Learn: Software Engineering & Systems Analysis

Which best describes software?

A collection of computer programs, procedures, and documentation

Which type of software is a collection of programs written to service other programs?

System Software

Which software category usually consists of stand-alone programs that solve specific business needs?

Application Software

Which type of software resides within a product or system and implements control features?

Embedded Software

What is a major characteristic of legacy software?

It consists of older programs developed decades ago.

Which technology was the intended answer to the quiz question calling it an "infant" software technology?

WebApps (historical quiz wording; the slide itself does not use "infant").

What does cloud computing enable users to do?

Share or use computing resources broadly from different locations

How is software engineering best described?

A process, collection of methods, and tools for building high-quality computer software

Which two qualities are required in software engineering according to the module?

Adaptability and agility

What does the module text call the foundation of software engineering as a layered technology?

Process (the slide diagram places Quality Focus at the bottom).

Which statement best defines a project?

A temporary endeavor designed to produce a unique product or service

What kind of routine activity is generally not considered a project?

Performing routine activities

What activities does project management coordinate?

Initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team

What is the primary challenge of project management?

Achieving project goals within given constraints

Who is accountable for accomplishing the stated project objectives?

Project Manager

Who is known as the father of planning and control techniques and is famous for the Gantt Chart?

Henry Gantt

What do the red marks indicate in the module's Gantt chart?

Critical path or longest stretch of the project

What does PERT stand for?

Program/Project Evaluation and Review Technique

What is a PERT Chart primarily used for?

Scheduling, organizing, and coordinating project tasks

What does "analysis" mean in system analysis?

Breaking down a whole into parts

Which statement best describes Agile software development?

Requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration

Which Agile value compares working software with comprehensive documentation?

Working software over comprehensive documentation

According to Agile principles, what is the primary measure of progress?

Working software

Which characteristic distinguishes Agile from the Waterfall model?

Agile uses an incremental and iterative approach.

Agile encourages teams to respond to changing requirements:

Even late in development

Which Agile methodology focuses primarily on people and their interactions rather than processes and tools?

Crystal Methodology

Who developed the Crystal Methodology?

Alistair Cockburn

Which sequence correctly represents the three phases of Crystal Methodology?

Chartering → Cyclic Delivery → Wrap Up

True or false: Agile emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

True

True or false: Agile considers comprehensive documentation more important than working software.

False

What is a model in systems development?

A simplified description of a system

What does systems modeling use to conceptualize and construct systems?

Models and diagrams

Which modeling approach represents the functions, activities, and operations within a system?

Functional modeling

In functional modeling, which element illustrates the transformation of input into output?

Process

What does a Functional Flow Block Diagram primarily present?

Time-sequenced functional activities

What is system architecture?

A conceptual model of a system's structure and behavior

What is the primary purpose of Business Process Modeling?

To represent, analyze, and improve organizational processes

Which type of business process creates the organization's primary value stream?

Operational process

Give an example of a supporting business process.

Recruitment and technical support

What is the purpose of Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)?

To provide a graphical notation for business processes

A smartwatch adjusts its display based on a built-in sensor. Which category fits the control program?

Embedded software

A compiler translates source code for other programs. Which software category best fits?

System software

A program helps a store track sales and inventory. Which category best fits?

Application software

A decades-old payroll system is still in use. Why might it require careful maintenance?

Changes may affect depended-on behavior

Give an example of software documentation rather than computer hardware.

User instructions for an application

A team makes the same application available to users through an internet browser. Which category fits best?

Web application

Users access a remotely hosted computing service from different places. Which idea best applies?

Cloud computing

Which pair most directly turns a software engineering process into concrete technical work?

Methods and tools

A requirement changes after users try a prototype. What capability helps the development team adjust?

Adaptability

A company releases several related applications that share a common core. What category may describe the family?

Product-line software

What is a helpful distinction between a WebApp and cloud computing?

WebApp names an application delivery form; cloud computing describes remotely available computing resources

A support team resets user passwords every day using the same procedure. Is the repeated work itself a project?

No, it is an ongoing operation

A team builds a new help desk portal with an agreed deadline. Why is this a project?

