System Life Cycle
**What are the main stages of the system life cycle?**
**Answer:**
- **Feasibility Study**: Determines if the project is viable.
- **Analysis**: Identifies the requirements of the new system.
- **Design**: Creates detailed plans for the system.
- **Implementation**: Develops and installs the system.
- **Testing**: Verifies that the system works as intended.
- **Maintenance**: Ensures the system continues to operate effectively after deployment.
- **Evaluation**: Assesses the success of the system against objectives.
- **Feasibility Study**: Determines if the project is viable.
- **Analysis**: Identifies the requirements of the new system.
- **Design**: Creates detailed plans for the system.
- **Implementation**: Develops and installs the system.
- **Testing**: Verifies that the system works as intended.
- **Maintenance**: Ensures the system continues to operate effectively after deployment.
- **Evaluation**: Assesses the success of the system against objectives.
These stages provide a structured approach to system development and ensure that the system meets user requirements and business goals.
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**Explain the purpose of a feasibility study.**
**Answer:**
The feasibility study evaluates whether a project is technically, economically, and operationally viable. It includes:
- **Technical feasibility**: Can the system be developed with the available technology?
- **Economic feasibility**: Is the project cost-effective?
- **Operational feasibility**: Will the system meet user needs?
- **Legal feasibility**: Are there any legal constraints?
The feasibility study evaluates whether a project is technically, economically, and operationally viable. It includes:
- **Technical feasibility**: Can the system be developed with the available technology?
- **Economic feasibility**: Is the project cost-effective?
- **Operational feasibility**: Will the system meet user needs?
- **Legal feasibility**: Are there any legal constraints?
This stage ensures resources are not wasted on a project that is unlikely to succeed.
**What are the key methods of fact-finding during system analysis?**
**Answer:**
- **Interviews**: Gathering detailed information from stakeholders.
- **Questionnaires**: Collecting data from a large group of users.
- **Observation**: Understanding processes by watching them in action.
- **Document review**: Analyzing existing documentation for insights.
These methods help gather accurate and relevant information about the current system and user needs.
***Explain why interviews are better than questionnaires for smaller groups of users? ***
Answer:
The analyst can expand upon questions that have been asked during the interview to gain further information from the user; questionnaires take time to create and so it is unnecessary when a small group of users can all be interviewed.
*** State the purpose of the system specification ***
Answer:
To identify the hardware and software required to operate the developed system.
**Describe the differences between black-box testing and white-box testing.**
**Answer:**
- **Black-box testing**: Focuses on the inputs and expected outputs without considering internal code.
- **White-box testing**: Examines the internal workings of the system and ensures all paths are tested.
Both methods ensure the system functions correctly but address different aspects of testing.
***Identify the purpose of a data flow diagram (DFD).***
Answer:
To show the data flows within a system.
To show the data flows within a system.
**What is the importance of user documentation in the system life cycle?**
**Answer:**
User documentation provides instructions for end-users on how to use the system effectively. It includes:
- Installation guides.
- User manuals.
- Troubleshooting tips.
Well-prepared user documentation ensures smooth adoption of the system by reducing confusion and errors.
**Discuss three types of maintenance in the system life cycle.**
User documentation provides instructions for end-users on how to use the system effectively. It includes:
- Installation guides.
- User manuals.
- Troubleshooting tips.
Well-prepared user documentation ensures smooth adoption of the system by reducing confusion and errors.
**Discuss three types of maintenance in the system life cycle.**
**Answer:**
- **Corrective maintenance**: Fixes errors found after deployment.
- **Adaptive maintenance**: Updates the system to work with new environments or requirements.
- **Perfective maintenance**: Enhances performance or functionality based on user feedback.
Maintenance ensures the system remains functional, efficient, and relevant over time.
**What are the advantages of prototyping in system development?**
**Answer:**
- Allows users to provide feedback early in development.
- Reduces misunderstandings about requirements.
- Identifies potential issues early.
Prototyping helps bridge the gap between user expectations and developer understanding.
**What factors should be considered during system evaluation?**
**Answer:**
- Whether the system meets objectives.
- User satisfaction.
- Performance metrics (speed, accuracy, reliability).
- Cost-effectiveness.
Evaluation ensures the system delivers value and aligns with initial goals.
*** Identify one rule for data flows within a level 1 DFD***
Answer:
Each data flow must have a process attached to it. A data flow cannot move directly from one external entity to another or from one data store to another
or between an external entity and a data store.
or between an external entity and a data store.
*** Describe the difference between a tick box and an option button.***
Answer: A tick box allows more than one response where as an option button only allows one response
Exam Oriented Questions and Answers
Q1: Thornhill Estates runs several hotels. It would like a new software solution to manage room bookings, dinner
reservations and purchases across all its hotels. It has asked a software developer to produce the software for them.
The software developer will follow the system life cycle.
