Quiz 13: Building Information Systems

The most common form of IT-enabled organizational change is automation.

Rationalization of procedures describes a radical rethinking of the business models.

Failure to address properly the organizational changes surrounding the introduction of a new system can cause the demise of an otherwise good system.

TQM describes the measurement of quality as 3.4 defects per million.

In component-based development, applications are developed one small portion at a time, with each portion able to function independently.

The system is not in production until conversion is complete.

Documentation reveals how well the system has met its original objectives.

A data flow diagram offers a logical and graphical model of information flow, partitioning a system into modules that show manageable levels of detail.

A structure chart is a bottom-up chart, showing each level of design, its relationship to other levels, and its place in the overall design structure.

Objects are grouped into hierarchies, and hierarchies into classes.

Object-oriented development is more incremental than traditional structured development.

CASE tools facilitate the creation of clear documentation and the coordination of team development efforts.

The oldest method for building information systems is prototyping.

Prototyping is more iterative than the conventional lifecycle.

A problem with prototyping is that the systems constructed using this method may not be able to handle large quantities of data in a production environment.

End-user-developed systems can be completed more rapidly than those developed through the conventional systems lifecycle.

Responsive Web design enables Web sites to change layouts according to the user's screen size.

The three main platforms for mobile apps are iPhone/iPad, iOS, and Android.

A primary benefit of offshore outsourcing is that this can substantially reduce hidden costs.

Systems development activities always take place in sequential order.

The four kinds of structural organizational change enabled by IT, in order from least to most risky, are A) rationalization, automation, reengineering, and redesigning. B) rationalization, automation, reengineering, and paradigm shift. C) automation, rationalization, reengineering, and paradigm shift. D) automation, redesigning, restructuring, and paradigm shift.

In automation A) business processes are simplified. B) business processes are reorganized to cut waste and eliminate repetitive, paper-intensive tasks. C) standard operating procedures are streamlined to remove bottlenecks. D) employees are enabled to perform their tasks more efficiently.

Business processes are analyzed, simplified, and redesigned in A) business process redesign. B) rationalization of procedures. C) automation. D) paradigm shifts.

A bank has reworked its mortgage application process so that several steps are handled by computer software, and some steps are combined to reduce bottlenecks in processing. The goal is to gradually improve its efficiency over time. This is an example of A) automation. B) rationalization of procedures. C) paradigm shift. D) business process redesign.

An upscale organic foods grocery chain is implementing an information system that will enable it to add same-day home delivery of groceries to its customers. This is an example of A) automation. B) rationalization of procedures. C) paradigm shift. D) business process redesign.

The idea that the achievement of quality control is an end in itself describes a main concept of A) BPM. B) BPR. C) six sigma. D) TQM.

________ provide(s) a methodology and tools for dealing with the organization's ongoing need to revise and optimize its numerous business processes. A) Business process redesign B) Business process management C) CASE tools D) TQM

Which conversion process introduces the system first to a limited portion of the organization? A) the pilot study strategy B) the phased approach strategy C) the limited cutover strategy D) the parallel strategy

In order, what are the first three steps in BPM? A) 1. identifying processes for change, 2. analyzing existing processes, 3. designing the new process. B) 1. analyzing existing processes, 2. identifying processes for change, 3. designing the new process. C) 1. identifying processes for change, 2. designing the new process, 3. implementing the new process. D) 1. analyzing processes to change, 2. designing the new process, 3. measuring the optimized process.

What is the greatest barrier to successful business process change? A) ineffective project management B) usability of implemented solution C) selecting the correct process to change D) organizational change

Categories of tools for BPM include all of the following except A) tools to integrate existing systems to support business processes' improvements. B) tools to automate business processes. C) tools to identify and document business processes. D) tools to test the security of business processes.

Which process develops a detailed description of the functions that a new information system must perform? A) feasibility study B) requirements analysis C) systems design D) test plan development

Systems design A) describes what a system should do to meet information requirements. B) shows how the new system will fulfill the information requirements. C) identifies which users need what information, where, when and how. D) is concerned with the logical view of the system solution.

What is the purpose of responsive Web design? A) It allows one Web site to serve different platforms, such as tablets, PCs, and mobile phones. B) It allows Web sites to respond quickly to changing user needs. C) It enables Web sites to customize design according to user preferences. D) It enables Web sites to customize content based on user location and preferences.

