Q.1 What is system implementation?

Ans- Implementation is the process of converting the manual or old

computerized system with the newly developed system and making it
operational, without disturbing the functioning of the organization.
System Implementation comprises the following:
1. Creating computer compatible files.
2. Training the people who are going to actually operate the system.
3. Installing the necessary hardware, terminals and network(If required).
4. Installing the proposed software, testing and performing audit trail.
Types of Implementation:
a) Fresh Implementation- Implementation of totally new computerized
system by replacing manual system.
b) Replacement Implementation- Implementation of new computerized
system by replacing old computerized system.
c) Modified Implementation- Implementation of modified computerized
system by replacing old computerized system.
Q.2 What is test plan?
Ans- The first step in system-testing is to prepare a plan that will test all
aspects of the system in a way that promotes its credibility among
potential users.
A test plan entails the following eight activities.
1. Prepare Test Plan
2. Specify Conditions for user Acceptance Testing
3. Prepare Test Data for Program Testing
4. Prepare test data for Transaction Path Testing
5. Plan User Training
6. Compile/Assemble Programs
7. Prepare Job Performance Aids
8. Prepare Operational Documents
Q.3 What do you mean by form control?
Ans- Managing the hundreds of forms in a typical organization requires a
forms control program. Form control is a procedure for:
1. Providing improved and effective forms.
2. Reducing printing costs
3. Securing adequate stock at all times.
The first step in a procedure for forms control is to collect, group, index
stock and control the forms of the organization.Each form is identified
and classified by the functions it performs. Once classified, a form is
evaluated by the data it requires,where it is used, and how it overlaps
with other forms. The object is to get rid of unnecessary forms.
Q.4 What is data dictionary?
Ans- Data Dictionary is a structured repository f data about data. It
contains descriptions and definitions concerning the data elements, data
structure, their interrelationships and other characteristics of a system.
It helps to achieve the following objectives:
a) A standard definition of all terms in a system.
b) Easy cross-referencing between sub-systems, programs and modules.
c) Simpler program maintenance

1. Data Element- Data element is the smallest unit of data that has some
meaning. It cannot be decomposed further. For example, employee
number, age of employee, quantity ordered etc.
2. Data Structure- Data Structure is a group of data elements that
describe a unit in the system. For example, BOOK DETAILS consisting of
the data elements author name, title, ISBN, price, publisher’s name and
address.
3. Data Flows and Data Stores- Data flows are data structures in motion
whereas data stores are data structures at rest. Data stores may be files,
databases etc.

Q.5 What do you mean by fact analysis?

Ans- Fact analysis refers to the process of examining and evaluating
information or data to determine its accuracy, reliability, and validity. It
involves scrutinizing the evidence, sources, and supporting details to
establish the veracity of a statement or claim.
In fact analysis, one seeks to distinguish between factual information
and opinions, misinformation, or falsehoods. It involves conducting
research, cross-referencing multiple sources, and employing critical
thinking skills to assess the credibility and trustworthiness of the
information presented.
The purpose of fact analysis is to arrive at an informed and objective
understanding of a given topic or issue by relying on verified and
substantiated facts. It helps individuals make well-informed decisions,
develop accurate perceptions, and avoid falling prey to misinformation
or misconceptions.

Q.6 What do you mean by fact finding?Explain

Ans- The specific methods that an analyst uses for collecting data about
the requirements of the new system are called information gathering or
fact finding techniques or data collecting techniques.
Fact finding techniques-
1. Record Inspections
2. Interview
3. Questionnaire
4. On-site Observation

Q.7 What is System Evaluation?

Ans- System evaluation refers to the process of assessing and analyzing
the performance, effectiveness, and efficiency of a system or process. It
involves gathering data, measuring key metrics, and conducting a
comprehensive examination to determine how well a system is meeting
its objectives and whether it requires any improvements or
modifications.
The process of system evaluation typically involves the following steps:
Establishing evaluation criteria: Defining the metrics, benchmarks, and
performance indicators that will be used to assess the system's
effectiveness.
Data collection: Gathering relevant data and information through
various methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or analyzing
existing records.
Analysis: Examining the collected data to assess the system's
performance and identify patterns, trends, or areas of concern.
Comparison: Comparing the system's performance against established
benchmarks, industry standards, or best practices.
Feedback and recommendations: Presenting the findings of the
evaluation and providing recommendations for improvements or
optimizations based on the analysis.
Implementation of recommendations: Taking necessary actions to
address the identified issues or make enhancements to the system
based on the evaluation results.

