CHAPTER 1

Q1.
 A set of interrelated components (system) that utilize new
technologies in generating information.
 Hardware, software, data, people and procedures
 Eg. point-of-sale system, general ledger system, inventory
control system, production scheduling system

Q2.
(a) Business Information System refers to IS that is used
specifically to help in the business related functions.

(b) Relationships with other systems

 BIS are often interdependent (not standing alone)
 Eg. Output of one IS will serves as input for another IS
in an organization.

Boundaries / Scope
 A boundary between two systems indicates where
one system ends and the other begin.
 The boundary between two systems is not always
clear-cut. It takes coordination and proper system
definition to set these boundaries correctly.
 Specialized business needs
 Each BIS has its own purpose and functions.
 Two BIS of the same category may be different in
their procedures and system requirements due to
their business flows, users expectations and size of
the company
(c)
Characteristics Descriptions
Functions  An operational system process data generated by
the day-to-day business transactions
 The purpose of TPS is to computerize an existing
manual system for faster processing, reduced
clerical costs and improved customer service.
Users Operational employees or Lower management

Input Internal transactions data

Output Detailed transactions report
Q3.
System Analyst (SA):
 The key man in the system development process. SA involves
in the actual development process instead of overseeing the
project development
 analytical, technical, managerial and interpersonal skills.
Programmer:
 Convert the system specifications given by the analysts into
instructions the computer can understand.
 Coding, programming
End user:
 Non-information system professionals
 End user makes requests, uses the systems and gives
feedbacks to the IT department.

Q4.
 The data is used to monitor the performance of events in
order to detect any abnormalities.
 The data can also be used to compare with the expected
outcomes.
 Actions can be taken immediately should there be any
discrepancy or problem.
 Data is the source for all useful information.
Q5.
 Sandy is working in operation management level. (low level
management)
 She makes routine decisions (operational decision) using
predetermined rules.
 The outcomes of the decision are predictable. (structured
problems/structured decisions)

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TUTORIAL 2

Q1.
(i) A controlled process of initiating, planning, executing,
controlling and closing down a project.

(ii) Initiation
- Activate a project
- Assess the size, scope, complexity and objectives of
the project
- Establish procedures to support later project
activities
Planning
- Define clear, discrete activities and the works
needed to complete each activity within a project
Execution
 - Turn prior plans into actions
Close-down
- bringing a project to an end

(iii) To ensure the successful completion of the project,

ABC Company must ensure the project is managed
effectively.

A welly managed project must meet the objectives,

users’ expectations, stays within the budget and
duration allocated.

Q2
(a) CP: A – B – D – F – H (30 days)
(b) Slack time for E = 24 – 21 = 3 days

Q3.
PERT/CPM Chart
A diagram which:
(i) shows the dependency of project activities
(ii) shows the potential slack time of the activities
(iii) analyzes mission-critical activities
(iv) predicts the total project duration
The above information is shown with a set of linked task
boxes. (network diagram)

Gantt Chart
A horizontal bar chart that clearly illustrates system
development schedule. (activities vs date/time)

The chart will show:

(i) the duration of project activities (starting date,
ending date, duration)
(ii) the progression of the activities (% of complete)
against the calendar.
**************************************************
CHAPTER 3
Q1
 To improve customer service
(Computerized) IS are able to work on 24/7 basis.
IS are able to process data much faster than humans.
Organizations are able to serve their clients in more
effective way.
Clients are able to enjoy more convenient, flexible and
quicker transactions.
Computerized services are basic requirements for most of
the businesses.

 For better information and decision

IS gather input, analyze the data and generate useful /
timely information.
IS help the decision makers to reduce uncertainties.
With better information, a decision maker is able to have
more control over a situation and increase the accuracy in
the decision making.

 To increase the productivity

 With IS, people can do more works and perform their
works faster.
Increased productivity means reduce the costs in providing
goods and services .
Cost saving results to reducing in prices and increasing of
profits for the business.
 To gain more competitive advantage
Customers clearly prefer an organization over other
competitors (prices, products, services)
IS help to reduce prices, control the cost, increase the
profits, create unique products and provide better
services.

 For better communication

IS allow staff or clients to share information in a more
timely manner.
Hence, IS allow better communication.

Initiators – Department Managers, Senior Executives, System

Analyst, owner etc.

Q2. Refer to PYQ Mar2013

Q3(a)
 The users have the most intimate knowledge of their own
job.
 Users will have higher sense of belongingness and willing to
support the system.
 Result in more accurate system requirements.
(b)
Lack of user involvement:
SA gets wrong information through outdated documents.
The system design will not meet the user requirements.
The users will not have the confidence to use the new
system.
The users will reject or oppose the new system.
Result in poor quality system

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CHAPTER 4

Q1.
Operational Feasibility
To determine whether the system will be supported or can be
used effectively by the users

Technical Feasibility
To determine whether the organization has the technical
resources (eg. h/w, s/w, expertise) in developing, installing
operating and maintaining the system

Economical Feasibility
To estimate the cost for developing and maintaining a system
To determine whether the benefits can outweigh the costs

Schedule Feasibility
To assess whether a proposed system can be completed within
the allowable timeframe.

