Chapter 1

True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
____ 1. Systems analysis and design focuses on understanding the business problem and outlining the approach to
solve it.

____ 2. When choosing between possible solutions to a business problem, the best solution is the one with the fewest
risks and the most benefits.

____ 3. If solving the business problem is feasible, the analyst develops one possible solution.

____ 4. A systems analyst needs to understand people and the way they work.

____ 5. A systems analyst needs to be an expert in all types of technology.

____ 6. Analysts must upgrade their knowledge and skills continually.

____ 7. Information systems are critical to the success of modern business organizations.

____ 8. The primary activity of a system developer is programming.

____ 9. Technology alone increases productivity and profits.

____ 10. Systems analysis means understanding and specifying in detail what the information system should
accomplish.

____ 11. The systems analyst's work is described as problem solving for an organization.

____ 12. A system is a collection of interrelated components that function together to achieve some outcome.

____ 13. An information system is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as
output the information needed to complete business tasks.

____ 14. The difference between the system boundary and the automation boundary is that the system boundary is
contained within the automation boundary.

____ 15. The components of an information system are the computer hardware, the computer software and the data.

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 16. The process of understanding and specifying in detail what the information system should accomplish is
called systems ____.
a. design c. analysis
b. specification d. administration

____ 17. Systems ____ means specifying in detail how the many components of the information system should be
physically implemented.
 a. design c. analysis
b. specification d. administration

____ 18. The term “____” refers to a business professional who uses analysis and design techniques to solve business
problems using information technology.
a. database manager c. systems analyst
b. computer programmer d. market analyst

____ 19. The most important role of a systems analyst in business is ____.
a. technical understanding of information systems
b. problem solving
c. knowing what data needs to be stored and used
d. special programming skills

____ 20. After investing resources in thoroughly understanding the business problem, the analyst decides that the
costs of solving the problem will likely outweigh the benefits. The analyst should ____.
a. move to the design phase
b. invest more in the project to increase the benefits
c. have the accounting department resolve feasibility issues
d. suggest that the project be discontinued

____ 21. A(n) ____ is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output the
information needed to complete business tasks.
a. system c. subsystem
b. information system d. functional decomposition

____ 22. A system that is part of a larger system is called a(n) ____.
a. supersystem c. subsystem
b. information system d. functional decomposition

____ 23. ____ refers to the division of a system into processes or subsystems.
a. System design c. Programming
b. Data management d. Functional decomposition

____ 24. Support systems that enable geographically distributed personnel to collaborate on projects and tasks are
called ____.
a. transaction processing systems (TPS)
b. decision support/knowledge based systems (DSS/KBS)
c. office support systems
d. collaboration support systems (CSS)

____ 25. Changes in software development, technology, and business practices have created many new career
opportunities for analysts, including ____.
a. Sales and support of ERP software c. Web development
b. Auditing, compliance, and security d. All of the above

____ 26. A technique that seeks to alter the nature of the work done in a business function, with the objective of
radically improving performance, is called ____.
a. business process reengineering c. information systems strategic planning
b. strategic planning d. enterprise resource planning (ERP)
____ 27. A description of the hardware, software, and communications networks required to implement planned
information systems is called ____.
a. information systems strategic planning c. technology architecture plan
b. applications architecture planning d. enterprise resource planning (ERP)

____ 28. A process in which an organization commits to using an integrated set of software packages for key
information systems is called ____.
a. business process re-engineering c. strategic planning
b. applications architecture planning d. enterprise resource planning (ERP)

____ 29. Which of the following is an example of a technique used to complete specific system development
activities?
a. project planning
b. integrated development environment (IDE)
c. application service provider (ASP)
d. supply chain management (SCM)

____ 30. Which of the following is the analyst’s approach to problem solving?
a. Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs, then research and
understand the problem.
b. Develop a set of possible solutions, then verify that the benefits of solving the problem
outweigh the costs.
c. Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs, then define the
requirements for solving the problem.
d. Implement the solution, then define the details of the chosen solution.

____ 31. The last step of the analyst's approach to problem solving is ____.
a. Decide which solution is best, and make a recommendation
b. Monitor to make sure that you obtain the desired results
c. Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs
d. Implement the solution

____ 32. A knowledge managament system ____.

a. indexes all the knowledge contained within an organization
b. supports the storage of and access to documents within an organization
c. is another term for a libraray system
d. requires a very large amount of online storage space

____ 33. A business intelligence system supports ____.

a. strategic planning and executive decision making
b. just in time inventory decisions
c. customer service requirements
d. business process activities

____ 34. Skills in technical areas such as programming and network design are called ____.
a. business skills c. hard skills
b. soft skills d. people skills

____ 35. One activity whose objective is to radically improve the performance of the company is called ____.
a. business process reengineering c. technology impact planning
b. strategic planning d. enterperise resource planning
Completion
Complete each statement.
36. ____________________ systems are developed to solve problems for organizations.

37. An approach to dividing a system into components based on subsystems is referred to as

_________________________.

38. Once a(n) ____________________ plan is set, it drives all of the organization’s processes, so all areas of the
organization must participate and coordinate their activities.

39. The ____________________ describes the separation between the automated part of a system and the manual
part of a system.

40. Since a systems developer often works on systems that contain confidential corporate information, it is
important that he or she have a high commitment to ____________________ and ethics.

Essay
41. List the eight steps taken in the analyst's general approach to problem solving.

42. What are the required skills of the systems analyst?

43. Briefly describe the process of strategic planning and the involvement of a systems analyst in this process.
Include a description of the types of architectural plans that are developed.