question

In launching a new information system, the greatest risk occurs when a company ____

answer

tries to decide how the system will be implemented before determining what the system is supposed to do

question

Examples of company-wide applications, called ____, include order processing systems, payroll systems, and company communications networks

answer

enterprise applications

question

When planning an information system, a company must consider how a new system will interface with older systems, which are called ____

answer

legacy systems

question

Systems analysts use a process called ____ to represent a company's operations and information needs

answer

business process modeling

question

____ enabled computer-to-computer transfer of data between companies, usually over private telecommunications networks

answer

EDI

question

Knowledge management systems are called expert systems because they ____

answer

simulate human reasoning by combining a knowledge base and inference rules that determine how the knowledge is applied

question

In a typical company organizational model, top managers ____

answer

develop long-range plans, called strategic plans, which define the company's overall mission and goals

question

Structured analysis is a traditional systems development technique that uses a series of phases, called the ____, to plan, analyze, design, implement, and support an information system

answer

SDLC

question

Systems development typically starts with a ____

answer

systems request, followed by a preliminary investigation, which includes a feasibility study

question

Strategic planning looks beyond day-to-day activities and focuses on a horizon that is ____ years in the future

answer

three, five, ten, or more years in the future

question

Hardware-based security controls include ____

answer

biometric devices

question

Many companies implement ____ systems that integrate all customer-related events and transactions

answer

CRM (customer relationship management)

question

A systems request form should not ____

answer

have complex instructions

question

Of the measures of feasibility in the accompanying figure, ____ considers questions such as "Does management support the project?" and "Will the new system require training for users?"

answer

operational feasibility

question

Of the measures of feasibility in the accompanying figure, ____ considers points such as "Does the proposed platform have sufficient capacity for future needs?" and "Will the hardware and software environment be reliable?"

answer

technical feasibility

question

Of the measures of feasibility in the accompanying figure, ____ assesses tangible and intangible benefits to the company in addition to costs

answer

economic feasibility

question

Of the measures of feasibility in the accompanying figure, issues that relate to ____ include "Has management established a firm timetable for the project?" and "Will a project manager be appointed?"

answer

schedule feasibility

question

Examples of tangible benefits include all of the following except a(n) ____

answer

user-friendly system that improves employee job satisfaction

question

When assessing priorities for systems requests, a systems analyst should look for high scores in all of the following except ____

answer

Will the proposed system decrease revenue for the company?

question

Projects where management has a choice in implementing them are called ____ projects

answer

discretionary

question

All of the following are metrics of a successful project EXCEPT ____

answer

completion with the same personnel as were on the team at the outset

question

In addition to tasks, every project has ____, which are reference points used to monitor progress and manage the project

answer

milestones

question

The first step in creating a WBS is to ____

answer

identify all tasks

question

All of the following affect project time requirements EXCEPT ____

answer

work breakdown structure

question

In developing time and cost estimates, project managers must consider _____

answer

all of the above

question

Gantt Charts can simplify a complex project by combining several activities into a task ____, that contains subsidiary tasks

answer

group

question

A project manager must balance ____ to achieve a workable schedule; graphical planning aids can help in the process

answer

all of the above

question

PERT/CPM is called a(n) ____ technique, because it analyzes a large, complex project as a series of individual tasks

answer

bottom-up

question

A _____ cannot be started until one or more other tasks are completed

answer

dependent task

question

Two or more concurrent tasks often depend on a single prior task, which is called a(n) ____ task

answer

predecessor

question

A ____ path includes all tasks that are vital to the project schedule

answer

critical

question

A(n) ____ chart displays complex task patterns and relationships

answer

PERT/CPM

question

A risk ____ plan is a proactive effort to anticipate a risk and describe an action plan to deal with it

answer

response

question

One of the main activities in the systems analysis phase is ____ modeling, which involves fact-finding to describe the current system and identification requirements for the new system

answer

requirements

question

Greater user involvement in the system development process usually results in ____

answer

more satisfied users

question

RAD relies heavily on ____

answer

both a and b

question

Using a(n) ____, an analyst can show business functions and break them down into lower-level functions and processes

answer

FDD

question

All of the following are categories of system requirements EXCEPT ____

answer

dynamics

question

____ is a typical example of a system requirement for the performance category

answer

The student records system must produce class lists within five hours after the end of registration

question

In addition to direct costs, systems developers must identify and document indirect expenses that contribute to the ____

answer

TCO

question

In an interview, ____ encourage spontaneous and unstructured responses

answer

open-ended questions

question

DFD symbols are referenced by using all ____ letters for the symbol name

answer

capital

question

A black hole process is a process that has ____

answer

no output

question

If processes must be performed in a specific sequence, you document the information in the ____

answer

process descriptions

question

Leveling ____

answer

uses a series of increasingly detailed DFDs to describe an information system

question

Balancing ____

answer

ensures that the input and output data flows of the parent DFD are maintained on the child DFD

