Systems Analysis and Design (9th ed.) Final Exam

What is as an expected ROI ratio for technology investments?

2:1

_____ attempt to develop a system incrementally, by building a series of prototypes and constantly adjusting them to user requirements.

Agile methods

A systems analyst should provide ____ so managers can understand the full cost impact and timetable.

An estimate for the overall project, cost figures for the next development phase, time figures for the next development phase

Ensures that the input and output data flows of the parent DFD are maintained on the child DFD

Balancing

Maintains consistency among DFDs by ensuring that input and output data flows align properly.

Balancing

Many companies implement ____ systems that integrate all customer-related events and transactions.

CRM

____ is an example of a discretionary project.

Creating a new report for a user

A central storehouse of information about the system's data.

Data dictionary, or data repository

Data and process modeling involves three main tools:

Data flow diagrams, data dictionary, process descriptions

Using a(n) ____, an analyst can show business functions and break them down into lower-level functions and processes.

FDD (Functional Decomposition Diagram)

A DFD shows the structure and detailed contents of a data flow.

False

A clear definition of project scope and constraints promotes misunderstandings that arise where managers assume that the system will have a certain feature or support for a project, but later find that the feature is not included.

False

A disadvantage of the four-model approach is that the requirements of a new information system always are quite different from the current information system, especially when the proposal is based on new computer technology rather than a large number of new requirements.

False

Although taking notes during an interview has both advantages and disadvantages, the accepted view is that note taking should be extensive.

False

Because of the limited range of input and interaction among participants, few companies believe that a JAD group produces the best definition of a new system.

False

DFDs are balanced if each internal process is numbered to show that it is a child of the parent process.

False

Even if users have difficulty with a new system, it still will produce the expected benefits.

False

In a DFD, a process symbol can have only one outgoing data flow.

False

In a sequence diagram, vertical arrows represent messages from one object to another.

False

JAD provides a fast-track approach to a full spectrum of system development tasks, including planning, design, construction, and implementation.

False

Management leadership and information technology are unconnected, and no significant changes have occurred in either area.

False

Systems analysts call an entity that receives data from the system a source.

False

Systems analysts call an entity that supplies data to the system a sink.

False

The first step in evaluating feasibility is to accept and include all systems requests, even those that are not feasible.

False

Two data stores can be connected by a data flow without an intervening process.

False

When a DFD is exploded, the higher-level diagram is called the child diagram, and the lower-level diagram is referred to as the parent diagram.

False

In most organizations, the ____ department is responsible for output control and security measures.

IT

_____ involves an interactive group of users, managers, and IT professionals who participate in requirements modeling and develop a greater commitment to the project and to their common goals.

JAD

Uses a series of increasingly detailed DFDs to describe an information system

Leveling

____ limitations result when a system that was designed for a specific hardware configuration becomes obsolete when new hardware is introduced.

Performance

A team-based technique that speeds up information systems development and produces a functioning information system

RAD

_____ is a complete methodology, with a four-phase life cycle that parallels the traditional SDLC phases.

RAD

The systems analysis phase includes three activities:

Requirements modeling, data and process modeling, and consideration of development strategies

Modular design is based on combinations of three logical structures (control structures)

Sequence Selection (result of test or condition) Iteration (loop)

____ is a typical example of a system requirement for the input category.

Student grades must be entered on machine-scannable forms prepared by the instructor

____ is a typical example of a system requirement for the output category.

The contact management system must generate a daily reminder list for all sales reps

A DFD data store must have at least one incoming and one outgoing data flow.

True

A data flow must have a process on one end.

True

A process receives input data and produces output that has a different content, form, or both.

True

An example of Web-based output is a system that provides customized responses to product or technical questions.

True

Creating a standard list of interview questions helps a systems analyst to keep on track and avoid unnecessary tangents.

True

Every page in a report should include a page header, which appears at the top of the page and includes the column headings that identify the data.

True

Feasibility analysis is an ongoing task that must be performed throughout the systems development process.

True

IT professionals recognize that successful systems must be user-oriented, and users need to be involved, formally or informally, at every stage of systems development.

True

If only one person has the necessary IT skills and experience to evaluate systems requests, that person should consult closely with users and managers throughout the company to ensure that business and operational needs are considered carefully.

True

In a DFD, a data flow must have a process symbol on at least one end.

True

In a DFD, processes contain the business logic, also called business rules, that transform the data and produce the required results.

True

In addition to describing each data element, data flow, data store, record, entity, and process, the data dictionary documents the relationships among these components.

True

Internal and external factors affect every business decision that a company makes, and IT systems are no exception.

True

Systems analysts call an entity that supplies data to the system a source.

True

The ability to manage information is the mark of a successful systems analyst and an important skill for all IT professionals.

