System Analysis & Design Keyterm Quiz

Chapters 1,6,7,10, and 11

Application software

Computer software designed to support organizational functions or processes.

Logical design

The part of the design phase of the SDLC in which all functional features of the system chosen for development in analysis are described independently of any computer platform.

Physical design

The part of the design phase of the SDLC in which the logical specifications of the system from logical design are transformed into technology-specific details from which all programming and system construction can be accomplished.

SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle)

The traditional methodology used to develop, maintain, and replace information systems.

Planning

The first phase of the SDLC, in which an organization’s total information system needs are identified, analyzed, prioritized, and arranged.

Analysis

The second phase of the SDLC, in which system requirements are studied and structured.

Design

The third phase of the SDLC, in which the description of the recommended solution is converted into logical and then physical system specifications.

Implementation

The fourth phase of the SDLC, in which the information system is coded, tested, installed, and supported in the organization.

Maintenance

The final phase of the SDLC, in which an information system is systematically repaired and improved.

Agile

Set of methodologies adapted from engineering that share three principles:

1. Adaptive rather than predictive methodologies

2. people rather than roles

3. self-adaptive processes

Scrum

Most popular methodology for agile development, with 87% of companies reporting using it. It was originated in 1995 by Sutherland and Schwaber

Open-ended questions

Questions in interviews that have no prespecified answers.

Closed-ended questions

Questions in interviews that ask those responding to choose from among a set of specified responses.

Formal system

The official way a system works as described in organizational documentation.

Informal system

The way a system actually works.

Key business processes

The structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market.

Disruptive technologies

Technologies that enable breaking long-held business rules that inhibit organizations from making radical business changes.

Prototyping

An iterative process of systems development in which requirements are converted to a working system that is continually revised through close collaboration between an analyst and users.

Data flow diagram (DFD)

A picture of the movement of data between external entities and the processes and data stores within a system.

Process

The work or actions performed on data so that they are transformed, stored, or distributed.

Data store

Data at rest, which may take the form of many different physical representations.

Source/sink (External entity)

The origin and/or destination of data; sometimes referred to as external entities.

Context Diagram

An overview of an organizational system that shows the system boundaries, external entities that interact with the system, and the major information flows between the entities and the system.

Level-0 diagram

A DFD that represents a system’s major processes, data flows, and data stores at a high level of detail

Level-n diagram

A DFD that is the result of n nested decompositions from a process on a level-0 diagram.

Functional decomposition

An iterative process of breaking the description of a system down into finer and finer detail, which creates a set of charts in which one process on a given chart is explained in greater detail on another chart.

Balancing

The conservation of inputs and outputs to a DFD process when that process is decomposed to a lower level.

DFD consistency

The extent to which information contained on one level of a set of nested DFDs is also included on other levels.

Decision table

A matrix representation of the logic of a decision; it specifies the possible conditions for the decision and the resulting actions.

Condition stubs

The part of a decision table that lists the conditions relevant to the decision

Action stubs

The part of a decision table that lists the actions that result for a given set of conditions.

Indifferent condition

In a decision table, a condition whose value does not affect which actions are taken for two or more rules.

Form

A business document that contains some predefined data and may include some areas where additional data are to be filled in. An instance of a form is typically based on one database record.

Report

A business document that contains only predefined data; it is a passive document used solely for reading or viewing. A report typically contains data from many unrelated records or transactions.

Wireframe

A simple design to show the placement of information elements on a screen and the space needed for each element.

Stylesheet-based HTML

A Web design approach that separates content from the way in which it is formatted and presented, making ongoing maintenance easier and site-wide consistency much higher.

Usability

An overall evaluation of how a system performs in supporting a particular user for a particular task.

Learnability

A usability dimension concerned with how difficult it is for the user to perform a task for the first time.

Memorability

A usability dimension concerned with how easy it is to remember how to accomplish a task when revisiting the system after a period of time.

Interface

A method by which users interact with an information system.

Dialogue

The sequence of interaction between a user and a system

Icon

Graphical picture that represents specific functions within a system.

Command language interaction

A human–computer interaction method whereby users enter explicit statements into a system to invoke operations.

Menu interaction

A human–computer interaction method in which a list of system options is provided and a specific command is invoked by user selection of a menu option

Form interaction

A highly intuitive human–computer interaction method whereby data fields are formatted in a manner similar to paper-based forms.

Object-based interaction

A human–computer interaction method in which symbols are used to represent commands or functions.

Natural language interaction

A human–computer interaction method whereby inputs to and outputs from a computer-based application are in a conventional spoken language such as English.

Pop-up menu

A menu-positioning method that places a menu near the current cursor position.

Drop-down menu

A menu-positioning method that places the access point of the menu near the top line of the display; when accessed, menus open by dropping down onto the display.

Cookie crumbs

The technique of placing “tabs” or sequenced links on a Web page that show a user where he or she is within a site and where he or she has been.