Solution Manual for Systems Analysis and Design 8th
Edition by Alan Dennis, Barbara Wixom & Roberta M.
Roth 2026–2027 – Chapters 1–13 Complete Solutions
All chapters covered
1-1
,SolutionManualfor
Dennis,Wixom,RothSystemsAnalysisandDesign,8thEdition
Chapter1-13 g
Chapter1:TheSystemsAnalystandInformation g g g g g
SystemsDevelopment
g g
AnswertoYourTurn1-1:BeinganAnalyst g g g g g g g
Student answers will vary, depending on their preferences regarding being a: 1) systems
g g g g g g g g g g g g
analyst, 2) business analyst, 3) requirements analyst, 4) infrastructure analyst, or 5) change
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
management analyst. Verify that the student has correctly associated the skills needed with
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
the type of analyst for which they aspire and that the student has created a plan to acquire
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
those skills. The roles and the names used to describe them may vary from organization to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
organization.
g
AnswertoYourTurn1-2:ImplementingaSatelliteDataNetwork
g g g g g g g g g
While answers may vary, answers might include the following:
g g g g g g g g
1. A cost-benefit analysis, along with other financial processes (ROI, etc.) would
g g g g g g g g g g
certainly reveal that a just-in-time (JIT) inventory can reduce inventory costs and
g g g g g g g g g g g g
increase revenue. A standard communication line, encrypted or not, would not be
g g g g g g g g g g g g
able to handle the high bandwidth needed for data, voice and video transmissions.
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
2. A competitor would be able to narrow the gap by adopting the JIT type of inventory
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
management. Voice and video are not necessary to keep the inventory up to date on a
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
timely basis, data transmissions alone would work well.
g g g g g g g g
1-2
, Answer to Your Turn 1-3: Too Much Paper, Part 1 g g g g g g g g g
g System Request g
Element Description
Sponsor Document Manager. g
Business Need g Increase efficiency in storing, updating, and retrieving g g g g g g
information on employee injury claims. g g g g
Business Requirements g Automated system which allows for electronic g g g g g
submission of reports via a secure web site. g g g g g g g
Business Value g Reduce response time for employee inquiries, increase g g g g g g
effectiveness of storing, updating, and retrieving
g g g g g g
employee injury claims. Reduce storage costs of paper files. g g g g g g g g
Special Issues g Must have someone who understands how to create and g g g g g g g g
maintain a secure web site. Must have resources to migrate
g g g g g g g g g g
paper files to data storage. Must work within HIPAA
g g g g g g g g g
guidelines to ensure that medical documents
g g g g g g
are treated according to regulations.
g g g g
AnswertoYourTurn1-4:TooMuchPaper,Part2 g g g g g g g g g
1. Issues arising from digital signatures and electronic documents typically focus on
g g g g g g g g g g
establishing validity for signatures and originators. As these issues can be overcome
g g g g g g g g g g g g
using certificates and encryption, they don‘t necessarily affect the project
g g g g g g g g g g
feasibility. However, they do need to be addressed.
g g g g g g g g
2. Answers will vary. The project champion, organizational management, and g g g g g g g g
perhaps most importantly a subset of the stakeholders must believe in and show
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
support for the project. One solution would be to plan and provide for sufficient
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
training that demonstrates how their jobs might be easier to accomplish with the
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
automated system.
g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-A:AnArrayofITFailures g g g g g g g g g g
Qantas provides for an —ice-breaker‖ discussion topic for the first class. Perhaps group the
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
students and have them discuss this company and then provide for class discussion about
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
the importance of IT project success.
g g g g g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-B:BPIontheFarm g g g g g g g g g
Efficiency gains are mentioned in this Concept in Action. What are the drawbacks to this
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
scenario? Is it as easy as it seems? Issues such as Wi-Fi coverage on a farm, perhaps even
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
cellular coverage can come into play as can weather, dust, and other issues inherent with a
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
farming enterprise.
g g
1-3
, AnswertoConceptsinAction1-C:InterviewwithDonHallacy,President,
g g g g g g g g g g
TechnologyServices,Sprint Corporation g g g g
This is an opportune time to identify the responsibilities of the differing roles that an analyst
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
serves.
