ISDS 406 Midterm Exam: Questions & Solutions
(Graded A+)
What is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Right Ans - List of tasks
hierarchically numbered. WBS uses a top-down approach with high lvl tasks
defined first, then further broken down into subtasks
How does one start a questionnaire? Right Ans - Start w/ business
requirements or Start w/ as-is system or process
Which of the following is NOT a reason why do about 50% of large system
development projects fail?
a) Missed deadlines
b) Poor planning
c) Comes down to if project was correctly carefully planned & whether the
organization stuck to the plan
d) Big data Right Ans - d) Big Data
Describe "Black Hole" in DFD Right Ans - An instance in the Data Flow
Diagram where a process has an input but no output (it just "consumes" data).
This is an error.
One of the goals in Analysis Phase is: Right Ans - Collect and Analyze
Requirements. Develop new system concept and describe new system with
analysis model.
What are the guidelines for creating DFDs? Right Ans - Never have data
flowing from one entity to another
Never have data flowing from an entity to a data store
Never have data flowing a data store to an entity
Never have data flowing from one data store to another
*Processes must be in between each
What is the purpose of a context diagram? Right Ans - There are several
levels of DFDs, so the context diagram is the top level showing the entire
system in context with the environment. Lower levels then give more detail. A
context diagram shows the overall business process, without data stores.
,Which of the following is NOT one of the four main elements/symbols in the
type of diagram that is thoroughly explained in Chapter 5? Right Ans -
Customer (triangle)
Which of the following statements about the waterfall methodology is true?
Right Ans - The waterfall methodology moves sequentially from planning, to
analysis, to design, to implementation. Each part of the SDLC is carefully
completed before moving on to next step.
Project managers always face trade-offs among three critical aspects of a
project. If one changes, it affects the other two. What are those three critical
aspects? Right Ans - Project Cost, Project Scope, Project Time
Technology Analysis Right Ans - - Analysts and employees both list
important and interesting technologies
- The group goes through each list and identifies how each might be applied to
the business and how the business might benefit
Key aspects of working on a team (3 C's) Right Ans - - Communication:
Expectations and team cohesion
- Conveyance: Sharing task information and work
- Convergence: Making decisions about the work
What is an advantage and disadvantage of systems prototyping? Right Ans
- Advantage
- Users get to work with the prototype very quickly.
- Feedback cycle let users identify change and refine requirement.
Disadvantage
- Overlooked features may be hard to add later.
- Initial design decision may be poor.
Project charter Right Ans - Formal document that specifies key rules &
standards for working together on a project (individual deadlines, meetings,
work status reporting, availability, person or online documentation storage).
Authorizes the system to begin the SDLC phase for.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Right Ans - List of tasks hierarchically
numbered where high-level tasks are defined first & then broken into
subtasks. (top-down approach, backbone of work plan)
,Time boxing Right Ans - Sets tight but realistic deadline; identify core,
essential functional requirements
- Focus just to essential functions
-High quality stressed
-Other functions will be added later
-Repeat to add refinements & enhancements
Scope creep Right Ans - Happens when new requirements are added to the
project after the original project scope was defined. Can happen bc users
realize new functionality useful
Do's and Don't for motivating employees Right Ans - Do: recognition,
achievement in work itself, responsibility, advancement, chance to learn new
skills, free dinner, awards
Don't: assign unrealistic deadlines, ignore good efforts, create low-quality
products, give everyone on the project a equal raise, make important
decisions w/out team's input, poor working conditions
What is timeboxing Right Ans - A technique for ensuring the most critical
requirements of the software are deployed in a timely manner, with
enhancements coming later if needed.
Timeboxing - a fixed deadline for a project and delivers the system by that
deadline no matter what, even if functionality needs to be reduced.
How many gathering strategies are there? Right Ans - 8 gathering
strategies (Problem analysis, Root cause analysis, duration analysis, activity-
based analysis, informal benchmarking, outcome analysis, technology
analysis, activity elmination
One of the outcomes of using a use case is: Right Ans - describe all the tasks
that users need to perform using the system & giving out instructions in case
of emergency happens outside or the normal course of the system
How many steps does Planning phase have? and what are they? Right Ans -
The planning phase has 2 steps:
1) Project initiation
-system's business value is identified
, -system request
-feasibility analysis (can we build it?)(will it provide value?)(if we build it will
w=it be used?)
- enters the approval committee to determine the feasibility
2) after approval it enters project management
- project manager creates a work plan
-staffs project
-set techniques to help control
-project work plan
* how the project team will go about developing system
How to distinguish level 0 and level 1 diagram? Right Ans - Each level will
have 1 extra decimal. For example, level zero will be 1, level 1 will be 1.1, or
level 2 will be 1.1.1, and so on. In addition, level-one diagrams show the
internal processes that comprise a single process on the level-0 diagram.
Elements of a systems request Right Ans - - Project Sponsor is the person
who initiates the project and who serves as the primary point of contact for
the project on the business side.
- Business need is the business-related reason for initiating the system.
- Business requirements are the new or enhanced business capabilities that
the system will provide.
- Business value is the benefits that the system will create for the organization.
- Special issues or constraints are the issues that pertain to the approval
committee's decision.Fsys
Criteria to consider when selecting a development methodology: Right Ans
- Whether the system has unclear user requirements, has a short time
schedule, and is complex
Microsoft named their project management system as? Right Ans -
Microsoft Project which is common in the industry
Manage risks: Right Ans - Ways to manage risks are avoidance,
reduction(mitigation), transfer(insure or share), and retention(accept).
Two team strategies Right Ans - Working synchronously
Divide and conquer