Name: ______________________________________
COSC 2810 – Systems Analysis and Design
Chapter 4 and 5 Homework
1. As part of your systems analysis project to update the automated accounting functions for
Xanadu Corporation, a maker of digital cameras, you will interview Leo Blum, the chief
accountant. Write four to six interview objectives covering his use of information sources,
information formats, decision-making frequency, desired qualities of information, and
decision-making style.
a. In a paragraph, write down how you will approach Leo to set up an interview.
b. State which structure you will choose for this interview. Why?
c.
Leo has four subordinates who also use the system. Would you interview them also?
Why or why not?
d. Write three open-ended questions that you will email to Leo prior to your interview. Write
a sentence explaining why it is preferable to conduct an interview in person rather than
via email.
2. Here are five questions written by one of your systems analysis team members. Her
interviewee is the local manager of LOWCO, an outlet of a national discount chain, who has
asked you to work on a management information system to provide inventory information.
Review these questions for your team member.
1) When was the last time you thought seriously about your decision-making
process?
2) Who are the trouble makers in your store, I mean the ones who will show the
most resistance to changes in the system that I have proposed?
3) Are there any decisions you need more information about to make them?
4) You don’t have any major problems with the current inventory control
system, do you?
5) Tell me a little about the output you’d like to see.
a. Rewrite each question to be more effective in eliciting information.
b. Order your questions in either a pyramid, funnel, or diamond-shaped structure, and
label the questions with the name of the structure you used.
c.
What guidelines can you give your team member for improving her interviewing
questions for the future? Make a list of them.
3. You are working as an analyst for the Webster University web development team. The
Faculty Senate wants to use a web-based interface to conduct elections for faculty committee
positions so that faculty can participate from any campus in the Webster University system.
Develop a questionnaire to help you understand what faculty members expect from this
project.
4. Cheryl Stake is concerned that too many forms are being filled out incorrectly. She feels that
about 8 percent of all the forms have an error.
a. How large a sample size should Ms. Stake use to be 99-percent certain she will
be within 0.02?
b. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 90 percent that she will be
within 0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now?
c.
Explain the difference between parts a and b in words.
d. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 95 percent that she will be
within 0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now?
5. You’ve sampled the email messages that have been sent to several middle managers of
Sawder’s Furniture Company, which ships build-your-own particleboard furniture across the
country. Here is one that repeats a message found in several other memos:
To: Sid, Ernie, Carl
From: Imogene
Re: computer/printer supplies
Date: November 10, 2009
It has come to my attention that I have been waging a war against requests for computer
and printer supplies (writable CDs, toner, paper, etc.) that are all out of proportion to what
has been negotiated for in the current budget. Because we’re all good soldiers here, I
hope you will take whatever our supply sergeant says is standard issue. Please, no
“midnight requisitioning” to make up for shortages. Thanks for being Gl in this regard; it
makes the battle easier for us all.
a. What metaphor(s) is (are) being used? List the predominant metaphor and
other phrases that play on that theme.
b. If you found repeated evidence of this idea in other email messages, what
interpretation would you have? Use a paragraph to explain.
c.
In a paragraph, describe how the people in your systems analysis group can
use the information from the email messages to shape their systems project
for Sawder’s.
d. In interviews with Sid, Ernie, and Carl, there has been no mention of
problems with obtaining enough computer and printer supplies. In a
paragraph, discuss why such problems may not come up in interviews and
discuss the value of examining email messages and other memos in addition
to interviewing.