question

A data ____ is a central storehouse of information about a system's data

answer

repository

question

In a data dictionary, a(n) ____ is the smallest piece of data that has meaning within an information system

answer

field

question

In a data dictionary, ____ is the maximum number of characters for an alphabetic or character data element or the maximum number of digits and number of decimal positions for a numeric data element

answer

length

question

____ is based on combinations of the three logical structures, or control structures (one of which is shown in the accompanying figure), which serve as building blocks for the process

answer

Modular design

question

In the accompanying figure, the sequence structure is the completion of ____

answer

steps in a chronological order, one after another

question

The iteration structure is the completion of ____

answer

a process step that is repeated until a specific condition changes

question

An object has certain ____, which are characteristics that describe the object

answer

attributes

question

An object's ____ are the tasks or functions the object performs

answer

methods

question

Your car performs a(n) ____ called OPERATE WIPERS when you send a message by moving the proper control

answer

method

question

____ are characteristics that describe the object

answer

Attributes

question

A(n) ____ is a group of similar objects

answer

class

question

Your red Mustang is a(n) ____ of the CAR class

answer

instance

question

In an object-oriented system, objects can ____ certain attributes from other objects

answer

inherit

question

A(n) ____ defines specific tasks that an object can perform

answer

method

question

Objects within a class can be grouped into ____, which are more specific categories within a class

answer

subclasses

question

Traditionally, a company either developed its own information systems, called in-house applications, or purchased systems called software packages from outside vendors

answer

True

question

In an information system, data is information that has been transformed into output that is valuable to users

answer

False

question

Most large companies require systems that combine transaction processing, business support, knowledge management, and user productivity features

answer

True

question

Many companies find that a trend called empowerment, which gives employees more responsibility and accountability, improves employee motivation and increases customer satisfaction

answer

True

question

CASE tools provide an overall framework for systems development and support a wide variety of design methodologies, including structured analysis and object-oriented analysis

answer

True

question

In the systems planning phase, a key part of the preliminary investigation is a feasibility study that reviews anticipated costs and benefits and recommends a course of action based on operational, technical, economic, and time factors

answer

True

question

In the systems analysis phase, the first step is requirements modeling, where business processes are investigated and what the new system must do is documented

answer

True

question

A scalable design can expand to meet new business requirements and volumes

answer

True

question

Systems requests seldom are aimed at improving service to customers or users within a company

answer

False

question

Internal and external factors affect every business decision that a company makes, and IT systems are no exception

answer

True

question

Information systems that interact with customers usually receive low priority

answer

False

question

Most large companies rely on one person to evaluate systems requests instead of a committee

answer

False

question

Using a WBS allows you to manage a project as one large task

answer

False

question

In most systems analysis tasks, time and people are interchangeable

answer

False

question

When tasks must be completed one after another, they are called concurrent tasks

answer

False

question

If any task along the critical path falls behind schedule, the entire project is delayed

answer

True

question

Each activity within the systems analysis phase has an end product and one or more milestones

answer

True

question

IT professionals recognize that successful systems must be user-oriented, and users need to be involved, formally or informally, at every stage of systems development

answer

True

question

The main objective of all RAD approaches is to extend development time and expense by excluding users from every phase of systems development

answer

False

question

System requirements serve as benchmarks to measure the overall acceptability of a finished system

answer

True

question

When fact-finding, asking what is being done is the same as asking what could or should be done

answer

False

question

Creating a standard list of interview questions helps a systems analyst to keep on track and avoid unnecessary tangents

answer

True

question

When conducting an interview, after asking a question, allow the person enough time to think about the question and arrive at an answer

answer

True

question

In a DFD, a process symbol can have only one outgoing data flow

answer

False

question

Systems analysts call an entity that receives data from the system a source

answer

False

question

What makes one system more complex than another is the number of components, the number of levels, and the degree of interaction among its processes, entities, data stores, and data flows

answer

True

question

When documenting a process, the documentation includes a description of the process's characteristics and, for functional primitives, a process description, which is a model that documents the processing steps and business logic

answer

True

question

During the systems design phase, a physical model of the new information system is created that follows from the logical model and involves operational tasks and techniques

answer

True

question

An object treats data and processes separately

answer

False

question

Customer objects can perform specific tasks, such as placing an order or paying a bill

answer

True

question

Some objects might have a few attributes; others might have dozens

answer

True

question

System analysts define an object's attributes during the systems design process

answer

True

question

A gas pump is an example of a black box

answer

True

question

A major advantage of O-O designs is that systems analysts can save time and avoid errors by using modular objects

answer

True

question

After you identify the objects, classes, and relationships, you are ready to prepare an object relationship diagram that will provide an overview of the system

answer

True

question

When you create an object relationship diagram, it will serve as a guide as you continue to develop additional diagrams and documentation

answer

True

question

When you identify use cases, it is important to keep all related transactions separate

answer

False

question

In a sequence diagram, a message is identified by a narrow vertical shape that covers the lifeline

answer

False

question

In a state transition diagram, the states appear as rounded rectangles with the state names inside

answer

True

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