g
g g AnswertoConceptsinAction1-D:IntangibleValueatCarlsonHospitality g g g g g g g g g g
Carlson Hospitality can use the information from the survey to determine whether the
g g g g g g g g g g g g
one-point increase in market share revenue ($20 million per point) will offset costs
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
associated with increasing the level of services to high-quality customers which would
g g g g g g g g g g g g
result in a 10% increase in customer satisfaction.
g g g g g g g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-E:ReturnonInvestment g g g g g g g g
1. One method for determining a return on investment is to complete a Cost-Benefit
g g g g g g g g g g g g
Analysis using the Present Value Method. Many of the costs for server virtualization
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
are associated with the initial construction: physical manipulation of the servers and
g g g g g g g g g g g g
software licensing. The ongoing costs of labor in updating and accessing tables
g g g g g g g g g g g g
would be relatively small. Using this type of analysis would allow the project
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
sponsors to show how the benefits of the virtualization would be realized on a long
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
term basis. g g
2. Implementing a major change to a system should certainly include a systems analyst. g g g g g g g g g g g g
Systems analysts typically have a broad view of the system, and would be able to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
ascertain how virtualizing the servers will affect the whole system.
g g g g g g g g g g
AnswerstoEndofChapterQuestions g g g g g
1. List and describe the six general skills all project team members should have.
g g g g g g g g g g g g
[1] Technical skills (knowledge of how to employ technology in development system
g g g g g g g g g g g
solutions). [2] Business skills (knowledge of how to apply IT to business problems to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
achieve a valuable solution). [3] Analytical skills (ability to solve complex problems).
g g g g g g g g g g g g
[4] Interpersonal skills (oral and written communication skills with both technical and
g g g g g g g g g g g
non-technical audiences). [5] Management skills (ability to manage others and cope with
g g g g g g g g g g g g
an uncertain environment). [6] Ethical skills (ability to deal with others honestly and
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
ethically).
g
2. What are the major roles on a project team?
g g g g g g g g
1-4
Edition by Alan Dennis, Barbara Wixom & Roberta M.
Roth 2026–2027 – Chapters 1–13 Complete Solutions
All chapters covered
1-1
,SolutionManualfor
Dennis,Wixom,RothSystemsAnalysisandDesign,8thEdition
Chapter1-13 g
Chapter1:TheSystemsAnalystandInformation g g g g g
SystemsDevelopment
g g
AnswertoYourTurn1-1:BeinganAnalyst g g g g g g g
Student answers will vary, depending on their preferences regarding being a: 1) systems
g g g g g g g g g g g g
analyst, 2) business analyst, 3) requirements analyst, 4) infrastructure analyst, or 5) change
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
management analyst. Verify that the student has correctly associated the skills needed with
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
the type of analyst for which they aspire and that the student has created a plan to acquire
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
those skills. The roles and the names used to describe them may vary from organization to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
organization.
g
AnswertoYourTurn1-2:ImplementingaSatelliteDataNetwork
g g g g g g g g g
While answers may vary, answers might include the following:
g g g g g g g g
1. A cost-benefit analysis, along with other financial processes (ROI, etc.) would
g g g g g g g g g g
certainly reveal that a just-in-time (JIT) inventory can reduce inventory costs and
g g g g g g g g g g g g
increase revenue. A standard communication line, encrypted or not, would not be
g g g g g g g g g g g g
able to handle the high bandwidth needed for data, voice and video transmissions.
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
2. A competitor would be able to narrow the gap by adopting the JIT type of inventory
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
management. Voice and video are not necessary to keep the inventory up to date on a
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
timely basis, data transmissions alone would work well.
