Mis Final Exam - Chapter 8

Front 1

Systems Analysis and Design

Back 1

A traditional term used to describe the process of designing, building, and maintaining information systems performed by analysts and programmers

Front 2

Software Engineering

Back 2

A newer term given to acknowledge the movement of systems building from art to discipline by professionals using common methods, techniques, and tools for constructing information systems

Front 3

Problem Decomposition

Back 3

Systems building is a process of decomposing large complex problems to discover and design solutions to support the organization

Front 4

The Systems Development Life Cycle

Back 4

The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a structured method complete with techniques developed to manage the life cycle of an information system

(slide 8-9)

Front 5

System Identification

System Identification, Selection, and Planning

Back 5

A process used to identify opportunities for developing systems projects to solve problems. This process varies greatly from organization to organization

Front 6

Selection

System Identification, Selection, and Planning

Back 6

The process of applying evaluation criteria to possible projects to select those that are critical to enabling the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives

Front 7

Systems Planning

System Identification, Selection, and Planning

Back 7

Developing formal plans for creating the information systems project selected. Some organizations call their periodic process of identification, selection, and planning “Information Systems Planning (ISP)”

Front 8

Collecting System Requirements (Traditional)

Systems Analysis

Back 8

A combination of methods are used:
Interviews – discussions with stakeholders (i.e. users)
Questionnaires – surveys to assess use and attitudes
Observations – watch process and systems use
Document Analysis – reviewing current documents

Front 9

Collecting System Requirements (Alternative)

Systems Analysis

Back 9

Critical Success Factors (CSF’s) – a process of interviewing, recoding, and analyzing, and merging factors defined as critical by personnel at all levels of an organization
Joint Application Design (JAD) - a method that brings together users and analysts in a room together to define requirements. This method greatly reduces time

Front 10

Critical Success Factors (CSF’s)

Back 10

a process of interviewing, recoding, and analyzing, and merging factors defined as critical by personnel at all levels of an organization

Front 11

Joint Application Design (JAD)

Back 11

a method that brings together users and analysts in a room together to define requirements. This method greatly reduces time

Front 12

The ERD Diagram

Back 12

A tool used to identify the relationships between entities to assist in developing applications and databases

Front 13

Forms

Back 13

a business document with predefined data and places to fill in information that is used for system input

Front 14

Reports

Back 14

an output of a system that contains only predefined data usually in a tabular format (see below)

Front 15

Processing Logic

Back 15

The processing and logic operations of an information system are the steps and procedures that transform raw data inputs into new or modified information

Front 16

Processing Logic Example

Back 16

Describes the steps for calculating a GPA
Obtain the prior grade point average, credits hours earned, and list of prior courses
Obtain the list of each current course, final grade, and course credit hours
Combine the prior and current credit hours into aggregate sums
Calculate the new grade point average

Front 17

Software Programming

Back 17

creating the instructions from the programming logic design using a variety of programming languages assisted many times by language editors

Front 18

Software Testing

Back 18

a series of tests designed to identify errors and validate logic in parallel with programming. There are multiple types of testing (see below)

Front 19

Conversion Approaches

Back 19

the process of taking information from an old system to populate a new system. This is accomplished through manual and/or automated methods

Front 20

System Documentation

Back 20

The collection of materials produced with an information system to support the ongoing operation and development

Front 21

User and reference guides

System Implementation – System Documentation

Back 21

step-by-step instructions for using the system features and functions

Front 22

User training and tutorials

System Implementation – System Documentation

Back 22

manuals and exercises designed to educate users and build competence in system use. These training manuals and tutorials can be supported by a database that utilizes realistic data

Front 23

Installation procedures and trouble-shooting suggestions

System Implementation – System Documentation

Back 23

manuals and procedures designed to support technical personal in installing and problem solving during system operation

Front 24

Training Approaches

System Implementation – System Training

Back 24

the processes used to educate users in new business processes and system features and functions with the goal of building competence to ensure operational success (see possible methods below)

Front 25

System Maintenance

System Maintenance - Maintenance Types

Back 25

The process by which a system is kept in working order and minor enhancements are completed. Some types of system maintenance are shown below

Front 26

Prototyping

Alternative Development Methods - Prototyping

Back 26

A systems development method that uses a “trial-and-error” approach for discovering how a system should operate. Steps include:
Collecting requirements
Develop/Refine Prototype
Review Prototype with Users
(Repeat the previous steps until correct design is created)
Implement and Use System

Front 27

Rapid Application Development (RAD)

Back 27

A rapid four-step iterative systems development method utilizing: prototyping, computer-based development tools, special management practices, and close user involvement

Front 28

RAD Phases

Back 28

The following phases are iterated until the requirements and design are completed and approved
Requirements Planning
User Design
Construction
Move to the New System

Front 29

Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD)

Back 29

Similar to SDLA approaches except that it relies on the tight coupling between data and methods and between the conceptual design of a system and its actual implementation.

Front 30

OOAD Characteristics

Back 30

The role of analyst and programmer are combined while thinking about data and the operations to define the relevant objects
The design and implementation of these objects happen quickly and simultaneously
It uses a more integrative prototyping process than the SDLC

Front 31

External Acquisition

Back 31

The purchasing of an existing system (hardware, software, databases, network) from an outside vendor such as IBM, EDS, or Accenture

Front 32

Outsourcing

Back 32

Turning over some or all responsibility for an organization’s information systems development and operations to an outside firm

Front 33

End-user Development

Back 33

Capitalizing on the sophistication of current users, this technique allows the system users to develop their system functions using a variety of tools

Front 34

Outsourcing Arrangements

Back 34

Not all outsourcing arrangements are the same, they can vary based on the need of the firm and the supplier

Front 35

Basic

Arrangement Types

Back 35

A “cash and carry” relationship in which products and services are purchased on the basis of price and convenience

Front 36

Preferred

Arrangement Types

Back 36

relationships with a few suppliers where the buyer and supplier set preferences and prices based to the benefits of each other (e.g. volume pricing)

Front 37

Strategic

Arrangement Types

Back 37

a relationship where the firm and a vendor are each concerned with, and perhaps have a direct stake in, the success of each other

Front 38

Personal Computer Tools

Back 38

tools common to PCs (e.g. speadsheets) that allow the creation of macros or automated routines by users

Front 39

Query languages/report generators

Back 39

tools that utilize SQL to extract information from databases and generate reports in user-specified formats

Front 40

Graphics generators

Back 40

tools that can extract relevant information from databases and create graphs, charts, etc.

Front 41

Decision Support and Modeling Tools

Back 41

tools that support complex decision making utilizing multidimensional models

Front 42

Application Generators

Back 42

tools that allow users to specify what is to be done and the application decides how it is to be done and generates the program code