The Analysis Stage

Questions:
1. Summarize what the ‘Analysis’ stage involves.

It is where all the information related to the system is collected. The

hardware, software, the advantages, disadvantages, possible problems,
client requirements, etc.
2. List and explain 4 tasks that the analysis stage would involve.

Task Explanation
1. Describe the need of identifying You should specify the hardware and
hardware and software software that you will use during the
construction of your system

2. Describe the need of identifying the You should ask the people that will use your
client requirements system about what they would like to see or
have when using it.

3. Describe the need of identifying It is important to recognize possible

possible problems problems in order to avoid any inconvenient
in the future. You can save time and money
4. Describe the need of identifying You have to check the pros and cons of your
advantages and disadvantages system

2. A systems analyst needs to find out information about both the current system and the proposed
system. List 4 methods that they use to get this information
 Questionnaires
 Interviews
 Observations
 Current system documentation

3. One of the methods to find out information about the current/proposed system is to conduct
questionnaires. Explain what takes place here.

In this method, you give the people questions with multiple choose answers such as
yes/no questions, or answers where they can choose a number from 1 to 5

Describe 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of gathering information via questionnaires:

Advantages of questionnaires Disadvantages of questionnaires

The information gathered is more specific You can only answer yes/no questions

IGCSE ICT: Unit 7 - Systems Life Cycle Mark Nicholls - ICT Lounge
 It is more simple to understand People can`t share their exact point of view.

4. One of the methods to find out information about the current/proposed system is to conduct
interviews. Explain what takes place here.

In this method, you ask the persons about their opinion of your system. The answer will
be open, which means that the person could reply anything that he or she wants

Describe 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of gathering information via interviews:

Advantages of interviews Disadvantages of interviews

You can know the exact opinion of the Information may be not very specific
people that will use the system

5. Another method of finding out information about the current/proposed system is to conduct
observations. Explain what takes place here.

Describe as many advantages and disadvantages as you can find of gathering information via
observations (research some of your own):

Advantages of observations Disadvantages of observations

IGCSE ICT: Unit 7 - Systems Life Cycle Mark Nicholls - ICT Lounge
 6. The last method of finding out information about the current/proposed system is to look at the
current systems documentation. Explain what takes place here.

Describe 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of gathering information via the current systems
documentation:

Advantages of current systems Disadvantages of current systems

documentation documentation

Questions:
3. Summarise what the ‘Design’ stage involves.

In this stage, you should start to plan how the system will look and work

2. List and explain 7 tasks that happen within the design stage.

Task Explanation
1. Designing data entry screens You should design screens where data can be
entered into the system. For instance: Text
boxes, drop-down- menus

2. Design user-interface layouts You should design how menus or search

facilities will look like

3. Designing printed outputs You should design how will printed outputs
such as pay-bills, reports, etc. will look like

4. Designing screen-based outputs You should design how the outputs that are
displayed on the screen will look like

IGCSE ICT: Unit 7 - Systems Life Cycle Mark Nicholls - ICT Lounge
 5. Designing structures to store data You should design structures such as
databases or tables in order to hold the
system´s record

6. Designing data validation methods You should create methods in order to check
that all the information that is entered to the
system will be valid

7. Designing data verification methods You should design a method to check that all
the information is correct

3. Explain what system validation is.

Is where a computer checks that all the information that is entered to the
system, is valid and usable

4. Give an example of a validation rule (not the same one as on the ictlounge) that could be
applied to a system. You should also explain the scenario where the validation rule would be
used to reject invalid data.

Example of the validation rule Scenario that could make use of a

validation rule

5. Describe 5 validation checks along with a description of what they do and an example of how
they could be applied in a real-life scenario

Validation Description Real-life example

check
Length check Check that the correct number of When Gmail asks you to type a
characters has been entered mobile phone in order to send a
verification text message, you
cannot write more than 10
characters
Data type check Checks that the entered data When you are creating your e-mail,
does not contain invalid they ask you to enter your name so if
characters you type numbers, the system will
not allow you to register

IGCSE ICT: Unit 7 - Systems Life Cycle Mark Nicholls - ICT Lounge
 Range check Checks that numbers are within a When you are going to get your
certain range driver´s license, you must be over 16
(>16) and less than 80 (<80) if you
are not in that range of age, you will
not be able to get your license
Limit check It make sure that data is not In order to get a job, you should be
above or below an specified limit over 18 (>18)

Presence check Checks that data has been If you forget to write your username
entered and not missed out in portal colegios log in page, then
you will not be able to continue with
the signing in process

6. Explain what system verification is.

Is a way of making sure that the data that you enter to the system exactly
matches with the source of data.

7. Describe 2 verification checks along with a description of what the checks entail.

Verification check Description

Visual check It is where the person that enters the data to the system,
compares what they have entered with the information in the
original document

Double entry It is when you have to enter the data twice. For example,
sometimes the system ask you to write your password twice in
order to make sure that you didn´t made a mistake

IGCSE ICT: Unit 7 - Systems Life Cycle Mark Nicholls - ICT Lounge