Inspire Tomorrow, Today
BOU ASSESSMENT COVER PAGE
STUDENT NUMBER:2022
SURNAME: DINTWENYANE
FIRST NAME/S: LESEGO
CAMPUS/REGIONAL CENTRE: GABORONE
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INFORMATION SYSTEM (BIS712)
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Inspire Tomorrow, Today
1.) (a)Describe the prototyping as a development as a system development methodology
and why it is important. (6 marks) (naimishsahu08, 2021)
A software development process called prototyping relies on the usage of functioning
models that are continuously improved in response to end-user feedback. The
development of systems with extensive end-user interaction and intricate user
interfaces is the most typical application of prototyping.
Software prototyping is becoming more and more well-liked as a methodology for
software development since it enables the early capturing of customer requirements. It
enables priceless customer feedback and helps software developers and designers
comprehend what is anticipated directly from sales.
The process of developing software application prototypes that show off the
functionality of the product under development but may not exactly match the logic of
the original software is referred to as "software prototyping."
Prototyping is crucial because:
 Users influence the future. As a result, mistakes might be found in the early
stages of software development.
 Because prototyping makes it possible to see non-existent performance, it is
also seen as a risk reduction function.
 Helps team members communicate successfully.
 Customer happiness is present, and he can immediately feel the quality of the
goods.
 There won't be any chance of losing software.
 Improved software solutions can be developed with the help of quick user
input.
(b) State four disadvantages of Prototyping.
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The process of prototyping requires a lot of time and effort.
Because the prototype is ultimately discarded, all of the costs associated with
producing a particular sort of trash are lost.
An excessive number of modification requests could be the outcome of
prototyping.
It's possible that customers won't stick with the iteration cycle for very long.
2 (a) Explain what ERP System does. (Dynamics.Microsoft, n.d.)
 ERP is a class of software that assists firms in managing and automating
critical business activities for optimum performance. By coordinating the data
flow between a company's business activities, ERP software creates a single
source of truth and streamlines operations throughout the whole organization.
The financials, supply chain, operations, business, reporting, manufacturing,
and human resources functions of an organization can all be integrated onto
one platform.
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(b) What is open-source software? How does it differ from closed –source software? Give
an example of each. (Satyabrata_Jena, 2023)
 Open Source Software: The term "open source software" refers to computer
programs whose sources are accessible to and used by anybody. It is known to
as OSS in short. Open source software's source code is accessible to everyone.
It makes use of open-source code from the Internet. Since this code can be
altered by other individuals and groups, anyone can peek at the source code.
Open source software is very inexpensive, and users are not subject to as many
limitations regarding software use and customization. Open source applications
include Firefox.
 Closed Source Software: Computer programs referred to as "closed source
software" are those whose source code is not available to the general public.
CSS is the abbreviation for it. In closed source software, the source code is
protected. The only person or entity that can alter the software is the one who
created it. Closed source software is expensive, and using it necessitates
possessing a validated license. Due to the fact that it grants an authenticated
license, it also imposed numerous restrictions on users' capacity to use and
alter software. Closed source software includes programs like Skype.
3(a) List three differences between a spreadsheet and a database. (Lithmee, 2019)
 The primary distinction between a spreadsheet and a database is that a spreadsheet is a
computer program that aids in data organization, management, and calculation,
whereas a database is a collection of connected data that is set up to facilitate data
access.
 Moreover, a spreadsheet is accessed directly by a user, whereas a database is accessed
either by a user or by an application to enter or modify data. Hence, this is another
difference between spreadsheet and database.
 Furthermore, spreadsheet is used for accounting tasks, while a database is used in
large enterprises to store lot of data.
(b) What do you mean by the term “normalisation of database”. (Vaughan, n.d.)
 Database normalization is the process of arranging data into tables so that queries are
always answered in a clear and intended manner. Such normalization is fundamental
to the theory of relational databases. It frequently leads to the establishment of new
tables and may have the consequence of duplicating data in the database.
4(a) what does the term business process mean? (Villanovau University, 2022)
 A business process is a structured procedure used by a corporation to carry out
everyday tasks. Maintaining your company's organization and progress depends on its
business processes. A business process is essentially a set of repeated actions that a
corporation uses to achieve a specific objective. For you to achieve your goals and
enhance the operations of your company, effective processes are essential. Its main
objective is to assist your firm in achieving a specified goal. Processes enable you to
move forward in repeatable, consistent phases when you want to do anything as a
business.
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(b) What is an ERP System? How does an ERP System enforce best practices for an
Organisation? (PLANETTOGETHER, 2021)
 The term "Enterprise Resource Planning" (ERP) refers to a business process
management system that enables a company to manage tasks and functions including
technology, services, and human resources through a system of integrated
applications. A business operation's various aspects, such as product planning,
development, production, sales, and marketing tasks, are all essentially consolidated
into one location by an ERP software.
 ERP systems are beneficial to businesses because they streamline internal business
planning, data integration, and information distribution processes. Both large and
small firms now depend on these kinds of systems since they may aid in managing
production and assisting plant managers in making data-based decisions.
(c)State one criticism of ERP Systems?
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It can be extremely costly
Training Inefficiency
High implementation times
SECTION B –ESSAY QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1
a. Define the term ‘Computer based information system’ (CIBS) (Base, n.d.)
 Computer-based information systems (CBIS) compile and transform
unprocessed data so that users have access to consolidated information for
making decisions. They are utilized by organizations, governments, and of the
following elements; Hardware, Software, Data, Procedures and people.
b. Four CBIS’ that is likely to be found in a branch of spar,
 TRANSACTION PROCESSING SYSTEM- The most basic computer-based
system in an organization is used to process business transactions. A
transaction processing system is a computer-based system that captures,
categorizes, stores, maintains, updates, and retrieves transaction data for the
purposes of record keeping and input into other CBIS. Transaction processing
systems are designed to improve routine business activities such as hiring
employees and depositing checks. The types of transactions vary by
organization, but this CBIS is most likely to be found in spar because they
require up-to-date information on the goods they have sold and the goods they
currently have in stock. As a result, transaction processing systems are used,
with all updates to the stock database occurring in real time. Transactional
systems would include, for example, recording payments received for goods
and services and placing orders for products or service
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 Decision Support Systems -A decision support system, sometimes known as a
DSS, is an information system that helps businesses make decisions that call
for judgment, determination, and a series of actions. An organization's midand high-level management benefits from the information system's analysis of
massive amounts of unstructured data and collection of data that can aid in
problem-solving and decision-making. A DSS can be automated, run by
people, or use a combination of both. By collecting and analysing data, a
decision support system generates comprehensive information reports.
Therefore, a DSS differs from a conventional operations program, whose
objective is to gather data rather than analyse it. A DSS is used by planning
departments in an organization, like the operations department, to gather data
and provide reports that management can utilize to make decisions. Using
Spar as an example, it is reasonable to suppose that diverse data is gathered in
the stores using transaction processing systems. Departmental managers have
access to this data via the company's mainframe system, which they can use to
generate reports utilizing expert systems. This enables the managers to gather
data such as the proportion of consumers who prefer chicken over beef, which
can then be combined with details about the additional products that customers
purchase along with these items.