Unit I: Information Systems Basics
TRUE/FALSE
1. Tactical planning means anticipating needs for long-range goals.
2. A major function of information systems is to help people make decisions in response to a problem.
3. Deciding how much inventory to stock during the holidays is an example of a structured problem.
4. An information system collects, stores, and processes data to provide useful, accurate, and timely
information, typically within the context of an organization.
5. A monthly sales summary is an example of a demand report.
6. A transaction is an exchange of goods, services, or funds.
7. The figure above shows an SDLC.
8. In the plan shown in the above figure, one phase must be completed before the next phase can begin.
9. Information engineering methodologies focus on data that has been processed by an information
system.
10. The system requirements of an IS are the criteria needed to solve any problems in the system.
11. A CASE tool is software used to document system requirements, diagram current and proposed
information systems, schedule development tasks, and develop computer programs.
12. The diagram shown in the figure above is used to determine application specifications for an IS.
13. In the design phase, there is usually only one way to solve the problems of an IS and meet the system
requirements.
14. Creating an IS from scratch can take years to program.
15. Little or no programming is required when using an application development tool.
16. An RFQ is a document that describes the IS problem and system requirements for its solution.
17. If project team members do not know what hardware and software are needed, they can use an RFP to
describe the problem and ask vendors how they would solve it.
18. During the planning phase of an SDLC, new hardware and software is purchased.
19. Unit testing ensures that all modules operate together correctly.
20. “Cutover” is another term for system conversion.
21. When converting data from an old to a new system, a programmer typically writes conversion
software to read the old data and convert it to the format used by the new system.
22. The primary source of information about an IS is the help desk.
23. Individual users of a system are often required to back up the data on their own workstations.
24. Unusual network traffic might mean that the security of an IS has been breached.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ____ planning involves anticipating a organization’s long range goals.
a.
strategic
c.
tactical
b.
structured
d.
operational
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the fundamental responses to competitive threats to an
organization?
a.
Become better at what it does
b.
Recognizing that you need to make a decision
c.
Create a new product
d.
Change the industry
3. The Five Forces model includes all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
Threat of new entrants
c.
Becoming better at what a company does
b.
Bargaining power of buyers
d.
Threat of substitute products or services
4. ____ is a technique that expert systems use to work with imprecise data.
a.
Exceptions
c.
Strategy
b.
MIS
d.
Fuzzy logic
5. A(n) ____ report is a customized report generated to supply information on demand.
a.
ad hoc
c.
summary
b.
exception
d.
None of the above
6. A ____ directly manipulates data and analyzes data from external sources in order to help people make
decisions.
a.
MIS
c.
OLTP
b.
DSS
d.
POS
7. A(n) ____ is an information system that creates reports used to make routine business decisions.
a.
DSS
c.
MIS
b.
POS
d.
OLTP
8. The type of IS planning where end users and system analysts work together is called ____.
a.
Outsourcing
c.
SDLC
b.
CIO
d.
JAD
9. A(n) ____ methodology focuses on the data an IS collects before working out ways to process that
data.
a.
JAD
c.
object-oriented
b.
structured
d.
information engineering
10. The Figure above shows a(n) ____.
a.
SDLC
c.
CASE
b.
Data flow diagram
d.
System requirements report
11. The ____ phase is when the list of system requirements is generated.
a.
planning
c.
analysis
b.
design
d.
implementation
12. ____ are checklists for a development project that are used at the end to determine if the goals were
met.
a.
System Requirement Reports
c.
Data flow diagrams
b.
Success factors
d.
JADs
13. Which of the following is NOT true about using a turnkey system as a software solution?
a.
It takes little time to implement.
b.
It contains hardware and software.
c.
It requires extensive evaluation.
d.
It can be tailored to meet the exact system requirements.
14. A decision ____ is a tool that can be created by spreadsheet software and used to evaluate solutions.
a.
query
c.
flowchart
b.
table
d.
diagram
15. An RFP asks vendors all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
a formal price quotation for hardware and software.
b.
to recommend hardware and software.
c.
what the vendors qualifications are for implementing the solution.
d.
Both B and C.
16. The ____ design phase is when application specifications are developed that describe how the IS
software interacts with users, stores and processes data, and formats reports.
a.
structured
c.
detailed
b.
concluding
d.
feature
17. A(n) ____ contains step-by-step instructions for accomplishing specific tasks using a new system.
a.
procedure handbook
c.
help desk
b.
system documentation
d.
RFP
18. ____ testing is the process of trying out various sequences of input values and checking that the results
are correct.
a.
Unit
c.
Application
b.
Integration
d.
System
19. Unit and integration testing are usually performed in a ____.
a.
live system
c.
server farm
b.
test area
d.
LAN
20. ____ testing is used to verify that a system works as required.
a.
Application
c.
Acceptance
b.
Unit
d.
System
21. During the maintenance phase, all of the following might occur EXCEPT:
a.
replacing hardware
c.
revising the interface
b.
upgrading software
d.
unit testing
22. Which of the following is NOT true about the maintenance phase of an IS?
a.
