improvement approach (useful for but not limited to software engineering projects) that can assist in assessing the maturity, quality, and development of certain organizational business processes, and suggest steps for their improvement

server

A program that fulfills the requests of a client.

Java

A programming language, initially developed by Sun Microsystems, designed to provide true platform independence ("write once, run anywhere") for application developers. In most cases, Java apps are developed to be executed by a Java Virtual Machine—an interpreting layer that translates code as it executes, into the format required by the operating system and microprocessor. Without Java, application developers have to write and compile software to execute natively by a specific operating system / microprocessor combination (e.g., Windows/Intel, Linux PowerPC, Mac/Intel, Linux/Intel).

waterfall

A relatively linear sequential approach to software development (and other projects). Benefits include surfacing requirements up front and creating a blueprint to follow throughout a project. Often criticized for being too rigid, slow, and demanding project forethought that's tough to completely identify early on.

service-oriented architecture (SOA)

A robust set of Web services built around an organization's processes and procedures

EDI (electronic data interchange)

A set of standards for exchanging messages containing formatted data between computer applications.

enterprise resource planning (ERP)

A software package that integrates the many functions (accounting, finance, inventory management, human resources, etc.) of a business.

software package

A software product offered commercially by a third party.

client

A software program that makes requests of a server program.

extensible markup language (XML)

A tagging language that can be used to identify data fields made available for use by other applications. Most APIs and Web services send messages where the data exchanged is wrapped in identifying XML tags.

Which of the following has become a dominant software development methodology?

Agile development

integrated development environment (IDE)

An application that includes an editor (a sort of programmer's word processor), debugger, and compiler, among other tools.

scrum

An approach to organizing and managing agile projects that breaks deliverables into "sprints" delivered in one to six week increments by teams of less than ten. Scrum defines functions (roles) for management and development, meetings (ceremonies), and how the process is documented and tracked (artifacts)

total cost of ownership

An economic measure of the full cost of owning a product (typically computing hardware and/or software). TCO includes direct costs such as purchase price, plus indirect costs such as training, support, and maintenance

feature creep

An expansion of the scope of a project.

desktop software

Applications installed on a personal computer, typically supporting tasks performed by a single user.

enterprise software

Applications that address the needs of multiple users throughout an organization or work group.

_____ is the term used to represent the physical components of information technology

Computer hardware

agile development

Developing work continually and iteratively, with a goal of more frequent product rollouts and constant improvement across smaller components of the larger project.

_____ is a form of computing where systems in different locations communicate and collaborate to complete a task.

Distributed computing

_____ is a set of standards for exchanging messages containing formatted data between computer applications.

Electronic data interchange

compliance

Ensuring that an organization's systems operate within required legal constraints, and industry and organizational obligations.

_____ refer(s) to applications that address the needs of multiple, simultaneous users in an organization or work group.

Enterprise software

You will often hear scrum described as having roles, artifacts, and blueprints.

False--You will often hear scrum described as having roles, artifacts, and ceremonies.

Which of the following statements is true regarding enterprise systems.

For many firms, installing and deploying enterprise systems have been difficult, with some firms experiencing loss or even bankruptcy from botched efforts

applications

Includes desktop applications, enterprise software, utilities, and other programs that perform specific tasks for users and organizations

interpreted

Languages where each line of written code is converted (by a software program, called an "interpreter") for execution at run-time. Most scripting languages are interpreted languages. Many programmers also write Java applications to be interpreted by the Java Virtual Machine.

platforms

Products and services that allow for the development and integration of software products and other complementary goods. Windows, iOS, Android, and the standards that allow users to create Facebook apps are all platforms.

Rails, Django, AngularJS, and ASP.NET are examples of ____________.

Programming frameworks

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

Programming hooks, or guidelines, published by firms that tell other programs how to get a service to perform a task such as send or receive data. For example, Amazon.com provides APIs to let developers write their own applications and websites that can send the firm orders

scripting languages

Programming tool that executes within an application. Scripting languages are interpreted within their applications, rather than compiled to run directly by a microprocessor.

programming language

Provides the standards, syntax, statements, and instructions for writing computer software.

web services

Small pieces of code that are accessed via the application server, and permit interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network.

_______________ are methods to divide tasks related to software creation and deployment up into tasks targeted at building better products.

