Question 1

Business processes are analyzed,simplified,and redesigned in

Accepted Answer

Business process reengineering (BPR) involves the analysis, simplification, and redesign of business processes in order to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction. The other options do not fully encompass the process of BPR. Rationalization of procedures may involve some level of simplification, but may not involve a full redesign of a process. Automation involves the use of technology to streamline processes, but does not necessarily involve analysis or redesign. A paradigm shift refers to a fundamental change in thinking or approach, and while it may result in changes to business processes, it is not a process improvement methodology in and of itself.

Question 2

The process of streamlining business procedures so that documents can be moved easily and efficiently is called

Accepted Answer

The term "workflow management" refers to streamlining business procedures so that documents can be moved easily and efficiently. Business process reengineering and rationalization are related concepts but do not specifically refer to document flow, while automation may not necessarily involve streamlining procedures.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about business process reengineering is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Business process reengineering is a one-time effort to radically redesign and improve one or more key business processes. It is not an ongoing effort.

Question 4

John is in the process describing what the new system should do to meet information requirements,and John will show how the system will fulfill this objective.Like the blueprint of a building or house,John will give all the specifications that give the system its form and structure.John details the system specifications that will deliver the functions identified during systems analysis.John is in which stage of system development?

Accepted Answer

John is detailing the specifications that will give the system its form and structure, which is a key aspect of the system design stage. System analysis involves identifying information requirements and functions, which John has already done. Programming and testing come after the system design stage.

Question 5

Bobby has decided on a conversion strategy to the new system.In this strategy,he will introduce the new system in stages,either by functions or by organizational units.If,for example,the system is introduced by functions,a new payroll system might begin with hourly workers who are paid weekly,followed six months later by adding salaried employees (who are paid monthly)to the system.If the system is introduced by organizational units,corporate headquarters might be converted first,followed by outlying operating units four months later.Which conversion strategy are they employing?

Accepted Answer

The conversion strategy being employed is a phased approach strategy, as the new system is being introduced gradually in stages either by functions or by organizational units. This approach allows for a smoother transition and minimizes risk by addressing any issues or problems in smaller parts rather than converting the entire system all at once.

Question 6

In the case of ________,the decision tends to be much more cost-driven.A skilled programmer in India or Russia earns about $11 000 per year,compared to $65 000 per year for a comparable programmer in Canada.

Accepted Answer

The statement is referring to the cost comparison between hiring a skilled programmer in India or Russia (which is an example of offshore outsourcing) versus hiring a comparable programmer in Canada. The significant salary difference is a strong indication that the decision is cost-driven. The other options (B, C, D) are not directly related to the topic of the statement.

Question 7

John is in the process of developing a new system.John is defining the problem,identifying its causes,specifying the solution,and identifying the information requirements that must be met by a system solution.John creates a road map of the existing organization and systems,identifying the primary owners and users of data along with existing hardware and software.John will then detail the problems of existing systems.By examining documents,work papers,and procedures;observing system operations;and interviewing key users of the systems,John can identify the problem areas and objectives a solution would achieve.John is in which stage of system development?

Accepted Answer

This stage of system development, which involves defining the problem, identifying its causes, specifying the solution, and identifying information requirements that must be met by a system solution, is referred to as system analysis. The other stages of system development include system design, programming, and testing.

Question 8

The idea that the achievement of quality control is an end in itself describes a main concept of

Accepted Answer

Total Quality Management (TQM) emphasizes that the attainment of quality control is the ultimate objective of all business activities. It believes that quality should be the normative benchmark for all activities, rather than a separate function or department. A company that adopts TQM as its management philosophy believes that the only way to achieve sustained success is to make quality control an intrinsic part of its strategic plan. Therefore, D is the correct choice.

Question 9

________ provide(s)a methodology and tools for dealing with the organization's ongoing need to revise-and ideally optimize-its numerous internal business processes and processes shared with other organizations.

Accepted Answer

BPM (Business Process Management) is specifically designed to deal with revision and optimization of internal and external business processes for an organization. BPR (Business Process Reengineering) is similar but is more focused on radical change rather than incremental improvement. CASE tools (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) assist in software development, not business process management. TQM (Total Quality Management) is a broader approach to improving overall quality and customer satisfaction in an organization, but does not specifically address process optimization.

Question 10

Which process develops a detailed description of the functions that a new information system must perform?

