Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1.
What is an IS stakeholder?
8. Identify four reasons that a systems development project
might be initiated.
9. List factors that have a strong influence on project success.
10. What is the purpose of systems analysis?
11. What are the steps of object-oriented systems develop-
ment?
12. Define the different types of feasibility that systems devel-
opment must consider.
13. What is the difference between systems investigation and
systems analysis?
14. How does the JAD technique support the RAD systems
development life cycle?
2.
What is the goal of IS planning? What steps are involved
in IS planning?
3.
What are the typical reasons to initiate systems develop-
ment?
4.
What actions can be taken during creative analysis?
5.
What is the difference between a programmer and a systems
analyst?
6.
What is the difference between a Gantt chart and PERT?
7.
What is the difference between systems investigation and
systems analysis? Why is it important to identify and
remove errors early in the systems development life cycle?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is it important for business managers to have a basic
understanding of the systems development process?
2. Briefly describe the role of a system user in the systems
investigation and systems analysis stages of a project.
3. How could you use creative analysis to help you develop a
better information system for your college or university?
4. Briefly describe when you would use the object-oriented
approach to systems development instead of the traditional
systems development life cycle.
5. Your company wants to develop or acquire a new sales
program to help sales representatives identify new custom-
ers. Describe what factors you would consider in deciding
whether to develop the application in-house or outsource
the application to an outside company.
6. You have been hired by your university to find an out-
sourcing company to perform the payroll function. What
are your recommendations? Describe the advantages and
disadvantages of the outsourcing approach for this
application.
7a. You have been hired as a project manager to develop a new
Web site in the next six months for a store that sells music
and books online. Describe how project management tools,
such as a Gantt chart and PERT, might be used.
7b. For what types of systems development projects might pro-
totyping be especially useful? What are the characteristics
of a system developed with a prototyping technique?
8. Assume that you work for an insurance company. Describe
three applications that are critical to your business. What
tools would you use to develop applications?
9. How important are communications skills to IS personnel?
Consider this statement: “IS personnel need a combination
of skills—one-third technical skills, one-third business
skills, and one-third communications skills.” Do you think
this is true? How would this affect the training of IS
personnel?
10. You have been hired to perform systems investigation for
a French restaurant owner in a large metropolitan area. She
is thinking of opening a new restaurant with a state-of-the-
art computer system that would allow customers to place
orders on the Internet or at kiosks at restaurant tables.
Describe how you would determine the technical, eco-
nomic, legal, operational, and schedule feasibility for the
restaurant and its new computer system.
11. Discuss three reasons why aligning overall business goals
with IS goals is important.
12. You are a senior manager of a functional area in which a
mission-critical system is being developed. How can you
safeguard this project from mushrooming out of control?
