First homework assignment for INFS 622 Section 002, Information Systems Analysis and Design, Spring 2002

Each of the following questions is scored as indicated. Please ensure each page you turn in has your name and page number at the top. Clearly indicate the question you are answering.

1. [10] Terminology. Provide a concise definition, then an example, of each of the following terms in your own words (please do not copy from another source) and in the context of the course. If the term is an acronym, begin by stating what it stands for (e.g., SDLC is systems development life cycle)

2. [8] Describe two advantages and two disadvantages of using prototyping as a systems development process.

3. [2] What is at least one major drawback of using an object-oriented approach as a basis for a system?

4. [8] The systems analyst must have multiple talents. For each of the following talents, give an example of how the system development process or product could suffer if the analyst assigned to the systems development team lacked that talent:

5. [2] What is “systems thinking?” How is it useful (perhaps essential) for thinking about computer-based information systems?

6. [4] How are the terms “decomposition”, “coupling”, and “cohesion” related in terms of systems development?

7. [3] Give three examples of how a systems analyst could be seen to be in violation of professional ethics.

9. [10] Assume you have a project with 10 activities labeled A-J (below). Derive the earliest completion time (or early finish-EF), latest completion time (or late finish-LF), and slack for each of the following tasks (begin at time=0). Which tasks are on the critical path? Draw a PERT chart and highlight the critical path.

Activity	Preceding Event	Expected Duration
A	-	4
B	A	5
C	A	6
D	A	7
E	A, D	6
F	C, E	5
G	D, E	4
H	E	3
I	F, G	4
J	H, I	5

10. [2] What is the critical path if the duration for activity G is 6 days? How many days does the delivery date slip?

11. [3] Give three examples of what may happen if an organization implements the use of CASE tools prior to establishing a methodology for SDLC.

12. [2] In Object-Oriented Modeling And Design, Rumbaugh, et al, state “A software engineering methodology is a process for the organized production of software, using a collection of predefined techniques and notational conventions.” How could CASE tools apply to this view of system development?

13. [5] A goal stated by many vendors of CASE products is to have CASE ultimately be able to automatically generate (and regenerate to any platform and with any changes) 100 percent of the code, error-free, for a new or modified information system. These vendors say this goal is important in order to achieve systems development productivity gains necessary to deal with systems backlog, to improve system quality, and to enhance our ability to maintain systems. Do you think this goal is possible? Why or why not?

14. [4] Typically, there are two types of objectives used: financial and strategic. Give two example of each.

15. [6] For each of the following feasibility factors, provide an example of what problem(s) might be encountered if the factor was not considered in the planning stage:

16. [15] Assume monetary benefits of an information system of $50,000 the first year and increasing benefits of $5,000 a year for the next four years (Year 1 = 50,000; Year 2 = 55,000; Year 3 = 60,000; Year 4 = 65,000; Year 5 = 70,000). One-time development costs were $90,000 and recurring costs beginning in Year 1 were $40,000 annually over the duration of the system's life. The discount rate for the company was 10%. Using a five-year horizon, calculate the Net Present Value of these costs and benefits. Also calculate the overall Return on Investment of the project and then present a Break-Even analysis. At what point does break-even occur?

17. [3] There is a principle in the social sciences that says the behavior of the organism being observed changes because the organism is being observed. Explain how this principle applies in determining system requirements and give at least two examples of how the change can be minimized.

18. [5] What are 10 guidelines you would follow to ensure a successful JAD session?

19. [4] Consider the following data flow diagram. List at least three errors (rule violations).

20. [5 extra] Starting with a context diagram, draw as many nested DFDs as you consider necessary to represent all the details of the employee hiring system described in the following narrative. You must draw at least a context and a level-0 diagram. In drawing these diagrams, if you discover that the narrative is incomplete, make up reasonable explanations to complete the story. Supply these extra explanations along with the diagrams. Here is the narrative:

Projects, Inc. is an engineering firm with approximately 500 engineers of different types. The company keeps records on all employees, their skills, projects assigned, and departments worked in. New employees are hired by the personnel manager based on data in an application form and evaluations collected from other managers who interview the job candidates. Prospective employees may apply at any time. Engineering managers notify the personnel manager when a job opens and list the characteristics necessary to be eligible for the job. The personnel manager compares the qualifications of the available pool of applicants with the characteristics of an open job, then schedules interviews between the manager in charge of the open position and the three best candidates from the pool. After receiving evaluations on each interview from the manager, the personnel manager makes the hiring decision based upon the evaluations and applications of the candidates and the characteristics of the job, and then notifies the interviewees and the manager about the decision. Applications of rejected applicants are retained for one year, after which time the application is purged. When hired, a new engineer completes a nondisclosure agreement, which is filed with other information about the employee.