Accepted Answer

Requirements analysis is the process of identifying, gathering, prioritizing, and documenting the functions or features that a new information system must perform or have. It is a critical part of the system development life cycle as it ensures that the system meets the needs and requirements of the stakeholders. Feasibility study assesses the feasibility of the project, systems design refers to the process of designing the system architecture and components, and test plan development pertains to developing a plan for testing the system.

Question 11

Eddy has decided on a conversion strategy to the new system.In this strategy,it replaces the old system entirely with the new system on an appointed day.It is a very risky approach that can potentially be more costly than running two systems in parallel if serious problems with the new system are found.There is no other system to fall back on.Dislocations,disruptions,and the cost of corrections may be enormous.Which conversion strategy are they employing?

Accepted Answer

The conversion strategy being employed is the direct cutover strategy, as described in the scenario. This approach involves replacing the old system entirely with the new system on a chosen day, with no fallback option. This can be a high-risk strategy, as any serious problems with the new system could cause significant disruptions and costs.

Question 12

Based on your reading of the chapter,the redesign of mortgage application process by major mortgage banks was an example of which type of organizational change?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on your reading of the chapter,the...

Question 13

In automation

Accepted Answer

The answer of In automation
...

Question 14

Enabling organizations to make continual improvements to many business processes and to use processes as the fundamental building blocks of corporate information systems is the goal of

Accepted Answer

BPM (business process management) is focused on improving and managing business processes to achieve continual improvements. BPR (business process reengineering) is a more radical approach to process improvement, and reengineering is a term often used interchangeably with BPR. Workflow management is a specific type of process management that focuses on the coordination and automation of tasks within a process.

Question 15

John is in the process of developing a new system.This current stage is exhaustive and thorough and must be conducted to ascertain whether the system produces the right results.John must answer the question,"Will the system produce the desired results under known conditions?" The amount of time needed to answer this question has been traditionally underrated in systems project planning.This stage is time consuming: data must be carefully prepared,results reviewed,and corrections made in the system.In some instances,parts of the system may have to be redesigned.The risks resulting from glossing over this step are enormous.John is in which stage of system development?

Accepted Answer

John is in the testing stage of system development, where he is thoroughly checking if the system produces the desired results under known conditions.

Question 16

Susan has decided on a conversion strategy to the new system.In this strategy,both the old system and its potential replacement are run together for a time until everyone is assured that the new one functions correctly.This is the safest conversion approach because,in the event of errors or processing disruptions,the old system can still be used as a backup.However,this approach is very expensive,and additional staff or resources may be required to run the extra system.Which conversion strategy are they employing?

Accepted Answer

The description given in the problem clearly indicates that both old and new systems are run simultaneously for a certain period until the new system performs without errors or disruption. This approach is known as the parallel strategy, where the old system and new system run together for some time for comparison and verification. However, this approach may require an additional budget to run both systems simultaneously.

Question 17

John is in the process of developing a new system.During the current stage,system specifications that were prepared during the design stage are translated into software program code.John is in which stage of system development?

Accepted Answer

John is currently translating system specifications into software program code, which falls under the programming stage of system development.

Question 18

The entire system-building effort is driven by

Accepted Answer

The system-building effort is driven by user information requirements, as these requirements define what the system needs to accomplish and the data it needs to process. Organizational change, feasibility studies, and the information value chain may all be factors that influence the system-building effort, but they are not the primary driver.

Question 19

Eddy has decided on a conversion strategy to the new system.In this strategy,it introduces the new system to only a limited area of the organization,such as a single department or operating unit.When this limited area is complete and working smoothly,it is installed throughout the rest of the organization,either simultaneously or in stages.Which conversion strategy are they employing?

Accepted Answer

The conversion strategy being employed is the pilot study strategy, also known as the pilot approach. This involves introducing the new system to a limited area of the organization and testing it before implementing it throughout the rest of the organization.

Question 20

________ 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.

Accepted Answer

Agile development focuses on the 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. It emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. JAD (Joint Application Development) is a methodology that involves gathering requirements in a collaborative and intensive workshop setting. RAD (Rapid Application Development) is a methodology that emphasizes rapid prototyping and iterative development. Prototyping is a methodology that involves building an initial version of a software system to gather feedback and refine requirements.

Quiz 13: Developing Information Systems