It is temporary and creates a unique result

A project has a fixed budget and date, but requests for features keep growing. What should the manager review?

Scope and its effect on cost and schedule

Which project management stage identifies objectives and formally begins the work?

Initiating

Which stage organizes tasks, durations, resources, and dependencies before work is carried out?

Planning

Which stage checks performance against the plan and addresses deviations?

Monitoring and controlling

Which chart commonly shows tasks as horizontal bars against calendar time?

Gantt chart

Task B can begin only when Task A finishes. What relationship is this?

Dependency

One sequence of dependent tasks takes longer than every other sequence. What is it called?

Critical path

What usually happens if a critical path task is delayed and no recovery action is taken?

Project completion is delayed

Which diagram is especially helpful for reasoning about task order and dependencies?

PERT network

A team breaks an entire ordering system into checkout, payment, and fulfillment to study each. What is this activity?

Analysis

Customers review a working feature every two weeks, and the team adjusts the next feature. What approach does this illustrate?

Iterative and incremental development

An Agile team updates a short user guide because users need it. Does the Agile value about documentation forbid this?

No, useful documentation is allowed

A client discovers a better requirement late in development. Which Agile response is most appropriate?

Consider and adapt to the change

Which Agile value prefers collaboration with customers over an emphasis on negotiating contracts?

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Which Agile value places responsiveness above rigidly following an initial plan?

Responding to change over following a plan

A team delivers a feature that runs correctly but has written many plans. Which result is the primary progress measure?

Working feature

During which Crystal phase does a team establish initial direction and plans?

Chartering

During which Crystal phase does the team repeatedly build and deliver?

Cyclic Delivery

During which Crystal phase does the team conclude and review its work?

Wrap Up

A team adapts its practices to its size and communication needs. Which methodology is especially associated with this approach?

Crystal

True or false: Agile teams must never make a plan.

False

A diagram shows only the major components of a system. Does it need to reproduce every detail to be a useful model?

No, it can simplify the system for its purpose

A team needs to show how an online order passes from checkout to payment to shipping. Which model is most relevant?

Functional model

An activity accepts an order and produces a verified order. In a functional model, what represents the transformation?

Process

A team wants to see which functions occur first, next, and last. Which diagram is suited to this?

Functional Flow Block Diagram

Which statement describes a system architecture diagram at a useful high level?

It shows major parts and their relationships

A company maps order fulfillment to find delays and duplicated approvals. What is the purpose of the model?

Analyze and improve a business process

A bakery makes and sells bread. What type of process is baking for this business?

Operational

A bakery recruits staff to support bread production. What type of process is recruitment?

Supporting

Senior leaders define business priorities and policies. Which process category best fits?

Management

A business analyst needs a consistent graphical language to show activities, decisions, and handoffs. Which notation fits?

BPMN

In a BPMN diagram, which basic shape commonly represents an activity or task?

Rounded rectangle

In a BPMN diagram, which basic shape commonly represents an event?

Circle

In a BPMN diagram, which basic shape commonly represents a decision or branching gateway?

Diamond

A team uses a diagram to show where customer data moves and is stored, instead of when activities happen. Which focus fits best?

Data movement and storage

A diagram places customers outside the system boundary while showing how they send orders to it. What is the customer in that model?

External entity

A team wants to understand the structure of the whole organization, its processes, and information. Which scope best fits?

Enterprise modeling

Which software category is described in the module as number-crunching programs?

Engineering or scientific software

Which software category uses non-numerical algorithms for difficult problems?

Artificial intelligence software

What makes a software product line a product line?

Related systems share a managed set of features for a market segment

What does a mobile application interface use that a desktop-only program may not?

Interaction mechanisms of the mobile platform

In the module's layered diagram, which layer is directly below Tools?

Methods

In the module's layered diagram, which layer is physically at the bottom?

Quality Focus

A developer checks with users to understand their goals. Which software process framework activity is this?

Communication

A team sketches requirements and design before coding. Which framework activity fits?

Modeling

After delivery, customers evaluate the software and send feedback. Which framework activity fits?

Deployment

In the process hierarchy, which unit has a broad objective?

Activity