C.2 System lifecycle

Question 1

What is the significance of lifecycle management in information systems?

Answer 1

It provides continuity, allows for planning for longevity, and balances costs and benefits to optimize value.

Lifecycle management ensures that the organization’s needs are met as they change over time.

Question 2

What are the primary benefits of portfolio management at the organizational level?

Answer 2

It enables effective management of assets and investments, helping to avoid ‘booms and busts’.

This requires understanding the lifecycle stages of every information system.

Question 3

What does risk management require in the context of information systems?

Answer 3

It requires anticipating future lifecycle stages and considering the current stage of the system.

Risk management is inherently future-oriented.

Question 4

List the six phases of the information system lifecycle.

Answer 4

• Defining
• Assessing Options and their Feasibility
• Planning
• Architecting Solutions
• Implementing
• Maintaining

The phases may not be immediately sequential and can be iterative.

Question 5

What is a common mistake when defining issues in information systems?

Answer 5

Defining the issue as a solution.

This narrows thinking prematurely.

Question 6

What is the definition of business analysis according to the IIBA?

Answer 6

It is the practice of enabling change by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.

This definition emphasizes the role of business analysis in driving organizational change.

Question 7

What does the acronym PESTLE stand for in environmental analysis?

Answer 7

• Politics
• Economics
• Social dimensions
• Technologies
• Legalities
• Environment and sustainability

PESTLE is used to assess the context of business issues.

Question 8

What is the purpose of a feasibility study?

Answer 8

To encapsulate issues, identify and assess viable options, and conclude whether action is warranted.

It helps in developing business cases for preferred solutions.

Question 9

Fill in the blank: A __________ document provides a user-oriented picture of using a system within a specific operative environment.

Answer 9

operational concept

Question 10

What are some desirable characteristics of requirements?

Answer 10

• Traceable
• Objective
• Unitary
• Complete
• Constrained
• Consistent
• Compliant
• Coherent
• Current
• Unambiguous
• Verifiable
• Feasible

These characteristics ensure that requirements are clear and actionable.

Question 11

What is the primary cause of project failure according to the Project Management Institute’s 2014 study?

Answer 11

Inaccurate requirements gathering.

This was identified as a primary cause in 37% of projects.

Question 12

What are functional requirements?

Answer 12

Requirements that describe what the system should do.

They focus on specific functionalities of the system.

Question 13

What does the IT management paradox illustrate?

Answer 13

In early project stages, there are many degrees of freedom in specifying requirements, but understanding of requirements diminishes as the project progresses.

This paradox highlights the risks associated with requirements management.

Question 14

What is the first step in the planning phase of the information system lifecycle?

Answer 14

Analyzing requirements.

This is crucial for determining the success of the project.

Question 15

What are design constraints in requirements?

Answer 15

Requirements that limit the degrees of freedom for solution designers.

Examples include fitting with existing enterprise architecture or standards.

Question 16

What does independent validation of requirement specifications provide?

Answer 16

It ensures that requirements reflect identified needs and are technically feasible.

This act of due diligence is crucial for project success.

Question 17

What is the role of reference class forecasting?

Answer 17

To produce more accurate predictions by considering learnings from similar past projects.

It helps in overcoming issues related to cost-benefit analysis.

Question 18

What is the purpose of enterprise architectures?

Answer 18

To ensure that individual investments fit into an overall portfolio that is governed, directed, and performing well at a minimal cost.

Question 19

What is a building block in TOGAF terms?

Answer 19

A package of functionality defined to meet business needs.

Question 20

What does solution architecture assist with?

Answer 20

Translating requirements into a solution vision, high-level business and/or IT system specifications, and a portfolio of implementation tasks.

Question 21

What are the outputs of the solution architecture activity?

Answer 21

• Description of the current system and its operation
• Any constraints
• Relevant architectural principles
• Implications of the requirements for solutions and technologies
• Candidate solutions (based on market scanning)

Question 22

What is the focus of the planning phase in system development?

Answer 22

To ensure the solution will be appropriate, effective, and efficient.

Question 23

What must be identified during the planning phase?

Answer 23

• Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders
• A road map for future investments
• Ongoing benchmarks for project performance
• Current state baselining
• Organisation’s capacity to execute change
• Planning for benefits realization

Question 24

What is the purpose of the Gateway Review Process?

Answer 24

To improve the delivery of major projects through short, intensive reviews at critical stages of the project lifecycle.

Question 25

List the six gates of the Gateway Review Process.

Answer 25

* Gate 0 - Business Need * Gate 1 - Business Case * Gate 2 - Procurement Strategy * Gate 3 - Investment Decision * Gate 4 - Readiness for Service * Gate 5 - Benefits Realisation

Question 26

What are the three key activities in the obtaining phase?

Answer 26

* Analysing procurement options * Acquisition or development * Testing

Question 27

What does 'adopting' mean in the context of procurement options?

Answer 27

Taking an existing and available solution as is.

Question 28

What does 'adapting' mean in procurement options?

