Section A - (You must answer all questions in this section)

First Semester, 2003-2004

Question 1
a) What is the purpose of producing use cases?
[3 marks]

Question 2
a) Name and briefly explain the different types of relationships that are used in a
class diagram. Using UML notation give an example for each.
[6 marks]

b) Explain the terms Event, State and Transition.

[3 marks]

Question 3
In the context of computer systems, explain the term “resilient system”. How can
systems be made resilient and what are the benefits of highly resilient systems?
[10 marks]

First Semester 2004 – 2005

QUESTION 1.
b) When modelling requirements with analysis class diagrams, one of the
aims is to distribute the system functionality appropriately amongst the
classes.
Briefly explain what benefits are expected from this aim.
[6 marks]

c) Briefly explain how interaction diagrams help to achieve this aim.

[5 marks]

First Semester 2005 – 2006

QUESTION 1.
d) Bennett et al1 states that “When the users’ requirements for a system
change it is reasonable to expect that the application will need some
modification, but ideally the change in the application should be of no
greater magnitude than the change in the requirements”.
Briefly explain how this can be achieved in object-oriented systems.
[8 marks]
First Semester 2006 – 2007
Question 4
Requirements change during Information Systems development is one of
the known issues. What are likely reasons for requirements change and
briefly explain how modern system development methodologies try to
address this issue.
[10 marks]

Question 5
“Not everyone agrees that a detailed understanding of the current system is
necessary.” 1
Some authors argue that it is a waste of time to model the current system in
great detail. However, Bennett et al1 believe that a case can be made for
investigating the current system. Explain why the current system may need
to be investigated when developing a new system.
[8 marks]

Second Semester 2007/2008

Questlon 5
Explain the main causes of 'Information Systems project failures' using
Flynn's categorisation 1 and briefly explain what can be done during the
'requirements process' to mini mise software failures.
[13 marks]

2008/2009
Question 4
What is a requirement in software development? Discuss the importance
and major activities of 'Requirements Analysis'.
[15 marks]
Section B
(Answer three questions from this section)

First Semester, 2003-2004

Question 4
a) What is the difference between a synchronous and an asynchronous
message in term of their behaviour and notation?
[4 marks]

Question 5
a) What are the main differences between a Collaboration Diagram and a
Sequence Diagram in term of their semantics and notation?
[10 marks]

b) Explain how full consistency can be achieved between a class diagram

and a set of related interaction diagrams, which includes a set of both
collaboration and sequence diagrams.
[10 marks]

Question 7
a) What are the main phases of the Unified Software Development Process
(USDP)? Explain each of these phases.
[16 marks]

b) Outline the main differences between the USDP and the Traditional Life
Cycle (TLC)?
[4 marks]

First Semester 2004 – 2005

QUESTION 4.
a) Explain what is meant by “iterative and incremental development”. Name
a methodology or process, which adopts an iterative and incremental
development.
[7 marks]

b) What are the problems associated with the Traditional Life Cycle (TLC),
which is also known as Waterfall Life Cycle (WLC)?
[8 marks]

c) Discuss whether an “iterative and incremental development” can help to

solve any of the problems that you stated in part (b) above.
[10 marks]
QUESTION 5.
a) List the main fact-finding techniques that can be used to elicit
requirements. For each technique, briefly describe the situations in
which it would be most appropriate.
[10 marks]

b) Discuss why the requirements should be subject to a careful negotiation

and validation process.
[5 marks]

c) Briefly describe any five criteria that can be used to validate the
requirements.
[10 marks]

First Semester 2005 – 2006

QUESTION 2.
b) In the context of Information Systems Development, briefly explain the
different types of requirements, giving examples from the system
described in the appendix.
[8 marks]

QUESTION 4.
a) Briefly explain the principles of Unified Software Development Process
(USDP).
[8 marks]

b) Outline the problems linked to the Traditional Life Cycle (TLC) and
discuss how the principles you named above address these problems.
[12 marks]

QUESTION 5.
a) You are a member of the team that is going to develop a system for the
Cavendish Campus room booking system described in the appendix.
Discuss which techniques you would use and which you would NOT use
to elicit requirements and why?
[15 marks]

b) Briefly discuss the main reasons for requirements change during

Information Systems development.
[5 marks]
First Semester 2006 – 2007
Question 6
b) Briefly describe different types of requirements and explain how we
have documented them in this module.
[10 marks]

Question 7
b) During the production of an Analysis Class Diagram one of the aims is
to identify the known operations and distribute them “appropriately”
amongst the classes identified. Discuss how this can be accomplished
and what would be the benefits for the overall system.
[11 marks]

Question 8
a) Assume you are to use three fact finding techniques (traditional or
modern) to gather requirements for the proposed web application
development for YHM Gym. Discuss your choices in the order you would
apply them. Justify your choices and order?
[12 marks]

b) Discuss the differences between USDP and approaches that follow the
traditional life cycle with particular reference to the principles and what
they address.
[13 marks]

Second Semester 2007/2008

Question 6
b) What are likely reasorls for "requirements change" during information
system development? Briefly explain how this issue can be addressed.
[9 marks]

Question 7
b) During the production of an Analysis Class Diagram one of the aims is
to identify the operations and distribute them "appropriately" amongst
the classes. Explain the ways to accomplish this and its benefits for the
overall system.
[11 marks]

Question 8
a) Assume you are to start investigating the requirements of the system
described in tt\e appendix. Which fact finding techniques (traditional or
modern) would you use to gather requirements and which wouldn't you?
Discuss and justify your choices in the order you would apply them.
[14 marks]
B) What are the main issues with Traditional Life Cycle model (also known
Waterfall Life Cycle)? Explain how Unified Software Development
Process addresses these problems.
[11 marks]

2008/2009
Question 5
b) Discuss the role of use cases in relation to requirements
[9 marks]

Question 6
b) Discuss the role of class diagrams in analysis and explain what needs
particular attention when creating class diagrams in order to improve the
resilience of the system.
[10 marks]

Question 7
a) Requirements are often documented using Natural Language (NI-) in the
requirements document. Discuss the problems associated with NL and
ways to avoid these problems [9 rnarks]

b) Compare and contrast COTS-Based development with traditional

development (i.e. developing information systems from scratch) with a
particular reference to the activities of the requirement process.
[16 marks]