IST 3343 Exam 2

The diagram that shows the scope of the system, indicating what elements are inside and outside the system, is called a: A) context diagram. B) level-2 diagram. C) referencing diagram. D) representative diagram. E) decomposition diagram.

A

Questions in interviews and on questionnaires asking those responding to choose from among a set of specified responses are: A) specific questions. B) closed-ended questions. C) open-ended questions. D) structured questions. E) stratified questions.

Answer: B

An arrow on a data-flow diagram represents a(n): A) data store. B) data flow. C) process. D) source. E) action sequence.

B

The conservation of inputs and outputs to a data-flow diagram process when that process is decomposed to a lower level

Balancing

Questions in interviews and on questionnaires that ask those responding to choose from among a set of specified responses

Closed-ended questions

The lowest level of DFDs are: A) level-0 diagrams. B) context diagrams. C) level-1 diagrams. D) primitive data-flow diagrams. E) systematic diagrams.

D

Which of the following is NOT a process modeling deliverable? A) A context data-flow diagram B) Thorough descriptions of each DFD component C) DFDs of the current physical system D) An entity relationship diagram E) DFDs of the new logical system

D

Customer order

Data flow

Data in motion, moving as a unit from one place in a system to another

Data flow

supplier

Source/sink

A data flow to a data store means update. T or F?

TRUE

Student Enrollment file

data store

Calculating overtime pay

process

User requirements are well understood.

prototyping would not be useful

Recording a customer's payment would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n): A) process. B) source. C) data flow. D) data store. E) action stub.

A

Since data-flow diagrams concentrate on the movement of data between processes, these diagrams are often referred to as: A) process models. B) data models. C) flow models. D) flow charts. E) logic models.

A

The origin and/or destination of data, sometimes referred to as external entities defines: A) source. B) data store. C) data flow. D) process. E) predecessor.

A

Traditional methods of collecting systems requirements include: A) interviews. B) agile methodologies. C) joint application design. D) rapid application development. E) prototyping.

Answer: A

Which of the following is an advantage of closed-ended questions? A) Interviews based on closed-ended questions do not necessarily require a large time commitment, so more topics can be covered. B) Closed-ended questions enable the analysts to explore information that does not quite fit defined answers. C) The analyst can obtain previously unknown information. D) Closed-ended questions often put the interviewee at ease. E) The interviewee has a sense of involvement and control in the interview.

Answer: A

Prototyping is most useful for requirements determination when: A) user requirements are well understood. B) communication problems have existed in the past between users and analysts. C) possible designs are simple and require an abstract form to fully evaluate. D) multiple stakeholders are involved with the system. E) data are not readily available.

Answer: B

The person who makes detailed notes of the happenings at a joint application design session is referred to as the: A) JAD analyst. B) scribe. C) JAD manager. D) JAD session leader. E) JAD oracle.

Answer: B

Which of the following can be considered an advantage of closed-ended questions? A) The interviewer can explore unexpected lines of inquiry. B) Closed-ended questions work well when the major answers to the questions are well known. C) The interviewee has a sense of involvement and control in the interview. D) Closed-ended questions often put the interviewee at ease. E) Previously unknown information may surface.

Answer: B

Which of the following is a traditional method of collecting systems requirements? A) Business process reengineering B) Observations C) Joint application design D) Rapid application development E) Prototyping

Answer: B

Forms are most useful: A) when they do not contain any data. B) during the initial planning stages. C) when they contain actual organizational data. D) during the design stage. E) during the requirements structuring stage.

Answer: C

One advantage of open-ended questions in an interview is: A) a significant amount of time can be devoted to each interviewee. B) the interviewee is restricted to providing just a few answers. C) previously unknown information can result. D) they work well when the answers to the questions are well known. E) they are not biased.

Answer: C

Questions in interviews and on questionnaires that have no pre-specified answers are: A) nonspecific questions. B) closed-ended questions. C) open-ended questions. D) investigative questions. E) exploratory questions.

Answer: C

Which of the following is a reason for directly observing end users? A) The analyst gets a snapshot image of the person or task being observed. B) Observations are not very time consuming. C) People often do not have a completely accurate appreciation of what they do or how they do it. D) Employees will alter their performance if they know that they are being observed. E) Interviewing is less rich, passive, and often provides ambiguous data.

