Chapter 1
True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
____ 1. Systems analysis and design focuses on understanding the business problem and outlining the approach to solve it.
____ 2. When choosing between possible solutions to a business problem, the best solution is the one with the fewest risks and the most benefits.
____ 3. If solving the business problem is feasible, the analyst develops one possible solution.
____ 4. A systems analyst needs to understand people and the way they work.
____ 5. A systems analyst needs to be an expert in all types of technology.
____ 6. Analysts must upgrade their knowledge and skills continually.
____ 7. Information systems are critical to the success of modern business organizations.
____ 8. The primary activity of a system developer is programming.
____ 9. Technology alone increases productivity and profits.
____ 10. Systems analysis means understanding and specifying in detail what the information system should accomplish.
____ 11. The systems analyst's work is described as problem solving for an organization.
____ 12. A system is a collection of interrelated components that function together to achieve some outcome.
____ 13. An information system is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output the information needed to complete business tasks.
____ 14. The difference between the system boundary and the automation boundary is that the system boundary is contained within the automation boundary.
____ 15. The components of an information system are the computer hardware, the computer software and the data.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 16. The process of understanding and specifying in detail what the information system should accomplish is called systems ____.
a. / design / c. / analysisb. / specification / d. / administration
____ 17. Systems ____ means specifying in detail how the many components of the information system should be physically implemented.
a. / design / c. / analysisb. / specification / d. / administration
____ 18. The term “____” refers to a business professional who uses analysis and design techniques to solve business problems using information technology.
a. / database manager / c. / systems analystb. / computer programmer / d. / market analyst
____ 19. The most important role of a systems analyst in business is ____.
a. / technical understanding of information systemsb. / problem solving
c. / knowing what data needs to be stored and used
d. / special programming skills
____ 20. After investing resources in thoroughly understanding the business problem, the analyst decides that the costs of solving the problem will likely outweigh the benefits. The analyst should ____.
a. / move to the design phaseb. / invest more in the project to increase the benefits
c. / have the accounting department resolve feasibility issues
d. / suggest that the project be discontinued
____ 21. A(n) ____ is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output the information needed to complete business tasks.
a. / system / c. / subsystemb. / information system / d. / functional decomposition
____ 22. A system that is part of a larger system is called a(n) ____.
a. / supersystem / c. / subsystemb. / information system / d. / functional decomposition
____ 23. ____ refers to the division of a system into processes or subsystems.
a. / System design / c. / Programmingb. / Data management / d. / Functional decomposition
____ 24. Support systems that enable geographically distributed personnel to collaborate on projects and tasks are called ____.
a. / transaction processing systems (TPS)b. / decision support/knowledge based systems (DSS/KBS)
c. / office support systems
d. / collaboration support systems (CSS)
____ 25. Changes in software development, technology, and business practices have created many new career opportunities for analysts, including ____.
a. / Sales and support of ERP software / c. / Web developmentb. / Auditing, compliance, and security / d. / All of the above
____ 26. A technique that seeks to alter the nature of the work done in a business function, with the objective of radically improving performance, is called ____.
a. / business process reengineering / c. / information systems strategic planningb. / strategic planning / d. / enterprise resource planning (ERP)
____ 27. A description of the hardware, software, and communications networks required to implement planned information systems is called ____.
a. / information systems strategic planning / c. / technology architecture planb. / applications architecture planning / d. / enterprise resource planning (ERP)
____ 28. A process in which an organization commits to using an integrated set of software packages for key information systems is called ____.
a. / business process re-engineering / c. / strategic planningb. / applications architecture planning / d. / enterprise resource planning (ERP)
____ 29. Which of the following is an example of a technique used to complete specific system development activities?
a. / project planningb. / integrated development environment (IDE)
c. / application service provider (ASP)
d. / supply chain management (SCM)
____ 30. Which of the following is the analyst’s approach to problem solving?
a. / Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs, then research and understand the problem.b. / Develop a set of possible solutions, then verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs.
c. / Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs, then define the requirements for solving the problem.
d. / Implement the solution, then define the details of the chosen solution.
____ 31. The last step of the analyst's approach to problem solving is ____.
a. / Decide which solution is best, and make a recommendationb. / Monitor to make sure that you obtain the desired results
c. / Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs
d. / Implement the solution
____ 32. A knowledge managament system ____.
a. / indexes all the knowledge contained within an organizationb. / supports the storage of and access to documents within an organization
c. / is another term for a libraray system
d. / requires a very large amount of online storage space
____ 33. A business intelligence system supports ____.
a. / strategic planning and executive decision makingb. / just in time inventory decisions
c. / customer service requirements
d. / business process activities
____ 34. Skills in technical areas such as programming and network design are called ____.
a. / business skills / c. / hard skillsb. / soft skills / d. / people skills
____ 35. One activity whose objective is to radically improve the performance of the company is called ____.
a. / business process reengineering / c. / technology impact planningb. / strategic planning / d. / enterperise resource planning
Completion
Complete each statement.
36. ______systems are developed to solve problems for organizations.
37. An approach to dividing a system into components based on subsystems is referred to as ______.
38. Once a(n) ______plan is set, it drives all of the organization’s processes, so all areas of the organization must participate and coordinate their activities.
39. The ______describes the separation between the automated part of a system and the manual part of a system.
40. Since a systems developer often works on systems that contain confidential corporate information, it is important that he or she have a high commitment to ______and ethics.
Essay
41. List the eight steps taken in the analyst's general approach to problem solving.
42. What are the required skills of the systems analyst?
43. Briefly describe the process of strategic planning and the involvement of a systems analyst in this process. Include a description of the types of architectural plans that are developed.