CSC 375 Midterm Questions and
Answers
System Analysis - answer Process of studying a procedure or business in order to
identify its goals and purposes and create systems and procedures that will achieve
them in an efficient way
First Four Stages in SDLC - answer Identifying problems, opportunities and
objectives. Determining human information requirements. Analyzing system needs
Designing the recommended system.
Identifying Problems, Opportunities, and Objectives - answer Honest look to the
business and pinpoint problems, nobody wants to address the wrong problem. Identify
opportunities for improvement through the use of computerized information systems.
Discover the objective of the business and whether some aspects of information
systems applications can help. People: users, analysts, system managers coordinating
project. Activities: interviewing, documenting, estimating scope of project. Output:
feasibility report (problems and objectives)
Determining Human Information Requirements - answer Study current system, who
are the users involved, what they do, where, when, and how, why is business using
current system. Understanding what info the users need for the job. How to make
system useful. Output: understand how the users accomplish their work when
interacting with the systems, and begin to know how the new system will be more useful
and usable
Analyzing System Needs - answer Analysis of the structured decisions, including
conditions, alternatives, actions, and rules. Tools: data flow diagram (input, processes,
output), activity diagrams, sequence diagrams, decision tables and trees. Output:
Systems proposal that summarizes what has been found out about the current system
(users), cost benefit analysis of alternatives, and provides recommendations
Designing the Recommended System - answer Designing procedures for the users
to input data, designing user interface, designing databases, designing controls and
backup procedures. People: analysts and users. Output: design documents
Human Computer Interaction Considerations - answer Focus on the people, human
centred approach, improvement of quality of the systems and work life, uncover and
address the frustrations that users voice over systems
Developing and Documenting Software - answer Programmers have key role.
Analysts work with users to develop effective documentation, manuals, online help,
FAQs. Goal is to produce documentation for the users about how to use software
, Testing and Maintaining System - answer First testing activities are made by
programmers. Second testing activities are made by system analyst in conjunction with
programmers
Implementation and Evaluating the System - answer Training the user to handle the
system, oversight is the responsibility of the system analyst. The analyst has already
planned the transition between the old system and the new system. Evaluation implies a
measure of satisfaction as a solution of the problem
Agile Approach - answer There is a project champion in the organization,
applications need to be developed quickly in response to dynamic environment, a
rescue takes place (system failed and no time to figure out why), customer satisfied with
incremental improvements, executives and analysts agree with principles of agile
methodologies
Object Oriented Methodologies - answer Problems modelled lend themselves to
classes, organization supports UML learning, systems can be added gradually, reuse of
previous software possible, acceptable to tackle difficult problems first
Computer Aided Software Engineering Tools - answer Tools to implement and
design software systems, support software development process and methodology,
individual applications or suit of applications, usually expensive, graphical tools to
support multiple types of designs, increase productivity, communicate effectively, and
integrate their work. CASE repository: reports, diagrams, screens, recordings
Use Cases - answer Used in SDLC and agile methodologies, describe logical model
of the system, graphical representation of what the system does, system requirements
Identify Use Cases - answer Look for actors in requirements notes, look for
significant user activities that produce a result of some value to an actor, should have a
distinct start and a result (success), start by underlining verbs (actions) in requirements
notes
Use Case Diagrams - answer Use case describes a sequence of actions providing a
measurable value to an actor, named using verb and object, drawn as a flattened oval.
Actors are a person, organization, or external organization, plays a role by interacting
with system. Association is a relationship between an actor and use case, drawn as a
line with optional arrow heads. Relationship is a relationship between two use cases,
extends is a variation on the flow from a specified extension point, includes is a subset
of actions that may occur in multiple use cases
Use Case Specifications - answer Name, Actors, Preconditions, Steps, Success
Condition, Alternative Paths