Answer: C

Which of the following is a true statement regarding JAD? A) A working system is the end result of a JAD. B) JAD sessions are usually conducted in the organization's conference room. C) The primary purpose of using JAD in the analysis phase is to collect systems requirements simultaneously from the key people involved with the system. D) A JAD session is inexpensive to conduct. E) JADs benefit greatly from computer support.

Answer: C

Which of the following is a modern method for collecting system requirements? A) Interviewing B) Questionnaires C) Observations D) Joint application design E) Document analysis

Answer: D

Drawbacks to prototyping include: A) a tendency to avoid creating formal documentation of systems requirements which can then make the system more difficult to develop into a fully working system. B) prototypes becoming very idiosyncratic to the initial user and difficult to diffuse or adapt to other potential users. C) prototypes are often built as stand-alone systems. D) checks in the SDLC are bypassed so that some more subtle, but still important, system requirements might be forgotten. E) all of the above.

Answer: E

The analysis of documents can help you identify: A) problems with existing systems. B) special information processing circumstances that occur irregularly and may not be identified by any other requirements determination technique. C) the reason why current systems are designed the way they are. D) the organizational direction that can influence information system requirements. E) all of the above.

Answer: E

The typical participants in a JAD include: A) a session leader. B) a scribe. C) a sponsor. D) systems analysts. E) all of the above.

Answer: E

Which of the following can be considered an advantage of open-ended questions? A) The interviewer can explore unexpected lines of inquiry. B) Open-ended questions often put the interviewee at ease. C) The interviewee has a sense of involvement and control in the interview. D) Interviewees can respond in their own words using their own structure. E) All of the above.

Answer: E

A supplier of auto parts to your company would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a: A) process. B) source. C) data flow. D) data store. E) relationship.

B

Data at rest, which may take the form of many different physical representations, best describes a: A) source. B) data store. C) data flow. D) process. E) relationship.

B

Data contained on a customer order form would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a: A) process. B) data flow. C) source. D) sink. E) relationship.

B

Data-flow diagrams allow you to: A) show the timing of data flows. B) model how data flow through an information system. C) demonstrate the sequencing of activities. D) show the relationship among entities. E) represent the internal structure and functionality of processes.

B

Student data contained on an enrollment form would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a: A) process. B) data flow. C) source. D) data store. E) relationship.

B

The conservation of inputs and outputs to a data-flow diagram process when that process is decomposed to a lower level defines: A) decomposition. B) balancing. C) flow conservation. D) data flow structuring. E) gap proofing.

B

The search for, and implementation of, radical change in business processes to achieve breakthrough improvements in products and services

Business process reengineering

A computer-based file containing employee information would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n): A) data flow. B) source. C) data store. D) process. E) action stub.

C

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: A) context diagram. B) level-1 diagram. C) level-0 diagram. D) level-00 diagram. E) logic diagram.

C

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: A) data modeling. B) structure modeling. C) process modeling. D) transition modeling. E) logic modeling.

C

If a data flow appears on the context diagram and is also represented on a level-0 diagram, this would be referred to as: A) leveling. B) flow conservation. C) balancing. D) cohesion. E) coupling.

C

The act of going from a single system to several component processes refers to: A) structuring. B) balancing. C) decomposition. D) formatting. E) regeneration.

C

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: A) level-0 diagrams. B) ternary level diagrams. C) primitive data-flow diagrams. D) secondary-level diagrams. E) context level diagrams.

C

A file folder containing orders would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a: A) process. B) source. C) data flow. D) data store. E) relationship.

D

A report: A) indicates the inputs required for the new system. B) describes how a particular job or task is performed, including data and information that are used and created in the process of performing the job. C) indicates what data flow in or out of a system and which are necessary for the system to function. D) enables you to work backward from the information on the document and identify the data that must have been necessary to generate it. E) does none of the above.

D

Data in motion, moving from one place in a system to another, best describes a: A) data store. B) process. C) source. D) data flow. E) relationship.

D

The calculation of an employee's salary would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a(n): A) data flow. B) source. C) data store. D) process. E) action stub.

