True-False Questions
1.
A systems requirement identifies how a systems solution is supposed to
be accomplished.
Answer: False Page Reference: 132 Difficulty: Moderate
2.
Corporate traditions and habits are valid constraints limiting the
types of questions that a systems analyst should ask during interviews.
Answer: False Page Reference: 132 Difficulty: Moderate
3.
JAD and prototyping are techniques for keeping analysis efforts at a
minimum while maintaining maximum effectiveness.
Answer: True Page Reference: 134 Difficulty: Moderate
4.
When preparing for an interview all possible questions should be
written down beforehand, and the interview itself should be completely
scripted.
Answer: False Page Reference: 134-135 Difficulty: Moderate
5.
If an interviewer has very limited knowledge of the subject’s job and
usage patterns, it is best to start with open-ended questions.
Answer: True Page Reference: 137 Difficulty: Moderate
6.
The interviewer should avoid telling the interviewee about the likes
and dislikes of other users of the system.
Answer: True Page Reference: 137 Difficulty: Moderate
7.
The requirements determination interview is a good time for the systems
analyst to describe to the user the way that the new system will function.
Answer: False Page Reference: 138 Difficulty: Moderate
8.
Whereas interviews provide objective information, observation is a
source of more subjective information.
Answer: False Page Reference: 139 Difficulty: Moderate
9.
A written work procedure document is often used by the systems analyst
as a guide for determining user likes and dislikes.
Answer: False Page Reference: 140-141 Difficulty: Moderate
10. Follow-up and probing capabilities
are generally higher for direct observation than for document analysis.
Answer: True Page Reference: 144 Difficulty: Moderate
11. Conflicts and disagreements
between different users are likely to become readily apparent when performing
joint application design.
Answer: True Page Reference: 144-145 Difficulty: Moderate
12. JAD sessions are usually held in
remote sites and specialized conference rooms.
Answer: True Page Reference: 144-145 Difficulty: Moderate
13. The person who organizes and
leads JAD sessions is called a sponsor.
Answer: False Page Reference: 145 Difficulty: Moderate
14. Systems analysts and the IS staff
are major sources of information and should be vocal when participating in a
JAD session.
Answer: False Page Reference: 145 Difficulty: Moderate
15. A Joint Application Design
session is unlikely to involve heated discussions or disagreements.
Answer: False Page Reference: 146 Difficulty: Moderate
16. Prototyping enables users to
experience working with a proposed information system and modify requirements
accordingly.
Answer: True Page Reference: 147-148 Difficulty: Moderate
17. An advantage of prototyping is
that they are easy to generalize and adapt for use by multiple people in an
integrated environment.
Answer: False Page Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
18. Agile usage-centered design is
more similar to the traditional system development cycle than to system
prototyping.
Answer: False Page Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
19. Agile usage-centered design is
most likely to be successful if the development teams are small.
Answer: True Page Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
20. Inclusion of a venting session
and use of 3X5 task cards are characteristic elements of the agile
usage-centered design methodology.
Answer: True Page Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
21. eXtreme programming involves a
clear separation of planning, analysis, design, and construction into separate
project phases.
Answer: False Page Reference: 149 Difficulty: Moderate
Multiple-Choice Questions
22. The systems analysis portion of a
development project involves all the following tasks EXCEPT:
a.
creating design elements.
b.
determining systems requirements.
c.
selecting design strategies.
d.
structuring systems requirements.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 131 Difficulty: Moderate
23. Requirements structuring involves
creation of:
a.
use cases and class diagrams.
b.
interview questions and questionnaires.
c.
project goals and objectives.
d.
transcripts and frames.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 132 Difficulty: Moderate
24. Which of the following is NOT a
deliverable resulting from the requirements determination process?
a.
Interview transcripts
b.
Documentation of existing system
c.
Procedure manuals
d.
Project schedule
Answer: d Page
Reference: 133 Difficulty: Moderate
25. Which of the following does NOT
enhance the effectiveness of a systems analyst’s interviewing process?
a.
Note taking
b.
Planning
c.
Advocacy
d.