Q.8 What do you mean by Open System?

Ans- An open system is a system that interacts freely with its
environment. This type of system can adapt to changing internal and
environmental conditions. A business organization is an excellent
example of an open system. A human being is another example of an
open system. Open systems are usually adaptive,i.e their interaction
with the environment is such as to favour their continued existence
Main characteristics of Open System are:
1. Equifinality
2. Input from outside
3. Entropy(or loss of energy)
4. Process,Output and Cycles
5. Differentiation

Q.9 What is Decision tree?

Ans- A decision tree is a diagram that presents conditions and actions
sequentially and thus shows which conditions to consider first, which
second, and so on. It is also a method of showing the relationship of
each condition and its permissible actions.
The diagram resembles branches on a tree, hence is the name.
Advantages:
1. A decision tree describes conditions and actions and this forces a
system analyst to identify the actual decisions that must be made.
2. Decision tree forces analyst to consider the sequence of decision
3. Decision tree is useful to express the logic when a value of variable or
an action is dependent on nested decision.
Disadvantages:
1. A decision tree for a complex system with many sequences of steps
and combination of conditions will be unmanageable.
2. Another major drawback of a decision tree is the lack of information
in this format to tell us what other combinations of conditions to test.

Q.10 What is Gantt chart?

Ans- A Gantt Chart is an easy way to schedule tasks. A gantt chart makes
use of bar charts as graphical representation. Each activity is
represented with bar along with its starting data and ending date.
Advantages:
1. Gantt charts are easy to create and maintain.
2. Easy to understand
3. Able to reflect the status of each project task at any time.
4. Able to represent overlapping or parallel tasks.
Disadvantages:
Does not show interrelationship among activities. Hence it does not
define which activity must be completed before other can start.

Q.11 What is System Documentation?

Ans- Documentation is the process of collecting, organizing, storing and
maintaining historical record of programs and other documents used or
prepared during the different phases of life cycle of software.
System documentation means coordinated effort, to communicate the
information of the system in written form. Its purpose is to ensure that
the details of the system are understood by all the persons concerned
during the development process and subsequent operation.
High quality standard documentation offers the following advantages:
1. Aid to analysis
2. Aid to communications
3. Aid to training
4. Aid to debugging
5. Aid to implementation
6. Aid to evaluation
7. Aid to management
8. Aid to security

Q.12 What are Types of system?

Ans- System have been classified in different ways. Common
classifications are:
1. Open and closed system
2. Deterministic and Probabilistic system
3. Physical and Abstract systems
4. Man-made information systems

Q.13 What is decision table?

Ans- Decision tables are used to define clearly and concisely the decision
statement of a problem in a tabular form. They can prove to be a
powerful tool for defining complex program logic. When the computer
has to made a large number of decisions or if there are large number of
different branches within a program, decision tables are particularly
useful. Decisions Tables, aim at trying to display information clearly and
at a glance. The table is divided into two horizontal and two vertical
parts resulting in four distinct areas or quadrants. The quadrants are
usually separated by double lines.

Q.14 What is Oral presentation?

Ans- The presentation may aim at informing, confirming or persuading.
For oral presentation following general outline is suggested:
1. Introduction-
a) Self Introduction by the analyst.
b) A brief introduction of the topic.
c) A brief description of the existing system.
2. Body of presentation-
a) Describe existing system
b) Describe Proposed System
c) Summarize implementation plan and schedule
d) Review human resources requirements to install system

3. Conclustion-
a) Summmarize the proposal
b) Summarize the objectives and recommendations.
c) Summarize the benefits and savings.

4. Discussion Period-
Answer Questions Session

Q.15 What are Flow-Charts?

Ans- A flow chart is a graphical representation of a specific sequence of
steps to be performed by the computer to produce the solution of a
given
problem. Hence flowchart is a graphical representation of the algorithm.
There are two types of flow charts :
1. System Flow Chart : It is a pictorial representation of the data flow
and
all the data processing steps of a complete system. These are usually
used
by the system Analysts for designing the data processing systems.
2. Program Flow Chart : It is a pictorial representation of all the
instructions involved in a program to solve any particular problem.

