UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2013/2014
ORDINARY EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF BUSINESS
IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BBIT 207 SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES
DATE: AUGUST, 2014 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question ONE and any other TWO
QUESTION ONE
a) Define a methodology [2 Marks]
b) Briefly explain 6 benefits of systems development methodologies. (SDM). [6 Marks]
c) Define information engineering and describe the major phases of information
engineering. [12 Marks]
d) Discuss the SDLC giving its benefits and weaknesses. [10 Marks]
QUESTION TWO
a) Briefly explain how the following techniques are used
i). Data Flow Diagram [2 Marks]
ii). Decision Trees [2 Marks]
iii).Decision Tables [2 Marks]
b) Discuss the organizational themes in ISD. [6 Marks]
c) Briefly explain the main techniques used in Structured Analysis Design and
Implementation of Information Systems. (STRADIS). [8 Marks]
QUESTION THREE
a) When developing an information system, it might be considered that the developer
uses hard and soft development techniques
i). Explain what is meant by the terms hard and soft in this context. [10 Marks]
ii). Discuss why it is in the system developers’ interest to consider both soft and
hard approaches and what value is added to the information system
development in doing so. [10 Marks]
QUESTION FOUR
a) Discuss the similarities and differences between SSADM and MERISE. [8 Marks]
b) Why do you think that both these methodologies became recommended standards for
use in Government departments in the UK and France respectively? [4 Marks]
c) Discuss the Check land’s formal system model. [8 Marks]
QUESTION FIVE
a) Compare and Contrast the following approaches to ISD to SSADM
i) Yourdon systems method [3 Marks]
ii) Rapid application development. [3 Marks]
iii) Jackson Systems development (JSD). [3 Marks]
b) Briefly explain why ETHICS is considered as the socio-technical approach to systems
design. [4 Marks]
c) Describe the key steps in ETHICS. [7 Marks]