1 a State one purpose of analysis in the system life cycle. [1]
b Suggest four reasons why questionnaires would be appropriate for researching how bookings are
currently managed at the hotel. [4]
c State three other methods that could be used to research the current booking system
Answer:
a. a. To find out how the current system works [1]; to find out the requirements of the client [1].
a. a. To find out how the current system works [1]; to find out the requirements of the client [1].
b. There will be lots of staff in several hotels [1] so there won’t be time to interview them all but
questionnaires can get information from all staff [1]; the data will need analysing [1] and so the questions can be written in a way that will gather responses in a structured manner [1].
c. Interviews [1]; observation [1]; document analysis [1]
Q2:The analyst will interview a group of users to create a requirements specification.
2 State the purpose of a requirements specification.
Answer:
To identify what the client needs the new system to do
Q3: The designer will create a design specification based on the requirements specification.
3 a Identify three factors that should be considered when designing a screen layout. [3]
b Using an example, show how a validation rule could be designed for the hotel booking system. [3]
c Apart from keyboards, mice and monitors, describe three external hardware components that will
be needed by the hotel system.
3 a Identify three factors that should be considered when designing a screen layout. [3]
b Using an example, show how a validation rule could be designed for the hotel booking system. [3]
c Apart from keyboards, mice and monitors, describe three external hardware components that will
be needed by the hotel system.
Answer a. Use of colour [1]; consistent use of fonts [1]; avoiding clutter [1]; legibility of fonts [1]; instructions to the user [1]; optional vs compulsory questions [1]; sufficient space for answers [1]; tick boxes or drop down boxes or
option buttons for multiple choice lists [1].
b Any three from the following [3]: Example could identify the input data [1], type of validation [1], rule [1] and error message [1]. For example, Number of nights, Type check, Must be numeric, Please enter a numeric value.
c Any three from the following [3]: Printer to print invoices for the customer [1]; barcode scanner to read barcodes on customer booking printout or mobile phone display [1]; magnetic stripe / smart card reader/writer to initiate room keys [1]; touch screen for the point of sale terminal in the bar and restaurant [1]
**Explain the importance of data migration during system implementation.**
**Answer:**
Data migration involves transferring data from the old system to the new one. Key considerations include:
- Ensuring data accuracy.
- Minimizing downtime.
- Testing data integrity after migration.
Successful data migration ensures the new system starts with clean, accurate data.
**Compare parallel running and direct changeover methods of implementation.**
**Answer:**
- **Parallel running**: The old and new systems run simultaneously. Safer but more expensive.
- **Direct changeover**: The old system is immediately replaced by the new one. Faster but riskier.
The choice depends on the project’s risk tolerance, budget, and urgency.
Q4: An evolutionary prototype approach will be used during the design and development of the software.
4 a Define the term ‘prototype’. [1]
b Justify the manager’s choice of an evolutionary approach
**Answer:**
4 a A ‘mock-up’ of a software solution; partially
completed product used for evaluation/
feedback [1].
b All of the following [4]:
Evolutionary prototyping develops each
prototype further whereas throw-away
prototyping involves disposing of the prototype
so the prototype can grow rather than having
to start again [1]. Evolutionary prototyping
involves refining user requirements after
each evolution of the prototype which will
enable the landscape gardening company to
better understand their own requirements
as the prototype develops [1]. The landscape
gardening company can canvass opinion from
customers on what the user interface will look
like [1]. The project team can get feedback from
the landscape gardening company early during
the project [1].
Q5: Once the system has been developed, it will need to be tested.
5 a Describe two differences between white box and black box testing. [4]
b Explain one reason why beta testing might not be appropriate for the hotel system. [2]
c Explain why invalid test data is used.
**Answer:**
a All of the following [4]:
White box testing requires understanding of the
module or system being tested [1] whereas black
box testing only requires input data and output
data to be used [1]; white box testing is usually
carried out by the developer [1] whereas black
box testing is usually carried out by the user or
specialist testers [1].
b Both of the following [2]:
Beta testing requires a very large user base [1]
and usually applies to off-the-shelf software
whereas the hotel system will need to be used
consistently by all staff within all the hotels [1].
c All of the following [3]:
It’s needed to check that the system can cope
with invalid data [1] and reject it appropriately
[1] without system errors occurring [1].
Q6: The system will be installed in a pilot approach and user documentation will be provided to the hotel staff.
6 a Justify the choice of the pilot approach of installation for the hotel system. [4]
b Explain why the user documentation should include troubleshooting and glossary sections. [4]
c Suggest four reasons why the hotel system may require maintenance in the future
**Answer:**
6 a Any four from the following [4]:
There are lots of hotels [1] so one hotel could
pilot the system and identify any problems [1],
which could be rectified before the system is
implemented in other hotels [1]. Only a small
group of staff need to be trained in how to use
the system initially at the one hotel [1]. The
hotel that pilots the system could be used to
train staff from the other hotels how to use the
new system [1].
b Troubleshooting will show common errors
and how to solve them [1] so if the staff come
across one of these errors they can find out
what to do [1]. Glossary will include definitions
of technical terms used in the documentation
[1] so if staff don’t understand a term in the
documentation they can look it up [1].
c Errors may need correcting [1]; the system may
need to be adapted due to organisational or
external changes [1]; to prevent problems from
occurring [1]; to improve on the software [1].
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