Organizational Feasibility
To determine how well a proposed system supports the goals
and objectives of the organization

(b)
Tangible Benefits:

 Elimination of tedious manual operating costs

 Direct cost reduction
 Increase in sales due to expansion of system capability and
better control procedures

Intangible benefits:

 Increase customer satisfaction

 Increase service quality by implementing better control
procedures
 Improve decision making process by improving
information accessibility speed
Q2.
(a)
Operational feasibility:
 Customers have expressed their satisfaction with the
current system
 Internal staff do not show strong support to the new
system
 People tends to resist changes
 Resistance to the new system is expected to be high
 Chances for new system to be fully operational are low

Economic feasibility:
 The intangible benefits described in the scenario do not
show the worthiness of the system request
 The costs of upgrading the existing system do not justify
the need
 Hence, it is economically not feasible

Technical feasibility:
 The company has the necessary expertise to overhaul or
upgrade the existing system
 Although the request is not urgent and compulsory, it is
technically feasible
Since most of the feasibility studies show negative
results, we may conclude that the proposal from David is
not feasible / not significant enough to implement.

(b)
No specific rules in determining which study should be carried
out first.
It depends on the company policy and areas of emphasis.

Example:
Hannah should start with technical feasibility and find out
whether David’s request can be done by the existing h/w. If not,
new h/w must be purchased to make the proposal feasible. This
additional cost will then affect economic feasibility, and should
be examined carefully to determine whether the project should
be approved.

Q3.
(a) Process of comparing the predicted costs to the predicted
benefits of an information system.

Tangible costs:
Loss of sales
Employees’ salary
Maintenance fees
 Purchasing materials
Renting hardware

Tangible benefits
cost saving
increment in sales
increment revenue

(b)

Year Costs (RM) Accumulated Costs (RM) Benefits (RM) Accumulated Benefits (RM)

0 80,000.00 80,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00

1 44,000.00 124,000.00 13,500.00 23,500.00

2 24,200.00 148,000.00 18,225.00 41,725.00

3 13,310.00 161,510.00 24,603.75 66,328.75

4 7,320.50 168,830.50 33,215.06 99,543.81

5 4026.28 172,856.78 44,840.33 144,384.14

6 2214.45 175,071.23 60,534.45 204,918.59

Payback period Analysis

P = 5 + 172,856.78 – 144,384.14
60534.45 – 2214.45
P = 5.49 years
 ROI = [(Total Benefits – Total Costs) / Total Costs] x 100
= [(204,918.59 - 175,071.23) / 175,071.23] x 100
= 0.17 x 100
= 17%

Q4.
(a) Present Value (PV) analysis is a method of comparing
future monetary value to today’s monetary value (based
on a discounting factor).
It is a technique of evaluating capital investment using
discounting arithmetic to determine whether or not they
will provide a satisfactory return.

(b)
Net Present Value Analysis
Production Scheduling System Benefits and Costs:

Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total

Benefits - 30,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000
Factor (12%) 1.000 0.893 0.797 0.712 0.636 0.567
PV of Benefits - 26,790 15,940 14,240 12,720 11,340 81,030

Costs 95,000 - - - - -
Factor (12%) 1.000 0.893 0.797 0.712 0.636 0.567
PV of Costs 95,000 - - - - - 95,000

Net Present Value: (13,970)

(c)
 This is a bad investment and should not be continued as
negative NPV is obtained

 Notice that the NPV is a negative RM13,970. The project is

not economically feasible.

 The primary reason for the negative outcome is the time

value of money.

 RM95,000 in costs would have to be spent up front, and

paid for with today’s monetary value.

 The benefits, on the other hand, would not be realized

immediately and worth lesser if compared to today’s
monetary value.

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CHAPTER 5

Q1(a)
To determine users requirements
 To understand what are the users’ requirements and
expectations on the new system
 High involvement form the users ensures the SA in
obtaining accurate and complete information

To understand the current system

 To understand how the current system works
 To uncovered the input, output, processes and control of
the current system
 To identify the strengths, limitations and problems of the
current system.
(b) (c)
Interview
A face-to-face communication between the interviewer and the
interviewee
A formal meeting with agenda and objectives in which the SA
will seeks the answers of some pre-formulated questions

Advantages:
 Provides detailed information and better understanding
 Allow interviewer/interviewee to verify and clarify the
confusing facts.
 Users will have higher sense of belongingness and willing to
support the system

Disadvantages:
 Time consuming
 Interviewees may not speak the truths.