Q.16 Which implementation approach is preferred when there are

many people in an organization performing similar operations?
Ans - The pilot approach to conversion is preferred when there are
many people in an organization performing different operations.

Q.17 What is the purpose of Questionnaire while gathering

information?
Ans - Questionnaires are popular research methods because they offer a
fast, efficient and inexpensive means of gathering large amounts of
information from sizeable sample volumes. These tools are particularly
effective for measuring subject behavior, preferences, intentions,
attitudes
and opinions.

Q.18 What factor need to be considered when deciding on the best

system system design?
Ans - There are always the considerations of time, complexity, cost and
functionality, in a design. Considering these factors during the design
process provides a meaningful basis to balance the needs of
maintenance
as we attempt to restore a system to service.

Q.19 Explain Acceptance testing?

Ans - Acceptance testing is formal testing based on user requirements
and
function processing. It determines whether the software is conforming
specified requirements and user requirements or not. It is conducted as
a
kind of Black Box testing where the number of required users involved
testing the acceptance level of the system. It is the fourth and last level
of
software testing.

Q.20 Explain master and transaction file?

Ans - Master file - A collection of records pertaining to one of the main
subjects of an information system, such as customers, employees,
products and vendors. Master files contain descriptive data, such as
nameand address, as well as summary information, such as amount due
and
year-to-date sales.
Transaction file - A collection of transaction records. The data in
transaction files is used to update the master files, which contain the
data
about the subjects of the organization (customers, employees, vendors,
etc.). Transaction files also serve as audit trails and history for the
organization. Where before they were transferred to offline storage
after
some period of time, they are increasingly being kept online for routine
analyses.

Q.21 Explain various system design principles?

Ans -
I. Practicality - The system must be stable and can be operated by
people with average intelligence.
II. Correctness - The design should be correct as per the requirements.
III. Completeness - The design should have all the components like data
structures, modules, external interfaces etc.
IV. Efficiency - Expensive and scarce resources should be used
efficiently by the system.
V. Flexibility - The system should be modifiable depending on the
changing needs of the user.
VI. Consistency - There should not be any inconsistency in the design.
VII. Maintainability - The design should be so simple that it can be
easily maintainable by other designers.
VIII. Cost - It is desirable to aim for a system with a minimum cost
subject to the condition that it must satisfy all the requirements.

Q.22 Discuss the various planning alternatives used in system

development life cycle(SDLC).
Ans - System development life cycle is a well-defined process by which a
system is conceived, developed and implemented. The system
development life cycle consists of the following phases as shown below :
1. Preliminary survey or Investigation
2. Feasibility Study
3. System Analysis
4. Design of System5. Development of Software
6. System Testing
7. Implementation and evaluation
8. Maintenance
Preliminary Survey - It is one of the most difficult tasks of the system
analyst is identifying the real problem of the existing system. Without
clear understanding of the problem in the system any further work done
will lead to wastage of effort at a later stage. The purpose of the
preliminary survey or investigation is to evaluate project requests.
Feasibility Study - The next step is to examine the feasibility of the
proposed system. This involves evaluating the costs and benefits of the
system. Initially a rough cost-benefit analysis will be sufficient for the top
management to take a decision either in favor of or against the
proposed
system.
The feasibility study is concerned with three aspects :
1. Technical Feasibility
2. Economical Feasibility
3. Operational Feasibility
System Analysis - When the system analyst decides that the requested
system is feasible and the management agrees to continue the
development process, the next phase of SDLC is determination of
systems requirements. This phase includes studying of existing system in
details and collecting data in order to find out the requirements of the
users.
The Key questions are :
 What is being done in the organization?
 How Is it being done?
 How frequently does it occur?
 Does a problem exist?
 How well is the task being performed?
Design of System - In the system design phase, the primary objective is
to identify user requirements and to build a system that satisfies these
requirements, systems specialists often refer to this stage as logical
design,in contrast to the process of developing program software, which
is
referred to as physical design.
Development of Software - In this phase the system is actually
programmed. The analyst should decide whether to buy a commercial
software or to develop new customized programs with the help of
programmers. The choice depends on the cost of each option, the time
available to develop software and the availability of programmers. In
large organizations the work is entrusted to programmers, whereas in
small organizations, the job is assigned to outside organizations.
System Testing - The main purpose of this phase is to find the errors and
correct them. A successful test is one which finds a error. The main
objectives of system testing are as follows :
A) To make sure that the system during operation will perform as per
the
specification laid down initially at the time of system analysis.
B) To make sure that the controls incorporated in the program system
and
the system function as intended.
C) To ensure that the during the operation, incorrect inputted data and
processing will be detected.
Implementation and Evaluation - Implementation consists of installing
hardware, software, training of all the users and collecting data needed
to
use it. In this phase, user actually starts using the system. Therefore, this
phase involves training of the users for using the system and also
providing them friendly documentation to refer to.
Implementation can be done in three ways :
A) New System is implemented and the old system is completely
dropped
out of one particular date.
B) New System is implemented and both old and new system are
operated in parallel. When new system is accepted, old system is
dropped
out.
C) The new system is implemented in many phases. Each phase is carried
out only after successful implementation of previous phase.
Maintenance - After implementation, the systems need to be
maintained
in order to adapt the changing business needs.There are three types of
maintenance.A) Correction - Correction means correcting the errors in
the existing
software.
B) Adaptation - Adaptation means customizing the software to run in the
new environment.
C) Enhancement - Enhancement means adding new functions or
additional capabilities to the system. If the system needs major
modification, then life-cycle starts again.