Transferring data from a legacy system to the new system would be defined by which category of system design specifications? A) input B) database C) manual procedures D) conversion

Which of the following is not an example of fourth generation development tools? A) Microsoft Excel B) graphics software, such as Photoshop C) report generator D) very high-level programming language

The entire system-building effort is driven by A) organizational change. B) feasibility studies. C) the information value chain. D) user information requirements.

Unit testing A) includes all the preparations for the series of tests to be performed on the system. B) tests the functioning of the system as a whole in order to determine if discrete modules will function together as planned. C) tests each program separately. D) provides the final certification that the system is ready to be used in a production setting.

System testing A) includes all the preparations for the series of tests to be performed on the system. B) tests the functioning of the system as a whole in order to determine if discrete modules will function together as planned. C) tests each program separately. D) provides the final certification that the system is ready to be used in a production setting.

Acceptance testing A) includes all the preparations for the series of tests to be performed on the system. B) tests the functioning of the system as a whole in order to determine if discrete modules will function together as planned. C) tests each program separately. D) provides the final certification that the system is ready to be used in a production setting.

In a parallel conversion strategy, the new system A) is tested by an outsourced company. B) replaces the old one at an appointed time. C) and the old are run together. D) is introduced in stages.

In the direct cutover conversion strategy, the new system A) is tested by an outsourced company. B) replaces the old one at an appointed time. C) and the old are run together. D) is introduced in stages.

Changes in hardware, software, documentation, or production to a production system to correct errors, meet new requirements, or improve processing efficiencies are termed A) compliance. B) production. C) maintenance. D) acceptance.

In what stage of systems development are design specifications created? A) systems analysis B) systems design C) testing D) conversion

The primary tool for representing a system's component processes and the flow of data between them is the A) data dictionary. B) process specifications diagram. C) user documentation. D) data flow diagram.

An entire information system is broken down into its subsystems by using A) high-level data flow diagrams. B) low-level data flow diagrams. C) process specifications. D) structured diagrams.

To understand and define the contents of data flows and data store, system builders use A) a data dictionary. B) process specifications diagrams. C) user documentation. D) data flow diagrams.

To show each level of a system's design, its relationship to other levels, and its place in the overall design structure, structured methodologies use A) structure charts. B) Gantt and PERT charts. C) process specifications. D) data flow diagrams.

In object-oriented development A) the class is used as the basic unit of systems analysis and design. B) an object is a collection of data that is acted on by external processes. C) processing logic resides within objects. D) a strict, step-by-step development process is essential.

In an object-oriented development framework for a university, how would the classes Degree, Mathematics, and Physics be related? A) Degree would be a sister class to Mathematics and Physics. B) Degree is a superclass to Mathematics and Physics. C) Mathematics and Physics would be ancestors to Degree. D) Degree would be a subclass to Mathematics and Physics.

Object-oriented modeling is based on the concepts of A) objects and relationships. B) classes and objects. C) class and inheritance. D) objects and inheritance.

Object-oriented development could potentially reduce the time and cost of writing software because A) object-oriented programming requires less training. B) iterative prototyping is not required. C) objects are reusable. D) a single user interface object can be used for the entire application.

CASE tools automate A) documentation. B) code generation. C) creating data dictionaries. D) all of the above.

The oldest method for building information systems is A) component-based development. B) prototyping. C) object-oriented development. D) the systems development lifecycle.

In the traditional systems development lifecycle, end users A) are important and ongoing members of the team from the original analysis phase through maintenance. B) are important only in the testing phases. C) have no input. D) are limited to providing information requirements and reviewing the technical staff's work.

In which type of systems building are the development stages organized so that tasks in one stage are completed before the tasks in the next stage begin? A) traditional B) prototyping C) RAD D) all of the above

As a technical project manager, you have decided to propose implementing a prototyping methodology for a small Web-based design project. What is the order of steps you will follow in this project? A) Develop the prototype; use the prototype; revise and enhance the prototype. B) Identify user requirements, develop the prototype, use the prototype, revise and enhance the prototype. C) Define the requirements, develop solutions, select the best prototype, and implement the prototype. D) Define the requirements, develop the prototype, revise and enhance the prototype.