Questionnaires
A formal list of questions which is distributed to a large group
of respondents.

Advantages
 Respondents can respond at their leisure.
 Data can be easily collected from a large group of
respondents in a shorter time.
 Anonymous respond
 Cheaper
 Data collected can be tabulated (quantitative data)

Disadvantages:
 Questions are difficult to design
 Cannot clarify questions / answers
 Not all the forms will be returned

Document review
Reviewing of procedures manuals, reports, forms and any other
kind of materials

Advantages
 Better understanding of procedures
 More detailed descriptions on current system
 Acts as a cross checking (verification) tool to further support
the facts obtained

Disadvantages:
 Documents not up to date
 Procedures modified & current practice not following
documents
 Need careful selection of documents

Observation
 Observation is concerned with watching the participants in
performing their usual activities.

Advantages:
 Cross-check and verify
 The observer sees and experiences the reality of the scenario
 Gain additional information (eg. environmental conditions
such as dirt, space and noise) which may not be covered
through other methods

Disadvantages:
 Need power of concentration
 Time consuming
 Need prior understanding of procedure
 Hawthorne Effect

Q2(a)
  Prototype is an experimental model to the actual IS which
is not fully operational
 Prototype helps the users to preview the future system
and to determine their requirements accurately
 Prototype helps the SA to quickly gather the users’
requirements and expectations.
 Users will give comments after previewing the prototype
and the SA will then refine the prototype until it fully fits
the users’ needs

(b)
 When the system requirements are unclear.
 When systems environment changes rapidly.
 When immediate results are needed.
 When there is large number of alternatives.
 When the prototyping tools are available.

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CHAPTER 6
Q1.
Structured English
 IF Payment made within 18 days THEN
IF amount of order greater than RM4000 THEN
Give a 4% discount
ELSE IF amount of order is between RM1000 and RM4000 THEN
Give a 2% discount
ELSE
No discount
END IF
IF Orders made via the Web THEN
Apply extra 5% discount
END IF
END IF

Q2.

(i) Simplified decision table.

 Conditions and Actions 1 2 3 4 5

Order >= RM 1000? Y Y N N N

Distance >= 50KM Y N Y Y N

Express Delivery? - - Y N -

RM 20 X

RM 8 X

RM 30 X

RM 15 X

RM 10 X

(ii) Simplified decision tree.

 Y RM 20

Distance >=
50KM

Y N RM 8

Order >= RM
10000
Y RM 30

N Express
Y Delivery
N
Distance >=
50KM RM 15

RM 10
N

Q3.

 An graphical analysis tool which is arranged in hierarchical form.

  The root criteria (node) on the far left and proceeded with the subsequent
criteria.
 All possible actions are listing on the far right.

Q4(a)
Original Table

Conditions and Actions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Special order Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N
Payment less than or equal 10 days Y Y Y N N N Y Y Y N N N

Order H M L H M L H M L H M L
- amount more than $1000 (H)
- amount between $500 - 1000 (M)
- amount less than $500 (L)
4% discount X

2% discount X

No discount X X X X X X X X X X
 Simplified Table

Conditions and Actions 1-6 7 8 9 10-12

Special order Y N N N N

Payment less than or equal 10 days - Y Y Y N

Order - H M L -
- amount more than $1000 (H)
- amount between $500 - 1000 (M)
- amount less than $500 (L)
4% discount X

2% discount X

No discount X X X

(b) Decision Tree

 (c) Structured English

Calculate the discount amount.

IF No special order
IF payments are made within ten days
THEN IF order amount is greater than $1,000
THEN 4% discount
ELSE IF the order amount is between $500 and $1,000
THEN 2% discount
ELSE IF the order amount is less than $500
THEN No discount
ELSE No discount
ELSE No discount
ENDIF
ENDIF
Q5(a)
Original Table

Simplified Table
(b)
Decision Tree
(c)

IF order >= RM5000

IF Distance>= 50 miles
IF Express delivery, then
Charge 3%
ELSE
Charge 1.5%
ELSE
Charge 1%
ELSE
IF Distance >=50 miles
IF Express delivery, then
Charge 4%
ELSE
Charge 2%
ELSE
Charge 1.5%

Q6

(a) Simplified Table

 (b) Simplified Tree

****************************************************
CHAPTER 7
Q1
 Divide large, complex problems into smaller, more easily
handled ones
◦ Decomposition of project development
 Use graphics to illustrate ideas whenever possible
◦ Graphics can communicate more efficiently than
words
 Emphasize documentation
◦ To serve as reference for future maintenance,
correction, enhancement and training purpose.
 Utilize diagrams of the finished system
◦ Identify errors in the earlier stages as modifications
made in the earlier stage is relatively inexpensive
Q2.
(i)

(ii)

Q3.
 DD shows all the detailed descriptions of data flows, data
stores, external entities and processes involved in a system
design.
 DD helps SA to have a complete understanding on DFD
(DD supplements DFD)
Q4.

