ECED3401 Sample Questions Question Type 1 (Multiple Choice) 1.

The stakeholders are those who have interests in the success of a new system. Suppose there are three people, called P1, P2 and P3 respectively. P1 pays for and owns the system, P2 uses the system on daily basis, and P3 ensures that the system operates in the computing environment of the organization. Which of the following statement is correct? (A) P1 is a user stakeholder. (B) P1 is a client stakeholder. (C) P1 is a technical stakeholder. (D) P1 is both a client and a user stakeholder. 2. A questionnaire consists of the following three questions: Question One: Are you a student? Question Two: How many classes do you have each day? Question Three: How can you make much achievement in your study? Which of the following statement is correct? (A) Question One and Question Two are open-ended questions. (B) Question One and Question three are open-ended questions. (C) Question One and Question two are close-ended question. (D) Question One and Question three are close-ended question. Question Type 2 (Brief Answers) Question: What are the four steps in creating a use case description?
Use case descriptions are created with these four steps: A. B. C. D. Use agile stories, problem definition objectives, user requirements, or a features list. Ask about the tasks that must be done. Determine if there are any iterative or looping actions. The use case ends when the customer goal is complete.

Question Type 3 (Description Based)

Question 1: Draw an entity-relationship diagram of a patientdoctor relationship. A. Which of the types of E-R diagrams is it? B. In a sentence or two, explain why the patientdoctor relationship is diagrammed in this way.

a.

This E-R diagram is a many-to-one (M:1) relationship. b. A PATIENT is usually treated by one DOCTOR only, but a DOCTOR can have more than one PATIENT.

Question 2: Alice in the human resources department at the Cho Manufacturing plant is constantly being asked by employees how much is taken out of their paychecks for insurance, taxes, medical, mandatory retirement, and voluntary retirement. It takes up to a few hours every day, says Alice. She would like a Web system that would allow employees to use a secure logon to view the information. Alice wants the system to interface with health and dental insurance companies to obtain the amount remaining in the employees account for the year. She would also like to obtain retirement amounts saved along with investment results. Alice has a high regard for privacy and wants the system to have employees register and give permission to obtain financial amounts from the dental insurance and retirement companies. Draw a use case diagram representing the activities of the Employee Benefit system.

Question 3: As part of your systems analysis project to update the automated accounting functions for Xanadu Corporation, a maker of digital cameras, you will interview Leo Blum, the chief accountant. Write four to six interview objectives covering his use of information sources, information formats, decision-making frequency, desired qualities of information, and decision-making style. a. In a paragraph, write down how you will approach Leo to set up an interview. b. State which structure you will choose for this interview. Why? c. Leo has four subordinates who also use the system. Would you interview them also? Why or why not? d. Write three open-ended questions that you will email to Leo prior to your interview. Write a sentence explaining why it is preferable to conduct an interview in person rather than via email. Objectives: More efficient information retrieval system Standardized inputs and outputs

Efficient decision making with decision support Reliability and speed of information Flexibility to accommodate decision style a. To set up an interview, call ahead to allow for Leo to think about the interview. Arrange a time for the interview at his convenience. Inform him of the objectives of the interview and give him a general idea of what to expect. Reconfirm place and time of the interview on the day before the interview. The diamond-shaped structure is a good structure for this interview. It combines the strengths of pyramid and funnel structures; it entails beginning the interview in a very specific way, then examining the objectives, and finally coming to a very specific conclusion about each objective. All four subordinates will also be used. Users at all levels of management are equally important to the success of system development. Generally, only a representation of lower-level management users is interviewed. Because there are only four in this case, they should all participate to make the understanding of information requirements as complete as possible. It might be hard to do interviews with customers that are visitors to the Web site because they may be located all over the world. It might be possible to find the customers that live in the local area and interview them. A better way would be to do an email questionnaire or set up a forum for customers to post their comments. These methods would allow customers to freely express their opinions (although there is a risk to setting up a forum that the public may be able to view posts that might not be favorable). The questions will vary from student to student. Some suggestions are: What kind of information would you like to receive to help you make decisions? What are some of the problems with the information you are currently receiving? How can we improve the quality of the information you are receiving? It is preferable to conduct an interview in person rather than an email interview because the answers provided by the interviewee may lead to additional probing questions that were not initially on the interview plan. An interview in person is much more dynamic than an email interview.

b.

c.

d.

