Structured System Analysis and Design

Assignment A
What do you understand by normalization? And also explain advantages and disadvantages of normalizations.

2. What is meant by "Feasibility Study”? Discuss its importance in system development

3. Define the term "Data Dictionary". What is the need for a Data Dictionary?

4. What are various types of maintenance?

5. Write a short note on any three of the following.
Data Flow Diagram
Transaction Processing System

Role of a system analyst

Water Fall Model

E.R. Diagram

6. List principles of system design. Also, differentiate between Top-down and Bottom-up design with the help of a suitable example.

7. Differentiate between Decision Support System (DSS) and Expert System. Also, write the main characteristics of both?

8. Suppose you are given a relation R= (A, B, C, D, E) with the following functional Dependencies:  {BC! ADE, D! B}.

Assignment B
Read the case study given below and answer the questions given at the end             
System Installation
A rug manufacturer and importer wanted to have his own computer and run applications away from the parent company's mainframe. A computer consultant (with no knowledge of the rug business) did a feasibility study. He recommended a system with which he had design experience
The firm leased the system and signed a contract with the consultant to do the installation and training. The consultants brought in two programmers and a data base specialist to convert the files and train personnel. For weeks, everyone was busy with what was bound to be a successful system.
 As a first step, the company decided to compare the reports generated by the new system with those available from the main computer. The procedure was to run invoices first, followed by accounts receivable and payable. The first inventory reports seemed way out of line with reality. Both the format of the reports and the data were off. The few invoices sent out brought hostile complaints from customers who were overcharged for their orders. Further attempts to correct the errors only generated more inaccuracies. The company decided to go back to the old system and cancel the whole project.
 
The matter ended up in court with the consultant demanding the balance due him on the project. The company filed a counter suit claiming irreparable damage to the firm. An investigation discovered that despite management's lack of experience with computers, they decided to convert three major applications at the same time. The employees, not having been forewarned of the conversion, panicked. Prior to the computer, they had undocumented methods of invoicing, keeping track of inventory, and billing procedures that the consultant never knew of or inquired about. To make matters worse, he did not even know that the parent company's warehouse system had a terminal that used the mainframe to update inventory.
 System testing was also a disaster. Only real data were used. The resulting output was so unwieldy that no one could audit or verify its accuracy until it was too late. With no interface between the system being tested and the mainframe, there was no way the files could be copied. The consultant decided to go ahead with the incoming data only and to worry later about copying the files on the mainframe.
 
Documentation and audit procedures were virtually nonexistent. No one seemed to know who changed what. There was no way of telling whether errors were caused by the software or by incorrectly entered data.
 The contract was well written. It simply committed the consultant to install a computer system and the company to pay the consultant $75 per hour plus out-of-pocket expenses. The consultant never really knew what the company wanted, and the company had no work with the consultant. The employees stayed out of the ways, since they had not been consulted and were not knowledgeable about computers. The programmers, in their opinions, were simply obnoxious. Another consultant who came in to evaluate the mess thought the whole installation was primitive and lacked state-of-the-art software.
What went wrong in this case? Be specific. 

Elaborate on the importance of a computer contract. What elements would you have emphasized in the contract? Why? 

Does a contract save an installation from failure? In what way? What testing procedure should have been followed? Explain. 

Assignment C
Requirement specification is carried out---  
After requirements are determined
Before requirements are determined
Simultaneously with requirements determination
Independent of requirements determination
2. The role of a system analyst drawing up a requirements specification is    similar to---    
 Options    
    
Architect designing a building
A structural engineer designing a building
A contractor constructing a building
The workers who construct a building

3. It is necessary to consult the following while drawing up requirement specification---      
Options    
    
Only top managers
Only top and middle management
Only top, middle and operational managers

Top, middle and operational managers and also all who will use the system

4. In order to understand the working of an organization for which a computer based system is being designed, an analyst must---      
 
Options    
Look at only current work and document flow in the organization
Discuss with top level and middle level management only
Interview top, middle, line managers and also clerks who will enter data and use the system    
Only clerical and middle level staff who have long experience in the organization and will be users of the system    

5. A feasibility study is carried out--      
 
Options        
to assess whether it is possible to meet the requirements specifications
to assess if it is possible to meet the requirements specified subject to constraints of budget, human resource and hardware    
to assist the management in implementing the desired system
to remove bottlenecks in implementing the desired system

6. Hardware study is required---      
 
Options    
To find out cost of computer system needed
To determine the type of computer system and software tools needed to
To make sure that the system does not become obsolete
To find how to implement the system

7. Feasibility study is carried out by---      
 
Options    
Managers of the organization
System analyst in consultation with managers of the organization
Users of the proposed system
Systems designers in consultation with the prospective users of the system

8. Initial requirements specification is---      
 
Options    
Not changed till the end of the project
Continuously changed during project implementation
Only a rough indication of the requirement
Changed and finalized after feasibility study

9. The primary objective of system design is to---    
 
Options    
Design the programs, databases and test plan
Design only user interfaces
Implement the system
Find out how the system will perform

10. System test plan is specified---    
 
Options        
When the final specifications are drawn up
During feasibility study
During the requirements specifications stage
During system study stage

11. System design is carried out---      
 
Options        
As soon as system requirements are determined
Whenever a system analyst feels it is urgent
After final system specifications are approved by the organization
Whenever the user management feels it should be done

12.  The primary objective of system implementation is---
(i) To build a system prototype
(ii) To train users to operate the system
(iii) To implement designed system using computers
(iv) Write programs, create databases and test with live data
       
