IFT-540 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025-2026
phases - Answers related groups of development activities, such as initiation, planning, analysis,
design, implementation, deployment, and support
waterfall model - Answers an SDLC approach that assumes the phases can be completed
sequentially with no overlap
incremental development - Answers an SDLC approach that completes portions of the system
in small increments across iterations, with each increment being integrated into the whole as it
is completed
walking skeleton - Answers a development approach in which the complete system structure is
built but with bare-bones functionality
tool - Answers a software application that assists developers in creating models or other
components required for a project
integrated development environments (IDEs) - Answers sets of tools that work together to
provide a comprehensive development and programming environment for software developers
visual modeling tools - Answers tools that help analysts create and verify graphical models and
may also generate program code
technique - Answers a collection of guidelines that specify a method for how to carry out a
development activity or task
agile development - Answers a guiding philosophy and set of guidelines for developing
information systems in an unknown, rapidly changing environment
chaordic - Answers a term used to describe adaptive projects because they are chaotic yet
ordered
agile modeling (AM) - Answers a guiding philosophy in which only models that are necessary,
with a valid need and at the right level of detail, are created
UP discipline - Answers a set of functionality related activities that combine to enable the
development process in a UP project
pair programming - Answers XP practice in which two programmers work together on designing,
coding, and testing software
refactoring - Answers revising, reorganizing, and rebuilding part of a system so it is of higher
quality
product backlog - Answers a prioritized list of user requirements used to choose work to be
done in a Scrum project
,product owner - Answers the client stakeholder for whom the system is being built
Scrum master - Answers the person in charge of a Scrum project—similar to a project manager
sprint - Answers a time-controlled mini-project that implements a specific portion of a system
What is a project? - Answers A project is a planned undertaking, with a beginning and end that
produces a well-defined result or product.
What is the range of sizes of an information system development project? - Answers Some
system development projects are very large, requiring thousands of hours of work by many
people spanning several calendar years. Many system development projects are smaller, lasting
a few months.
What is the system development life cycle (SDLC)? - Answers The system development life
cycle provides a way to think about the development of a new system as a progressive process.
What characteristics of a project call for a predictive approach to the SDLC? - Answers
Predictive SDLCs are useful for building systems that are well understood and defined. For
example, updating an older system where the staff already understands the requirements very
well and no new processes need to be added.
What characteristics of a project call for an adaptive approach to the SDLC? - Answers An
adaptive approach is used when the system's requirements and/or the users' needs aren't well
understood. Some system requirements may need to be determined after preliminary
development work. Flexibility is needed.
What are the six phases of the traditional predictive SDLC? - Answers project initiation
project planning
analysis
design
implementation
deployment
Explain how the waterfall model of the SDLC controls the changes that occur during a project. -
Answers The waterfall model assumes that phases can be carried out and completed
sequentially. This model assumes rigid planning and final decision making at each step of the
development project.
Explain the advantages of having the phases of a predictive SDLC overlap. - Answers In having
the SDLC phases overlap, there is recognition that each phase is influenced by and dependent
on each other. While some initial analysis must be done before designing can start, during
,design it may be discovered that more detail is needed or that a requirement cannot be met in
the manner originally requested.
What organizing concept is included in all adaptive SDLCs? - Answers All adaptive SDLCs
include iterations, where, rather than having the phases proceed sequentially, the iterations can
be used to create a series of mini-projects that address smaller parts of the application.
For an adaptive SDLC, explain what goes on during each iteration. - Answers An iterative
approach is adaptive because with each iteration's analysis, design, and implementation,
modifications can be made to adapt to the changing requirements of the project.
The SDLC used in this text is based on what adaptive SDLC? - Answers The adaptive approach
presented in this textbook is a simplification of and variation on a more formal iterative
approach called the Unified Process (UP).
What are the core processes in the SDLC used in this book, and what traditional predictive SDLC
phase corresponds to each process? - Answers -Identify the problem and obtain approval
(project initiation)
-Plan and monitor project (project planning)
-Discover and understand details (analysis)
-Design system components (design)
-Build, text, and integrate system components (implementation)
-Complete system tests and deploy the solution (deployment)
What is the iterative approach that involves completing and deploying part of an application
over a few iterations and then completing and deploying another part of that application after a
few more iterations? - Answers incremental development
Why do adaptive SDLCs not explicitly include the support phase? - Answers Because, through an
adaptive SDLC process, parts of the system are available early on for user evaluation and
feedback, which helps ensure that the application will meet the needs of the users.