Q.23 What do you mean by System? Explain its types and

characteristics?
Ans - A system is an orderly grouping of interdependent components
linked together according to a plan to achieve a specific objectives.
Basically, there are three major components in every system, namely,
input, processing and output.

Characteristics of a System -
In general all systems have the following common characteristics -
These are as follows :
1. Specific Objectives - The basic objective of a system is to achieve
some goal. A business system, for example, may have profit-making as
its corporate goal.
2. Components - These are the sub-systems which collectively function
to achieve goals of the system.
3. Organization - Organization implies structure and order. It is the
arrangement of components that helps to achieve objectives.
Types of System -
System have been classified in different ways. Common classifications
are :
I. Open and Closed System
II. Deterministic and Probabilistic systems
III. Physical or Abstract systems
IV. Man-made information systems
1. Open and Closed Systems - A closed system is one which is self
contained. It has no interaction with its environment. No known
systemcan continue to operate for a long period of time without
interacting with
its environment.
An open system is a system that interacts freely with its environment.
This type of system can adapt to changing internal and environmental
conditions. A business organization is an excellent example of an open
system.
2. Deterministic and Probabilistic systems - The behaviour of a
deterministic system is completely known. There is no uncertainty
involved in defining the outputs of the system knowing the
inputs.Computer program is a good example of a deterministic system.
In the probabilistic systems, the behaviour can not be predicted with
certainty, only probabilistic estimates can be given. In this case, the
interactions between various subsystems cannot be defined with
certainty.
3. Physical or Abstract systems - Physical system are tangible or visible
systems. That is, tangible system can be seen, touched, counted etc.
Physical system may operate statically or dynamically.
Abstract systems are conceptual or nonphysical entities. Such systems
just involve abstract conceptualization of physical situations. For
example,
a modal is an abstract system as it is a conceptualization and a
representation. Other example are : algorithm and equation.
4. Man-made Information System - It is generally believed that
information reduces uncertainty about a state or event For example,
information that the weather will be good tomorrow reduces over
uncertainty about whether or not a football game will be played. An
information system is an arrangement of people, data, processes,
interfaces and communication that interact to support and improve day-
to-day operations.

Q.24 What is System analyst? What is the role of system analyst?

Ans- A system analyst is a professional who specializes in analyzing,
designing, and evaluating information systems to meet the specific
needs and requirements of an organization. System analysts bridge the
gap between business processes and technology solutions by
understanding the goals and objectives of an organization and
translating them into system requirements and specifications.
Role of system analyst:
Systems analysts analyse how well software, hardware and the
wider IT system fit the business needs of their employer or of a client.
They write requirements for new systems and may also help implement
them and monitor their effectiveness.
Typical responsibilities of the job include:
 Examining current system.
 Talking to users(requirements gathering).
 Producing specifications for new or modified systems.
 Liaising with other IT staff such as programmers to produce new
system.
 Implementing new systems.
They are also responsible for user training and feedback. Travel is a key
feature of the job as the majority of work is undertaken at clients'
premises.