You are an IT project manager for an advertising firm. The firm wishes to create an online tool that will be used to survey focus group reactions to products in development. The most important consideration for the firm is being able to offer the tool as soon as possible as a new corporate service. However, you know that many of the senior managers that are business owners of this project have difficulty in understanding technical or software development issues, and are likely to change their requirements during the course of development. What development method would be most successful for this project? A) RAD B) JAD C) end-user development D) prototyping

A systems building approach in which the system is developed as successive versions, each version reflecting requirements more accurately, is described to be A) end-user oriented. B) iterative. C) object-oriented. D) agile.

Which type of fourth-generation language tools are end users most likely to work with? A) report generators and query languages B) report generators and application generators C) PC software tools and query languages D) PC software tools and report generators

Which type of fourth-generation language tool contains preprogrammed modules that can be used to create entire applications? A) PC software tools B) report generators C) application generators D) application software packages

Fourth-generation tools cannot replace conventional development tools because they A) cannot handle large numbers of transactions or extensive procedural logic. B) are not designed to integrate with legacy systems. C) do not incorporate methods for documentation. D) do not incorporate methods for testing.

When systems are created rapidly, without a formal development methodology A) end users can take over the work of IT specialists. B) the organization quickly outgrows the new system. C) hardware, software, and quality standards are less important. D) testing and documentation may be inadequate.

Which of the following is not a top priority in mobile application development? A) designing for multitouch B) saving resources C) limiting the use of keyboards D) designing for keyboard data entry

What is the primary driving factor in firms to select domestic outsourcing firms to build system solutions? A) to take advantage of technical skills the firm does not have B) to save labor costs C) to avoid change management issues D) all of the above

The process of creating workable information systems in a very short period of time is called A) RAD. B) JAD. C) prototyping. D) B and C.

Which type of systems development is characterized by significantly speeding up the design phase and the generation of information requirements and involving users at an intense level? A) RAD B) JAD C) prototyping D) end-user development

Groups of objects are assembled into software components for common functions, which can be combined into large-scale business applications, in which type of software development? A) object-oriented development B) component-based development C) structured methodologies D) RAD

________ development focuses on rapid delivery of working software by breaking a large project into a series of small sub-projects that are completed in short periods of time using iteration and continuous feedback. A) Agile B) Rapid application C) Joint application D) Object-oriented

Compared to the use of proprietary components, Web services promise to be less expensive and less difficult to implement because of A) their ability to integrate seamlessly with legacy systems. B) the use of universal standards. C) the ubiquity of the Internet. D) the ability to reuse Web services components.

A software package evaluation process is often based on a series of questions sent to vendors, called a(n) ________.

A(n) ________ is an organizational change that involves rethinking the nature of the business and the nature of the organization itself.

A systems analysis includes a(n) ________ that is used to determine whether the solution is achievable, from a financial, technical, and organizational standpoint.

________ contain a detailed statement of the information needs that a new system must satisfy; identifies who needs what information, and when, where, and how the information is needed.

A(n) ________ is the model or blueprint for an information system solution and consists of all the specifications that will deliver the functions identified during systems analysis.

During the ________ stage of system development, system specifications that were prepared during the design stage are translated into software code.

________ is the process of changing from the old system to the new system.

________ describe the transformation occurring within the lowest level of the data flow diagrams.

________ are software tools that enable end users to create reports or develop software applications with minimal or no technical assistance.

Organizational software packages often include ________ features that allow the software to be modified to meet organizational requirements.

Describe each type of organizational change enabled by information technology. Give an example of each type of change, as it might be illustrated through the operations of a hotel.

What is the business importance of managing the quality of business processes? Describe two methods of quality management.

You are consulting for the information technology division of a state university to guide and facilitate the design of a new system for handling college applications, which has previously been handled entirely with a paper-based process. They would like to set up a system by which prospective students can apply online. Describe in detail their first steps and any studies they should perform before designing the new information system.

List and describe at least nine factors considered in the design specifications for a new system. Give at least two examples for each one.

Discuss the role and influence the user plays in software development.

You work for the IT department of a startup ASP, and it is your job to set up the testing processes for a new enterprise system the company will be hosting. Describe the processes you will recommend. What unique considerations will you have?

What qualities of object-oriented development make this method especially suitable for Internet applications?

Identify and describe each of the five systems' development approaches.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of prototyping? Describe the steps in prototyping. Give at least two circumstances under which prototyping might be useful.

What is outsourcing? Describe the advantages and disadvantages to outsourcing software development.