SAD tutorial 1

SAD tutorial

by TechMan

​1. (a) What is the role of the systems analyst in a systems development project?

​1. (a) What is the role of the systems analyst in a systems development project?

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​(a) A systems analyst is a professional who specializes in analyzing and designing business systems.

(b) With whom does the systems analyst have to interact during a systems development project?

(b) With whom does the systems analyst have to interact during a systems development project?

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(b) Systems analysts play various roles while interacting with the users, stakeholders, management, vendors and suppliers, external companies, software programmers and other IS support personnel, also technical specialists like database administrators and network specialists.

2. List (in order) the stages of the traditional systems development lifecycle.

2. List (in order) the stages of the traditional systems development lifecycle.

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Systems investigation

Systems analysis

Systems design

Systems implementation

Systems maintenance & review

3. A key step of the systems investigation phase is feasibility analysis. Briefly describe the various types of feasibility assessments, which take place during this stage.

3. A key step of the systems investigation phase is feasibility analysis. Briefly describe the various types of feasibility assessments, which take place during this stage.

​Technical – Assessment of whether the hardware, software and other system components can be acquired or developed to solve the problem

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Economic – The determination of whether the project makes financial sense and whether predicted benefits offset the cost and time needed to obtain them

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Legal – The determination of whether laws or regulations may prevent or limit a systems development project

4. (a) What is the main emphasis of the analysis phase?

4. (a) What is the main emphasis of the analysis phase?

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​(a) The main emphasis of the analysis phase is determining WHAT the information system must do to solve the (business) problem.

4. (b) What is the primary outcome of the analysis phase?

4. (b) What is the primary outcome of the analysis phase?

(b) The primary outcome of the analysis phase is a prioritised list of system requirements and recommendation of how to proceed with the project.

5. (a) What is the purpose of systems design?

5. (a) What is the purpose of systems design?

(a) Systems design determines HOW the information system will solve the problem.

5. (b) What is the primary outcome of the design phase?

5. (b) What is the primary outcome of the design phase?

(b) The primary result of the systems design phase is a technical design that details system inputs and the processing required to produce outputs, user interfaces, hardware, software, databases, telecommunications, personnel, procedures, control specifications, and shows how these components are related.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.

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• ​Input controls: Maintain input integrity and security. Their purpose is to reduce errors while protecting the computer system against improper or fraudulent input. Input controls range from using standardized input forms to eliminating data-entry errors and using tight password and identification controls.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.

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• ​Input controls: Maintain input integrity and security. Their purpose is to reduce errors while protecting the computer system against improper or fraudulent input. Input controls range from using standardized input forms to eliminating data-entry errors and using tight password and identification controls.

• ​Processing controls: Deal with all aspects of processing and storage. The use of passwords and identification numbers, backup copies of data and storage rooms that have tight security systems are examples of processing and storage controls

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.

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• ​Input controls: Maintain input integrity and security. Their purpose is to reduce errors while protecting the computer system against improper or fraudulent input. Input controls range from using standardized input forms to eliminating data-entry errors and using tight password and identification controls.

• ​Processing controls: Deal with all aspects of processing and storage. The use of passwords and identification numbers, backup copies of data and storage rooms that have tight security systems are examples of processing and storage controls

• ​Output controls: Ensure that output is handled correctly. In many cases, output generated from the computer system is recorded in a file that indicates the reports and documents that were generated, the time they were generated and their final destinations.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.(Cont'd)

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• ​Database controls: Deal with ensuring an efficient and effective database system. These controls include the use of identification numbers and passwords, without which a user is denied access to certain data and information. Many of these controls are provided by database management systems.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.(Cont'd)

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• ​Database controls: Deal with ensuring an efficient and effective database system. These controls include the use of identification numbers and passwords, without which a user is denied access to certain data and information. Many of these controls are provided by database management systems.

• Telecommunications controls: Provide accurate and reliable data and information transfer among systems. Telecommunications controls include firewalls and encryption to ensure correct communication while eliminating the potential for fraud and crime.

6. Briefly describe six (6) system controls, which help to protect a system.(Cont'd)

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• ​Database controls: Deal with ensuring an efficient and effective database system. These controls include the use of identification numbers and passwords, without which a user is denied access to certain data and information. Many of these controls are provided by database management systems.

• Telecommunications controls: Provide accurate and reliable data and information transfer among systems. Telecommunications controls include firewalls and encryption to ensure correct communication while eliminating the potential for fraud and crime.

• Personnel controls: Make sure that only authorized personnel have access to certain systems to help prevent computer-related mistakes and crime. Personnel controls can involve the use of identification numbers and passwords that allow only certain people access to particular data and information.

7. What factors influence a decision to buy software rather than to make it?

7. What factors influence a decision to buy software rather than to make it?

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Factors affecting the make-or-buy decision:​

• ​Cost of development (or purchase)

• ​Needs of the users

• ​Quality of the software

• ​Speed of acquisition/development

• ​Competitive advantage

8. What is the correct sequence of systems implementation activities?

8. What is the correct sequence of systems implementation activities?

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i) Hardware acquisition

ii) Software acquisition

iii) User preparation

iv) Personnel: hiring and training

v) Site preparation

vi) Data preparation

vii) Installation viii)

Testing

ix) Start-up

x) User acceptance

8. What is the correct sequence of systems implementation activities?

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8. What is the correct sequence of systems implementation activities?

i) Hardware acquisition

ii) Software acquisition

iii) User preparation

iv) Personnel: hiring and training

v) Site preparation

vi) Data preparation

vii) Installation viii)

Testing

ix) Start-up

x) User acceptance

9. (a) What are typical activities involved in the systems maintenance phase?