Q.25 What are DFDs? What are the considerations involved in

developing DFD? Illustrate through a suitable example.
Ans - Data flow diagrams are widely used graphic tools for describing the
movement of data within or outside the system. As a DFD consists of a
series of bubbles joined by lines, it is also known as a ‘bubble chart’.
Considerations involved in developing DFD :
1. Identify external entities and data flows of the system.2. First
construct the context diagram. A context diagram contains a
single process. But it plays a very important role in studying the current
system.
3. Processes in the DFD should be named and numbered for easy
reference.
4. The direction of flow is from top to bottom and from left to right.
5. The names of data stores, sources and destinations are written in
capital
letters and first letter of each word of process and data flow name
should
be capitalized.
6. The description in the context diagram is very brief. Identify data
stores and processes of the system and draw second level DFD.
7. Explode the processes of first level and draw second level DFD.
8. Explode the processes of second level and draw third level DFD and so
on.

Example - Railway Reservation System

Prepare a DFD for a railway reservation system function as follows:
The passengers fill in a reservation form. The counter clerk ensures
whether seat is available or not from reservation register. If seat is not
available, the form is returned back to the passenger. If the seat is
available, clerk will compute the charges for the ticket and issue a ticket
to the passenger. A booking statement is also composed. One copy of
the
booking statement is retained as office copy, one is given to the train
conductor and one copy of the booking statement is retained as office
copy, one is given to the train conductor and one copy is pasted on the
compartment. A cash statement is prepared at the end of each shift.
Q.26 What is a cost benefit analysis? Explain the procedure of
cost/benefit determination.
Ans - The primary objective of cost-benefit analysis is to find out
whether it is economically worthwhile to invest in the proposed
project. If the return on investment is high, then the project is
considered economically worthwhile. It is done in the following steps-
a) Identification of costs and benefits.
b) Classifications of costs and benefits.
c) Selection of Evaluation Method.
d) Interpret Results of the analysis and take final action.
 Identification of Costs and Benefits - First of all, the analyst identifies
those costs and benefits of the project, that can be measured. These
are five major cost elements. These are:
1. Hardware Cost - Hardware cost includes the actual purchase of the
computer and peripherals. It also includes accomodation and furniture
costs.
2. Operating Cost - Operating cost includes the expenses to run the
system. Operating cost depends on the amount of time taken for a
process.
3. Personnel Cost - Personnel cost includes the salaries and wages of
analysts, designers, programmers, EDP staff, consultants etc.
4. Material Cost - Material cost includes cost of stationery, paper,
ribbons,
floppies etc.
5. Conversion Cost - Conversion cost includes that of designing new
forms and procedures expenditure to prepare the site for using the new
system.
 Classification of cost and benefits - Cost and benefits can be
classified as follows:
1. Tangible or intangible
2. Fixed or variable
3. Direct or indirect
 Selection of Evaluation Method - After classification of costs and
benefits, the analyst selects an appropriate method for evaluating
them. The common methods of evaluating the costs and benefits are:
1. Payback Method
2. Present Value Method
3. Net Present Value4. Net Benefit Method
5. Break-even Method
6. Cash Flow Analysis
 Interpret results of the analysis and take final action -
When the evaluation of the project is complete, the results have to be
interpreted. This entails comparing actual results against a standard or
the
result of an alternative investment. The interpretation phase as well as
the
subsequent decision phase are subjective, requiring judgement and
intuition. The decision to adopt an alternative new system can be highly
subjective, depending on the analyst’s or end user’s confidence in the
estimated costs and benefits and the magnitude of the investment.

Q.27 What is system analysis? Explain in detail the tool of systems

analysis.
Ans - System Analysis - When the system analyst decides that the
requested system is feasible and the management agrees to continue
the
development process, the next phase of SDLC is determination of
systems requirements. This phase includes studying of existing system in
details and collecting data in order to find out the requirements of the
users.
The Key questions are :
 What is being done in the organization?
 How Is it being done?
 How frequently does it occur?
 Does a problem exist?
 How well is the task being performed?
Tools of system analysis -
1. Grid charts - Grid charts are used to represent the relationship
between two sets of factors in a tabular method. A grid chart analysis is
helpful in eradicating unnecessary reports or unnecessary data items
from
reports. It can also be used for identifying the responsibilities of various
managers for a particular sub-system.
2. System flow charts - A system flowchart is a pictorial or
diagrammatic representation of the logical flow of operations and
information of an organization. It depicts the clear relationship between
input processing and output considering the entire system.
3. Decision Tree - Some decisions involve a series of steps. The outcome
of the first decision guides the second; the third decision depends on the
outcome of the second, and so on. In such type of situations of decision
making uncertainty surrounds each step, so we face uncertainty, piled
on
uncertainty. Decision trees are the model to deal with such kind of
problems.
4. Simulation - The simulation model describes the operation of the
system in terms of individual events, components of the system. Mainly,
it involves the development of a model which is mostly mathematical in
nature rather than directly describing the behavior of the overall system.
In particular, the system is divided into elements whose behavior is
predicted in terms of probability distributions.
5. Decision Table - Decision tables are a graphical method of
representing a sequence of logical decisions. It is prepared in a
tabularform. It lists all possible conditions and associated set of actions.
A decision table consists of the four parts-condition stub, condition
entries, action stub, and action entries.