What is a system development methodology? - Answers A system development methodology
provides guidelines for every facet of the system development life cycle. Within a certain
methodology, certain models, such as diagrams, are used to describe and specify the
requirements.
What are some examples of models included in a methodology? - Answers Some examples of
models for system components: use case diagrams, domain model class diagram, design class
diagram, sequence diagram, package diagram, screen design template, etc. Some models used
to manage the development process: Gantt chart, organizational hierarchy chart, financial
, analysis models, system development life-cycle model, stakeholders list, and iteration plan.
What are some examples of techniques included in a methodology? - Answers Examples of
techniques in a methodology are: strategic planning techniques, project management
techniques, user-interviewing techniques, data-modeling techniques, relational database design
techniques, structured programming techniques, software-testing techniques, process
modeling techniques, domain modeling techniques, use case modeling techniques, object-
oriented programming techniques, architectural design techniques, user-interface design
techniques.
What are some examples of tools included in a methodology? - Answers Some examples of
tools in a methodology are: project management application, drawing/graphics application,
word processor/text editor, visual modeling tool, integrated development environment (IDE),
database management application, reverse-engineering tool, code generator tool.
What is Agile development? - Answers Agile development is a philosophy and set of guidelines
for developing information systems in an unknown, rapidly changing environment, and it can be
used with any system development
What are the four "values" reflected in Agile development? - Answers The four basic values
identified in Agile development:
-Value responding to change over following a plan
-Value individuals and interactions over processes and tools
-Value working software over comprehensive documentation
-Value customer collaboration over contract negotiation
What is Agile modeling (AM)? - Answers Agile modeling is a guiding philosophy that isn't about
doing less modeling, but about doing the right kind of modeling at the right level of detail for the
right purposes. AM doesn't dictate which models to build or how formal to make those models.
What are the 12 Agile modeling principles? - Answers -software is your primary goal
-next effort is your secondary goal
-minimize modeling
-embrace change, change incrementally
-model with a purpose
-build multiple models
phases - Answers related groups of development activities, such as initiation, planning, analysis,
design, implementation, deployment, and support
waterfall model - Answers an SDLC approach that assumes the phases can be completed
sequentially with no overlap
incremental development - Answers an SDLC approach that completes portions of the system
in small increments across iterations, with each increment being integrated into the whole as it
is completed
walking skeleton - Answers a development approach in which the complete system structure is
built but with bare-bones functionality
tool - Answers a software application that assists developers in creating models or other
components required for a project
integrated development environments (IDEs) - Answers sets of tools that work together to
provide a comprehensive development and programming environment for software developers
visual modeling tools - Answers tools that help analysts create and verify graphical models and
may also generate program code
technique - Answers a collection of guidelines that specify a method for how to carry out a
development activity or task
agile development - Answers a guiding philosophy and set of guidelines for developing
information systems in an unknown, rapidly changing environment
chaordic - Answers a term used to describe adaptive projects because they are chaotic yet
ordered
agile modeling (AM) - Answers a guiding philosophy in which only models that are necessary,
with a valid need and at the right level of detail, are created
UP discipline - Answers a set of functionality related activities that combine to enable the
development process in a UP project
pair programming - Answers XP practice in which two programmers work together on designing,
coding, and testing software
refactoring - Answers revising, reorganizing, and rebuilding part of a system so it is of higher
quality
product backlog - Answers a prioritized list of user requirements used to choose work to be
done in a Scrum project
,product owner - Answers the client stakeholder for whom the system is being built
Scrum master - Answers the person in charge of a Scrum project—similar to a project manager
sprint - Answers a time-controlled mini-project that implements a specific portion of a system
What is a project? - Answers A project is a planned undertaking, with a beginning and end that
produces a well-defined result or product.
What is the range of sizes of an information system development project? - Answers Some
system development projects are very large, requiring thousands of hours of work by many
people spanning several calendar years. Many system development projects are smaller, lasting
a few months.
What is the system development life cycle (SDLC)? - Answers The system development life
cycle provides a way to think about the development of a new system as a progressive process.
