Page 209 -

176 part 2 • inforMation requireMents analysis

20. List software tools that can aid the developer in doing a variety of tests of code
21. What is scrum?
22. Name the seven strategies for improving efficiency in knowledge work.
23. Identify six risks in adopting organizational innovation.

Problems
1. As part of a larger systems project, Clone Bank of Clone, Colorado, wants your help in setting up a new
monthly reporting form for its checking and savings account customers. The president and vice presi-
dents are very attuned to what customers in the community are saying. They think that their customers
want a checking account summary that looks like the one offered by the other three banks in town.
They are unwilling, however, to commit to that form without a formal summary of customer feedback
that supports their decision. Feedback will not be used to change the prototype form in any way. They
want you to send a prototype of one form to one group and to send the old form to another group.
a. In a paragraph, discuss why it probably is not worthwhile to prototype the new form under these
circumstances.
b. In a second paragraph, discuss a situation under which it would be advisable to prototype a new form.
2. C. N. Itall has been a systems analyst for Tun-L-Vision Corporation for many years. When you came
on board as part of the systems analysis team and suggested prototyping as part of the SDLC for a
current project, C. N. said, “Sure, but you can’t pay any attention to what users say. They have no
idea what they want. I’ll prototype, but I’m not ’observing’ any users.”
a. As tactfully as possible, so as not to upset C. N. Itall, make a list of the reasons that support the
importance of observing user reactions, suggestions, and innovations in the prototyping process.
b. In a paragraph, describe what might happen if part of a system is prototyped and no user feedback
about it is incorporated into the successive system.
3. "Every time I think I’ve captured user information requirements, they’ve already changed. It’s like
trying to hit a moving target. Half the time, I don’t think they even know what they want themselves,”
exclaims Flo Chart, a systems analyst for 2 Good 2 Be True, a company that surveys product use for
the marketing divisions of several manufacturing companies.
a. In a paragraph, explain to Flo Chart how prototyping can help her to better define users’ informa-
tion requirements.
b. In a paragraph, comment on Flo’s observation: “Half the time, I don’t think they even know what
they want themselves.” Be sure to explain how prototyping can actually help users better under-
stand and articulate their own information requirements.
c. Suggest how an interactive website featuring a prototype might address Flo’s concerns about
capturing user information requirements. Use a paragraph.
4. Harold, a district manager for the multioutlet chain Sprocket’s Gifts, thinks that building a prototype
can mean only one thing: a nonworking scale model. He also believes that this way is too cumber-
some to prototype information systems and thus is reluctant to do so.
a. Briefly (in two or three paragraphs) compare and contrast the other three kinds of prototyping that
are possible so that Harold has an understanding of what prototyping can mean.
b. Harold has an option of implementing one system, trying it, and then having it installed in five
other Sprocket locations if it is successful. Name a type of prototyping that would fit well with
this approach, and in a paragraph defend your choice.
5. “I’ve got the idea of the century!” proclaims Bea Kwicke, a new systems analyst with your systems
group. “Let’s skip all this SDLC garbage and just prototype everything. Our projects will go a lot
more quickly, we’ll save time and money, and all the users will feel as if we’re paying attention to
them instead of going away for months on end and not talking to them.”
a. List the reasons you (as a member of the same team as Bea) would give Bea to dissuade her from
trying to scrap the SDLC and prototype every project.
b. Bea is pretty disappointed with what you have said. To encourage her, use a paragraph to explain
the situations you think would lend themselves to prototyping.
6. The following remark was overheard at a meeting between managers and a systems analysis team at
the Fence-Me-In fencing company: “You told us the prototype would be finished three weeks ago.
We’re still waiting for it!"
a. In a paragraph, comment on the importance of rapid delivery of a portion of a prototyped informa-
tion system.
b. List three elements of the prototyping process that must be controlled to ensure prompt delivery of
the prototype.
c. What are some elements of the prototyping process that are difficult to manage? List them.