Question 1

In order to address the problems facing development forecasting,development methodologies other than the SDLC have emerged for developing systems through a series of small,manageable chunks.Which of the following is not one of them?

Accepted Answer

Integrated development is not one of the development methodologies that have emerged for developing systems through a series of small, manageable chunks. The other methodologies mentioned in the options are rapid application development, extreme programming, and object-oriented development.

Question 2

Project decisions are based on the starting plan called ________ that stipulates the tasks to be accomplished,the labor and other resources assigned to those tasks,and the schedule for completion.

Accepted Answer

The starting plan referred to in the question is known as the baseline. It is an essential component of project planning and forms the benchmark against which the actual performance of the project is measured. Templates are standard formats or models that can be used for specific project tasks such as reporting or scheduling. Estimates are approximations of the time, cost, and resources that a project will require before it begins. Pre-report is not an actual term used in project management.

Question 3

Which of the following is not true of function points?

Accepted Answer

Function points are a measure of software size and complexity, not a project management tool for planning tasks, dependencies, durations, and resource assignments.

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic of a large-scale systems development project?

Accepted Answer

Large-scale systems development projects typically require IT personnel with diverse backgrounds to handle the complexity of the project. A, B, and C are not characteristic of large-scale systems development projects.

Question 5

In considering the trade-offs for systems development processes,what could cause diseconomies of scale?

Accepted Answer

Adding more people to a development team may lead to diseconomies of scale, as large teams can be difficult to manage, communicate with and coordinate effectively. This can result in issues such as duplicated work efforts, communication breakdowns, and increased management overhead, which can ultimately slow down the development process and reduce productivity. Additionally, as more people are added to a team, the need for more resources, such as equipment and office space, may also increase, leading to additional costs and potential inefficiencies.

Question 6

Spending too much time with documenting requirements of the problem leads to ________.

Accepted Answer

Spending too much time documenting requirements can lead to analysis paralysis, where the team is stuck in an endless loop of analyzing and documenting requirements without actually making progress towards solving the problem. This can result in delays and missed opportunities. Blind spots, errors of omission, and information overload are also risks associated with requirement documentation but are not directly related to spending too much time on it.

Question 7

In order to tackle the problems with WBS,which of the following is not one of the approaches companies may take?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In order to tackle the problems with...

Question 8

In a large-scale systems development,documents,designs,prototypes,data models,database designs,working data entry screens,and the like are examples of ________.

Accepted Answer

These items are all tangible products or outcomes that are produced and delivered as part of the development process, hence they are deliverables.

Question 9

Which of the following is not one of the reasons for the problems with SDLC?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not one...

Question 10

________ is the process by which users agree to one set of requirements,then add a bit more,then add a bit more,until,over time,they have described a completely new project.

Accepted Answer

Requirements creep is the process by which the scope of the project gradually expands beyond the original requirements. This can lead to additional work, delays, and increased costs. It is a common problem in software development projects.

Question 11

Briefly describe the five major challenges to systems development.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly describe the five major challenges to...

Question 12

The ________ is the sequence of activities that determines the earliest date by which the project can be completed.

Accepted Answer

The critical path is the sequence of activities that determines the longest duration and earliest date by which the project can be completed. It helps in identifying the activities that are critical to the project timeline and cannot be delayed without affecting the overall project completion. A work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt chart are project management tools used for organizing and scheduling project activities, but they do not specifically determine the critical path. A baseline WBS is a snapshot of the project plan at a specific point in time and is used for tracking the progress of the project against the plan.

Question 13

What is systems development? Why is it not exclusively a technical task?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is systems development? Why is it...

Question 14

The main problem of the SDLC approach to systems development is the ________ nature of the process.

Accepted Answer

The SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle) approach is often referred to as the "waterfall" model because it follows a linear, sequential flow from one phase to the next. This can be problematic because it assumes that all requirements and specifications for the system are known and will not change throughout the development process. In reality, requirements may change, user feedback may prompt modifications, or unforeseen issues may arise. This makes the approach inherently inflexible, which can result in delays, increased costs, and systems that do not meet the needs of the end-users.

Question 15

The term ________ refers to a set of management policies,practices,and tools that developers use to maintain control over the project's resources.

Accepted Answer

Configuration control includes the management policies, practices, and tools used to maintain control over a project's resources, including its configuration items, documentation, and changes made throughout the development process. Option A refers to a sequence of activities that must be completed on time for the project to be completed successfully. Option B refers to a method of measuring software development productivity. Option C refers to a hierarchical breakdown of project activities into smaller, more manageable components.

Question 16

Function points as an estimating technique for project management only work with ________.

Accepted Answer

Function points are a technique that is commonly used for estimating the size and complexity of building software components. While building databases, training users, and implementing systems are all activities that may be required as part of a project, function points are not typically used as an estimation technique for these types of tasks.

Question 17

What is a function point?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a function point?
...

Question 18

Project teams create a(n)________,which is a hierarchy of the tasks required to complete a project,to reduce the confusion of complex interrelated tasks.

Accepted Answer

A work-breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical list of tasks required to complete a project, which breaks down the project into smaller, more manageable components. The WBS provides a framework for organizing and managing tasks, resources, and timelines. This helps reduce confusion and improve the clarity and understanding of the project's requirements, enabling project teams to work more efficiently and effectively. A Gantt chart (C) is a visual representation of a project schedule, which shows the start and end dates of tasks, dependencies between tasks, and the progress of the project over time. A scope statement (D) is a document that outlines the objectives, deliverables, and requirements of a project. An enterprise task sheet (A) is not a commonly used term in project management.

Question 19

Which of the following is a characteristic of a small-scale systems development project?

Accepted Answer

Small-scale systems development projects typically have a limited scope and involve a small team of developers. As a result, operations support is often provided by the users themselves, rather than a dedicated operations team. Security is still important, but it may not be as complex or managed as rigorously as in larger-scale projects. Requirements are also typically less complex, and the development interval is shorter.

Question 20

A ________ shows the tasks,start and finish dates,and dependencies for the tasks of a project.

Accepted Answer

A Gantt chart is a visual representation of the tasks involved in a project, their start and end dates, and their dependencies. It helps in scheduling and monitoring the progress of the project.

Quiz 11: Managing Development