Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 5: System Design and Acquisition
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. The ______ of a system focuses on the translation of business requirements
into improved business processes, irrespective of any technological
implementation.
a. logical design
b. business case requirement
c. physical design
d. workflow
2. The focus and goal of ______ is the determination of the most effective means
of translating business processes into a physical system, including hardware and
software.
a. logical design
b. a flowchart
c. physical design
d. a workflow chart
3. The strength of the ______ model is that it focuses on how the hardware and
software will actually operate.
a. logical
b. blueprint
c. physical
d. design
4. The strength of using ______ is that the HR staff and developers can focus
specifically on business processes, policies, and procedures instead of on
technology, leading to stronger solutions.
a. gap analysis
b. the needs analysis
c. the physical model
d. the logical model
5. The ______ perspective of system modeling focuses on organizational data
but is not concerned with how the data are used within the organization
a. data
b. process
c. logical
d. practical
6. In the ______ perspective, the designer focuses on the flow of data through
the system.
a. data
b. process
c. logical
d. practical
7. A ______ is a graphical representation of the key business activities and
processes in the HR system, the system boundaries, and any external individuals
or departments that interact with the system.
a. data flow diagram
b. process model
c. workflow process
d. practical model
8. A ______ solicits proposals and bids for proposed work from potential
consultants or vendors and defines the organization’s goals and requirements for
the new HRIS.
a. request for proposals (RFP)
b. vendor bid
c. needs analysis
d. work order
9. After receiving the vendor responses, you have the opportunity to evaluate the
relative strengths and weaknesses of each vendor. Which of the following would
you consider in your assessment of the software options?
a. functionality
b. IT architecture and IT integration
c. price
d. all of these
10. ______ focuses on how well the proposed system fits in with the current and
future organizational environment.
a. Functional feasibility
b. Legal feasibility
c. Operational feasibility
d. Political feasibility
11. The goal of ______ feasibility analysis is to determine whether the costs of
developing, implementing, and running the system are worth the benefits derived
from its use.
a. technical
b. economic
c. operational
d. political
12. Prewritten or developed software or hardware products that already exist for
purchase are called ______.
a. commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software
b. application software
c. integration software
d. RFP software
True/False
1. Using an application service provider (ASP) is a software acquisition strategy
where ready-made software is purchased and installed on the organization’s
local network.
2. A data flow diagram (DFD) is a statistical tool that can be used to manipulate
or change the data.
3. Economic feasibility is a feasibility assessment tool that focuses on the
financial and economic benefits and costs that a new system would bring to the
organization.
4. A logical model of the system graphically illustrates what the system does,
independent of any technological architecture (e.g. hardware, software,
networking, etc.).
5. Operational feasibility is a tool that focuses on how well the new system will fit
within the organization, including issues such as development schedule, extent of
organizational change, and user responses to the system.
6. Logical design describes a phase in the SDLC in which a new system is
designed with particular focus on how the hardware, software, networking,
activities, users, and so forth will be implemented.
7. In a DFD, processes are the mechanism through which data are transformed,
manipulated, created, and so on into output such as a report, a decision, and the
like.
8. The request for proposal (RFP) is a document that solicits potential
consultants or vendors to submit proposals and bids for proposed work.
9. Logical feasibility is a system feasibility assessment tool that focuses on the
technical capability of the organization and the availability of the technology
necessary to implement a new system.
10. In the context of HRIS, a vendor is a company that specializes in making or
selling commercial software for purchase by other companies.
11. A single data flow diagram typically is all that is typically needed when
discussing data flow.
Essay
1. What is meant by a data view of a system?
2. What is meant by a process view of a system?
3. Why is the distinction between data and process views important when
designing a new system?
4. What is a physical model of an HRIS?
5. What is a logical model of an HRIS?
6. Which model—the physical or logical—is more useful in designing the HRIS?
7. Explain what is meant by the data perspective.
8. Explain what is meant by the process perspective.
9. You are responsible for putting together a request for proposal (RFP). What
are some key recommendations to follow to ensure it is most successful?