Question 1

In general, continuous improvement projects have a higher degree of success than reengineering projects.

Accepted Answer

Continuous improvement projects focus on making incremental changes to processes or systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness, while reengineering projects involve more radical changes to completely transform processes or systems. The more cautious approach of continuous improvement often leads to more successful outcomes in the long term.

Question 2

Getting users and stakeholders involved in systems development is not critical to the success of a systems development effort.

Accepted Answer

Getting users and stakeholders involved in systems development is critical to the success of a systems development effort. Their input and feedback help ensure that the resulting system meets their needs and requirements, and increases user adoption and satisfaction. Lack of involvement can lead to a system that is not aligned with actual user needs and may fail to achieve its objectives.

Question 3

The sooner an error is detected in the systems development life cycle, the more expensive it is to correct.

Accepted Answer

Errors detected earlier in the systems development life cycle are generally less expensive to correct than those found later.

Question 4

Developing information systems that meet both end-user and organizational needs and delivering them on time and within budget are a relatively easy and straightforward process.

Accepted Answer

Developing information systems that meet both end-user and organizational needs and delivering them on time and within budget is a complex process that requires careful planning, coordination, and management of resources. There are often many different stakeholders involved, each with their own set of requirements and expectations, and balancing these can be challenging. Additionally, there are often unforeseen obstacles and challenges that can arise during the development process, further complicating things.

Question 5

It is becoming more common for organizations to open IS departments with a team of systems analysts and other IS personnel in foreign countries.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Many organizations are now opting to open IS departments in foreign countries to take advantage of lower costs, access to skilled talent, and potential new markets. This allows them to expand their global footprint and remain competitive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Question 6

Each generation of a prototype is a refined version of the previous generation based on user feedback.

Accepted Answer

Prototyping is an iterative process where each generation of a prototype is refined based on user feedback to ultimately arrive at a final product that meets the user's needs.

Question 7

A problem with the traditional systems development life cycle is that formal end-of-phase reviews do not occur; thus, it is very difficult to contain the scope of the project, and the project never seems to end.

Accepted Answer

Formal end-of-phase reviews are a key component of the traditional systems development life cycle, helping to contain the scope and ensure the project progresses towards completion.

Question 8

The Capability Maturity Model is a measure of the maturity of the software development process in an organization.

Accepted Answer

The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is indeed a measure of the maturity of the software development process in an organization. It was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University and has become a widely recognized framework for assessing and improving software development practices.

Question 9

The prototype systems development life cycle allows for a large degree of management control; however, users do not get to use the solution until the system is nearly complete.

Accepted Answer

The prototype systems development life cycle is an iterative approach that involves developing a working prototype of the system early on in the process. This allows users to provide feedback and test the solution throughout the development cycle. Therefore, users can use the solution before the system is complete, which is a key advantage of the prototype SDLC.

Question 10

Continuous improvement projects do not require a lot of changes or retraining of people; thus, they have a higher degree of success than reengineering projects.

Accepted Answer

Continuous improvement projects focus on making small, gradual changes to existing processes, which typically do not require a significant amount of change or retraining for employees. This approach leads to a higher degree of success because it is easier to implement and sustain compared to reengineering projects, which involve a complete overhaul of processes and often require significant changes in the organization's structure, culture, and operations.

Question 11

Because information systems support other business activities, IS staff and people in other departments need to understand each other's responsibilities and tasks.

Accepted Answer

Information systems are used by different departments within an organization and are designed to support various business activities. Therefore, it is essential for IS staff and people in other departments to understand each other's responsibilities and tasks to ensure smooth collaboration and effective use of information systems.

Question 12

Small- and medium-sized firms are expected to decrease their use of outsourcing by 15% annually through 2012 and beyond.

Accepted Answer

There is no information or evidence provided to support this statement. Therefore, it is false.

Question 13

Technical feasibility is an assessment of the technical, economic, legal, operational, and schedule feasibility of a project.

Accepted Answer

Technical feasibility specifically assesses the technical aspects of a project, such as the availability and capability of technology and resources, not economic, legal, operational, or schedule feasibility.

Question 14

Most organizations avoid using outside resources to perform systems development.

Accepted Answer

Many organizations use outside resources to perform systems development, including outsourcing certain tasks or entire projects to external companies or contractors. This can be a cost-effective way to access specialized skills and expertise, or to free up internal resources for other priorities. However, some organizations may choose to keep all development in-house for strategic or security reasons.

Question 15

Information systems planning transforms organizational goals outlined in the strategic plan into specific system development activities.

Accepted Answer

Information systems planning is the process of aligning organizational goals and objectives with the technology infrastructure and systems required to achieve them. It involves identifying the organization's information needs, assessing current systems, and developing a plan to implement new systems or upgrade existing ones. The outcome of information systems planning is a specific set of system development activities that are designed to support the organization's strategic plan.

Question 16

Proper planning can guarantee that projects will not fall behind schedule, go over budget, or fail to meet expectations.

Accepted Answer

Proper planning can reduce the likelihood of these issues but cannot guarantee their complete avoidance due to unforeseen circumstances and variables beyond control.

Question 17

The systems maintenance form is a document that is filled out by someone who wants the IS department to initiate systems investigation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The systems maintenance form is a document...

Question 18

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has failed to stimulate information system changes to conform to new corporate financial reporting rules.

Accepted Answer

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has indeed stimulated information system changes to conform to new corporate financial reporting rules. The Act requires companies to implement internal controls and make disclosures about their financial reporting processes, which has led to the adoption of new information system technologies such as automated accounting systems and data analytics tools.

Question 19

Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools are used to plan and schedule software projects.

Accepted Answer

CASE tools are primarily used for software development tasks such as design, analysis, and coding, rather than planning and scheduling projects.

Question 20

In general, smaller projects have a higher probability of success than larger projects.

Accepted Answer

Smaller projects generally have shorter timelines, fewer stakeholders to manage, and simpler requirements, making it easier to define and measure success. However, this is not an absolute rule and can vary depending on the complexity and management of the project.

Quiz 12: Systems Development: Investigation and Analysis