Question 4:Were a progressive company, always looking to be ahead of the power curve. Well give anything a whirl if itll put us ahead of the competition, and that includes every one of us, says I. B. Daring, an executive with Michigan Manufacturing (2M). You are interviewing him as a preliminary step in a systems project, one in which his subordinates have expressed interest. As you listen to I. B., you look around his office to see that most of the information he has stored on shelves can be classified as internal procedures manuals. In addition, you notice a PC on a back table of I. B.s office. The monitors screen is covered with dust, and the manuals stacked beside the PC are still encased in their original shrink-wrap. Even though you know that 2M uses an intranet, no cables are visible going to or from I. B.s PC. You look up behind I. B.s massive mahogany desk to see on the wall five framed oil portraits of 2Ms founders, all clustered around a gold plaque bearing the corporate slogan, which states, Make sure youre right, then go ahead.

a. b. c. d.

e.

What is the organizational narrative or storyline as portrayed by I. B. Daring? Rephrase it in your own words. List the elements of STROBE that you have observed during your interview with I. B. Next to each element of STROBE that you have observed, write a sentence on how you would interpret it. Construct a table with the organizational story line down the left-hand side of the page and the elements of STROBE across the top. Using the symbols from the anecdotal list application of STROBE, indicate the relationship between the organizational story line as portrayed by I. B. and each element you have observed (that is, indicate whether each element of STROBE confirms, reverses, causes you to look further, modifies, or supplements the narrative). Based on your observations of STROBE and your interview, state in a paragraph what problems you are able to anticipate in getting a new system approved by I. B. and others. In a sentence or two, discuss how your diagnosis might have been different if you had only talked to I. B. over the phone or had read his written comments on a systems proposal. I.B. Daring portrays the organization as one that is dynamic, receptive to employees new ideas, strives to stay ahead of competition, and to be the market leader. Elements of STROBE: Desk placement: the massive desk maximizes territory suggesting that there is a desire for power and authority. Stationary office equipment: the information stored on shelves can be classified as internal procedure manuals, suggesting that Daring is focused on the internal organization rather than the external environment. Props: the unused PC equipment suggests that I.B. is not as daring and progressive as he portrays. The portraits and message on the plaque reinforce the stodgy philosophy. Lighting and color: the dark mahogany desk and the gold plaque suggest a conservative approach.

a.

b, c.

d. Desk Placement Progressive Competitive Dynamic Unified O Stationary Office Equipment X X X Props X X X Lighting and Color X X X

e.

The verbal interview and observations of STROBE cancel each other. The observations indicate that the change and competitive edge the new system might bring to 2M would meet with resistance from Daring. The placement of Darings desk suggests that he may

want to work things his way. It is uncertain how others in the organization might feel about a new system. Had the interview been conducted over the phone or his comments had been received from a written report, the firm would have emerged as progressive and willing to change, and I.B. might have been regarded as very willing to proceed with the project. Question 5: Perfect Pizza wants to install a system to record orders for pizza and chicken wings. When regular customers call Perfect Pizza on the phone, they are asked their phone number. When the number is typed into a computer, the name, address, and last order date is automatically brought up on the screen. Once the order is taken, the total, including tax and delivery, is calculated. Then the order is given to the cook. A receipt is printed. Occasionally, special offers (coupons) are printed so the customer can get a discount. Drivers who make deliveries give customers a copy of the receipt and a coupon (if any). Weekly totals are kept for comparison with last years performance. Write a summary of business activities for taking an order at Perfect Pizza. A summary of the business activities for Perfect Pizza is: a. Display customer record. Input is the customer number and the customer record. Output is customer information. Take customer order. Input is the order information (including the customer number). Output is the total amount due for the order. Send order to cook. Input is the customer order. Output is the cooks order. Print customer receipt. Input is the customer order and the customer master record. Output is the customer receipt. Deliver customer order. Input is the customer receipt and coupons. Output is the delivered receipt to the customer. Print weekly totals. Input is the customer order and the previous years customer order summary. Output is the weekly performance figures.

b.

a. d.

e.

f.

1. 2.