Answer 28

Taking an existing solution and modifying it.

Question 29

What does 'developing' mean in procurement options?

Answer 29

Building a new product.

Question 30

What factors may inform the decision to adopt, adapt, or develop a solution?

Answer 30

* Strategy and competitive advantage * Core vs non-core functionality * Fitness for purpose * Architectural fit * Lifetime cost * Scale and complexity vs expertise and maturity * Commoditisation, flexibility, and change * Time * Risk * Support structure * Operational factors * Intellectual property * Acquisition policy

Question 31

What is the purpose of a Request for Information (RFI)?

Answer 31

To formally explore the market’s capacity to meet requirements and/or to narrow the field in an iterative selection process.

Question 32

What is a Request for Proposal (RFP)?

Answer 32

The formal acquisition document that outlines detailed processes for tender evaluation and establishes security arrangements.

Question 33

What are common acquisition issues and challenges?

Answer 33

* Maintaining fairness and transparency * Lack of commercial acumen * Contractor relationship management * Unproven technologies

Question 34

What is the waterfall method in system development?

Answer 34

A traditional method where development flows through stages of requirements analysis, design, implementation, verification, and testing.

Question 35

What are the disadvantages of the waterfall method?

Answer 35

* Need for detailed requirement specifications * Inflexibility * Lack of progressively earned value * Late discovery of defects

Question 36

What is the purpose of throwaway prototyping?

Answer 36

To validate or determine unclear requirements by providing visualisation of possible solutions.

Question 37

What is evolutionary prototyping?

Answer 37

A method where the system concept progresses by iterating and evolving the prototype.

Question 38

What is the difference between evolutionary prototyping and evolutionary development?

Answer 38

Evolutionary prototyping is for unclear requirements, while evolutionary development is for better-defined requirements benefiting from iteration.

Question 39

Define incremental development.

Answer 39

A method that plans to deliver the system in agreed increments, where each increment yields a defined part of the required functionality.

Question 40

What is incremental development?

Answer 40

Incremental development plans to deliver the system in agreed increments, where each increment yields a defined part of the required functionality. ## Footnote Requirements are prioritised, and the highest priority requirements are delivered early.

Question 41

What is the purpose of unit testing?

Answer 41

Unit testing aims to check that individual system parts are functioning as expected. ## Footnote Typically undertaken by the developer within the development process.

Question 42

What does integration testing ensure?

Answer 42

Integration testing ensures that the modules that need to work together are functioning as expected.

Question 43

What is system testing?

Answer 43

System testing involves end-to-end testing of the complete and fully functioning product.

Question 44

Who typically performs acceptance testing?

Answer 44

Acceptance testing is typically performed by stakeholders to confirm that the system conforms to the agreed requirements.

Question 45

What is alpha testing?

Answer 45

Alpha testing is typically conducted by stakeholders with the active support of the developers.

Question 46

What is beta testing?

Answer 46

Beta testing is undertaken without the help of developers, typically at the users' site(s) in uncontrolled environments.

Question 47

True or False: Comprehensive independent quality assurance guarantees successful outcomes.

Answer 47

False. ## Footnote Independent reviews do not guarantee results, as seen in the Queensland Health example.

Question 48

What are critical elements of the implementation phase?

Answer 48

Critical elements include: * Building capacity * Deploying * Post-implementation review.

Question 49

What is the challenge of change in system implementation?

Answer 49

The challenge involves maximizing benefits and minimizing dis-benefits while managing differing stakeholder perspectives.

Question 50

What should be assessed before implementing changes?

Answer 50

The organization’s readiness and capability to achieve the necessary changes.

Question 51

List some capacities that are challenging to build for system implementation.

Answer 51

* Influencing stakeholders * Recruiting skilled staff * Reskilling operational staff * Knowledge management.

Question 52

What does deployment involve?

Answer 52

Deployment involves: * Putting the new system into production * Confirming data quality * Implementing work process changes.

Question 53

What are the main deployment methodologies?

Answer 53

* Cutover (Big Bang) * Parallel operation * Piloting * Phased.

Question 54

What is a post-implementation review?

Answer 54

A post-implementation review assesses how the project has been defined, planned, and implemented after it ceases to be a project.

Question 55

What does the operation and maintenance phase of the information systems lifecycle involve?

Answer 55

It involves delivering value to the organization and users, maximizing benefits, and minimizing ongoing costs.

Question 56

What is the significance of ongoing monitoring of usage metrics?

Answer 56

It determines that the system is being used as envisaged and helps assure user satisfaction.

Question 57

What is the purpose of evaluating information systems?

Answer 57

Evaluation establishes the full extent of returns on investment and informs future developments.

Question 58

What are the two significant activities in the disposal phase?

Answer 58

* Decommissioning * Disposal.

Question 59

What does decommissioning include?

Answer 59

* Deciding to close parts of the system * Planning for orderly transition * Data migration or archival.

Question 60

What is involved in the disposal activity?

Answer 60

Disposal involves the physical disposal of depreciated assets, leading to reuse or destruction.