August
1999 QUESTION 2 Total Marks: 20 Marks |
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questions
SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS |
| (a) | What is System Development Methodology (SDM), and what form might it take? | [4] |
| An
SDM is a formal set of rules which allows the complete system development project to be
subdivided into manageable set of discrete tasks. An SDM might take the form of a software package with a sequence of instructions or prompts, or it might be a set of rules, forms, checklists, manuals etc. on paper. In both cases it lays out the methodology that must be followed in subdividing the project in a sensible way throughout the entire project life cycle.
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| (b) | What are the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a general SDM package over developing an in-house SDM? | [4] |
| Purchasing an
off-the-shelf product is cheaper in the short-term since development time (and therefore
labor and IT costs) for in-house products can be high. However, the disadvantage is that a
purchased product is unlikely to do exactly the job that is needed and modification
process might be lengthy and costly, and it is also likely to have redundant features and
functions which must be paid for but may not be used, and may cause confusion amongst
users.
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| (c) | What are the four primary questions that the SDM should allow the project manager to answer? | [2] |
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| (d) | Explain, with the aid of an illustrative example, why it is important that an SDM should break down the system development life cycle into a series of stages. Your discussion, and the example, should make reference to the five discrete stages that you have studied. | [10] |
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