g g g g g g g g
1-2
, Answer to Your Turn 1-3: Too Much Paper, Part 1 g g g g g g g g g
g System Request g
Element Description
Sponsor Document Manager. g
Business Need g Increase efficiency in storing, updating, and retrieving g g g g g g
information on employee injury claims. g g g g
Business Requirements g Automated system which allows for electronic g g g g g
submission of reports via a secure web site. g g g g g g g
Business Value g Reduce response time for employee inquiries, increase g g g g g g
effectiveness of storing, updating, and retrieving
g g g g g g
employee injury claims. Reduce storage costs of paper files. g g g g g g g g
Special Issues g Must have someone who understands how to create and g g g g g g g g
maintain a secure web site. Must have resources to migrate
g g g g g g g g g g
paper files to data storage. Must work within HIPAA
g g g g g g g g g
guidelines to ensure that medical documents
g g g g g g
are treated according to regulations.
g g g g
AnswertoYourTurn1-4:TooMuchPaper,Part2 g g g g g g g g g
1. Issues arising from digital signatures and electronic documents typically focus on
g g g g g g g g g g
establishing validity for signatures and originators. As these issues can be overcome
g g g g g g g g g g g g
using certificates and encryption, they don‘t necessarily affect the project
g g g g g g g g g g
feasibility. However, they do need to be addressed.
g g g g g g g g
2. Answers will vary. The project champion, organizational management, and g g g g g g g g
perhaps most importantly a subset of the stakeholders must believe in and show
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
support for the project. One solution would be to plan and provide for sufficient
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
training that demonstrates how their jobs might be easier to accomplish with the
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
automated system.
g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-A:AnArrayofITFailures g g g g g g g g g g
Qantas provides for an —ice-breaker‖ discussion topic for the first class. Perhaps group the
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
students and have them discuss this company and then provide for class discussion about
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
the importance of IT project success.
g g g g g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-B:BPIontheFarm g g g g g g g g g
Efficiency gains are mentioned in this Concept in Action. What are the drawbacks to this
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
scenario? Is it as easy as it seems? Issues such as Wi-Fi coverage on a farm, perhaps even
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
cellular coverage can come into play as can weather, dust, and other issues inherent with a
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
farming enterprise.
g g
1-3
, AnswertoConceptsinAction1-C:InterviewwithDonHallacy,President,
g g g g g g g g g g
TechnologyServices,Sprint Corporation g g g g
This is an opportune time to identify the responsibilities of the differing roles that an analyst
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
serves.
g
g g AnswertoConceptsinAction1-D:IntangibleValueatCarlsonHospitality g g g g g g g g g g
Carlson Hospitality can use the information from the survey to determine whether the
g g g g g g g g g g g g
one-point increase in market share revenue ($20 million per point) will offset costs
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
associated with increasing the level of services to high-quality customers which would
g g g g g g g g g g g g
result in a 10% increase in customer satisfaction.
g g g g g g g g
AnswertoConceptsinAction1-E:ReturnonInvestment g g g g g g g g
1. One method for determining a return on investment is to complete a Cost-Benefit
g g g g g g g g g g g g
Analysis using the Present Value Method. Many of the costs for server virtualization
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
are associated with the initial construction: physical manipulation of the servers and
g g g g g g g g g g g g
software licensing. The ongoing costs of labor in updating and accessing tables
g g g g g g g g g g g g
would be relatively small. Using this type of analysis would allow the project
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
sponsors to show how the benefits of the virtualization would be realized on a long
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
term basis. g g
2. Implementing a major change to a system should certainly include a systems analyst. g g g g g g g g g g g g
Systems analysts typically have a broad view of the system, and would be able to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
ascertain how virtualizing the servers will affect the whole system.
g g g g g g g g g g
AnswerstoEndofChapterQuestions g g g g g
1. List and describe the six general skills all project team members should have.
g g g g g g g g g g g g
[1] Technical skills (knowledge of how to employ technology in development system
g g g g g g g g g g g
solutions). [2] Business skills (knowledge of how to apply IT to business problems to
g g g g g g g g g g g g g g
achieve a valuable solution). [3] Analytical skills (ability to solve complex problems).
g g g g g g g g g g g g
[4] Interpersonal skills (oral and written communication skills with both technical and
g g g g g g g g g g g
non-technical audiences). [5] Management skills (ability to manage others and cope with
g g g g g g g g g g g g
an uncertain environment). [6] Ethical skills (ability to deal with others honestly and
g g g g g g g g g g g g g
ethically).
g
2. What are the major roles on a project team?
g g g g g g g g
1-4
