ISDS 406 Final Exam: Questions & Complete Solutions
What are the steps of the design phase? Right Ans - 1. Determine preferred
system acquisition strategy (make, buy, or outsource)
2. Design the architecture for the system
3. Make hardware and software selections
4. Design system navigation, inputs, and outputs
5. Convert logical process model to physical process model
6. Update CASE repository with additional system details
7. Design the programs that will perform the system processes
8. Convert logical data model to physical data model
9. Update CASE repository with additional system details
10. Revise CRUD matrix
11. Design the way in which data will be stored
12. Compile final system specification
What is the final deliverable of the design phase? Right Ans - System
specification
What are the three acquisition strategies? Right Ans - 1. Develop a custom
application in-house
2. Buy a packaged system and (possibly) customize it
3. Rely on an external vendor, developer, or service provider to build or
provide the system (outsourcing)
Under what circumstances would you choose each one of the three acquisition
strategies? Right Ans - 1. Custom development:
used when the business need is unique; in-house functional and technical
experience exists; there is a desire to build in-house skills; the project has a
highly skilled project manager and the time frame is flexible.
2. Buy a packaged system and (possibly) customize it: used when there is a
common business need; in-house functional experience exists; the skills are
not strategic; the project has a project manager who can coordinate vendor's
efforts; and when the time frame is short.
,3. Outsourcing: used when the business need is not core to the business; in-
house functional or technical experience does not exist; the decision to
outsource is a strategic decision; the project has a highly skilled project
manager; the time frame is short or flexible; want to hire experts.
What is an Request for Proposal (RFP) and its purpose? Right Ans - A
document that solicits a formal proposal from a potential vendor, developer,
or service provider
RFPs describe in detail the system or service that is needed, and vendors
respond by describing in detail how they could supply those needs.
What is a Request for Information (RFI) and its purpose? Right Ans - A
shorter, less detailed request that is sent to potential vendors to obtain
general information about their products and services.
RFIs may be sufficient for smaller projects with smaller budgets.
Sometimes, the RFI is used to determine which vendors have the capability to
perform a service.
It is often then followed up with an RFP to the qualified vendors.
What is an Request for Quote (RFQ) and its purpose? Right Ans - Used
when a list of equipment is so complete that the vendor need only provide a
price, without any analysis or description of what is needed
For an Alternative matrix, what is listed across the top row? Right Ans - -
Evaluation Criteria
- Relative Importance
- Alternatives
- Score
- Weighted Score
For an Alternative matrix, what is listed down the first column? Right Ans -
- Technical issues
- Economic issues
- Organizational issues
- Total
, How is the right alternative selected in a matrix? (hint: the one with the
highest weighted score) Right Ans - The highest weighted score achieves
the best match alternative.
Architectural Design Right Ans - the plan for how the information system
components will be distributed across multiple computers and what
hardware, operating system software, and application software will be used
on each computer (e.g., Windows or Linux operating system software)
Two major architectural components are: Right Ans - the software and the
hardware.
The major software components of the system being developed how to be
identified and then allocated to the various hardware components on which
the system will operate.
What are the four basic functions of software? Right Ans - 1. Data storage
- Most IS require data to be stored and retrieved
- E.g., small file (such as list of customers who have been granted a special
status), or large database that stores HR records
- These are the data entities documented in the ERDs
2. Data access logic
- The processing required to access data, often meaning database queries in
SQL
3. Application logic
- The logic documented in the DFDs, use cases, and functional requirements
4. Presentation logic
- The display of information to the user and the acceptance of the user's
commands (the user interface)
These four functions are the basic building blocks of any information system.
What are the three primary hardware components? Right Ans - 1. Client
Computers
What are the steps of the design phase? Right Ans - 1. Determine preferred
system acquisition strategy (make, buy, or outsource)
2. Design the architecture for the system
3. Make hardware and software selections
4. Design system navigation, inputs, and outputs
5. Convert logical process model to physical process model
6. Update CASE repository with additional system details
7. Design the programs that will perform the system processes
8. Convert logical data model to physical data model
9. Update CASE repository with additional system details
10. Revise CRUD matrix
11. Design the way in which data will be stored
12. Compile final system specification
What is the final deliverable of the design phase? Right Ans - System
specification
What are the three acquisition strategies? Right Ans - 1. Develop a custom
application in-house
2. Buy a packaged system and (possibly) customize it
3. Rely on an external vendor, developer, or service provider to build or
provide the system (outsourcing)
Under what circumstances would you choose each one of the three acquisition
strategies? Right Ans - 1. Custom development:
used when the business need is unique; in-house functional and technical
experience exists; there is a desire to build in-house skills; the project has a
highly skilled project manager and the time frame is flexible.
2. Buy a packaged system and (possibly) customize it: used when there is a
common business need; in-house functional experience exists; the skills are
not strategic; the project has a project manager who can coordinate vendor's
efforts; and when the time frame is short.
,3. Outsourcing: used when the business need is not core to the business; in-
house functional or technical experience does not exist; the decision to
outsource is a strategic decision; the project has a highly skilled project
manager; the time frame is short or flexible; want to hire experts.
What is an Request for Proposal (RFP) and its purpose? Right Ans - A
document that solicits a formal proposal from a potential vendor, developer,
or service provider
RFPs describe in detail the system or service that is needed, and vendors
respond by describing in detail how they could supply those needs.
What is a Request for Information (RFI) and its purpose? Right Ans - A
shorter, less detailed request that is sent to potential vendors to obtain
general information about their products and services.
RFIs may be sufficient for smaller projects with smaller budgets.
Sometimes, the RFI is used to determine which vendors have the capability to
perform a service.
It is often then followed up with an RFP to the qualified vendors.
What is an Request for Quote (RFQ) and its purpose? Right Ans - Used
when a list of equipment is so complete that the vendor need only provide a
price, without any analysis or description of what is needed
For an Alternative matrix, what is listed across the top row? Right Ans - -
Evaluation Criteria
- Relative Importance
- Alternatives
- Score
- Weighted Score
For an Alternative matrix, what is listed down the first column? Right Ans -
- Technical issues
- Economic issues
- Organizational issues
- Total
, How is the right alternative selected in a matrix? (hint: the one with the
highest weighted score) Right Ans - The highest weighted score achieves
the best match alternative.
Architectural Design Right Ans - the plan for how the information system
components will be distributed across multiple computers and what
hardware, operating system software, and application software will be used
on each computer (e.g., Windows or Linux operating system software)
Two major architectural components are: Right Ans - the software and the
hardware.
The major software components of the system being developed how to be
identified and then allocated to the various hardware components on which
the system will operate.
What are the four basic functions of software? Right Ans - 1. Data storage
- Most IS require data to be stored and retrieved
- E.g., small file (such as list of customers who have been granted a special
status), or large database that stores HR records
- These are the data entities documented in the ERDs
2. Data access logic
- The processing required to access data, often meaning database queries in
SQL
3. Application logic
- The logic documented in the DFDs, use cases, and functional requirements
4. Presentation logic
- The display of information to the user and the acceptance of the user's
commands (the user interface)
These four functions are the basic building blocks of any information system.
What are the three primary hardware components? Right Ans - 1. Client
Computers
