Chapter 11: Information System Development and Programming Languages

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A(n) ____ is a set of components that interact to achieve a common goal.

a. system c. implementation
b. feature d. function
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 418

2. Which is not a phase of system development?

a. analysis c. debugging
b. support d. design
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 418

3. The system ____ life cycle shown in the accompanying figure is a set of activities used to build an
information system.
a. production c. development
b. synthesis d. analysis
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 418

4. Which is NOT a major activity of the planning phase, shown in the accompanying figure?
a. review and approve project requests c. study how the current system works
b. prioritize the project requests d. form a project development team
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 418

5. System development illustrated in the accompanying figure should include ____.

 a. representatives from each department in which the proposed system will be used
b. nontechnical users
c. IT professionals
d. all of the above
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 419

6. ____ include anyone for whom the system is being built.

a. Users c. Managers
b. Producers d. Standards
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 419

7. One member of a project team is the ____, who manages and controls the budget and schedule of the
project.
a. leader c. assistant
b. comptroller d. analyst
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 420

8. Project ____ is the process of planning, scheduling, and then controlling the activities during system
development.
a. direction c. clustering
b. management d. analysis
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 420

9. ____ is the collection and summarization of data and information.

a. Documentation c. Presentation
b. Resolution d. Feasibility
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 422
10. As shown in the accompanying figure, in large companies, users write a formal request for a new or
modified information system, which is called a request for system services, or ____ request.
a. system c. project
b. IS d. corporate
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 423

11. The purpose of the system ____ is to assess the feasibility of each alternative solution and then
recommend the most feasible solution for the project.
a. index c. decision tree
b. repository d. proposal
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 427

12. ____ software is mass-produced, copyrighted, or prewritten software available for purchase.
a. Custom c. Demand
b. Packaged d. Requested
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 427

13. Which is NOT a major activity of detailed analysis?

a. study how the current system works
b. recommend a solution
c. determine the users’ wants, needs, and requirements
d. prioritize the project requests
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 427
14. Application software developed by the user or at the user’s request is called ____ software.
a. packaged c. custom
b. optimized d. remastered
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 427

15. The first step in acquiring necessary hardware and software is to ____.
a. identify technical specifications
b. solicit vendor proposals
c. test and evaluate vendor proposals
d. summarize the requirements for potential vendors
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 428

16. Which is not a document type that analysts use to summarize the hardware and software requirements
for potential vendors?
a. RFQ c. RFI
b. RFP d. RFF
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 428

17. A(n) ____ is a publication available on the Web.

a. webpub c. Internet magazine
b. e-zine d. Internet pub
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 428

18. A(n) ____ is a working model of the proposed system.

a. adaptation c. mockup
b. prototype d. feasibility scheme
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 431

19. ____ products are software tools designed to support one or more activities of the system development
cycle.
a. Feasibility c. Mockup
b. Prototyping d. CASE
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 432

20. Companies today often have a(n) ____ who is responsible for physical security of a company’s
property and also is in charge of securing computing resources.
a. CIT c. CTO
b. CSO d. CRO
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 434

21. A computer ____ plan summarizes in writing all the safeguards that are in place to protect a company’s
information assets.
a. protection c. security
b. lockdown d. safeguard
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 434
22. Which of the following elements of an information system must be kept secure from threats both
inside and outside the enterprise?
a. hardware and software c. people and procedures
b. data d. all of the above
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 434

23. To convert an assembly language source program into machine language, programmers use a program
called a(n) ____.
a. source reader c. interpreter
b. compiler d. assembler
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 437

24. A(n) ____ program is the program that contains the language instructions, or code, to be converted.
a. indexed c. source
b. baseline d. master
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 437

25. The ____ programming language was originally designed for writing system software, as shown in the
accompanying figure.
a. C c. COBOL
b. BASIC d. Fortran
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 439

26. ____ is a programming language designed for business applications.

a. C c. COBOL
b. BASIC d. Fortran
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 440
27. Programmers use a(n) ____ to implement objects in a program.
a. MDP c. LDP
b. ASP d. OOP
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 440

28. ____ is a method of developing software, in which the programmer writes and implements a program
in segments instead of waiting until the entire program is completed.
a. RAD c. JIT
b. RPG d. VPE
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 440

29. A major benefit of OOP is the ability to ____.

a. write code that executes very fast c. write code that uses very little memory
b. reuse and modify existing objects d. write system software
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 440

30. ____ was developed by Sun Microsystems.

a. Java c. COBOL
b. C++ d. C
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 440

31. Examples of ____ include Mindscript and Prograph.

a. 4GLs c. OOP languages
b. visual programming languages d. procedural languages
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 443

32. A(n) ____ programming language uses a graphical interface for creating all source code.
a. graphical c. visual
b. onscreen d. command-line
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 443