9. (a) What are typical activities involved in the systems maintenance phase?

​ (a) Systems maintenance involves checking, changing and enhancing the systems maintenance and system to make it more useful in achieving user and organizational goals.

9. (b) What are reasons for maintenance?

9. (b) What are reasons for maintenance?

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(b) Reasons for maintenance:

• Changes in business processes

• Changes in needs to stakeholders, users and managers

• Bugs or errors in the program

• Technical and hardware problems

• Corporate mergers or acquisitions

• Changing Government regulations

• Change in operating system or hardware on which the application runs

• Unexpected events

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Multiple Choice

1. A systems analyst’s role in a systems development project is to ________.

• [A]

  develop software which has the required features

• [B]

  advise on what he/she needs to system to do

• [C]

  provide a budget and resources for the project

• [D]

  develop designs for a new or existing system

• [E]

  make sure that all work is completed on time

Multiple Choice

2. Systems are developed to ________.

i) show off the programmer’s skills

ii) gain a competitive advantage

iii) meet a business need

• [A]

  i)

• [B]

  ii)

• [C]

  i) and ii)

• [D]

  i) and iii)

• [E]

  ii) and iii)

Multiple Choice

3. Mr Mthalane is a project manager who wants to develop a system with rigorous reviews after each development phase. Which systems development lifecycle variation will provide him this benefit?

• [A]

  Traditional systems development lifecycle

• [B]

  Prototyping

• [C]

  Evolutionary lifecycle

• [D]

  End-user systems development lifecycle

• [E]

  Rapid Application Development

Multiple Choice

4. When following the prototyping approach to systems development, ________.

i) the prototype of the system always becomes the final system

ii) developers and analysts get feedback from users about the system by showing them the prototype

iii) prototypes are quick to develop

iv) prototypes can be developed in iterations

• [A]

  i) and ii)

• [B]

  i) and iii)

• [C]

  i), iii) and iv)

• [D]

  ii), iii) and iv)

• [E]

  ii) and iii)

Multiple Choice

5. In which phase of the SDLC are potential problems and opportunities are identified and considered in light of the goals of the business?

• [A]

  systems design

• [B]

  systems investigation

• [C]

  systems analysis

• [D]

  systems maintenance

• [E]

  systems implementation

Multiple Choice

6. For the 2021 Amashova Classic Bicycle Race, the company Bhengu, Malik, Munsamy and Jones have been asked by the organisers to develop a system which will control all Bicycle Race-related hotel reservations in Pietermaritzburg and Durban. The system is estimated to take eighteen months to develop, but the race will take place in October 2021. What type of system feasibility is being challenged?

• [A]

  Technical

• [B]

  Economic

• [C]

  Legal

• [D]

  Operational

• [E]

  Schedule

Multiple Choice

7. When many data sources are spread over a wide geographic area, which would be the best approach to data collection?

• [A]

  Structured interviews

• [B]

  Unstructured interviews

• [C]

  Direct observation

• [D]

  Questionnaires

• [E]

  JAD sessions

Multiple Choice

8. The aim of systems analysis is to ________.

i) gather information/data about the current system

ii) determine the requirements for the new system

iii) determine how the new system will work

iv) produce a prioritised list of systems requirements

• [A]

  i) and iv)

• [B]

  ii) and iii)

• [C]

  i) and ii)

• [D]

  i), ii) and iii)

• [E]

  i), ii) and iv)

Multiple Choice

9. The system’s server room has been flooded during the recent rains. Fortunately, when the system was designed, a disaster recovery plan was put in place. This plan made provision for ________.

i) the server room to be waterproofed

ii) pivotal organisational processes to be supported by the system irrespective of circumstance

iii) backups of system data to be made

iv) a specialised vendor to host the system while the server room is repaired

• [A]

  i) and ii)

• [B]

  ii) and iii)

• [C]

  iii) and iv)

• [D]

  i), ii) and iii)

• [E]

  ii), iii) and iv)

Multiple Choice

10. A new version of MS Word has become available. Your boss has sent an email to all staff saying that as from Monday 2 November 2020, everyone HAS to use the new version, as the old version will no longer be available. This type of system start-up is called ________.

• [A]

  direct conversion

• [B]

  phase-in approach

• [C]

  pilot start-up

• [D]

  parallel start-up

• [E]

  piecemeal approach

Multiple Choice

11. The laws of South Africa have changed. From 1 July 2003, customers of Financial Service Providers have to produce proof of their permanent address – otherwise any financial transactions will be halted. With the coming of this law (the FICA Act), banks and financial institutions had to review their systems to assess whether they are able to capture the information required by the Act. In the SDLC, this kind of activity is called a(n) ________ review.

• [A]

  legal

• [B]

  time-based

• [C]

  financial

• [D]

  event-driven

• [E]

  institutional