Q.28 What do you mean by system feasibility? Explain the objective

and steps in feasibility analysis?
Ans - A detailed analysis that considers all of the critical aspects of a
proposed project in order to determine the likelihood of its succeeding.
This involves evaluating the costs and benefits of the system. Initially a
rough cost-benefit analysis will be sufficient for he top management to
take a decision either in favour of or against the proposed system.
The feasibility study is concerned with three aspects. These are -
1. Technical Feasibility - During this study, the analyst identifies the
existing computer systems both hardware and software of the
concerned
department and determines whether these technical resources are
sufficient for the proposed system or not.
2. Economic Feasibility - Economic feasibility is the most important
study the determines the cost and benefits of the proposed system and
compares the budget. The cost of the project should not outweigh the
budget. The cost of the project includes the cost of hardware, software,
development and implementation.
3. Operational Feasibility - During operational feasibility study, it is
determined whether the system will operate in the way that user wants
or
not. This test of feasibility asks if the system will work when it is
developed and installed. Operational feasibility must determine how the
proposed system will fit in with the current operations and what, if any,
job reconstruction and re-training will be needed to implement the
system.
Steps of feasibility study -

Step One: Conduct a Preliminary Analysis. ...

Step Two: Prepare a Projected Income Statement. ...

Step Three: Conduct a Market Survey. ...

Step Four: Plan Business Organization and Operations. ...

Step Five: Prepare an Opening Day Balance Sheet. ...

Step Six: Review and Analyze All Data.

Step Seven: Make GO/NO GO decision.

