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ChaPter 5 • InformatIon GatherInG: unobtrusIve methods 147

2. “I see that you have quite a few papers there. What all do you have in there?” asks Betty Kant, head
of the MIS task force that is the liaison group between your systems group and Sawder’s Furniture
Company. You are shuffling a large bundle of papers as you prepare to leave the building.
“Well, I’ve got some financial statements, production reports from the last six months, and some
performance reports that Sharon gave me that cover goals and work performance over the last six
months,” you reply as some of the papers fall to the floor. “Why do you ask?”
Betty takes the papers from you and puts them on the nearest desk. She answers, “Because you
don’t need all this junk. You’re here to do one thing, and that’s talk to us, the users. Bet you can’t
read one thing in there that’ll make a difference.”
a. The only way to convince Betty of the importance of each document is to tell her what you are
looking for in each one. In a paragraph, explain what each kind of document contributes to a sys-
tems analyst’s understanding of the business.
b. While you are speaking with Betty, you realize that you actually need other quantitative docu-
ments as well. List any you are missing.
3. 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, 2012
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.
4. “Here’s the main policy manual we’ve put together over the years for system users,” says Al
Bookbinder, as he blows the dust off the manual and hands it to you. Al is a document keeper for
the systems department of Prechter and Gumbel, a large manufacturer of health and beauty aids.
“Everything any user of any part of the system needs to know is in what I call the Blue Book. I mean
it’s chockablock with policies. It’s so big, I’m the only one with a complete copy. It costs too much to
reproduce it.” You thank Al and take the manual with you. When you read through it, you are aston-
ished at what it contains. Most pages begin with a message such as: “This page supersedes page 23.1
in manual Vol. II. Discard previous inserts; do not use.”
a. List your observations about the frequency of use of the Blue Book.
b. How user friendly are the updates in the manual? Write a sentence explaining your answer.
c. Write a paragraph commenting on the wisdom of having all-important policies for all systems
users in one book.
d. Suggest a solution that incorporates the use of online policy manuals for some users.
5. “I think I’ll be able to remember most everything he does,” says Ceci Awll. Ceci is about to interview
Biff Welldon, vice president of strategic planning of OK Corral, a steak restaurant chain with 130
locations. “I mean, I’ve got a good memory. I think it’s much more important to listen to what he
says than to observe what he does anyway.” As one of your systems analysis team members, Ceci
has been talking with you about the desirability of writing down her observations of Biff’s office and
activities during the interview.
a. In a paragraph, persuade Ceci that listening is not enough in interviews and that observing and
recording those observations are also important.
b. Ceci seems to have accepted your idea that observation is important but still doesn’t know what
to observe. Make a list of items and behaviors to observe, and in a sentence beside each behavior,
indicate what information Ceci should hope to gain through observation of it.
6. “We’re a progressive company, always looking to be ahead of the power curve. We’ll give anything
a whirl if it’ll put us ahead of the competition, and that includes every one of us,” says I. B. Daring,