33. ____ is a 4GL.

a. C c. COBOL
b. SQL d. RPG
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 443

34. An application ____ is a program that creates source code or machine code from a specification of the
required functionality.
a. compiler c. debugger
b. generator d. all of the above
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 444

35. A ____ is a series of statements that instructs an application how to complete a task.
a. program c. machine code
b. macro d. record
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 445
 36. ____is a special formatting language that programmers use to format documents for display on the
Web.
a. Java c. HTML
b. JavaScript d. XML
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 446

37. Which of the following is not a scripting language?

a. HTML c. Tcl
b. Rexx d. Perl
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 447

38. ____ is a method of creating interactive Web applications designed to provide immediate response to
user requests.
a. XML c. JavaScript
b. DHTML d. Ajax
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 448

39. A ____ control structure tells the program which action to take, based on a certain condition.
a. selection c. loop
b. sequence d. repetition
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 452

40. The ____ control structure enables a program to perform one or more actions repeatedly as long as a
certain condition is met.
a. repetition c. selection
b. sequence d. compliance
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 453

MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE

1. Horizontal market software specifically is designed for a particular business or industry.

_________________________

ANS: F, Vertical

PTS: 1 REF: 427

2. The main advantage of a prototype is users can work with the system before it is completed.
_________________________

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 431

3. With parallel conversion, the user stops using the old system and begins using the new system on a
certain date. _________________________

ANS: F, direct

PTS: 1 REF: 433

4. Machine language instructions use symbolic instruction codes. _________________________

 ANS: F, Assembly

PTS: 1 REF: 437

5. A(n) symbolic address is a meaningful name that identifies a storage location.

_________________________

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 437

MULTIPLE RESPONSE

Modified Multiple Choice

1. Detailed analysis involves ____.

a. acquiring the necessary hardware c. recommending a solution
b. studying how the current system works d. determining the users’ needs
ANS: B, C, D PTS: 1 REF: 427

2. A programming language is a set of ____ that enables a programmer to communicate instructions to a

computer.
a. words c. symbols
b. indices d. abbreviations
ANS: A, C, D PTS: 1 REF: 435

3. With object-oriented languages, an object represents a real ____.

a. place c. person
b. event d. transaction
ANS: A, B, C, D PTS: 1 REF: 440

4. ____ is a complete object-oriented language.

a. C c. C#
b. Java d. C++
ANS: B, C, D PTS: 1 REF: 440

5. ____ is a basic control structure.

a. Sequence c. Selection
b. Repetition d. Transaction
ANS: A, B, C PTS: 1 REF: 451

TRUE/FALSE

1. The first stage of system development is called implementation.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 418

2. Many SDLCs, like the one illustrated in the accompanying figure, consist of five phases.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 418

3. In the system development life cycle shown in the accompanying figure, activities within adjacent
phases often interact with one another.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 418

4. For each system development project, a company usually forms a project team to work on the project
from beginning to end.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 420

5. Cost/benefit feasibility also is called technical feasibility.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 421

6. Operational feasibility measures whether or not the company has or can obtain the resources needed to
deliver and then support the proposed information system.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 421

7. An RFP uses a standard form to request information about a product or service.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 428

8. Benchmark tests measure the performance of hardware; they are not used for evaluating software.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 430

 9. A layout chart is more technical than a mockup and contains programming-like notations.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 430

10. Detailed design specifications should be reviewed only by the senior systems analyst and members of
the project team.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 432

11. A unit test verifies that each individual program or object works by itself.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 433

12. An integration test verifies that all programs in an application work with other applications.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 433

13. The two types of programming languages are low-level and high-level.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 436

14. A programmer must convert machine language into assembly language before the computer can
execute the program.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 436

15. In a procedural language, the programmer uses a series of English-like words to write instructions.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 438

16. The translation process for 3GL source programs is fairly simple.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 438

17. The machine language version that results from compiling a 3GL is called source code.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 438

18. The main disadvantage of compiled programs is that they do not run as fast as interpreted programs.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 439

19. C programs run on almost any type of computer with any operating system.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 439

20. C++ includes all the elements of the C language plus it has additional features for working with
objects.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 441

21. Application generators most often are bundled with or are included as part of a DBMS.
 ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 444

22. One application of XML is the RSS 2.0 specification.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 447

23. Typically, Web pages created with DHTML are more animated and responsive to user interaction.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 448

24. Instead of updating only changes to the Web page, Ajax refreshes entire Web pages.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 448

25. Program development is an ongoing process within system development.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 450

COMPLETION

1. System development cycles, like the one illustrated in the accompanying figure, often organize
activities by grouping them into larger categories called ____________________.

