Week 1 Problems and Exercises

Chapter 1

1. Methodologies, techniques, and tools help ensure the quality and appropriateness of the system being built. Following a systems methodology, applying techniques, and using appropriate tools provides structure to the systems development process, since they have been tested and perfected by others. The quick and easy approach to building systems may be easier, cheaper, and quicker in the short run, but it almost always results in a poorly developed system, meaning that the system will be less than optimal and require extra work to maintain. In the long run, a poorly developed system requires more time and money to make right. Following an engineering-type approach ensures that systems analysis and design is rigorous, structured, and systematic.

8. Prototyping is the part of feasibility analysis phase of SDLC. An simulated prototype of the target system is created which gives the initial feel of the target system. This also helps in pre-analyzing the behavior of the target system.

Chapter 2

3. The criteria that would be appropriate to select and compare among competing bidders would be cost, flexibility, and viability of vendor. Cost is important because one bidder might charge a higher price for delivering the same product. Flexibility refers to how easy it would be for the vendor to customize the software. It might be easier for one bidder than the other and therefore the cost might be less. Vendor viability is also important because it refers to how likely the vendor is to survive in this competitive market. One of these competing bidders might no longer be around next year to provide support when needed.

4. It might recommend its strategy through cost saving due to facilitated reuse. This allows them to reuse certain parts of others designs.