True

The main objective of a sample is to ensure that it represents the overall population accurately.

True

Using Gane and Sarson symbols, a DFD represents processes as rectangles with rounded corners.

True

What makes one system more complex than another is the number of components, the number of levels, and the degree of interaction among its processes, entities, data stores, and data flows.

True

Whenever possible, a systems analyst should evaluate a proposed project based on tangible costs and benefits that represent actual (or approximate) dollar values.

True

When assessing priorities for systems requests, a systems analyst should look for high scores in all of the following queries:

Will the proposed system reduce costs? Serve customers better? Serve the organization better?

The iteration structure is the completion of ____.

a process step that is repeated until a specific condition changes

In a use case diagram, the user becomes a(n) ____, with a specific role that describes how he or she interacts with a system.

actor

Good interface design is based partly on ____, which focuses on how an interface can be made attractive and easy to use.

aesthetics

Uncertainty should decrease most rapidly during the ____ phase of a project.

analysis

Because every piece of information should be traceable back to the input data that produced it, a(n) ____ trail must be provided that records the source of each data item and when it entered the system.

audit

In an interview, ____ limit or restrict the response.

closed-ended questions

In a well-designed detail report, a field called a(n) ____ field controls the output.

control

On a source document, the ____ contains codes, identification information, numbers, and dates that are used for storing completed forms

control zone

Projects with very general scope definitions are at risk of expanding gradually, without specific authorization, in a process called project ____.

creep

All data elements, data flows, data stores, processes, entities, and records are documented in the _____.

data dictionary

A _______ is a graphical representation of the conditions, actions, and rules found in a decision table.

decision tree

A business case should:

describe the project clearly, provide the justification to proceed, and estimate the project's financial impact.

A(n) ____ produces one or more lines of output for each record processed.

detail report

A(n) ____ displays only those records that meet a specific condition or conditions.

exception report

Because diagram 0 is a(n) ____ version of process 0, it shows considerably more detail than a context diagram.

expanded

A popular technique for investigating causes and effects is called a(n) ____ diagram, which is an analysis tool that represents the possible causes of a problem as a graphical outline.

fishbone

In a DFD, the Gane and Sarson symbol for a data store is a ____.

flat rectangle that is open on the right side and closed on the left side

Many analysts follow a ______, which means that they develop a physical model of the current system, a logical model of the new system, and a physical model of the new system.

four-model approach

A systems request form should not ____.

have complex instructions

A common tool for showing the distribution of a questionnaire or sampling results is a vertical bar chart called a(n) ____.

histogram

Decision trees show the logic structure in a ____.

horizontal form that resembles a tree with the roots at the left and the branches to the right

A reasonableness check is a data validation check that ____.

identifies values that are questionable, but not necessarily wrong

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

interpersonal skills

Supporters of neutral locations for interviews believe that it ____.

keeps interruptions to a minimum so people can concentrate fully

In a data dictionary, ____ is the maximum number of characters for an alphabetic or character data element or the maximum number of digits and number of decimal positions for a numeric data element.

length

In data and process modeling, a(n) ____ model shows what the system must do, regardless of how it will be implemented physically.

logical

Greater user involvement in the system development process usually results in ____.

more satisfied users

A systems analyst conducts a(n) ____ investigation to study the systems request and recommend specific action.

preliminary

A ____ description documents the details of a functional primitive, which represents a specific set of processing steps and business logic.

process

RAD relies heavily on ____.

prototyping and user involvement

Structured English might look familiar to programming students because it resembles ____, which is used in program design.

pseudocode

What is needed in order to correct the issues that you know you don't know so they become Facts?

questions

In a data dictionary, data elements are combined into ____, which are meaningful combinations of data elements that are included in data flows or retained in data stores.

records

In a DFD, the Gane and Sarson symbol for a process is a ____.

rectangle with rounded corners

A data ____ is a central storehouse of information about a system's data.

repository

The term ____ refers to a system's ability to handle increased business volume and transactions in the future.

scalability

For upper-level managers who often want to see total figures and do not need supporting details, a(n) ____ is appropriate.

summary report

The ____ phase of the SDLC includes four main activities: requirements modeling, data and process modeling, object modeling, and consideration of development strategies.

systems analysis

Systems development typically starts with a ____.

systems request, followed by a preliminary investigation, which includes a feasibility study

DFD entities are also called ______, because they are data origins or final destinations.

terminators

The disadvantage of the four-model approach is ____.

the added time and cost needed to develop a logical and physical model of the current system

The major benefit of ____ is that it gives a clear picture of current system functions before any modifications or improvements are made.

the four-model approach

In a data dictionary, ____ refers to whether the data element contains numeric, alphabetic, or character values.

type

In a data dictionary, some data elements have ____ rules, such as an employee's salary must be within the range defined for the employee's job classification.

validity