Neutrality
Answer: c Page
Reference: 135, 137-138 Difficulty: Moderate
26. The agenda for an interview is a
list of:
a.
facts about the interviewer’s experience and opinions.
b.
topics to cover and approximate time limits.
c.
major objectives and goals regarding what needs to be accomplished.
d.
specific questions and answers.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 135-136 Difficulty: Moderate
27. Which of the following is an
advantage of open-ended interview questions over close-ended interview
questions?
a.
Better control of question flow
b.
Lead to probing questions
c.
Increased confidentiality
d.
Requires less time commitment
Answer: b Page
Reference: 137 Difficulty: Moderate
28. Which of the following is
considered to be an open-ended question?
a.
True-false
b.
Multiple-choice
c.
No options specified
d.
List ranking
Answer: c Page
Reference: 137 Difficulty: Moderate
29. As a rule of thumb, the maximum
time delay that a systems analyst can afford to wait for keying and organizing
interview notes before memory about the interview fades is:
a.
thirty minutes.
b.
two hours.
c.
forty-eight hours.
d.
one week.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 138 Difficulty: Moderate
30. Which of the following is a
rationale for utilizing direct observation as an information gathering
technique?
a.
Subject’s desire for confidentiality
b.
Subject’s inaccuracy in self-reporting
c.
Desire for open-ended discussion
d.
Availability of system usage data
Answer: b Page
Reference: 138 Difficulty: Moderate
31. Studying the organization’s
written documents is a promising way of obtaining information about all of the
following EXCEPT:
a.
policies and procedures.
b.
mission and goals of the company.
c.
usage habits and behaviors of individuals.
d.
reports of system performance issues.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 139-140 Difficulty: Moderate
32. A written work procedure document
is most useful as a source of requirements information when the formal system
and the informal system are:
a.
very different.
b.
nearly identical.
c.
nonexistent.
d.
noncompliant.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 140 Difficulty: Hard
33. The type of written document that
is most likely to be directly translated into a screen image of an application
program is a(n):
a.
data dictionary.
b.
work procedure.
c.
organization chart.
d.
business form.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 141-142 Difficulty: Hard
34. Information obtained via document
analysis is likely to be ____________ than information obtained via direct
observation.
a.
richer
b.
older
c.
timelier
d.
more time-consuming
Answer: b Page
Reference: 144 Difficulty: Hard
35. Joint application development is
best described as:
a.
highly structured and group-oriented.
b.
iterative and rudimentary.
c.
inexpensive and low-key.
d.
dispersed and long-term.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 144-145 Difficulty: Hard
36. Note taking during a JAD session
is the responsibility of the:
a.
session leader.
b.
systems analyst.
c.
scribe.
d.
sponsor.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 145 Difficulty: Easy
37. During a Joint Application Design
session, the IS personnel should spend most of their time:
a.
venting.
b.
listening.
c.
explaining.
d.
scribing.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 145 Difficulty: Easy
38. Which of the following factors support
use of prototyping as a means for requirements determination?
a.
Many users and stakeholders are involved.
b.
Formal systems requirements documentation is desired.
c.
The system is to be integrated and shares data with other systems.
d.
User requirements are not clear or well-understood.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
39. Prototyping is similar to OOSAD
in the sense that it is characterized by:
a.
extensive up-front analysis and planning.
b.
iterative and incremental development.
c.
polymorphic system components.
d.
class generalization and inheritance.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 148 Difficulty: Moderate
40. Which of the following
requirements determination approaches is characterized by involvement of
2-person programming teams?
a.
Agile usage-centered program design
b.
Joint Application Design
c.
eXtreme programming
d.
System prototyping
Answer: c Page
Reference: 149 Difficulty: Moderate
41. All of the following are phases
of the eXtreme programming Planning Game EXCEPT:
a.
venting.
b.
exploration.
c.
commitment.
d.
steering.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 149 Difficulty: Moderate
42. Unlike the Planning Game between Business
and Developers, the Iteration Planning Game:
a.
involves the use of story cards.
b.
does not include an exploration phase.
c.
iIs not an aspect of eXtreme programming.
d.
is played only by programmers.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 149 Difficulty: Moderate
Essay Questions
43. Describe the personal
characteristics that facilitate a systems analyst’s efforts at determining
requirements.
