DCO20404 Exercise 4 (Answer)
1.
Why has prototyping become a popular way to develop new computer-based business systems?
What are prototyping’s advantages and disadvantages?
Prototyping is the rapid development and testing of working models, or prototypes, of new applications in
an interactive, iterative process involving both IS specialists and business professionals.
 Prototyping makes the development process faster and easier for IS specialists and business
professionals.
 Prototyping makes the development process faster and easier, especially for projects where end user
requirements are hard to define. Thus, prototyping is sometimes called rapid application design (RAD).
 Prototyping has also opened up the application development process to end-users because it simplifies
and accelerates systems design. These developments are changing the roles of end users and information
systems specialists in systems development.
Advantages:
 Prototyping is most useful when there is some uncertainty about requirements or design solutions.
 Prototyping is especially useful in designing an information system’s end user interface (the part of the
system that end users interact with, such as online display and data entry screens, reports, or Web pages).
 Since prototyping encourages intense end user involvement throughout systems development, it is more
likely to produce systems that fulfil user requirements.
Disadvantage:
 Rapid prototyping can gloss over essential steps in systems development. If the completed prototype
works reasonably well, management may not see the need for reprogramming, redesign, or full
documentation and testing to build a polished production system.
 Hastily constructed systems may not easily accommodate large quantities of data or a large number of
users in a production environment.
 Prototyping may not have necessary security controls built in.
Users may become dissatisfied when months pass between approving the prototype and delivery of the
finished system.
2.
Refer to the Real World Case on H&R Block, Morgan Stanley and Others in the chapter.
What do you see as the major advantage to in-house developed applications? What is the
major disadvantage?
Several advantages emerged from in-house developed applications. First, the customer-facing applications
can be tailored to specific needs of the customer and specific products and services of the vendor. Second,
the increased speed associated with time to market often precludes the use of off-the-shelf solutions.
Finally, for certain applications, no off-the-shelf solution exists.
The single major disadvantage is the significantly higher software cost.
3.
What are the three most important factors you would use in evaluating computer hardware?
Computer software? Explain why.
Computer hardware:
 Performance.
 Costs.
 Reliability
 Compatibility.
 Technology.
 Ergonomics.
 Connectivity.



Scalability.
Software.
Support.
Computer software:
 Quality.
 Efficiency.
 Flexibility
 Security.
 Connectivity.
 Maintenance.
 Documentation.
 Hardware.
 Other factors (see hardware factors above).
4.
Assume that in your first week on a new job you are asked to use a type of business software
that you have never used before. What kind of user training should your company provide to
you before you start?
It certainly would not be very appropriate or even productive to expect a new employee to work on a
business software package that they have absolutely no experience with. User training could be in the form
of very formal training where the employee is actually enrolled in a course where they are taught the
specific functions of the software in question. Other times, organizations will train new employees by
putting them with a knowledgeable employee who is very familiar with the software. The new employees
could have a scheduled training time allocated over a number of days or weeks, or they may actually sit
with the senior person and do hands-on job training where they are working on the software program while
under supervision. Your company should provide you with full training on this software before you even
begin to work on it. Without the proper training, mistakes will be made, frustration will mount, and both
the organization and individual will suffer because of this. Proper end user training is crucial for the
success of all parties.