 
Options        
i, iii
i, ii, iii
ii ,iii
ii, iv

13. The main objective of system evaluation is---      
 
Options        
To see whether the system met specification
To improve the system based on operational experience for a period
To remove bugs in the programs
To asses the efficiency of the system

14. A data dictionary has consolidated list of data contained in ---
(i) Data flows
(ii) Data     stores
(iii) Data outputs
(iv) Processes 
       
 
Options    
 (i) and (iii)
 (i) and (ii)
 (ii) and (iv)
 (i) and (iv)

15. System analysts have to interact with---
(i) Managers of organizations
(ii) Users in the organization
(iii) Programming team
(iv) Data entry operator
 
Options    
iii and iv
i, ii and iii
ii, iii and iv
ii and iii

16.  Systems analyst should use software tools in their work as---      
 
Options        
All analysts use them
They assist in systematic design of systems
They are inexpensive
They are easily available

17. During feasibility analysis it is necessary to examine several alternative solutions because ---        
(i) A comparison of alternatives will lead to a cost-effective solution
(ii) A pre-conceived single solution may turn out to be un-implementable 
(iii)  It is always good to examine alternatives   
(iv) Management normally looks at alternatives       
 
Options        
i and iii
i and iv
i and ii
ii and iv

18. The primary responsibility of a systems analyst is to---      
 
Options        
Specify an information system which meets the requirements of an organization 
Write programs to meet specifications
Maintain the system
Meet managers of the organization regularly

19. The responsibilities of a system analyst include---
(i) Defining and prioritizing information requirement of an organization
(ii) Gathering data, facts and opinions of users in an organization
(iii) Drawing up specifications of the system for an organization
(iv) Designing and evaluating the system
 
        
Options        
i and ii
i, ii and iv
i, ii, iii and iv
i, ii and iii

20. The intangible benefits in the following list are ---
(i) Savings due to reducing investment
(ii) Savings due to sending bills faster and consequent early collection
(iii) Providing better service to the customers 
(iv) Improving quality of company’s products     
 
Options    
i and ii
ii and iii
iii and iv
i and iii

21.  In a DFD external entities are represented by a---    
 
Options        
Rectangle
Ellipse
Diamond shaped box
Circle

22. A data flow can---      
 
Options    
Only emanate from an external entity
Only terminate in an external entity
May emanate and terminate in an external entity
May either emanate or terminate in an external entity but not both

23. The most important attribute of a systems analyst is---      
 
Options    
Excellent programming skills
Very good hardware designing skills
Very good technical management skills
Very good writing skills

24. Data inputs which required coding are---    
 
Options    
Fields which specify prices
Key fields (Wrong Ans)
Name fields such as product name
Fields which are of variable length

25.  An entity is---      
 
Options        
A collection of items in an application
A distinct real world item in an application
An inanimate object in an application
A data structure

26. A relationship is---      
 
Options        
An item in an application
A meaningful dependency between entities
A collection of related entities
Related data

27. A cost-benefit analysis is performed to assess---               
 
Options    
Economic feasibility
Operational feasibility
Technical feasibility
All of the above (Wrong Ans)

28. Among the attributes of a systems analyst the following are most important---
(i) Knowledge of computer systems and currently available hardware
(ii) Good interpersonal relations
(iii) Broad knowledge about various organizations
(iv) Very good accountancy knowledge 
 
       
 
Options    
i, iii and iv
i and iii
i, ii and iv
i, ii and iii

29. A rectangle in a DFD represents---      
 
Options    
A process
A data store
An external entity
An input unit

30. The entity set is a---      
 
Options        
Set of entities
Collection of different entities
Collection of related entities
Collection of similar entities

31.  Attributes are--- (i) Properties of relationship (ii) Attributed to entities (iii) Properties of members of an entity set        
 
Options    
i
i and ii
i and iii
iii

32. Rows of a relation are called---    
 
Options    
Tuples
A relation row
A data structure
An entity

33. If an entity appears in N relationships then it is---      
 
Options    
a 1:1 relationship
a 1:N relationship
a N: 1 relationship
a N:M relationship

34. Normalization is a process of restructuring a relation to---    
 
Options    
Minimize duplication of data in a database
Maximize duplication of data to ensure reliability
Make it of uniform size
Allow addition of data

35. Normalization of database is essential to--- 
(i) Avoid accidental deletion of required data when some data is deleted 
(ii) Eliminate inconsistencies when a data item is modified in the database 
(iii) Allows storage of data in a computer’s disk 
(iv) Use a database management system           
 
Options        
i and iii
i and ii
ii and iii
ii and iv

36. A relation is said to be in 1NF if---      
 
Options    
There is no duplication of data
There are no composite attributes in the relation
There are only a few composite attributes
All attributes are of uniform type

37. By redundancy in a file based system we mean that---      
 
Options        
Unnecessary data is stored
Same data is duplicated in many files
Data is unavailable
Files have redundant data

38. Data integrity in a file based system may be lost because---    
 
Options    
    
The same variable may have different values in different files
Files are duplicated
Unnecessary data is stored in files
Redundant data is stored in files

39. Given the following relation---
Vendor order (vendor no, order no, vendor name, qty supplied, price/unit) it is not in 2 NF because----      
 
Options        
It is not in 1 NF
It has a composite key
Non-key attribute vendor name is dependent on vendor no. which is one part of the composite key    
Qty supplied and price/unit are dependent

40.  The main objective of feasibility study is:-    
 
Options        
to assess whether it is possible to meet the requirements specifications
to assess if it is possible to meet the requirements specified subject to constraints of budget, human resource and hardware    
to assist the management in implementing the desired system
to remove bottlenecks in implementing the desired system