Answer:
The
systems analyst should be impertinent, impartial, open-minded, meticulous, and
creative. Impertinence does not mean being disrespectful, but it does mean the
systems analyst should question everything, similar to how a detective would
work when solving a mystery. The systems analyst should also be impartial, not
advocating or justifying any position or opinion but instead taking all
viewpoints into account. In maintaining an open-minded attitude, the systems
analyst relaxes constraints, at first assuming everything is possible. He
should not be limited by tradition or habit. Meticulousness means paying
attention to detail, and making sure that every fact fits with every other
fact. When contradictions, imprecision, or inconsistencies are discovered, it is
the systems analyst’s job to resolve these. Finally, a systems analyst should
be creative, and should be able to look at the organization in new ways, to
reframe problems in a new light, which helps to generate innovative solutions.
Page Reference: 132-133 Difficulty: Moderate
44. Describe the deliverables that
should result from the requirements determination process. What sort of information should they contain,
and what understanding should have been gained? What is the next step after requirements
determination? Finally, what condition can result from spending too much time
in requirements analysis?
Answer:
Requirements
determination produces deliverables containing the information gained during
interviews, surveys, observation, and other requirements gathering activities.
This information takes many forms, such as interview transcripts, observation
notes, survey analyses, forms, reports, prototypes, and others. By the end of
this process, the systems analyst should understand: business objectives; the
information and data required for individuals and organizations to perform
their tasks; rules, procedures and policies; and events affecting data values
and systems states. All of this information serves as input to the next phase
of systems analysis, requirements structuring. Care must be taken, however, not
to get bogged down in analysis paralysis, particularly for object-oriented
systems, which place a premium on speed and iteration.
Page Reference: 133-134 Difficulty: Moderate
45. Compare and contrast the three
traditional approaches for determining systems requirements. Briefly identify
and define each of these approaches, and then discuss the factors that would
lead an analyst to choose one approach over another.
Answer:
The
four main approaches for requirements determination are interviews, direct
observation, and document analysis. An interview is a discussion, involving a
combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions that takes place between
the systems analyst and another stakeholder such as a user or manager. With
direct observation, the systems analyst watches and listens as the user or
manager works with an existing system or performs the tasks in his or her job.
In documents analysis, the systems analyst studies manuals, organizational
policy documents, procedures documents and memos in order to glean information
regarding system requirements. There are a variety of factors that influence
which approach to use, such as expense, information richness, time commitment,
confidentiality, probing, subject involvement, and potential audience.
Interviews and direct observation tend to require more time and expense than
document analysis, but tend to provide richer information and allow for better
probing and follow-up opportunities. Confidentiality is limited with
observation and interviews, and tends to be greater with document analysis
(although this depends on the nature of the document). With interviews and
observation, the time expense and need for subject involvement is so high that
potential audience is limited, which is not the case with document analysis. In
the final analysis, a requirements determination effort will probably involve
some combination of all three approaches.
Page Reference: 134-144 Difficulty: Hard
46. Discuss some general guidelines
that should be followed when conducting interviews for requirements
determination. In doing so, discuss
characteristics of good and bad questions, and identify some pitfalls to avoid.
Answer:
It
is important to plan and prepare thoroughly prior to conducting the interview.
This involves setting an appointment with the interviewee and fully explaining
the purpose of the interview. The interviewer should prepare a list of
questions and organize them sequentially. Often this is done in the form of an
interview guide or checklist, which should include an agenda and anticipated
time limits for each topic being discussed. The questions should include both
open-ended and closed-ended questions. For open-ended questions, the
interviewer should have some probing questions prepared for anticipated
responses. Closed-ended questions can take the form of multiple-choice,
true-false, rating, or ranking questions. For these questions, it is important
to be precise with terms so as to avoid any ambiguity and confusion. The interviewer should be careful to avoid
asking leading questions that imply a right or wrong answer; the questions
should be worded as neutrally as possible and should not imply any opinion on
the interviewer’s part. Equally important is to avoid making any promises about
the system or set any expectations in the mind of the interviewee; the purpose
of the interview is to get information from the interviewee, not to describe
design solutions. A key feature of successful interviewing is to listen
carefully, taking detailed notes and if acceptable to the interviewee
tape-recording the interview. After the interview, the interviewer should be
prompt in transcribing and organizing the notes; this should be done within 48
hours to avoid forgetting important information. Finally, it is important to
interview a variety of subjects, including users, managers, and information
systems staff so that all views will be taken into account.
