Deck 7: Planning for Enterprise Systems

Question 1

Because building information systems is so complex, there is only one correct definition for the SDLC.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Traditionally, software development has been characterized by:

A) Reengineering the organization
B) Implementing stock technical solutions
C) Writing computer code
D) Building applications in cycles

Answer 2

Writing computer code
Building applications in cycles

Question 3

Because enterprise systems are rarely custom-built for a company, making major modifications to the software is advised against.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Traditionally, software development has been characterized by:

A) Implementing stock technical solutions
B) Writing computer code
C) Building applications in cycles
D) Reengineering the organization

Question 5

Prior to the past decade, information systems development has concentrated on:

A) Reusability of code
B) Writing computer programs
C) Testing and installing software
D) Implementing systems in organizational settings

Question 6

Which of the following is a cause of the system development life cycle being turned inside out?

A) Recognition of the technical limitations of the code-centric view of information systems
B) Growing recognition of the importance of the organizational context
C) Improvements in telecommunications systems
D) Realization that other hi-tech aspects of applications such as databases and networks are important

Question 7

As a result of changes during the last decade, building information systems is now focused on:

A) Reusability of code
B) Writing computer programs
C) Testing and installing software
D) Implementing systems in organizational settings

Question 8

Which of the following is a cause of the system development life cycle being turned inside out?

A) Growing recognition of the importance of the organizational context
B) Improvements in telecommunications systems
C) Realization that other hi-tech aspects of applications such as databases and networks are important
D) Recognition of the technical limitations of the code-centric view of information systems

Question 9

The authors refer to the inversion of the system development life cycle. By this they mean:

A) Coding now drives the process
B) Implementation covers the whole life cycle, not just one phase
C) Analysis and design now come after feasibility studies
D) Programming is a small or nonexistent part of the life cycle

Question 10

Implementation comprises trivial activities related to putting the system in its organizational setting.

Question 11

Because enterprise systems are usually custom-built for a company, most vendors advocate making modifications to the software.

Question 12

We now recognize that information systems are not technical.

Question 13

Simple upgrades or enhancements to existing enterprise systems are not generally considered to be implementation projects.

Question 14

Deciding who and when to hire, creating a budget, and setting up ways to measure the project outcomes occurs during this specific part of implementing an enterprise system.

A) Coding
B) Implementation
C) Planning
D) Realization

Question 15

A phased approach to enterprise implementation is generally more efficient and requires less testing than a big bang approach.

Question 16

Deciding who and when to hire, creating a budget, and setting up ways to measure the project outcomes occurs during this specific part of implementing an enterprise system.

A) Coding
B) Implementation
C) Realization
D) Planning

Question 17

Installation of software occurs within which phase of enterprise system implementation:

A) Initiation
B) Planning
C) Analysis & process design
D) Realization

Question 18

Setting the project mission and making important decisions about the scale of the project occurs during this specific part of implementing an enterprise system.

A) Planning
B) Coding
C) Initiation
D) Transition

Question 19

Assessing the firm's overall security requirements occurs within which phase of enterprise system implementation

A) Initiation
B) Planning
C) Analysis & process design
D) Realization

Question 20

Setting the project mission and making important decisions about the scale of the project occurs during this specific part of implementing an enterprise system.

A) Coding
B) Initiation
C) Planning
D) Transition

Question 21

Most implementation methodologies offered by ERP vendors are derived from those developed by consulting firms.

Question 22

The big bang approach has a number of disadvantages, including:

A) The definitions of data elements may not map exactly to those definitions provided by the enterprise system developer.
B) Since they require more coordination up front, big bang projects are harder to manage.
C) Since the business process specialists have to concur on the configuration settings at the beginning of implementation, this forces the approach to be more fully integrated.
D) The implementations seem to move along more slowly than in the phased approach.

Question 23

It is somewhat unusual for a company to rely upon a consulting firm during implementation of an enterprise system.

Question 24

The big bang approach offers a number of advantages, including:

A) Since the business process specialists have to concur on the configuration settings at the beginning of implementation, this forces the approach to be more fully integrated.
B) Upgrades are more difficult, and many companies find that they are unable to keep their systems current.
C) The approach encourages forms of collaboration that help to collapse the functional silos that persist in many corporations.
D) The definitions of data elements may not map exactly to those definitions provided by the enterprise system developer.

Question 25

Improved management of assets helped Chevron to save many millions of dollars in taxes.

Question 26

The phased approach offers a number of advantages, including:

A) The approach tends to be less unsettling to the organization than the big bang approach.
B) Some of the linkages in the database can be "broken," reducing the effectiveness of the enterprise system.
C) Projects are more uniform and simpler to manage.
D) Organization will tend to maintain its functional structure.

Question 27

The effect on the enterprise is less extreme when using which of the following approaches to enterprise system implementation

A) Blueprinting
B) Bottom up approach
C) Big Bang approach
D) Phased approach

Question 28

The phased approach has a number of disadvantages, including:

A) There is more overall testing because the modules are tested separately.
B) Organization will tend to maintain its functional structure.
C) Upgrades are more difficult, and many companies find that they are unable to keep their systems current.
D) Since each module is separately implemented, configuration changes that are made later during the implementation may conflict with those made earlier.

Question 29

Which of the following approaches is likely to entail making significant changes to existing organizational processes?

A) Blueprinting
B) Bottom up approach
C) Big Bang approach
D) Phased approach

Question 30

Most consultants and enterprise system vendors recommend making modifications to ERP software over changing the way a company and its employee operate.

Question 31

Implementing an enterprise system on a module by module basis is an example of which of the following approaches.

A) Blueprinting
B) Bottom up approach
C) Big Bang approach
D) Phased approach

Question 32

Determining the functionality to be included in each part of an implementation project occurs during which of the following phase.

A) Initiation
B) Planning
C) Analysis & process design
D) Realization

Question 33

What are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a hardware platform vendor?

A) Training costs
B) Restraining forces
C) Require desktop "power"
D) Support needs

Question 34

The practice of building computer systems has remained highly stable over the past three decades.

Question 35

What are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a hardware platform vendor?

A) Training costs
B) Require desktop "power"
C) Restraining forces
D) Support needs

Question 36

What are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing an implementation partner?

A) Experience of the partner
B) Security requirements of the system
C) Restraining forces
D) Extraterrestrial concerns

Question 37

What are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing an implementation partner?

A) Security requirements of the system
B) Restraining forces
C) Experience of the partner
D) Extraterrestrial concerns