Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Polygons
Triangles
Quadrilaterals
Isosceles
Rhombus
Rectangle
Tree structure for data representation
Figure A.8
Hierarchy is not the only structure.
inefficient processing, a solution that worked and one that did not. It is
still formally studied in computer science courses. It appears to not be
expressly discussed in development environments. It is as if the relational
model has done away with the need for thinking on this.
Task versus Activity
A task is defined by its goal; an activity is defined by its start and end
time. A task is typically associated with a target, a goal, or a job that
needs to be completed. An activity refers to the various steps needed to
achieve the task. The distinction is with respect to the granularity of the
work being performed. Preparing the training manual is a task. It would
require a number of activities: finding a technical writer, getting access to
the system, duration or length of training, etc. Activities should be reviewed
only if the task must be analyzed further.
What then is a milestone? Managers review the status of projects
through milestones. Each milestone is linked to the completion of a
predefined set of tasks that have been specified in the project plan. The
milestone metaphor comes from roads. Looking at a milestone, one should
be able to know how much of the journey one has completed, and how
much is left to do. That is why every task and activity in a project is not
a milestone. They are needed to complete the work but do not convey
any valuable status information.
Online, Real-Time, Interactive, Batch, Offline
The lines between these concepts are definitely blurred. People use these
words interchangeably, depending on the context. An E-banking applica-
tion can provide an
interactive
browser-based
online
interface to do
real-time
financial transactions. “Online” conjures an image of a “live”