Software development methodologies

firmware

Software stored on nonvolatile memory chips (as opposed to being stored on devices such as hard drives or removable discs). Despite the seemingly permanent nature of firmware, many products allow for firmware to be upgraded online or by connecting to another device.

application server

Software that houses and serves business logic for use (and reuse) by multiple applications

software development methodologies

Sometimes also referred to as the SDLC or software development life cycle—methods to divide tasks related to software creation and deployment up into tasks targeted at building better products with stronger product management guidelines and techniques.

database management system (DBMS)

Sometimes referred to as database software; software for creating, maintaining, and manipulating data.

embedded systems

Special-purpose software designed and included inside physical products (often on firmware). Embedded systems help make devices "smarter," sharing usage information, helping diagnose problems, indicating maintenance schedules, providing alerts, or enabling devices to take orders from other systems.

compile

Step in which program code written in a language that humans can more easily understand, is then converted into a form (expressed in patterns of ones and zeros) that can be understood and executed by a microprocessor. Programmers using conventional programming languages must compile their software before making it available for execution.

_____ systems help a firm manage aspects of its value chain, from the flow of raw materials into the firm through delivery of finished products, and services at the point-of-consumption.

Supply chain management

supply chain management (SCM)

Systems that can help a firm manage aspects of its value chain, from the flow of raw materials into the firm, through delivery of finished products and services at the point-of-consumption.

business intelligence (BI) systems

Systems that use data created by other systems to provide reporting and analysis for organizational decision making.

customer relationship management (CRM)

Systems used to support customer-related sales and marketing activities

user interface (UI)

The mechanism through which users interact with a computing device. The UI includes elements of the graphical user interface (or GUI, pronounced "gooey"), such as windows, scroll bars, buttons, menus, and dialogue boxes; and can also include other forms of interaction, such as touch screens, motion sensing controllers, or tactile devices used by the visually impaired

computer hardware

The physical components of information technology, which can include the computer itself plus peripherals such as storage devices, input devices like the mouse and keyboard, output devices like monitors and printers, networking equipment, and so on.

operating system

The software that controls the computer hardware and establishes standards for developing and executing applications.

EDI is a very old standard. The two main technologies replacing EDI are extensible markup language (XML), and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)

True

Embedded systems are special purpose software designed and included inside physical products

True

Even specialty devices like video game consoles, television set-top boxes, Kindles and smart appliances run some form of OS

True

Java code that runs through the JVM interpreter is slower than the code compiled for the native operating system and processor that make up a platform.

True

Many firms with similar procedures for accounting, finance, and human resource functions might buy a software package rather than develop their own code. This is usually considered fine since these functions are often not strategic

True

The terms web services and APIs are often used interchangeably, and refer to code and request/response standards used by this code so that other programs can call these services to perform a task.

True

Firmware is used to refer to

a device's control programs stored on nonvolatile memory chips.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

a popular data interchange format, JSON is a technology standard often used to format data when being sent or received via APIs.

Feature creep can be defined as:

an expansion of the scope of a project.

A(n) _____ is software that houses and serves business logic for use by distributed systems.

application server

A process-improvement approach that can assist in assessing the maturity, quality, and development of certain organizational business processes, and suggest steps for their improvement is known as:

capability maturity model integration

An organization is said to be _____ if its systems operate within required legal constraints, and industry and organizational obligations.

compliant

Most enterprise software works in conjunction with a _______________, which stores and retrieves the data that an application creates and uses.

database management system (DBMS)

Which of the following is not true about potential benefits to firms that create platforms?

he potential to make their products and services more useful, They can enhance network effects, They can create switching costs, They can widen the reach of firms and products

A(n) _____ is an application for programmers, which includes a text editor, a debugger for sleuthing out errors, and other useful programming tools.

integrated development environment (IDE)

Operating systems are designed to give programmers a common set of commands to consistently interact with the hardware. These commands make a programmer's job easier by:

making it faster to write software while minimizing the possibility of errors in code.

A(n) _____ is software that controls computer hardware and establishes standards for developing and executing applications.

operating system

Firms that invite other organizations to integrate with their systems via web services and APIs are often thought of as turning their products into ____________.

platforms

Products and services that allow for the development and integration of software products and other complementary goods are known as _____.

platforms

Programs written using _____ can be interpreted within their applications, rather than compiled to run directly by a microprocessor.

scripting languages

Organizations that have created a robust set of Web services around their processes and procedures are said to have a(n) _____.

service-oriented architecture

Packaged enterprise systems can:

streamline processes, make data more usable, ease the linking of systems with software

The Nest thermostat or app-controlled lighting and door locks by SmartThings are part of a category of products known as _______________.

the Internet of Things

True platform independence can be defined as:

the ability for developers to write code that can be run everywhere.

User interface refers to

the mechanism through which users interact with a computing device.

The term "software" is used to refer to:

the set of instructions that tells hardware what to do

The costs associated with the design, development, testing, implementation, documentation, training and maintenance of a software system are collectively referred to as:

total cost of ownership