ICT2622 Summaries
,ICT 2622 Summaries
An information system is a set of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output the
information needed to complete business tasks.
A computer application is a computer software program that executes on a computing device to carry out a specific
function or set of related functions.
Systems analysis consists of those activities that enable a
person to under- stand and specify what the new system
should accomplish.
Systems design consists of those activities that enable a
person to describe in detail how the information system
will actually be implemented to provide the needed
solution.
Systems analysis and design provides the tools and techniques you need as an information system developer to
complete the development process:
1. Understand the need (business need).
2. Capture the vision.
3. Define a solution.
4. Communicate the vision and the solution.
5. Build the solution or direct others in building the solution.
6. Confirm that the solution meets the need.
7. Launch the solution application.
A project is a planned undertaking that has a beginning and an end and pro- duces some end result.
The system development life cycle (SDLC) is a framework that identifies all the activities
required to research, build, deploy, and often maintain an information system. The SDLC
includes all activities needed for the planning, systems analysis, systems design,
programming, testing, and user training stages of information systems development, as well
as other project management activities that are required to successfully deploy the new
information system.
An information systems development methodology is a set of comprehensive guidelines for
carrying out all of the activities of each core process of the SDLC. An overall system
development process is a more recent term for methodology.
Agile development: an information system development process that emphasizes flexibility and rapid response to
anticipate new and changing requirements during development.
Iterative development: an approach to Iterative development is an approach to system development in which the
system is “grown” piece by piece through multiple mini- projects called iterations.
A System Vision Document is developed to identify the benefits to the company and the functional capabilities that
will be included in the system.
Subsystem: an identifiable and fully functional part of a complete system.
An organized list of tasks is called a work breakdown structure (WBS). For example:
, Technology architecture refers to the set of computing hard- ware, network hardware and topology, and system
software—such as operating and database management systems—employed by an organization.
Application architecture refers to the set of information systems (the software applications) the organization needs
to support its strategic plan.
System requirements are all the activities the new system must perform or support and the constraints that the new
system must meet. System requirements are divided into two categories: functional and non-functional
requirements.
Functional requirements are the activities that the system must perform (i.e., the business uses to which the system
will be applied). For example, if you are developing a payroll system, the required business uses might include such
functions as “generate electronic fund transfers” “calculate commission amounts” “calculate payroll taxes” etc.
Non-functional requirements are characteristics of the system other than those activities it must perform or
support. It is not always easy to distinguish functional from non-functional requirements.
FURPS is an acronym that stands for functional, usability, reliability, performance, and security.
Usability requirements describe operational characteristics related to users, such as the user interface, related work
procedures, online help, and documentation. For example, the user interface for a smartphone app should behave
similarly to other apps when responding to such gestures as two-finger slides, pinching, and expanding.
Reliability requirements describe the dependability of a system—how often a system exhibits such behaviours as
service outages and incorrect pro- cessing and how it detects and recovers from those problems.
Performance requirements describe operational characteristics related to measures of workload, such as
throughput and response time. For example, the client portion of a system might be required to have a .5 second
response time to all button presses.
Security requirements describe how access to the application will be controlled and how data will be protected
during storage and transmission. For example, the application might be password protected, encrypt locally stored
data with 1024-bit keys, and use secure HTTP for communication among client and server node.
,ICT 2622 Summaries
An information system is a set of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and provide as output the
information needed to complete business tasks.
A computer application is a computer software program that executes on a computing device to carry out a specific
function or set of related functions.
Systems analysis consists of those activities that enable a
person to under- stand and specify what the new system
should accomplish.
Systems design consists of those activities that enable a
person to describe in detail how the information system
will actually be implemented to provide the needed
solution.
Systems analysis and design provides the tools and techniques you need as an information system developer to
complete the development process:
1. Understand the need (business need).
2. Capture the vision.
3. Define a solution.
4. Communicate the vision and the solution.
5. Build the solution or direct others in building the solution.
6. Confirm that the solution meets the need.
7. Launch the solution application.
A project is a planned undertaking that has a beginning and an end and pro- duces some end result.
The system development life cycle (SDLC) is a framework that identifies all the activities
required to research, build, deploy, and often maintain an information system. The SDLC
includes all activities needed for the planning, systems analysis, systems design,
programming, testing, and user training stages of information systems development, as well
as other project management activities that are required to successfully deploy the new
information system.
An information systems development methodology is a set of comprehensive guidelines for
carrying out all of the activities of each core process of the SDLC. An overall system
development process is a more recent term for methodology.
Agile development: an information system development process that emphasizes flexibility and rapid response to
anticipate new and changing requirements during development.
Iterative development: an approach to Iterative development is an approach to system development in which the
system is “grown” piece by piece through multiple mini- projects called iterations.
A System Vision Document is developed to identify the benefits to the company and the functional capabilities that
will be included in the system.
Subsystem: an identifiable and fully functional part of a complete system.
An organized list of tasks is called a work breakdown structure (WBS). For example:
, Technology architecture refers to the set of computing hard- ware, network hardware and topology, and system
software—such as operating and database management systems—employed by an organization.
Application architecture refers to the set of information systems (the software applications) the organization needs
to support its strategic plan.
System requirements are all the activities the new system must perform or support and the constraints that the new
system must meet. System requirements are divided into two categories: functional and non-functional
requirements.
Functional requirements are the activities that the system must perform (i.e., the business uses to which the system
will be applied). For example, if you are developing a payroll system, the required business uses might include such
functions as “generate electronic fund transfers” “calculate commission amounts” “calculate payroll taxes” etc.
Non-functional requirements are characteristics of the system other than those activities it must perform or
support. It is not always easy to distinguish functional from non-functional requirements.
FURPS is an acronym that stands for functional, usability, reliability, performance, and security.
Usability requirements describe operational characteristics related to users, such as the user interface, related work
procedures, online help, and documentation. For example, the user interface for a smartphone app should behave
similarly to other apps when responding to such gestures as two-finger slides, pinching, and expanding.
Reliability requirements describe the dependability of a system—how often a system exhibits such behaviours as
service outages and incorrect pro- cessing and how it detects and recovers from those problems.
Performance requirements describe operational characteristics related to measures of workload, such as
throughput and response time. For example, the client portion of a system might be required to have a .5 second
response time to all button presses.
Security requirements describe how access to the application will be controlled and how data will be protected
during storage and transmission. For example, the application might be password protected, encrypt locally stored
data with 1024-bit keys, and use secure HTTP for communication among client and server node.
