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ChaPter 5 • InformatIon GatherInG: unobtrusIve methods 145

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HYPERCASE EXPERIENCE 5.2

“We’re proud of our building here in Tennessee. In fact, we HYPERCASE Questions
used the architectural firm of I. M. Paid to carry the same theme, 1. Use STROBE to compare and contrast Evans’s and
blending into the local landscape while still reaching out to our Ketcham’s offices. What sort of conclusion about each per-
clients throughout all the branches. We get lots of people coming son’s use of information technology can you draw from your
through just to admire the building once they catch on to where it observations? How compatible do Evans and Ketcham seem
is exactly. In fact, by Tennessee standards, we get so many sight- in terms of the systems they use? What other clues to their
seers that it might as well be the pyramids! Well, you can see for storage, use, and sharing of information can you discover
yourself as you go through. The East Atrium is my favorite place: based on your observations of their offices?
plenty of light, a huge skylight overhead. Yet it has always fas- 2. Carefully examine Kathy Blandford’s office. Use STROBE
cinated me that the building and its furnishings might tell a story to confirm, reverse, or negate what you have learned during
quite different from the one its occupants tell. your interview with her. List anything you found out about
“Sometimes employees complain that the offices all look the Ms. Blandford from observing her office that you did not
same. The public rooms are spectacular, though. Even the can- know from the interview.
teen is inviting. Most people can’t say that about their cafeterias 3. Carefully examine the contents of the MRE reception area
at work. You’ll notice that we all personalize our offices, any- using STROBE. What inferences can you make about the
way. So even if the offices were of the ’cookie cutter’ kind, their organization? List them. What interview questions would
occupants’ personalities seem to take over as soon as they have you like to ask, based on your observations of the reception
been here a while. What have you seen? Was there anything that area? Make a list of people you would like to interview and
surprised you so far?” the questions you would ask each of them.

Figure 5.HC1
There are hidden clues in HyperCase. Use STROBE to discover them.

A systems analyst must follow four steps in designing a good sample: (1) determine the population
itself, (2) determine the type of sample, (3) calculate the sample size, and (4) plan the data that need to be
collected or described.
The types of samples useful to a systems analyst are convenience samples, purposive samples, simple
random samples, and complex random samples. The last type includes the subcategories of systematic
sampling and stratified sampling. There are several guidelines to follow when determining sample size.