Page Reference: 134-138 Difficulty: Hard
47. What is a closed-ended question?
What is an open-ended question? Give a definition and examples of each.
Describe the circumstances in which you would prefer one over the other. What is a natural way to lead from a
closed-ended question to an open-ended question?
Answer:
A
closed-ended question is one in which a respondent is given a set of specified
responses from which to choose. Examples of these are true-false, multiple
choice, and ratings or rankings questions. By contrast, an open-ended question
is one that has no specified answers, but instead leads to free-form
discussion. In an interview, open-ended questions often put the subjects at
ease because they are able to respond using their own words and structure,
giving the interviewee a sense of control. Open-ended questions are useful to
probe for information when the precise questions to ask are unknown, and these
are the questions that are most likely to result in follow-up questions.
However, they are more time-consuming than closed- ended questions. Closed-ended
questions work best when the major answers to questions are well known. Because
they take less time than open-ended questions, more topics can be covered in
the same time frame. However, useful information may be lost because of the
limitations placed on possible answers. One way to let closed-ended questions
lead to open-ended questions is to provide an “other” option; if the
interviewee selects “other”, the interviewer can invite further comments as a
follow-up.
Page Reference: 136-138 Difficulty: Moderate
48. What are some limitations of
interviews that can be overcome by utilizing direct observation as a
requirements determination technique? How does direct observation compare to
document analysis as a technique? What are some pitfalls and shortcomings of
direct observation?
Answer:
Interviews
rely on self-reporting by subjects, requiring people to recall and convey
information about their work processes and information systems use. Although
this is a useful source of information, interview subjects are not always
reliable or accurate in self-reporting. For example, they may describe the
formal procedures of their work tasks, but neglect to accurately describe the
real ways in which they work. Or they may not give accurate estimates of the amount
of time they spend using various information systems applications. With direct
observation, a systems analyst can obtain a snapshot of the real way a systems
user works with the system, and thus obtain behavioral measures that are not
available via interviews or questionnaires. Compared to document analysis, the
richness of information and chance for follow-up is greater with direct
observation than with document analysis. Observation is not a perfect approach,
however. Direct observation is time-consuming and expensive, and requires some
committed involvement from the subject, although perhaps not as much as if
interviewing were taking place. Moreover, subjects who are aware of being
observed may alter their normal work behaviors, producing biased results. Also,
observation is not continuous, so at best the observer gets a snapshot of the
person performing a task.
Page Reference: 138-140, 144 Difficulty: Moderate
49. Discuss how business documents
can assist in the requirements determination effort. Give examples of relevant
types of documents and describe the kinds of information can these documents
provide. What are advantages and disadvantages of relying on business documents
for this purpose?
Answer:
Many
types of business documents can be used including mission statements, memos,
business plans, organization charts, and reports. These provide information
such as problems with existing systems, organizational directions,
opportunities that can be met by new information systems. One useful document
is a written work procedure that specifies the formal procedures for performing
specific work tasks; this can be used as input for developing systems that help
automate the work process. Another useful document is a business form, which
may be used to ascertain the way a computer input screen for an application
should look. Business documents can provide information in a less costly or
time-consuming manner than interviews or observation, and require much less
involvement of users or stakeholders. In addition, documents provide a
historical perspective that may not be available from interviews or
observation. However, they are not as information rich or timely nor do they
provide as much support for asking follow-up or probing questions. Furthermore,
it must be noted that, although written work procedures may give accurate
information about formal systems, in reality systems are often used and
implemented differently from the formal approach described in these documents.
Other sources are needed to provide information about these informal system
processes.
Page Reference: 139-144 Difficulty: Moderate
50. Discuss the joint application
design process. Which company is credited with creating JAD and when did it
originate? What are the typical personnel roles involved in JAD, and what
purposes do they serve? Describe the JAD environment. How does JAD differ from
traditional approaches to requirements determination? What is the deliverable
resulting from a JAD session?
