7. The systems life cycle
A section of Information and Communication Technology, 0417
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When a system has been developed, two types of documentation are produced, technical and user documentation. Explain why user documentation is needed. Explain why technical documentation is needed. Identify four components that are only found in user documentation but not found in technical documentation. 1 15 Tick three evaluation strategies that need to be carried out following implementation of the new system. Tick (✓) Observe users operating the old system. Compare the final solution with the original requirements. Design the report layout. Check user documentation to see if it is correct. Interview users to gather responses about how well the new system works. Test the system works correctly. Identify any necessary improvements that need to be made. Design error handling.
0417_s18_qp_13
THEORY
2018
Paper 1, Variant 3
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A small company makes toys and then delivers them to shops. Throughout the day orders are received by the company from its customers. The office workers in the finance department create and store an invoice for each order. They are too busy to be disturbed from their work. Delivery drivers receive copies of the invoices which they will pass on to their customers. The drivers make a large number of deliveries per day and do not return to the office. A systems analyst will research the current system and suggest improvements to be made. For each type of employee identified above, describe the most suitable method of collecting information from them, giving a reason for your choice. Office workers Reason Delivery drivers Reason 1 15 The factory is based on one site and only has space for one production line. The company has decided to computerise its production line. It will use direct changeover as the method of implementing the new system. Explain why the company would use this method rather than other methods of implementation. [ 1 15
0417_s18_qp_13
THEORY
2018
Paper 1, Variant 3
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Alpine slalom skiing involves a number of skiers racing down a mountain negotiating obstacles. The time it takes each skier to complete the course is measured. The fastest skier is awarded first place. This involves the use of a number of different sensors to monitor variables. Using words from the list below, complete the following statements. pH Motion Light Humidity Turbidity Temperature Sunlight Pressure This sensor is used to measure how cold it is on the course. This sensor is used to stop the clock when a skier crosses the finish line. This sensor is used to measure the altitude (height above sea level) at the top of the course. [ 1 14 Skiers take part in two separate races. The fastest thirty skiers qualify for the second race. Thirty skiers have already completed the course. In order for the next skier to qualify he has to beat the race time of the skier currently in 30th place. Part of the spreadsheet showing the current standings is shown. Write a formula that can be entered in cell E36 to display Y if the skier has qualified by beating the time of the skier currently in 30th place. If the skier has not qualified then N is displayed. = 1 14 Just before the second run column E is deleted as it is no longer required. As the skiers in the second run complete the course their times are entered into the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet has been changed to display the second run times, as shown. The combined times for the first and second runs need to be added to the spreadsheet in a new column between columns E and F. Describe the steps you would take to add this new column with the heading Combined Time. Write a formula that can be entered in the new cell F3 that adds the time taken to complete the first run to the time taken to complete the second run. = [ 1 14 When the overall race is completed the data is sorted into order based on the combined times. The first place skier will be at the top of the list. Part of the final spreadsheet before the data is sorted is shown. The 30th place skier is on row 32. Describe the steps you would take to sort the data to show each skier in their correct position, without using functions. 1 14 Skiers throughout the season earn World Championship points. At the end of the race the points are calculated for each skier. The winner of the race gains 100 points. The other skiers have their points calculated by: • subtracting the combined time of the winner from the combined time of the skier • then subtracting this value from the winner’s points. Write a formula to be placed in cell G4 to show the skier’s points for the race. The formula will be replicated to G32. =
0417_s19_qp_12
THEORY
2019
Paper 1, Variant 2
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The systems life cycle is followed when a new computer system is being created. Tick whether the following statements are examples of the Analysis stage, the Design stage or the Evaluation stage of the systems life cycle. Evaluation (✓) Design (✓) Analysis (✓) Identifying the problems with the current system Deciding on testing strategies Observation of workers using the current system Comparing the solution with the original task requirements 1 14
0417_s19_qp_12
THEORY
2019
Paper 1, Variant 2
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Tawara Health Centre is creating a new online appointment system for its patients. The developer has created a table showing part of the file structure of the new database. Comment Field length Data type Field name 12-digit unique number Numeric: integer Medical_ID_number dd/mmm/yyyy Date/Time Date_of_birth Text Family_name Text Doctor_name hh:mm Date/Time Appointment_time Text Contact_telephone_number Text Current_medication A, O, AB, B Each can be + or – Text Blood_type Apart from presence check, for each field, name an appropriate validation check that could be used. Your answer should be different in each case. Validation check Field name Medical_ID_number Blood_type Date_of_birth Contact_telephone_number Referring to the fields in the table, name the most appropriate field that could be used as a primary key. 1 15 Using the fields given in the database complete the design below showing a suitable online data entry form for the receptionist to fill in. [ 1 15 The health centre has a new logo that appears on their online data entry form. The developers originally produced a logo and then had to change it so that it could be used appropriately on the online data entry form. The original logo is shown before the changes and the new logo after the changes. Before After Describe the changes that have been made to the original logo to create the new logo. 1 15 The doctors in the health centre use an expert system to help them diagnose illnesses. The symptoms of the patient’s illness are typed in by the doctor. Describe the processing that the system uses so that it can suggest possible illnesses. [ 1 15
0417_s19_qp_13
THEORY
2019
Paper 1, Variant 3
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Humans can send unmanned aircraft into storms to collect wind speeds and temperature data. The unmanned aircraft have sensors attached to them which send the data back to computers at the weather station. The computers analyse the data. Previously the aircraft was manned and all the data was collected and flown back to the weather station. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the unmanned aircraft rather than using the manned aircraft. 1 2 The owner of Tawara Hotels is planning a new computerised booking system. There are ten Tawara Hotels throughout the world. The current booking system allows people to book rooms in any of the Tawara Hotels. He has employed a systems analyst to research the current system and then install the new system. When analysing the current booking system, the systems analyst must identify the user requirements. Explain why it is important for the systems analyst to do this. Tick (✓) the relevant stage of the systems life cycle for each of the following activities. Evaluation (✓) Development and testing (✓) Analysis (✓) Activity Identifying the problems with the current system Comparing the solution with the original task requirements Create the file structure Identify limitations to the new system and improvements to be made [ 1 2 Before the new booking system is installed, the systems analyst has to decide on a method of implementation. One method of implementation is pilot running. Name two other methods of implementation and describe two benefits of each. Name Benefit 1 Benefit 2 Name Benefit 1 Benefit 2 1 2
0417_s21_qp_12
THEORY
2021
Paper 1, Variant 2
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The manager of a cinema has purchased a new booking system. There are 26 rows in the cinema with 20 seats on a row. Each seat is identified by a unique ID. The seat ID consists of the row letter followed by the position of the seat on the row. An example of the seat on row F position 12 would be F12. He is setting up a test plan to test the system. Write down one example of each of the following types of test data. The answers must be different in each case. Normal Abnormal [ 1 12 When a ticket is produced for the new system it contains a QR code. Here is an example of a QR code. Describe the benefits of using a QR code. 1 12 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using manual booking systems rather than online booking systems. [ 1 12
0417_s22_qp_13
THEORY
2022
Paper 1, Variant 3
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A systems analyst has been asked to carry out an analysis of a company’s current computer system. State three methods of analysing the current system. 1 9 The systems analyst is working with a team to create some new software. The software documentation will be stored on the cloud. Describe how the team can use the cloud to share the documentation. Members of the team can use video-conferencing to join business meetings from different locations around the world. Describe, giving reasons, three disadvantages of using video-conferencing for business meetings rather than meeting in person. [ 1 9
0417_s23_qp_11
THEORY
2023
Paper 1, Variant 1
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Questions Discovered
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