Reference no: EM13140942

Part A -Theory 

Question 1 
An information systems project is assessed using a number of feasibility factors before the project is commenced. List and explain the purpose of each of these feasibility factors. 
Question 2 
A project manager plays an important role in ensuring the success of an information systems project. 
a) Define what a project is. 

b) Discuss what role a project manager plays in an information systems project. 

c) Give two (2) internal responsibilities of a project manager. 

d) Give two (2) external responsibilities of a project manager.

Part B - Applied Theory 

As a beginning business analyst, you have been tasked by the project manager to develop the system requirements related to the handling of outstanding purchase orders. You decided that the first step in this task was to observe the business processes in action by watching the various users involved with handling outstanding purchase orders as they performed their tasks. A short description of the processes you observed is provided below. 
"The shipping department receives all shipments on outstanding purchase orders. When the clerk in the shipping department receives a shipment, he or she finds the outstanding purchase order for those items. The clerk then sends multiple copies of the shipment packing slips. One copy goes to purchasing, and the department updates its records to indicate that the purchase order has been fulfilled. Another copy goes to accounting so that a payment can be made. A third copy goes to the requesting in house customer so that he or she can receive the shipment. 
After payment is made, the accounting department sends a notification to purchasing. After the customer receives and accepts the goods, he or she sends notification to purchasing. When purchasing receives these other verifications, it closes the purchase order as fulfilled and paid (Satzinger et. al., p. 155)." 

Question 1 
Develop an activity diagram with reference to the observations provided above. Be sure to include the transfer of any documents in your diagram. Note any ambiguities or questions that you have as you develop the model. If you need to make assumptions, also note these. 
Question 2 
As noted above, the company's current system for handling purchase orders is paper-based. You have been hired to work on a proposed enterprise resource system which will convert their current system from paper-based records to online transactions for tracking purchases. The primary source of information for new system requirements is the various stakeholders who will be using it. The project manager has reviewed your activity diagram and believes that you now have enough information to conduct a small group interview session in order to capture the necessary system requirements. To prepare for the interview session the Project Manager has asked you to write a memo which includes the following information. 
a) Discuss the various stakeholders who may have an interest in the new system. Be sure to include all three groups of users in your discussion. Your discussion should be at least three (3) paragraphs in length. 

b) Prepare an interview session agenda, similar to Figure 4-12 in the Satzinger et. al textbook, which provides the Objective of the Interview, User Participants (by job title) and the questions for Interview/Discussion. 
Part C - Applied Theory (50 marks in total) 

Question 1 
Review the "Focusing on Reliable Pharmaceutical Service" case study covered in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Satzinger et. al textbook and write your memo with reference to the information in the case study. 
Reliable's management team is unsure which system development approach will best fit their strategic plans: a predictive approach or one of the newer adaptive iterative approaches to the SDLC. To help them understand the various risks and management difficulties of each approach they've requested that you write a detailed memo covering the following information. 
a) Compare and contrast the modified waterfall predictive approach to the adaptive approach. 

b) Include in your discussion the various approaches to organizing the iterations in the adaptive approach. 

c) Discuss the types of projects for which each is best suited and the relevant risks and management difficulties of each approach to Reliable's proposed system. 


Question 2 
Review the "Focusing on Reliable Pharmaceutical Service" case study covered in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Satzinger et. Al. textbook and write your memo with reference to the information in the case study. 
Based on your earlier memo, the Reliable management team now wants to better understand the potential risks and management difficulties of two of the iterative adaptive approaches to the SDLC. One iterative approach would focus on developing one subsystem at a time. While with the incremental development approach parts of the system are completed in several iterations, turned over to users, and then the cycle is repeated. Both of these iterative approaches first require an application architecture plan. 
Reliable's management team has requested that you write a detailed memo which includes the following information. 
• An application architecture plan for Reliable's proposed system. 
• If Reliable were to choose an iterative subsystem approach, write a recommendation on which subsystem they should develop first. Your recommendation should be based on your included architecture plan and be one to two paragraphs long. 
• If Reliable were to choose the incremental development approach, provide a recommendation on which parts of the system should be developed in the first iteration. Your recommendation should be based on your included architecture plan and be one to two paragraphs long.