Draw a context-level data flow diagram for Perfect Pizza ). Explode the context-level diagram in Problem 6 showing all the major processes. Call this

Management

Phone Number

Customer Order Customer Customer Information

0 Customer Order System

Performance Statistics Cook Order

Product

Delivery Cook

Diagram 0. It should be a logical data flow diagram.

3.
2 Customer Information Add Customer Record Customer Record

1 P hone Number Customer Find Customer Record D1 Customer Record Customer Master

Customer Information 3 Customer Order Take Customer Order D2 P roduct P rice P roduct File

Total Order Amount Due 4 Customer Order P rint Customer Receipt Customer Receipt 5 D3 Coupons Coupons Deliver Customer Order Delivery Customer Customer Record D1 Customer Master

6 Customer Order Send O rder To Cook D4

P roduct Cook Order Cook

Sales History File 7 Order Summary Record Customer Order P rint Weekly Totals P erformance Statistics Management

4.Draw a logical child diagram for Diagram 0 in Problem 7 for the process that adds a new customer if he or she is not currently in the database (has never ordered from Perfect Pizza before). Perfect Pizza, adding a new customer child diagram.

Customer Information

2.1 Record Customer Information

Recorded Customer Information

2.2 Store Customer Record

Customer Record

D1

Customer Master

5.

Draw a physical child data flow diagram . Physical child data flow diagram, Perfect Pizza:

P hone Number 2.1 Key Customer Information

Syntax Errors Recorded Customer Information 2.2

Canceled Transaction New Customer Information

P honed Customer Information

2.3 Valid Customer Information Visually Validate Confirm Customer Customer Information Information

2.4 D5 New Customer Journal File Create New Customer Journal Record

New Customer Journal Record

New Customer Information

2.5 D1 Customer Master Customer Record Format Customer Record

New Customer Information

Physical Diagram 0 for Perfect Pizza

2 P honed Customer Information Add Customer Record

D5 New Customer Journal Record Customer Record P hone Number D1 Customer Record

New Customer Journal File

Customer Information P hone Number Customer

1 Find Customer Record

Customer Master

Customer Information 3 P honed Customer Order Take Customer Order P roduct P rice Order Summary Record 7 P rint W eekly Totals P erformance Statistics Management Current Year Sales History Record D7 4 Customer Order Record D1 P rint Customer Receipt Customer Receipt 5 D3 Coupons Coupons Deliver Customer Order Customer Delivery Customer P roduct 6 Customer Order Record Cook Order Send Order To Cook Cook Customer Record Current Year Sales History Customer Master D4 D2 P roduct File

Customer Order Record

Sales History File

D6

Customer Order Record Customer Order File

6.

Partition the physical data flow diagram in Problem 7, grouping and separating processes as you deem appropriate. Explain why you partitioned the data flow diagram in this manner. (Remember that you do not have to partition the entire diagram, only the parts that make sense to partition.) Diagram 0 for Perfect Pizza is partitioned by grouping the following processes together: Processes 1, 2, and 3 are all happening when the customer is on the phone, and should be partitioned into one online program. Processes 4 and 6 are performed after the order is taken and may be grouped into one program. Process 5 must be partitioned separately, because it is done at a different time. Process 7 is done once a week as a batch program and must be partitioned separately.

Question Type 4 (Numerical)

1.Cheryl Stake is concerned that too many forms are being filled out incorrectly. She feels that about 8 percent of all the forms have an error. a. How large a sample size should Ms. Stake use to be 99-percent certain she will be within 0.02? b. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 90 percent that she will be within 0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now? c. Explain the difference between parts a and b in words. d. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 95 percent that she will be within 0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now? p = .08 p = i / z = .02 / 2.58 n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

a.

=( .08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 2.58)2 ) + 1 = 1225.7776 = 1226 (rounded) b. p = .08

p = i / z = .02 / 1.65 n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

= (.08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 1.65)2 ) + 1 = 501.94 = 502 (rounded) c. The difference between the large sample size in part a and the smaller sample size in part b is due to the fact that Ms. Stake is only 90 percent certain that she will be within .02 for the acceptable interval estimate in part b, rather than 99 percent certain.

d.

= .08

p = i / z = .02 / 1.96 n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

= (.08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 1.96)2 ) + 1 = 707.8544 = 708 (rounded)