ANS: phases

PTS: 1 REF: 418

2. The ____________________ phase of the cycle illustrated in the accompanying figure for a project
begins when the steering committee receives a project request.
 ANS: planning

PTS: 1 REF: 418|425

3. The ____________________ phase of the cycle illustrated in the accompanying figure consists of two
major activities: (1) conduct a preliminary investigation and (2) perform detailed analysis.

ANS: analysis

PTS: 1 REF: 418|425

4. The ____________________ phase of the development cycle illustrated in the accompanying figure
consists of two major activities: (1) if necessary, acquire hardware and software and (2) develop all the
details of the new or modified information system.

ANS: design

PTS: 1 REF: 418|428

5. The purpose of the ____________________ phase illustrated in the accompanying figure is to

construct, or build, the new or modified system and then deliver it to the users.

ANS: implementation

PTS: 1 REF: 418|432

6. The purpose of the ____________________ phase illustrated in the accompanying figure is to provide
ongoing assistance for an information system and its users after the system is implemented.

ANS: operation, support, and security

PTS: 1 REF: 418|434

7. ____________________ are sets of rules and procedures a company expects employees to accept and
follow.

ANS: Standards

PTS: 1 REF: 419

8. A(n) ____________________ committee is a decision-making body in a company.

ANS: steering

PTS: 1 REF: 420

 9. The horizontal axis of a Gantt chart, like the one in the accompanying figure, represents
____________________.

ANS: time

PTS: 1 REF: 420|421

10. ____________________ feasibility measures how well the proposed system will work.

ANS: Operational

PTS: 1 REF: 421

11. ____________________ is a measure of how suitable the development of a system will be to the
company.

ANS: Feasibility

PTS: 1 REF: 421

12. As shown in the accompanying figure, ____________________ sessions are a series of lengthy,
structured, group meetings in which users and IT professionals work together to design or develop an
application.

ANS:
JAD
joint application design

PTS: 1 REF: 423

13. The main purpose of the ____________________ investigation is to determine the exact nature of the
problem or improvement and decide whether it is worth pursuing.

ANS: preliminary

PTS: 1 REF: 425

14. A(n) ____________________ is a company that purchases products from manufacturers and then
resells these products to the public — offering additional services with the product.

ANS:
value-added reseller
 VAR (value-added reseller)
value-added reseller (VAR)
VAR

PTS: 1 REF: 429

15. With ____________________ conversion, the user stops using the old system and begins using the
new system on a certain date.

ANS: direct

PTS: 1 REF: 433

16. In a(n) ____________________ conversion, each location converts at a separate time.

ANS: phased

PTS: 1 REF: 433

17. With a(n) ____________________ conversion, only one location in the company uses the new system.

ANS: pilot

PTS: 1 REF: 434

18. ____________________ conversion consists of running the old system alongside the new system for a
specified time.

ANS: Parallel

PTS: 1 REF: 433

19. A(n) ____________________ is a set of words, symbols, and codes that enables a programmer to
communicate instructions to a computer.

ANS: programming language

PTS: 1 REF: 435

20. ____________________ language, known as the first generation of programming languages, is the
only language the computer directly recognizes.

ANS: Machine

PTS: 1 REF: 436

MATCHING

Identify the letter of the choice that best matches the phrase or definition.
a. information system f. support
b. planning g. feasibility study
c. horizontal h. project request
d. design i. systems analyst
 e. PowerBuilder j. CSO
1. Supports the daily, short-term, and long range activities of users
2. The primary contact person for users
3. Triggers the first phase of the system development cycle
4. Reviewing and approving project requests is a major activity of this phase
5. Another name for the preliminary investigation
6. Type of market software that meets the needs of many different types of companies
7. When this phase is complete and still deemed feasible, the project enters the implementation phase
8. During this phase, the systems analyst monitors performance of the new or modified information
system
9. An important responsibility of this role is to develop a computer security plan
10. A powerful program development RAD tool best-suited for Web-based and large-scale enterprise
object-oriented applications

1. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 418

2. ANS: I PTS: 1 REF: 419
3. ANS: H PTS: 1 REF: 423
4. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 425
5. ANS: G PTS: 1 REF: 425
6. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 427
7. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 432
8. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 434
9. ANS: J PTS: 1 REF: 434
10. ANS: E PTS: 1 REF: 443

ESSAY

1. Define feasibility and explain the four tests to evaluate the feasibility of a project.

ANS:
Feasibility is a measure of how suitable the development of a system will be to the organization. A
project that is feasible at one point during system development might become infeasible at a later
point. Thus, systems analysts frequently reevaluate feasibility during the system development project.

Four tests to evaluate feasibility are:

• Operational feasibility: Measures how well the proposed information system will work. Will the
users like the new system? Will they use it? Will it meet their requirements? Is it secure?