Q5.
Entity
 Objects that interact with the system
 Is not considered as the internal components of a system
 Can be source (data provider) or sink (information
receiver)
  ONE-TO-ONE relationship
◦ A vehicle is assigned to a vehicle number
is assigned
vehicle Vehicle no.

 ONE-TO-MANY relationship
◦ A MIS lecturer teaches many students

teaches
MIS lecturer Student

 MANY-TO-MANY relationship
◦ Many students can take many subjects

takes
Student Subject

****************************************************
CHAPTER 8
Q1(a)
 A general software solution to a business application.
 The software package is ready to use.
 It consists of the programs and the supporting
documentations.
 Created and sold by software houses/vendors.

(b)
 The software house quits the business.
IT staff need to be trained in operating and maintaining the IS

 The purchased software does not exactly fit the

requirements of the organization.
Vendor / In house customization may be needed
 The user needs to depend on the vendors for maintenance
and updates
It is important to select vendor which is of good reputation,
reliable and responsible

 May require changes in the business processes

Identify carefully and only purchase software package that can fulfill t
company’s needs and objectives
(c)
 Outsourcing is the use of outside companies (software
house/ vendor) to handle a portion of a company’s IT/IS
workload.

Disadvantages of Outsourcing:
Contract Length:
- Outsourcing contract tends to be long in duration
- Difficulties in getting out from the contract if the vendor is
not suitable
Competitive Edge:
- Outsourcing causes the company to lose competitive
advantages
- The system created is not unique
Confidentiality:
- Possibility of vendors leaking company secrets to
competitors
Q2. PYQ Apr 2015 Q5(c)

Advantages of Outsourcing:
Cost Reduction:
Need not to recruit own IT staff (eg. SA, programmer)
Concentrate on Core Business:
Emphasize on strategic function instead of utility function
Access to New Resources and Technical Expertise:
Software vendors have ready pool of talents and are
experienced in system design

Q3.
Software Acquisition options are:
 Off-the-shelf package
 Software Customization
 In-House developing
 Outsourcing
Any 3 factors SA has to consider are as follows:
 Cost of implementation
 Time of implementation
 To what extend users requirements are fulfilled
 Technical implementation and support
 Documentation and training support
 Performance
 Reliability issues
 Security issues

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CHAPTER 9 & 10
Q1
 Not agree
Justifications:
 Unit testing is used to prove that an individual program
(module) is running properly
 It does not promise that the communication between
interrelated programs (modules) will be successful, as
errors may occurs when passing data between these
programs
 If integration (link) testing is skipped, errors that occur
later will be harder to trace and takes more time to be
solved

Q2(a)
Firewalls
◦ A firewall is a combination of hardware and software that
examines the network traffic sent to and from the intranet
◦ Companies use firewall to deny unauthorized access /
malicious data transmission to their intranet (incoming)
◦ Companies also use firewall to filter outgoing employees’
messages and restrict access to malicious destination
(outgoing)
(b)
Emergency Plan:
 To define the actions and steps to be taken during an
emergency

Backup Plan:
 To handle the continuation of data processing function
after the disaster.

Recovery Plan:
 To establish the capability of recovery of the data
processing mission and bring everything back to original
state

Test Plan:
 A test plan simulates various levels of disaster and record
organization’s ability to handle disaster.

Q3(a)
Direct changeover
Justification:
Risk:
 The system is small in size, involves only three managers
who will use the system occasionally. Hence, the impact of
system failure is not significant to the company. – direct c
is acceptable
Cost:
 The conversion cost is not fully budgeted. Hence, a
cheaper conversion method is preferable. – parallel c is
out
Time:
 The conversion must be done within one week (short
conversion time frame) – pilot and phase c are out

(b)
 Built-in search capability allows users to find information
faster.
 Can be presented in a much interactive way by
incorporating various multimedia (dynamic) elements such
as animation, sound and video to enhance users’
understanding.
 The cost of storing and distributing online documentation
is much lower than paper-based documentation.
 Can be shared or distributed easily

Q4(a)
  Facial recognition.
 Bone structure comparisons.
 Fingerprint recognition.
 Use infrared technology to detect movement.
 A retinal or IRIS scan.
 Voice recognition
 Heat detector

(b)
 Patients’ records are sabotaged or destroyed and caused
lost of data
 Patients’ medical records / reports are leaked to
unauthorized parties
 Unauthorized modification on medical diagnosis may
endanger or even kill the patient
 Theft of personal information caused infringement of
privacy
 Billing information may be altered to cheat the hospital