System Analysis and Design - Vocabulary Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards detailing core definitions, concepts, life cycle models, fact-finding methods, data modeling, normalization rules, and testing strategies from the System Analysis and Design module.

System

An organized set of components which interact in a regulated fashion to achieve a goal, providing a service across both computer-related and non-computer-related elements.

Product

An enabling element of a larger system, typically a physical device or entity with a specific capability (form, fit, and function) and specified performance level that generally lacks intelligence to self-apply without human assistance.

Tool

A supporting product that enables a user or system to leverage its own capabilities and performance to more effectively or efficiently achieve mission objectives.

Capability

The transformational processing that adds value to inputs and produces an output, encompassing both functionality and performance attributes.

Physical Systems

Tangible entities that can be felt and touched, which may be static (like desks) or dynamic (like computer systems).

Abstract Systems

Conceptual, non-physical entities such as formulas, representations, or models of a real system.

Open Systems

Systems that actively interact with their surrounding environment, such as information systems.

Closed Systems

Conceptual systems that do not interact with their environment.

Strategic Information

High-level information required by topmost management for long-term policy setting and decision making.

Managerial Information

Information required by middle management used for making short-term decisions and organizational plans.

Operational Information

Daily or short-term information required at the operational level to carry out day-to-day business activities.

Transaction Processing System (TPS)

An information system that provides information for processing daily operational transactions of an organization, such as order processing or bank entries.

Management Information System (MIS)

An information system designed to cater to middle management's needs for short-term planning and decision making.

Decision Support System (DSS)

An information system that provides top management with strategic information required for long-term decision making.

System Analysis

The process of investigating an existing or proposed system, identifying problems, gathering requirements, and using the information to recommend improvements.

System Design

The process of planning a new business system or one to replace or complement an existing system.

System Analyst

The professional who guides the development of an information system by matching information system objectives with the goals of the organization.

Waterfall Life Cycle Model

A software development lifecycle model where development phases are organized in a strict linear, sequential order.

Throwaway Prototype

A preliminary working model built based on currently known requirements to help clients gain an actual feel of the system and refine requirements before final development.

Spiral Life Cycle Model

A risk-driven software development model organized in cycles or spirals, accommodating specification, prototyping, simulation, and waterfall approaches based on project risks.

Class

In object-oriented design, a template and collection of similar objects that defines their common basic attributes and operations.

Abstraction

The process of observing a set of similar objects, identifying common characteristics of concern to the system under study, and omitting irrelevant details.

Inheritance

An object-oriented feature where a new class is derived from an existing class to reuse functionality and save development time and effort.

Encapsulation

Also known as data hiding, a technique that separates the internal functioning of an object from its external interface to protect code against unintended external changes.

Feasibility Study

A preliminary evaluation undertaken before real project work starts to analyze potential solutions and determine the likelihood of project success across technical, economic, operational, and legal dimensions.

Fact Finding

The formal process of using research, interviews, questionnaires, record reviews, and observation to collect information about systems, requirements, and preferences.

Decision Tree

A tree-like graphical structure representing conditions, priorities, and subsequent possible actions along traversed branches from left to right.

Decision Table

A two-dimensional matrix divided into condition stub, action stub, condition entry, and action entry used to define complex business rules and combinations of conditions.

Structured English

A decision documentation tool that uses narrative statements with logical structures (such as IF, THEN, ELSE) and data dictionary terms to state process rules clearly.

Data Dictionary

A structured catalog or repository containing rigorous definitions and details of data elements, data structures, data flows, data stores, and processes.

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

A graphical representation showing the movement of data through a system and the series of functional transformations applied to input data to produce outputs.

External Entity

A DFD symbol representing sources that send data into the system or destinations that receive data from the system outside the system boundaries.

Data Flow

A DFD element representing data in motion entering or exiting a process.

Data Store

A DFD element representing a repository of delayed data at rest within the system.

Entity

Any distinguishable physical or abstract object about which information is captured and stored.

Weak Entity Type

An entity type that lacks key attributes of its own and must be identified through its relationship with another entity type.

Key Attribute

An attribute whose values are distinct for each individual entity, uniquely identifying an instance of an entity.

Derived Attribute

An attribute whose value is dynamically calculated or derived from another stored attribute using a formula or summary operation.

Primary Key

An attribute or set of attributes in a relational table whose values uniquely identify each row (tuple) in that relation.

Candidate Key

Any attribute combination within a relation that possesses the unique identification property and can potentially serve as the primary key.

Alternate Key

A candidate key that has not been selected as the primary key.

First Normal Form (1NF)

A relational property where a table contains no duplicate rows, each cell contains a single atomic value, and entries in each column are of the same kind.

Second Normal Form (2NF)

A relational state where a table is in 1NF and all non-key attributes are fully dependent on the entire primary key, eliminating partial functional dependencies.

Third Normal Form (3NF)

A relational state where a table is in 2NF and contains no transitive dependencies among non-primary-key attributes.

Entity Integrity Rule

A relational database constraint stating that no component of a primary key may contain a null value.

Referential Integrity Constraint

A constraint specified across relations ensuring that foreign key values in one table accurately reference existing primary key values in another table.

Extension

The dynamic set of tuples appearing in a relation at any given instance in time.

Intension

The permanent, time-independent schema structure and set of integrity constraints defined for a relation.

Black Box Testing

A software testing approach focused solely on verifying overall inputs and outputs without examining the internal code logic.

White Box Testing

A testing approach that examines and exercises internal program code, procedural logic, and execution paths.

Verification

The process of checking actual software outputs against specified requirements in a simulated environment.

Validation

The process of evaluating software in a live environment to uncover bugs and confirm compliance with user requirements.

Unit Testing

The initial testing phase focused on validating the functionality and internal logic of individual program modules in isolation.

Integration Testing

A systematic technique for constructing the program structure while conducting tests to uncover errors associated with module interfacing.

Alpha Testing

Acceptance testing conducted by the customer at the developer's site within a controlled environment.

Beta Testing

Testing conducted by end users at their own live operational sites without the developer present.

Recovery Testing

A system test that forces software to fail in various ways to evaluate whether automatic re-initialization, restart, and data recovery function properly.

Stress Testing

A system test that executes a program under abnormal quantity, frequency, or volume of demands to test its operational breaking points.

Security Testing

A system test designed to verify that internal protection mechanisms withstand unauthorized penetration attempts.

Corrective Maintenance

Software maintenance activities directed at fixing reported errors in requirements, design, or code.

Adaptive Maintenance

Software maintenance activities performed to adapt system software to a changed environment, such as new hardware or operating systems.

Perfective Maintenance

Software maintenance activities focused on implementing new functional or non-functional requirements requested by users.