Q.29 What activities make up system design? How does system

design simplify implementation explain?
Ans - The design phase focusses on the detailed implementation of he
system recommended in the feasibility study. System design can be of
the
following two types:
a) Logical Design
b) Physical Design
The logical design describes the structure and characteristics of features
like outputs, inputs, files, databases and procedures.
Logical Design - Logical Design concerns with the specifications of
major features of the system that would meet the objectives.
The logical design includes :
1. Reviews the current system - Its data flows, file content, volumes,
frequencies etc.
2. Prepares output specification - Format, content and frequency of
reports. It also specifies the output screen layout.
3. Prepares input specifications - Format, content and most of the input
functions. It also specifies the screen layout.
4. File specification - Once the input data is captured into the system,
these may have to be preserved either for a short or long period.
5. Procedure specification - This step involves specification of how
processing will be performed.
6. Specifies the implementation plan.7. Prepares a logical design
walkthrough of the information flow,
output,input,controls and implementation plan.
8. Review benefits, costs, target dates, and system constraints.
Physical Design - The physical design, which follows the logical design,
produces actual program software, files and a working system. The
physical design produces the working system by defining the design
specifications that tell programmers exactly what the proposed system
must do. The physical design includes :
1. Specify the Input/Output media.
2. Design the data base.
3. Design the programs.
4. Specify backup procedures.
5. Make a test plan.
6. Specify any new hardware/software.
7. Specify implementation plan.
8. Prepare a conversion schedule and a target date.
9. Specify training procedure.
Q.30 What do you mean by form design? What are the requirements
of form design? Also explain types of form?
Ans - We know that data provide the basis for information systems.
Without data there is no system, but data must be fed in correct way so
that the information produced must be in a format acceptable to the
user.
People read from forms, write on forms, and spend many hours in
handling forms and filing forms. The data the forms carry come from
people, and the informational output of the system goes to people. So
the
form is a tool with a message, it is the physical carrier of data of
information.
Requirements of form design - Main requirement of form design are :
1. Descriptive headings - The title of the form should clearly identify the
purpose of the form. It should be as simple as possible. Also the columns
and rows should be specifically labelled so that there should not remain
any confusion in the minds of the readers.
2. Maximum reliability - The form must be easy to use and fill out.
Forms which look complicated and time-consuming to complete, are not
likely to do the job they are intended to do. Words and phrases which
may be familiar to the designer may be misunderstood by the user.3.
Logical flow of information - The entries on a form should insure a
logical sequence ---bringing together related material. The flow should
be
from left to right and from top to bottom.
4. Physical attributes - Deciding on the form’s colour, margin, layout etc.
Is an important part of from design. Stripping or shading is effective for
highlighting parts of a form but it may add to the cost of printing.
5. Sufficient instructions for the user - Sufficient instructions should be
included in the form to inform the user as to how the form should be
used
and handled.
6. Ease of data entry - They must be designed in such a way that the
data entry becomes easier.
7. Efficiency consideration - The form must be cost effective. This
means eliminating unnecessary data and facilitating reading lines accross
the form.
Types of forms are -
1. Action form - Action form requests the user to do something and get
action. For example, application form, purchase order, shop order etc.
2. Memory form - It represents historical data. It is used for reference.
For example, Bond register Inventory record, purchase record. Unlike
action forms, memory forms are stationary and remains at one place,
3. Report form - It is summary picture of a project. It provides
information about job or details that need attention. It is used as a basis
for decision making. For example, Balance sheet, profit & loss statement
etc.
Q.31 What do you mean by input design and what are the objectives
of input design?
Ans - Input design is the process of converting user-originated input
format to a computer-based format. This computer based form is called
as
input form or sources document.
Objective of input design are -
1. Input forms must be complete and accurate.
2. They must be designed in such a way that the data entry becomes
easier.
3. There should be not any inconsistency of data in input forms.
4. Input forms should be attractive to the user.
5. Assuring input meets the intended purpose.
6. Input forms must be easy to fill out.
7. Avoiding extra steps.Therefore, well-designed input forms, screens
and interactive, web fill-in
forms should meet objectives of effectiveness, accuracy, easy of use,
consistency, simplicity, and attractiveness.

Q.32 What is Form-Driven methodology?

Ans - State the functions to be performed by the program rather than
specifying the program statements to be used to perform the functions.
Provide a visual description of input to be used and output to be
produced
for each level of the diagram.
Q.33 What do you mean by System implementation? Explain the
process of implementation in detail?
Ans - Implementation is the process of converting the manual or old
computerized system with the newly developed system and making it
operational, without disturbing the functioning of the organization.
System implementation comprises the following :
1. Creating computer compatible files.
2. Training the people who are going to actually operate the system.
3. Installing the necessary hardware, terminals and network(if required).
4. Installing the proposed software, testing and performing audit trail.
Types of Implementation
There are three types of implementation -
a) Fresh Implementation - Implementation of totally new
computerized system by replacing manual system.
b) Replacement Implementation - Implementation of new
computerized system by replacing old computerized system.
c) Modified Implementation - Implementation of modified
computerized system by replacing old computerized system
Process of Implementation
Whatever be the kind of implementation, the implementation process
has
following two parts :
i. Conversion
ii. Training of Users

Q.34 Quality Assurance and its goals in system life cycle.

Ans - The software life cycle includes various phases of development and
each phase has the goal of quality assurance. The goals and their
relevance to the quality assurance of the system are :
1. Quality Factors Specifications
The goal of this phase is to define the quality factors. Software quality
factor are shown in the figure below -

Other quality factors are :