D

Sales Report

Data flow

"Which of the following is most likely a source/sink for a manufacturing system? A) A customer B) A supplier C) Another information system D) A bank E) All of the above

E

Which of the following is a true statement regarding sources/sinks? A) Data must originate outside a system from one or more sources. B) The system must produce information to one or more sinks. C) Sources/sinks are always outside the information system and define the boundaries of the system. D) If any processing takes place inside the source/sink, we are not interested in it. E) All of the above are true statements.

E

Which of the following would be considered when diagramming? A) The interactions occurring between sources and sinks B) How to provide sources and sinks direct access to stored data C) How to control or redesign a source or sink D) What a source or sink does with information or how it operates E) None of the above

E

A JAD is an inexpensive, popular requirements determination technique.

FALSE

A data flow can go directly back to the same process it leaves. T or F?

FALSE

A primitive level data-flow diagram is the first deliverable produced during requirements structuring. T or F?

FALSE

As a systems analyst, it is part of your job to create a document for a missing work procedure.

FALSE

Assuming anything is possible and eliminating the infeasible describes the reframing characteristic that a systems analyst should exhibit during the requirements determination phase.

FALSE

Challenging yourself to look at the organization in new ways describes the impertinence characteristic that a systems analyst should exhibit during the requirements determination phase

FALSE

Contrary to popular belief, interviewing is not one of the primary ways analysts gather information about an information systems project.

FALSE

Coupling is the conservation of inputs and outputs to a data-flow diagram process when that process is decomposed to a lower level. T or F?

FALSE

Data-flow diagrams illustrate important concepts about data and their relationships. T or F?

FALSE

Double-ended arrows are used to represent data flowing in both directions. T or F?

FALSE

Finding the best solution to a business problem or opportunity describes the attention to details characteristic that a systems analyst should exhibit during the requirements determination phase

FALSE

Information refinement means taking the system requirements you find during requirements determination and ordering them into tables, diagrams, and other formats that make them easier to translate into technical system specifications.

FALSE

Logic modeling graphically represents the processes that capture, manipulate, store, and distribute data between a system and its environment and among components within the system. T or F

FALSE

On a data-flow diagram, a check and payment coupon mailed to the company is represented as a data store. T or F?

FALSE

On a data-flow diagram, an arrow represents an action, such as calculating an employee's pay. T or F?

FALSE

One of the primary purposes of a DFD is to represent time, giving a good indication of whether data flows occur constantly in real time, once a day, or once a year. T or F?

FALSE

Open-ended questions put the interviewee at ease, are easily summarized, and save time.

FALSE

Referencing a JAD session, the sponsor is the individual responsible for organizing and running a JAD session.

FALSE

Since observations are unbiased, they are preferable to other requirements determination techniques.

FALSE

Sources and sinks are internal to the system. T or F?

FALSE

The calculation of a student's grade is represented on a data-flow diagram as a data flow. T or F?

FALSE

The lowest-level data-flow diagrams are called level-0 diagrams. T or F?

FALSE

The prototyping process encourages the formal documentation of system requirements.

FALSE

When comparing observations and document analysis, the chances for follow-up and probing with document analysis are rated high to excellent.

FALSE

When comparing observations and document analysis, the expense of observations is rated moderate.

FALSE

When constructing data-flow diagrams, you should show the interactions that occur between sources and sinks. T or F?

FALSE

You should use the interview process to set expectations about the new or replacement system.

FALSE

This IS professional may attend to learn from the discussion and possibly to contribute ideas on the technical feasibility of ideas or on technical limitations of current systems.

IS staff

The trained individual who plans and leads joint application design sessions

JAD session leader

This person organizes and runs the JAD and has been trained in group management and facilitation, as well as in systems analysis.

JAD session leader

A data-flow diagram that represents a system's major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail

Level-0 Diagram

A DFD that is the result of nested decompositions of a series of subprocesses from a process on a level-0 diagram

Level-n Diagram

This individual oversees work groups who use the system in question and can provide insight into new organizational directions, motivations for and organizational impacts of systems, and support for requirements determined during the JAD.

Manager

Questions in interviews and on questionnaires that have no prespecified answers

Open-ended questions

The lowest level of decomposition for a data-flow diagram

Primitive DFD

Generate Paycheck

Process

Preparing a purchase order

Process

The work or actions performed on data so that they are transformed, stored, or distributed

Process

computing a GPA

Process

The person who makes detailed notes of the happenings at a joint application design session

Scribe

This individual takes notes; a personal computer or laptop is usually used to take the notes.

