Name: ______________________________________
COSC 2810 – Systems Analysis and Design
Chapter 16 Homework
1. Your systems analysis team is close to completing a system for Meecham Feeds. Roger is
quite confident that the programs that he has written for Meecham’s inventory system will
perform as necessary, because they are similar to programs he has done before. Your team
has been very busy and would ideally like to begin full systems testing as soon as possible.
Two of your junior team members have proposed the following:
a.
Skip desk checking of the programs (because similar programs were checked in
other installations; Roger has agreed).
b.
Do link testing with large amounts of data to prove that the system will work.
c.
Do full systems testing with large amounts of live data to show that the system is
working.
Respond to each of the three steps in their proposed test schedule. Use a paragraph to
explain your response.
2. Propose a revised testing plan for Meecham Feeds (Problem 6). Break down your plan into a
sequence of detailed steps.
3. Cramtrack, the regional commuter train system, is trying to train users of its newly installed
computer system. For the users to get the proper training, the systems analysts involved with
the project sent a memo to the heads of the four departments that include both primary and
secondary users. The memo said in part, “Only people who feel as if they require training
need to make reservations for offsite training; all others should learn the system as they work
with it on the job.” Only 3 of a possible 42 users signed up. The analysts were satisfied that
the memo effectively screened people who needed training from those who did not.
a.
In a paragraph, explain how the systems analysts got off the track in their
approach to training.
b.
Outline the steps you would take to ensure that the right people at Cramtrack are
trained.
c.
Suggest in a paragraph how the Web might be used to assist in training for
Cramtrack.
4. “Just a little longer…I want to be sure this is working correctly before I change over,” says
Buffy, the owner of three bathroom accessories boutiques called Tub ’n Stuff. Her
accountant, who helped her set up a new accounting information system, is desperately
trying to persuade Buffy to change over completely to the new system. Buffy has insisted on
running the old and new systems in parallel for an entire year.
a.
Briefly describe the general problems involved in using a parallel conversion
strategy for implementing a new information system.
b.
In a paragraph, try to convince the owner of Tub ’n Stuff that a year of running a
system in parallel is long enough. Suggest a way to end Tub ’n Stuff’s dual
systems that will provide enough reassurance to Buffy. (Assume the new system
is reliable.)
5. Draft a plan to perform Web traffic analysis for the ecommerce application developed for
Marathon Vitamin Shops. (See Consulting Opportunities 1.1, 13.2, and 14.5 for more
information about the organization, their products, and their goals.) Your plan should take the
form of a written report to the owner of the chain, Bill Berry. Be sure to indicate what statistics
you will monitor and why they are important for Marathon Vitamin Shops to know.