 Robustness
 Data Abstraction
1. Correctness -
Correctness is the extent to which a software satisfies its specifications.
2. Reliability -
Reliability is the extent to which a software can be expected to perform
its intended function with required precision.
3. Usability -
Usability is the effort required to learn and operate the software
properly.
4. Integrity -
Integrity is the extent to which access of software or data by
unauthorized
persons can be controlled.
5. Efficiency -
Efficiency means less response time and memory requirement.
6. Maintainability -
Maintainability is the effort required to locate and fix an error in a
program.
7. Flexibility -
Flexibility is the effort required to modify an operational program.
8. Testability -
Testability is the effort required to test to ensure that the system or a
program performs its intended function.
9. Portability -
Portability is the effort required to transfer the software from one
hardware and/or software system environment to another.
10. Reusability -
Reusability is the extent to which part of software can be reused in other
software.2. Software Requirements Specifications
The quality assurance goal of this phase is to generate the requirements
document that provides the technical specifications for the design and
development of the software.
The SRS document should have the following main characteristics -
 Complete
 Consistent
 Understandable by the user
 Modifiable as per the needs of the users
 Unambiguous
3. Software Design Specifications -
In this phase software design document defines the overall architecture
of
the software that provides the functions and features described in the
software requirement document. The document describes the logical
subsystems and their respective physical modules.
4. Software Testing and Implementation -
The quality assurance goal of the testing phase is to make the system
reliable and error free. In the implementation phase, the goal is to
provide
a logical order for the creation of the modules and, in turn, the creation
of
the system.
5. Maintenance and support -
This phase provides the necessary software adjustment for the system
to
continue to comply with the original specifications. The quality
assurance
goal is to develop a procedure for correcting errors and enhancing
software
Q.35 What is System Maintenance and its types?
Ans - System maintenance is an ongoing activity, which covers a wide
variety of activities, including removing program and design errors,
updating documentation and test data and updating user support. For
the
purpose of convenience, maintenance may be categorized into three
classes, namely:
1. Corrective Maintenance: This type of maintenance implies removing
errors in a program, which might have crept in the system due to faulty
design or wrong assumptions. Thus, in corrective maintenance,
processing or performance failures are repaired.2. Adaptive
Maintenance: In adaptive maintenance, program functions
are changed to enable the information system to satisfy the information
needs of the user. This type of maintenance may become necessary
because of organizational changes which may include:
a) Change in the organizational procedures,
b) Change in organizational objectives, goals, policies, etc.
c) Change in forms,
d) Change in information needs of managers.
e) Change in system controls and security needs, etc.
Perfective Maintenance: Perfective maintenance means adding new
programs or modifying the existing programs to enhance the
performance
of the information system. This type of maintenance undertaken to
respond to user’s additional needs which may be due to the changes
within or outside of the organization. Outside changes are primarily
environmental changes, which may in the absence of system
maintenance,
render the information system ineffective and inefficient. These
environmental changes include:
a) Changes in governmental policies, laws, etc.,
b) Economic and competitive conditions, and
c) New technology.

Q.36 What do you mean by system testing? What types of test data
are used in system testing? Explain.
Ans-
System testing is a phase of software testing that focuses on evaluating
the behavior and functionality of a complete and integrated system. It
aims to verify whether the system meets the specified requirements,
functions as intended, and performs accurately in its intended
environment.
During system testing, the entire system is tested as a whole, rather
than individual components or modules. It involves testing the system's
functionality, performance, security, reliability, and compatibility to
ensure that it meets the desired quality standards.
Types of test data used in system testing:
Normal test data: Normal test data represents the typical or expected
input values that a system is designed to handle. It includes valid and
reasonable data that conforms to the system's requirements and
specifications.
Boundary test data: Boundary test data focuses on the extreme or
boundary values of input parameters. It tests the system's behavior at
the upper and lower limits of its input range. For example, if a system
accepts numbers between 1 and 100, boundary test data would include
values like 1, 100, and values just above or below those limits.
Invalid test data: Invalid test data consists of inputs that are
intentionally designed to be outside the expected or valid range. It aims
to test how the system handles erroneous or invalid data. This can
include entering alphabetic characters in a numeric field or entering a
future date as a birthdate.
Stress test data: Stress test data is used to assess the system's stability
and performance under extreme or peak workload conditions. It
involves testing the system with a large volume of data, high user loads,
or intensive processing to determine its response and performance
limits.
Negative test data: Negative test data focuses on testing the system's
ability to handle unexpected or exceptional scenarios. It includes inputs
that are intentionally designed to cause errors or trigger system failures.
The purpose is to identify how well the system handles error conditions
and maintains data integrity.
Regression test data: Regression test data is used to ensure that
changes or modifications to the system do not introduce new defects or
impact existing functionality. It includes a set of representative test
cases that cover critical system features to be retested after any changes
are made.
The selection and combination of test data types depend on the specific
requirements, functionality, and risks associated with the system being
tested. A comprehensive test data strategy ensures thorough coverage
of different scenarios and helps identify potential issues and
vulnerabilities in the system.