chapter 13

________ consists of setting strict standards for products, services, and other activities, and then measuring performance against those standards.

Benchmarking

________ is the process of changing from the old system to the new system.

Conversion

In an object-oriented development framework for a university, how would the classes Degree, Mathematics, and Physics be related?

Degree is a superclass to Mathematics and Physics

________ contain a detailed statement of the information needs that a new system must satisfy; identifies who needs what information, and when, where, and how the information is needed.

Information requirements

Which of the following statements about business process reengineering is NOT true?

It is primarily an ongoing effort by a firm that continually readjusts and measures the effectiveness of new procedures.

Which type of fourth-generation language tools are end-users most likely to work with?

PC software tools and query languages

________ describe the transformation occurring within the lowest level of the data flow diagrams.

Process specifications

The process of creating workable information systems in a very short period of time is called

RAD

The idea that the achievement of quality control is an end in itself describes a main concept of

TQM

The most common form of IT-enabled organizational change is automation.

True

To understand and define the contents of data flows and data store, system builders use

a data dictionary.

CASE tools automate

all of the above

In a parallel conversion strategy, the new system

and the old are run together.

The four kinds of structural organizational change enabled by IT, in order from least to most risky, are

automation, rationalization, reengineering, and paradigm shift

A systems building approach in which the system is developed as successive versions, each version reflecting requirements more accurately, is described to be

iterative.

Object-oriented development could potentially reduce the time and cost of writing software because

objects are reusable.

________ is an organizational change that involves rethinking the nature of the business and the nature of the organization itself.

paradigm shift

During the ________ stage of system development, system specifications that were prepared during the design stage are translated into software code.

programming

Based on your reading of the chapter case discussing PC Connection, their implementation of a new order fulfillment system is an example of

rationalization of procedures

In the direct cutover conversion strategy, the new system

replaces the old one at an appointed time.

Which process develops a detailed description of the functions that a new information system must perform?

requirements analysis

Systems design

shows how the new system will fulfill the information requirements

A(n) ________ is the model or blueprint for an information system solution and consists of all the specifications that will deliver the functions identified during systems analysis.

systems design

In what stage of systems development are design specifications created?

systems design

Unit testing

tests each program separately

The oldest method for building information systems is

the systems development lifecycle

In which type of systems building are the development stages organized so that tasks in one stage are completed before the tasks in the next stage begun?

traditional

System design specifications that address the category of database design issues will include specifications for

transaction volume and speed requirements

The entire system-building effort is driven by

user information requirements.

The process of streamlining business procedures so that documents can be moved easily and efficiently is called

work flow management

A structure chart is a bottom-up chart, showing each level of design, its relationship to other levels, and its place in the overall design structure.

False

Objects are grouped into hierarchies, and hierarchies into classes.

False

One advantage of fourth-generation tools is that they can easily handle processing large numbers of transactions or applications with extensive procedural logic and updating requirements.

False

Rationalization of procedures describes a radical rethinking of the business models.

False

TQM describes the measurement of quality as 3.4 defects per million.

False

The oldest method for building information systems is prototyping.

False

In automation

. employees are enabled to perform their tasks more efficiently.

Enabling organizations to make continual improvements to many business processes and to use processes as the fundamental building blocks of corporate information systems is the goal of

BPM

Business processes are analyzed, simplified, and redesigned in

BPR

A data flow diagram offers a logical and graphical model of information flow, partitioning a system into modules that show manageable levels of detail.

True

Failure to address properly the organizational changes surrounding the introduction of a new system can cause the demise of an otherwise good system.

True

In some forms of outsourcing, a company hires an external vendor to create the software for its system, but operates the software on its own computers.

True

Object-oriented development is more incremental than traditional structured development.

True

Prototyping is more iterative than the conventional lifecycle.

True

The system is not in production until conversion is complete.

True

Which type of fourth-generation language tool contains preprogrammed modules that can be used to create entire applications?

application generators

In the traditional systems development lifecycle, end users

are limited to providing information requirements and reviewing the technical staff's work.

Object-oriented modeling is based on the concepts of

class and inheritance.

An entire information system is broken down into its subsystems by using A

high-level data flow diagrams.

In object-oriented development

processing logic resides within objects.

Thorough testing is not required if, during the programming stage, the design documents are sufficiently detailed.

False

CASE tools facilitate the creation of clear documentation and the coordination of team development efforts.

True

Hidden costs such as ________ can easily undercut anticipated benefits from outsourcing

all of the above

Changes in hardware, software, documentation, or production to a production system to correct errors, meet new requirements, or improve processing efficiencies are termed

maintenance.

Acceptance testing

provides the final certification that the system is ready to be used in a production setting.

To show each level of a system's design, its relationship to other levels, and its place in the overall design structure, structured methodologies use

structure charts

Compared to the use of proprietary components, Web services promise to be less expensive and less difficult to implement because of

the use of universal standards

________ development focuses on rapid delivery of working software by breaking a large project into a series of small sub-projects that are completed in short periods of time using iteration and continuous feedback.

Agile

________ provide(s) a methodology and tools for dealing with the organization's ongoing need to reviseand ideally optimizeits numerous internal business processes and processes shared with other organizations

BPM

Documentation reveals how well the system has met its original objectives.

False

Hidden costs typically increase the total cost of an offshore outsourcing project by an extra 50 to 75 percent.

False

Systems development activities always take place in sequential order.

False

________ are software tools that enable end users to create reports or develop software applications with minimal or no technical assistance.

Fourth-generation languages

As a technical project manager you have decided to propose implementing a prototyping methodology for a small Web-based design project. What is the order of steps you will follow in this project?

Identify user requirements, develop the prototype, use the prototype, revise and enhance the prototype.

Which type of systems development is characterized by significantly speeding up the design phase and the generation of information requirements and involving users at an intense level?

JAD

________ design is a process used to accelerate the generation of information requirements by having end-users and information system specialists work together in intensive interactive design sessions.

Joint application

A problem with prototyping is that the systems constructed using this method may not be able to handle large quantities of data in a production environment.

True

End-user-developed systems can be completed more rapidly than those developed through the conventional systems lifecycle.

True

Management should control the development of end-user applications by

both B and C

Fourth-generation tools cannot replace conventional development tools because they

cannot handle large numbers of transactions or extensive logic. procedural

If an organization's requirements conflict with the software package chosen and the package cannot be customized, the organization will have to

change its procedures

Groups of objects are assembled into software components for common functions, which can be combined into large-scale business applications, in which type of software development?

component-based development

Transferring data from a legacy system to the new system would be defined by which category of system design specifications?

conversion

The primary tool for representing a system's component processes and the flow of data between them is the

data flow diagram.

A systems analysis includes a(n) ________ that is used to determine whether the solution is achievable, from a financial, technical, and organizational standpoint.

feasibility study

Based on your reading of the chapter, the redesign of mortgage application process by major mortgage banks was an example of which type of organizational change?

paradigm shift

You are an IT project manager for an advertising firm. The firm wishes to create an online tool that will be used to survey focus group reactions to products in development. The most important consideration for the firm is being able to offer the tool as soon as possible as a new corporate service. However, you know that many of the senior managers that are business owners of this project have difficulty in understanding technical or software development issues, and are likely to change their requirements during the course of development. What development method would be most successful for this project?

prototyping

When systems are created rapidly, without a formal development methodology

testing and documentation may be inadequate.

System testing

tests the functioning of the system as a whole in order to determine if discrete modules will function together as planned.

Determining methods for feedback and error handling would be defined by which category of system design specifications?

user interface