It can continue for many years.
b.
Costs peak in the middle of the phase.
c.
It is over when the system is obsolete.
d.
Changes continue to be made to the system.
23. The ____ phase often accounts for 70% of an information system’s total cost.
a.
planning
c.
maintenance
b.
implementation
d.
design
COMPLETION
1. A(n) ____________________ program requires human intuition in order to solve a problem.
2. ____________________ information is collected and stored in an information system using sources
generated by the organization.
3. A(n) ____________________ network simulates the way a brain learns and processes information.
4. A(n) ____________________ system shell is a software tool that contains an inference engine and a
user interface used to enter facts and rules.
5. A decision ____________________ is a question or set of instructions describing data that must be
gathered to make a decision.
6. A(n) ____________________ report groups data and shows totals, and is used in tactical and strategic
planning.
7. A decision ____________________ is a numerical representation of a realistic situation.
8. OLTP uses either a commit or a ____________________ strategy to ensure that transactions are
processed correctly.
ANS:
9. The ____________________ SDLC is shown in the figure above.
10. Most IS departments are supervised by a(n) ______________________________.
11. The ____________________ phase of an IS development cycle is when the system requirements list is
produced.
12. A(n) ____________________ factor is a requirement that serves as part of a checklist for a
development project.
13. A(n) __________________________________________ tool is a software application used to
document system requirements.
14. In the ____________________ phase of a project, strategies for fulfilling the system requirements are
proposed.
15. ____________________ processing is a design option where processing tasks are divided among
servers and workstations.
16. A(n) ____________________ system is hardware and software sold to be a complete IS.
17. Hardware and software is usually acquired at the end of the ____________________ phase of an IS.
18. Feature ____________________ is when changes and additions are made to an IS before it is
implemented.
19. The ____________________ phase of the SDLC is when the components are put together and the new
IS is constructed.
20. ____________________ testing ensures that each module operates correctly.
21. System ____________________ occurs when the old system is deactivated and the new IS is
activated.
22. During ____________________ conversion, entries must be made into both the old and new systems.
23. During the ____________________ phase of a system, day-to-day operations of the system are
evaluated and corrections and upgrades are made as necessary.
24. A systems ____________________ performs backups and data recovery, and troubleshoots
operational problems.
MATCHING
Match the business practice type with its definition.
a.
BPR (Business Process Reengineering)
e.
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
b.
CRM (Customer Relationship
Management)
f.
JIT (Just In Time)
c.
EAI (Enterprise Application Integration)
g.
MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning)
d.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
h.
TQM (Total Quality Management)
1. All facets or resources of a business are integrated; software is used to track resource usage.
2. Ongoing process that helps businesses evaluate and redesign practices to improve overall performance
by improving speed, quality, and costs.
3. The ability to transfer data between companies using networks so that they can buy, sell, and trade
information.
4. When the parts are produced or ordered only when they are needed.
5. When top management focuses on all departments and employees to ensure quality in products and
services.
6. The use of master production schedules, sales forecasts, inventory status, and other data to reduce cash
flow and increase profitability by determining a plan for manufacturing.
7. The use of compatible, networked software modules and databases to ensure unrestricted processes.
8. Identifying, acquiring, and maintaining clients by automating sales, marketing, and customer service.
Match the parts of James Wetherbee’s PIECES framework with their definitions.
a.
Performance
d.
Control
b.
Information
e.
Efficiency
c.
Economics
f.
Service
9. Taking too long to complete processing tasks.
10. Too many resources are used to collect, process, store, and distribute information.
11. The system costs too much to operate or use.
12. Users receive data that is incorrect, in the wrong format, or at the wrong time.
13. The system is too difficult or inconvenient to use.
14. Information is available to unauthorized users.
Match each conversion strategy with its description.
a.
Direct
c.
Phased
b.
Parallel
d.
Pilot
15. The old system is completely deactivated and the new is immediately activated.
16. When an IS is activated first at one branch of an organization, then if successful, activated at others.
17. Until the project team verifies that the new system is performing correctly, all or parts of both systems
are active.
18. When a new system is activated one module at a time.
Match the information system term with its definition.
a.
Operational planning
d.
Office automation system
b.
Semistructured problem
e.
Payroll system
c.
Five Forces model
f.
CASE tool
19. Used to track employee data to create reports and data for tax forms.
20. Illustrates the interaction between threats and opportunities.
21. Data needed for day-to–day system activities.
22. Software used for documenting system requirements.
23. Requires some subjective judgment.
24. Includes database, e-mail and scheduling software.
ESSAY
1. Describe and give an example of each of the three types of problems: structured, semistructured, and
unstructured.
2. Describe the roles of members of a system development project team: IS department, CIO, systems
analysts, and end users.
3. Describe the purpose and elements of a System Requirements Report.
4. Describe three considerations for a project team that is evaluating hardware solutions.
5. List four duties a security specialist must perform during the maintenance phase of a system.