Scribe

Customer

Source/sink

Teller

Source/sink

The origin and/or destination of data, sometimes referred to as external entities

Source/sink

This person is relatively high level in the company and usually attends only at the very beginning or the end of the session.

Sponsor

This individual is part of the development team; she attends the JAD session to learn from the users and managers.

Systems analyst

A Web site's customer is represented as a source on a data-flow diagram. T or F?

TRUE

A context diagram shows the scope of the organizational system, system boundaries, external entities that interact with the system, and the major information flows between entities and the system.

TRUE

A course schedule request would be represented on a data-flow diagram as a data-flow. T or F?

TRUE

A data flow represents data in motion, moving from one place in the system to another. T or F?

TRUE

A data-flow diagram (DFD) is a graphical tool that allows analysts to illustrate the flow of data in an information system. T or F?

TRUE

A fork in a data flow means that exactly the same data go from a common location to two or more different processes, data stores, or sources/sinks. T or F?

TRUE

A gross violation of DFD consistency would be a level-1 diagram with no level-0 diagram. T or F?

TRUE

A level-0 diagram is a data-flow diagram that represents a system's major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail. T or F?

TRUE

A major disadvantage of closed-ended questions is that useful information that does not quite fit the defined answers may be overlooked as the respondent tries to make a choice instead of providing his or her best answer.

TRUE

A process has a verb label. T or F?

TRUE

As a general guideline, you should prepare an agenda with approximate time limits for different sections of the interview.

TRUE

Because a data flow name represents a specific set of data, another data flow that has even one more or one less piece of data must be given a different, unique name. T or F?

TRUE

Because the system's data stores are conceptually inside the one process, no data stores appear on a context diagram. T or F?

TRUE

Closed-ended questions work well when the major answers to the questions are known.

TRUE

Collection of information is at the core of systems analysis

TRUE

Data cannot move directly from a source to a sink. T or F?

TRUE

Data-flow diagramming is one of several structured analysis techniques used to increase software development productivitiy. T or F

TRUE

Data-flow diagrams evolve from the more general to the more detailed as current and replacement systems are better understood. T or F?

TRUE

During requirements determination, information can be gathered from users of the current system, forms, reports, and procedures

TRUE

Functional decomposition is a repetitive process of breaking the description or perspective of a system down into finer and finer detail. T or F?

TRUE

In documents you can find information about special information processing circumstances that occur irregularly

TRUE

In documents you can find information about the values of the organization or individuals who can help determine priorities for different capabilities desired by different users.

TRUE

Informal systems develop because of inadequacies of formal procedures, individual work habits and preferences, and resistance to control.

TRUE

Joint application design and prototyping can help keep the analysis effort at a minimum yet still effective.

TRUE

Meeting notes, procedure manuals, and consultant reports are specific deliverables that might be obtained during the requirements determination process.

TRUE

Multiple choice, rating, and ranking are types of closed-ended questions.

TRUE

Neutrality is a guideline for effective interviewing.

TRUE

Open-ended questions are usually used to probe for information when you cannot anticipate all possible responses or when you do not know the precise question to ask.

TRUE

Open-ended questions can put interviewees at ease because they can respond in their own words using their own structure.

TRUE

Structured analysis techniques, such as data-flow diagramming, can help companies avoid misunderstanding how existing systems will have to work with the new system and incorrect specifications for necessary data, forms, and reports. T or F

TRUE

The determination of which items are low in stock is represented on a data-flow diagram as a process. T or F?

TRUE

The primary purpose of using JAD in the analysis phase is to collect systems requirements simultaneously from the key people involved with the system.

TRUE

While being observed, employees may follow exact procedures more carefully than they typically do.

TRUE

This individual is the only one who has a clear understanding of what it means to use the system on a daily basis.

User

Data at rest, which may take the form of many different physical representations

data store

Communication problems have existed in the past between users and analysts, and both parties want to be sure that system requirements are as specific as possible.

prototyping would be useful

Possible designs are complex and require concrete form to fully evaluate.

prototyping would be useful

Tools and data are readily available to build working systems rapidly.

prototyping would be useful

A significant number of users or stakeholders are involved with the system.

prototyping would not be useful