• Schedule feasibility: Measures whether the established deadlines for the project are reasonable. If a
deadline is not reasonable, the project leader might make a new schedule. If a deadline cannot be
extended, then the scope of the project might be reduced to meet the mandatory deadline.

• Technical feasibility: Measures whether the company has or can obtain the hardware, software, and
people needed to deliver and then support the proposed information system.

• Economic feasibility, also called cost/benefit feasibility: Measures whether the lifetime benefits of
the proposed information system will be greater than its lifetime costs.

PTS: 1 REF: 421 TOP: Critical Thinking

2. Differentiate between custom and packaged software.

 ANS:
Packaged software is mass-produced, copyrighted, prewritten software available for purchase.
Packaged software is available for different types of computers. These applications include word
processing, spreadsheet, database, document management, note taking, desktop publishing,
paint/image editing, Web page authoring, personal finance, legal, tax preparation,
educational/reference, e-mail, and Web browser software.

Vendors offer two types of packaged software: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal market software
meets the needs of many different types of organizations. If an organization has a unique way of
accomplishing activities, then it also may require vertical market software. Vertical market software
specifically is designed for a particular business or industry. Examples of organizations that use
vertical market software include banks, schools, hospitals, real estate offices, libraries, and insurance
companies. Each of these industries has unique information processing requirements.

Instead of buying packaged software, some organizations write their own applications using
programming languages such as C++, C#, F#, Java, JavaScript, and Visual Basic. Application software
developed by the user or at the user’s request is called custom software.
The main advantage of custom software is that it matches the organization’s requirements exactly. The
disadvantages usually are that it is more expensive and takes longer to design and implement than
packaged software.

PTS: 1 REF: 427-428 TOP: Critical Thinking

3. Discuss the use of scripting languages, including a description of at least two examples.

ANS:
Programmers write scripts, applets, servlets, or ActiveX controls using a variety of languages. These
include some languages such as Java, C++, C#, F#, and Visual Basic. Some programmers use scripting
languages. A scripting language is an interpreted language that typically is easy to learn and use.
Popular scripting languages include JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Rexx, Tcl, and VBScript.

• JavaScript is an interpreted language that allows a programmer to add dynamic content and
interactive elements to a Web page. These elements include alert messages, scrolling text, animations,
drop-down menus, data input forms, pop-up windows, and interactive quizzes.

• Perl (Practical Extraction and Report Language) originally was developed by Larry Wall at NASA’s
Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a procedural language similar to C and C++. The latest release of Perl,
however, is an interpreted scripting language. Because Perl has powerful text processing capabilities, it
has become a popular language for writing scripts.

• PHP, which stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, is a free, open source scripting language. PHP is
similar to C, Java, and Perl.

• Rexx (REstructured eXtended eXecutor) was developed by Mike Cowlishaw at IBM as a procedural
interpreted scripting language for both the professional programmer and the nontechnical user.

• Tcl (Tool Command Language) is an interpreted scripting language created by Dr. John Ousterhout
and maintained by Sun Microsystems Laboratories.

• VBScript (Visual Basic, Scripting Edition) is a subset of the Visual Basic language that allows
programmers to add intelligence and interactivity to Web pages. As with JavaScript, Web developers
embed VBScript code directly into an HTML document.
 PTS: 1 REF: 447-448 TOP: Critical Thinking

CASE

Critical Thinking Questions

Case 11-1

As the director of systems development in your firm, the more junior systems analysts and developers
are often turning to you for suggestions about which languages to use for coding some of their
projects.

1. One of your developers is looking for a short development time. Which of the following languages is
NOT one you can recommend to her, as it will not give her the ability to design programs using
existing objects and thereby shorten the amount of time it takes her to create an application?

a. Java c. C#
b. C d. the latest versions of Visual Basic

ANS:
b

PTS: 1 REF: 440 TOP: Critical Thinking

2. Another developer has come to you with a need to do Java program development in the .NET
environment. Which of the following languages can you recommend to him?

a. Java c. Visual C#
b. Visual C++ d. All of the above

ANS:
a

PTS: 1 REF: 441 TOP: Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Questions

Case 11-2

In your work as the lead developer in a Web design studio for a major corporation, you are interested
in using the best scripting language for a particular project, to maximize your resources.

3. You are looking in particular for powerful text processing capabilities for your next script-writing
project. Which of the following is the best choice for you?

a. VBScript c. JavaScript
b. SQL d. Perl

ANS:
d

PTS: 1 REF: 448 TOP: Critical Thinking

4. Although you are a professional programmer with a lot of experience with scripting languages, for
your latest project, you will be collaborating with a colleague outside of IT who is more of a
nontechnical user. What language is most likely to be the best for you two to use?

a. Perl c. PHP
b. Rexx d. DHTML

ANS:
b

PTS: 1 REF: 448 TOP: Critical Thinking