What characteristics of a project call for a predictive approach to the SDLC? - Answers
Predictive SDLCs are useful for building systems that are well understood and defined. For
example, updating an older system where the staff already understands the requirements very
well and no new processes need to be added.
What characteristics of a project call for an adaptive approach to the SDLC? - Answers An
adaptive approach is used when the system's requirements and/or the users' needs aren't well
understood. Some system requirements may need to be determined after preliminary
development work. Flexibility is needed.
What are the six phases of the traditional predictive SDLC? - Answers project initiation
project planning
analysis
design
implementation
deployment
Explain how the waterfall model of the SDLC controls the changes that occur during a project. -
Answers The waterfall model assumes that phases can be carried out and completed
sequentially. This model assumes rigid planning and final decision making at each step of the
development project.
Explain the advantages of having the phases of a predictive SDLC overlap. - Answers In having
the SDLC phases overlap, there is recognition that each phase is influenced by and dependent
on each other. While some initial analysis must be done before designing can start, during
,design it may be discovered that more detail is needed or that a requirement cannot be met in
the manner originally requested.
What organizing concept is included in all adaptive SDLCs? - Answers All adaptive SDLCs
include iterations, where, rather than having the phases proceed sequentially, the iterations can
be used to create a series of mini-projects that address smaller parts of the application.
For an adaptive SDLC, explain what goes on during each iteration. - Answers An iterative
approach is adaptive because with each iteration's analysis, design, and implementation,
modifications can be made to adapt to the changing requirements of the project.
The SDLC used in this text is based on what adaptive SDLC? - Answers The adaptive approach
presented in this textbook is a simplification of and variation on a more formal iterative
approach called the Unified Process (UP).
What are the core processes in the SDLC used in this book, and what traditional predictive SDLC
phase corresponds to each process? - Answers -Identify the problem and obtain approval
(project initiation)
-Plan and monitor project (project planning)
-Discover and understand details (analysis)
-Design system components (design)
-Build, text, and integrate system components (implementation)
-Complete system tests and deploy the solution (deployment)
What is the iterative approach that involves completing and deploying part of an application
over a few iterations and then completing and deploying another part of that application after a
few more iterations? - Answers incremental development
Why do adaptive SDLCs not explicitly include the support phase? - Answers Because, through an
adaptive SDLC process, parts of the system are available early on for user evaluation and
feedback, which helps ensure that the application will meet the needs of the users.
What is a system development methodology? - Answers A system development methodology
provides guidelines for every facet of the system development life cycle. Within a certain
methodology, certain models, such as diagrams, are used to describe and specify the
requirements.
What are some examples of models included in a methodology? - Answers Some examples of
models for system components: use case diagrams, domain model class diagram, design class
diagram, sequence diagram, package diagram, screen design template, etc. Some models used
to manage the development process: Gantt chart, organizational hierarchy chart, financial
, analysis models, system development life-cycle model, stakeholders list, and iteration plan.
What are some examples of techniques included in a methodology? - Answers Examples of
techniques in a methodology are: strategic planning techniques, project management
techniques, user-interviewing techniques, data-modeling techniques, relational database design
techniques, structured programming techniques, software-testing techniques, process
modeling techniques, domain modeling techniques, use case modeling techniques, object-
oriented programming techniques, architectural design techniques, user-interface design
techniques.
What are some examples of tools included in a methodology? - Answers Some examples of
tools in a methodology are: project management application, drawing/graphics application,
word processor/text editor, visual modeling tool, integrated development environment (IDE),
database management application, reverse-engineering tool, code generator tool.
What is Agile development? - Answers Agile development is a philosophy and set of guidelines
for developing information systems in an unknown, rapidly changing environment, and it can be
used with any system development
What are the four "values" reflected in Agile development? - Answers The four basic values
identified in Agile development:
-Value responding to change over following a plan
-Value individuals and interactions over processes and tools
-Value working software over comprehensive documentation
-Value customer collaboration over contract negotiation
What is Agile modeling (AM)? - Answers Agile modeling is a guiding philosophy that isn't about
doing less modeling, but about doing the right kind of modeling at the right level of detail for the
right purposes. AM doesn't dictate which models to build or how formal to make those models.
What are the 12 Agile modeling principles? - Answers -software is your primary goal
-next effort is your secondary goal
-minimize modeling
-embrace change, change incrementally
-model with a purpose
-build multiple models