Answer:
Joint
application design (JAD) is a highly-structured, intensive and group-oriented
activity in which all stakeholders of the system come together in a common
location for an extended period of time in order to focus entirely on systems
requirements determination with no distractions from other work
responsibilities. The idea was originated in the 1970s by IBM. People involved
in JAD include managers and users who are the key sources of information
regarding the requirements of the system. Because of the high cost and heavy
time commitment, a high-level executive usually serves as the sponsor for the
JAD session, appearing for a short time to provide the corporate-wide strategic
perspective. Systems analysts and other IS personnel also attend, but their
role is primarily as listeners. They are there to obtain information from the
users and managers, although they sometimes will provide input about technical
issues. The JAD session is led by a session leader, who serves as a facilitator
and organizes the meeting. Finally, a scribe records the notes of the meeting.
JAD
sessions are usually held off-site in order to allow participants to focus
entirely on the task at hand, and may extend for several days. A typical JAD
conference room includes a U-shaped table, a magnetic white board and flip chart
for presentations and meeting agendas, and an overhead projector. The format is
like a group interview combined with individual presentations; it is highly
interactive, but structured and controlled by the JAD session leader so as to
keep members on task and resolve conflicts that may arise.
Because
it is usually held off-site, there are additional expenses for travel and
lodging, and taking people away from their normal day-to-day work activities
entails significant labor costs. Also, because multiple stakeholders are
available simultaneously, points of agreement and disagreement among different
stakeholders quickly become evident. In this respect, JAD differs significantly
from standard interviews and questionnaires.
A
JAD session will result in a set of documents that detail the workings of the
current system and the desired features of the replacement system, which is
then used for the requirements structuring process.
Page Reference: 144-147 Difficulty: Hard
51. What is prototyping? Describe the
typical process of using prototyping as a requirements analysis technique, and
discuss how this process relates to OOSAD principles. Also discuss the factors
that support the use of prototyping as a requirements determination technique,
as well as drawbacks of the prototyping approach.
Answer:
Prototyping
is a repetitive process in which developers build a rudimentary version of an
information system based on initial user requests, and then repeatedly refine
it based on user feedback. It begins with user interviews in order to obtain
initial requirements, followed by construction of an initial prototype. After
this comes an iterative process in which the user works with the prototype,
identifies its strengths and weaknesses and revises requirements accordingly,
and then the developer refines the prototype based on the user’s feedback. This
process will repeat several times until the prototype is judged to meet the
user’s requirements. Afterward, the prototype may be used as is, or if it is
inefficient in its performance or design, converted into an operational system.
Because
prototyping is an iterative process, it ties in nicely with the OOSAD principle
of incremental, iterative development. Like OOSAD, a prototype iteration
involves a combination of requirements determination, design, and construction,
and therefore differs from the traditional SDC.
Prototyping
is an appropriate method to use when user requirements are unclear or unknown,
when communications problems exist between users and analysts, when there are
relatively few stakeholders involved, when possible designs are complex and
require concrete form to fully evaluate, and when there are rapid application
development tools available. The problems with prototyping is that careful
requirements analysis and documentation are often bypassed in favor of quick
solutions, that the solutions often reflect a narrow viewpoint of a single
stakeholder, and that the resulting system is usually a stand-alone program
that does not take into account systems integration issues.
Page Reference: 147-148 Difficulty: Moderate
52. What is Agile Usage-Centered
Design? How is this approach similar to JAD? List and describe the steps
involve in this methodology.
Answer:
Agile
Usage-Centered Design is a systems development methodology that relies on
continuous user involvement during the requirements determination and design
process. Like JAD, this approach involves bringing all stakeholders together
into a group meeting under the auspices of a facilitator. The process involves
nine main steps. First, groups of analysis, programmers, users, and testers
gather together for collaborating on the design. Second, each individual is
given an opportunity to vent about the current system and discuss their desires
for the proposed system, and all these ideas are recorded. Third, a role model
is created. This involves defining the pertinent user role, writing them onto
3X5 cards, and sorting them based on similarity. Fourth, each user role will be
broken into tasks, which are also written on 3X5 cards, sorted based on
importance. Fifth, the task cards are grouped by similarity into clumps, called
"interaction contexts". Individuals or groups in the meeting will be
responsible for an interaction context. Sixth, the task cards of an interaction
context are elaborated by writing the steps required for each task. Seventh, screen
designs are proposed for each interaction context, sketched on paper. Finally, each
user role steps through its relevant set of tasks in order to refine the steps
of the tasks and the proposed screen designs.
Page Reference: 148-149 Difficulty: Moderate
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