APPROVED

EXAMINATION PAPER: ACADEMIC SESSION 2009/2010Campus Maritime

GreenwichSchool Computing and Mathematical SciencesDepartment Information
System and Digital MediaLevel ThreeTITLE OF PAPER Information Systems
EngineeringCOURSE CODE COMP1304Date and Time Wednesday 9
th
June 2010Duration 2 hours BAHRAIN 15:00 BOTSWANA 14:00GREECE 15:00
HONG KONG 18:30KENYA 15:00 LONDON 13:00MALAYSIA 18:30 MALTA
14:00MALAWI 14:00 MAURITIUS 16:00MYANMAR 16:30 RWANDA 14:00SAUDI
ARABIA 15:00 SINGAPORE 17:30SRI LANKA 17:30 SOUTH AFRICA 14:00SYRIA
15:00 TANZANIA 15:00TRINIDAD 09:30 VIETNAM 18:30ZAMBIA 14:00
BANGLADESH 18:30You
MUST
answer question 1 which is worth 40 marks.Answer TWO questions from the remaining
THREE questions, questions 2 to 4 which areworth 30 marks each. If you answer all
THREE questions from questions 2 to 4, marks will
ONLY
be awarded for your TWO best answers.CALCULATORS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC
DEVICES ARE
NOT

PERMITTED

 
APPROVED
COMP1304 Information Systems Engineering
Page 2 of 3
Section A (Compulsory)
1.
 
Stamper’s Semiotic Framework allows the system developer to understand a
system’srequirements from a number of different perspectives.a)
 
Using an appropriate annotated diagram, describe Stamper’s Semiotic Framework.[10
marks]b)
 
Identify and describe
two
key activities that would take place in the
Pragmatic Layer 
 and
Social World Layer 
.[10 marks]c)
 
The Social World layer includes u
ser expectations
and
organisational culture
as twokey areas to consider. Discuss why consideration of these areas is important to
theinformation system developer.[20 marks]
ection B (Answer any TWO questions)
2.
 
Rich Pictures and Use Cases are two modelling techniques that help the
analystunderstand the requirements of a system.
 
(a)
 
Using suitable examples from a case study known to you, describe how rich picturescan
be used to understand the environment and culture in which the system sits.[10 marks](b)
 
Discuss the relationship between Rich Pictures and Use Case modelling and how
eachtool helps the analyst to carry out effective requirements analysis. In answering
thisquestion, critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each tool.[20 marks]3.
 
System development methodologies and frameworks play an important part in thesuccess
of the development of information systems.(a)
 
Describe what is meant by the terms
managerial model
and
technical model
in relationto a system development methodology.[10 marks](b)
 
Discuss the role that a formal development method or framework may play insupporting
successful system development. In your answer, comment upon whysystems failure still
occurs despite the use of methodologies and frameworks duringthe development.[20
marks]4.
 
Two of the key principles of using a Rapid Application Development (RAD)
approachsuccessfully are delivering products on time and facilitating collaboration in
thedevelopment process.a)
 
Explain one RAD tool that will help deliver products on time and another that allowsfor
collaboration in the development process.[10 marks]b)
 
Discuss how RAD tools and techniques help meet its aims of providing a high
quality,high speed and low cost development approach