Screening Exam Questions for Spring 2014
IST302: Database Concepts
You have been asked to design a database system for GeoNotes, a company that wants to create a mobile
application that anyone would use to create routes (Geo) that would automatically be produced while
walking, biking, driving, etc., and comments (Notes) – text, photos, points-of-interest, location ratings,
etc. – that the user would enter while using the application.
For example, tourists could use this application while walking through a city, and it would automatically
capture their walking route. When they encountered something they wanted to comment on or “geo-tag”,
they would simply enter some text, or take a photo, or identify a point-of-interest, or “rate” a location
based on its significance or beauty. Once they returned home from their vacation, they could review all
their GeoNotes – the walks they took, associated comments and geo-tags, and “relive” their vacation.
One useful feature of GeoNotes is that users do not need to be connected to the Internet – GeoNotes are
captured regardless of network connectivity. However, once users decide to publish their GeoNotes, they
need to connect to the GeoNotes “cloud” to upload their information. Once uploaded, they could share
these GeoNotes with their friends and family so that they could also experience the vacation and/or use
them for planning their own vacation.
The GeoNotes system has two databases – one for the mobile application and one for the cloud-based
GeoNotes management system. These databases need to “talk” to each other so that a user’s mobile
GeoNotes are synchronized with the cloud-based system.
Design a database for this project.
1. Draw a conceptual data model (entity-relationship model diagram) for your database. There should be
at least four (4) entities with their relations. Clearly describe and explain all the symbols you use for
your ER model diagram. (25)
2. Working from your conceptual data model, draw the physical data model (database design) for your
database. This diagram must contain sufficient detail to implement your database in a database
management system. Again, clearly describe and explain all the symbols you use for your database
design. (25)
3. Explain the difference between your ER diagram (part 1 above) and your final database design (part 2
above). (10)
4. Describe at least one stored procedure for this project in detail (10), explain why using this stored
procedure would be a good idea (10), and use pseudo-code to demonstrate what the stored procedure
would do (10).
5. During the requirements analysis phase of the database design, you discovered that GeoNotes wants
to use social media data in some manner. What type of “Big Data” from social networks would you
recommend they look at and how might it be used concurrently within your database? (10)
IST303: Software Development
Discuss test-driven development (TDD) by answering the following questions:
1. How is it done? (30)
2. Is there a relationship between design improvement efforts and TDD? If so, explain what it is. If not,
explain why there is no relationship. (20)
3. Is there a relationship between code management efforts and TDD? If so, explain what it is. If not,
explain why there is no relationship. (20)
4. What are the positive and negative consequences of testing as it is done in TDD? If there are no
consequences, explain why. (10)
5. What is the role of mock objects in TDD? If there is no role, explain why. (10)
6. What is the role of templates in TDD? If there is no role, explain why. (10)
IST304: Communications & Networking
1. Answer the following questions regarding bandwidth:
a. A signal has a range of frequencies from 100 Hz to 1 KHz. What is the bandwidth of the
signal? (15)
b. How are the concepts of bandwidth, data rate and noise related? (15)
2. Compare and contrast FDMA, TDMA and CDMA for sharing wireless channels. (40)
3. Answer the following questions:
a. What is the “end-to-end” design principle behind Internet and TCP/IP? (20)
b. Explain in your own words the advantage of such a design. (10)
c. How does that impact the process of handoff? (15)
IST305: Management of IS&T
1. Assume you are a CIO who recently joined a highly decentralized university in the southern United
States. You want to standardize the IT infrastructure in order to focus all Faculties on a central IT
purpose. You are aware that the Deans of the various Faculties have expressed their displeasure with
this vision. In order to convince them to buy into this vision, write a compelling story, drawing on IT
Management ideas, such as but not limited to: capabilities rather than just strategy, economies of
scope rather than just scale, moving to solutions. (55)
2. Assume that you convinced the Deans and they have agreed to support the implementation of your
vision. Further, you decided to establish a Program Management Office (PMO) function. Although
the change seems to be a logical solution, conflicts about who should take the lead on what activities
arise. Specify at least three imperative management actions required to bridge the gap. (45)
IST306: Delivering Business Value Through IS&T Leadership
Consider the following complaints/questions expressed by a CEO of a mid-sized organization to her
executive committee: “It bothers me that we don’t get enough IT support let alone get it quickly or
cheaply enough. Why doesn’t our IT organization offer us cloud services, big data analytics, or a digital
strategy? Shouldn’t IT be driving our move toward competitive advantage? A friend of mine who is also a
CEO of a similar-sized organization told me that his CIO does all of this for a fraction of the money that
we are spending on IT. Why can’t our CIO provide a high level of leadership and services?”
1. Assume that the CEO is unhappy because she is not aware of what responsibility top management
needs to have for executing IT effectively. What are three interdependent, interrelated, and
universally applicable principles that you could advise her to use? (60)
2. Assume that the CEO and top management already know and are applying the principles referred to
above and that they ask you to lead a search for a new CIO. What are the first rate leadership
behaviors that you would look for so that IT at this organization becomes associated with benefits and
value, rather than risk and disappointment? (40)