Chapter one
Systems, Roles, and Development Methodologies
Learning Objectives
- understand the need for systems analysis and design in the organization.
- realize the many roles of systems and design in an organization.
- comprehend the fundamentals of three development methodologies: SDLC, the agile approach, and object-oriented systems analysis and design.
Questions
- list the advantages of using systems analysis and design techniques for approaching computerized information systems for business.
- list three roles that a systems analyst is called upon to play. provide a definition for each one.
- what personal qualities are helpful to a system analyst? list them.
- list and briefly define the seven phases of the systems development life cycle (SDLC).
- what are CASE tools used for?
- Explain what is meant by an agile approach.
- what is the meaning of the phrase the planning game?
- what are the stages in agile development?
- define the term object-oriented analysis and design.
- how is UML used to model object-oriented systems?
- how would a system analyst decide which development method to use?
- what is the role of a systems analyst in the development of open-source software?
- list two reasons an organization may want its analysts to participate in an open-source community.
Chapter Two
Understanding and Modeling Organizational Systems
Learning Objectives
- Understand that organizations and their members are systems and that analysts need to take a systems perspective.
- Depict systems graphically, using context-level data flow diagrams, entity-relationship models, use cases, and use case scenarios.
- Recognize that different levels of management require different systems.
- Comprehend that organizational culture impacts the design of information systems.
Questions
- what are the three groups of organizational fundamentals that carry implications for the development of information systems?
- what is the implication of interrelatedness and interdependence of systems for systems analysts and organizations?
- define the term organizational boundary.
- what are the two main purposes of feedback in organizations?
- define openness in an organizational environment.
- define closeness in an organizational environment.
- what is the difference between a traditional organization and a virtual one?
- what are the potential benefits and a drawback of a virtual organization?
- Give an example of how systems analysts could work with users as a virtual team.
- what is enterprise systems (ERP)?
- what is the main difference between doing business processes analysis for ERP and other types of systems?
- what problems do analysts often encounter when they try to implement an ERP package?
- what are two symbols on a use case diagram, and what do they represent?
- what is a use case scenario?
- what are the three main parts of a use case scenario?
- what are the four steps in creating use case descriptions?
- what are the five altitudes metaphors for describing use case on different levels? what do they represent?
- discuss the relevance of an enviroment model. what are the basic symbols in this?
- what is an entity on a data flow diagram?
- what is meant by the the term entity-relationship diagram?
- what symbols are used to draw E-R diagrams?
- list the types of E-R diagrams.
- how do an entity, an associative entity , and an attribute entity differ?
- list the three board, horizontal levels of management in organizations.
- how can understanding organizational subcultures help in the design of information systems ?
Chapter 3
Project Management
Learning Objectives
- Understand how projects are initiated and selected, define a business problem, and determine the feasibility of a proposed project.
- Evaluate hardware and software alternatives by addressing the trade-offs.
- Forecast and analyze tangible and intangible costs and benefits.
- Manage a project by preparing a budget , creating a work breakdown structure , scheduling activities , and controlling the schedule and costs.
- Build and manage a project team.
- write an effective systems proposal, concentrating on both content and design.
Questions
- what are the five major project fundamentals?
- list three ways to find out about problems or opportunities that might call for a systems solution.
- list the five criteria for systems project selection.
- define technical feasibility.
- define economic feasibility.
- define operational feasibility.
- list four criteria for evaluating system hardware.
- how does a system analyst ascertain hardware or software needs? what is the need for inventorying hardware?
- what does COTS stand for?
- list five of the main benefits of cloud computing for organizations.
- list three of the main drawbacks cloud computing for organizations.
- what does BYOD stand for?
- what are the benefits of BYOD to an organization.
- what are the benefits of BYOD to an employees.
- what is the biggest drawback of BYOD for an organization?
- what are three main categories of cloud computing?
- define tangible costs and tangible benefits. Give an example of each one.
- define intangible costs and intangible benefits. Give an example of each one.
- list four techniques for comparing the costs and benefits of a proposed system.
- when is break-even analysis useful?
- what are the three drawbacks of using the payback method?
- when is cash-flow analysis used?
- As a general guideline, when should present value analysis be used?
- what is work breakdown structure (WBS), and when should it be used?
- what is Gantt chart?
