TITLE HET: DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SUBJECT DOCUMENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 1B

SUBJECT CODE SAD220
TEST/EXAM TEST MEMO
SEMESTER 2ND
DATE WRITTEN 20 SEP 2016

TOTAL MARKS 120

DURATION 2 HOURS
PASS MARK 50%
WEIGHTING 10%
EXAMINER MISS Z KHUMALO
MODERATOR MR S NGUBENI

REQUIREMENTS:

Learner Requirements:
Equipment Requirements:

This paper consists of:

1. SECTION A : 20 MARKS
2. SECTION B : 30 MARKS
3. SECTION C : 70 MARKS

Please answer ALL questions.

PLEASE READ THE ASSESSMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT FOLLOW

Learners are warned that contravening any of the examination rules or disobeying the instructions of
an invigilator could result in the examination being declared invalid. Disciplinary measures will be
taken which may result in the students’ expulsion from Damelin.

Damelin SAD220 1
ASSESSMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

Please ensure that you have read and fully understand the following assessment rules and regulations
prior to commencing with your assessment:

1. To be permitted access to the examination, a learner must arrive with:

- an Identity Document or other official proof of identity (for example,
- a student card, passport or driver's licence card with photo); and
- the required exam stationery.
2. No learner may enter the examination room more than 30 minutes after the examination sitting
has commenced and no candidate may leave the room less than one hour after the examination
sitting has commenced.
3. No extra time will be allowed should a student arrive late.
4. All learners must sign the Attendance Register for the examination on arrival.
5. It is the responsibility of learners to familiarise themselves with the examination rules prior to
sitting for the examination.
6. All examinations are to be written on the date and time officially stipulated by the College.
7. It is the responsibility of learners to ensure that they are writing the correct paper and that the
question paper is complete
8. Cell phones must be switched off prior to entering the exam venue. Cell phones and wallets may
be placed under candidates' chairs rather than at the front of the room.
9. Learners may not handle cell phones or wallets during the exam.
10. No weapon of any description may be taken into the assessment room.
11. All personal belongings are to be placed at the front of the examination room. Personal
belongings brought to the examination are at the owner's risk.
12. Smoking is not permitted and learners will not be allowed to leave the examination room in order
to smoke
13. Once the examination has commenced, all conversation of any form between candidates must
cease until after candidates have left the room, after the examination.
14. Only the official College examination book, as supplied by the College, may be used.
15. Learners must ensure that their student number is written on the answer book.
16. Learners are responsible for ensuring that they follow the instructions in the examination for
submitting their answers.
17. Please read the instruction appearing on the examination paper carefully
18. The number of every question must be clearly indicated at the top of every answer.
19. No pages may be torn out of the answer book. All question papers and scrap paper must be
handed to the invigilator after the examination.
20. Learners finishing earlier are to leave the examination room as quietly as possible on the
instruction of the invigilator, and may not talk until outside the building where the examination is
being written.
21. Only under exceptional circumstances will a learner be permitted to leave the examination room
during the examination, and if the invigilator gives permission. An invigilator must accompany the
learner. Only one learner at a time may be absent from the examination room.
22. Candidates may not act dishonestly in any respect.

Damelin SAD220 2
SECTION A True or False and Acronyms [ 20 Marks]

Question 1 [5]

State whether the following statements are true or false

1. Routers can be used to connect LANs and WANs to other networks, such as the Internet.
True (1)
2. Visio offers a wide variety of drawing types, styles, and downloadable templates. True
(1)
3. A thin client design places all or most of the processing logic at the server. True
(1)
4. System Environment Describes the constraints, or conditions. True (1)
5. The Extended Service Set (ESS) is made up of two or more Basic Service Set networks True
(1)

Question 2 [15 Marks]

Write out the following acronyms in full.

1. SaaS - Software as a Service (1)

2. IBS - Internet business services (1)
3. ASP -Application service providers (1)
4. BPO - Business Process Outsourcing (1)
5. TCO - Cost Of Ownership (1)
6. ROI - Return on investment (1)
7. HCI - Human-computer interaction (1)
8. DML- Data Manipulation Language (1)
9. IC - Information Centre (1)
10. NPV - Net present value (1)
11. UI - User Interface (1)
12. BCI- Brain Computer Interface (1)
13. ATM – Automated Teller Machine (1)
14. ERD – Entity Relationship Diagram (1)
15. RFP – Request for Proposal

Damelin SAD220 3
SECTION B Short Questions [30 Marks]

Question 3

Give a concise definition of the terms used in System s analysis and Design (20)

1. Human Computer Interaction - Human-computer interaction describes the relationship between

computers and people who use them to perform their jobs. (2)

2. Graphical user interface - Main objective is to create a user-friendly design that is easy to learn
and use (2)

3. Web-Based Data Design - A data manipulation language, Controls database operations,

including storing, retrieving, updating, and deleting data. (2)

4. Connecting to the Web - The main objective is to connect the database to the Web and enable
data to be viewed and updated. (2)

5. Middleware - Software that integrates different applications and allows them to exchange data
and interpret client requests in HTML form; then translate the requests into commands that the
database can execute. (2)

6. Data Security - Web-based data must be secure, yet easily accessible to authorized users
(2)

7. CANDIDATE KEY - Any field that could serve as a primary key is called a candidate key
(2)

8. FOREIGN KEY - A common field that exists in more than one table and can be used to form a
relationship, or link, between the tables (2)

9. SECONDARY KEY - A field or combination of fields that can be used to access or retrieve
records (2)

10. CROW’S FOOT NOTATION - is a common method of indicating cardinality. The four examples
show how you can use various symbols to describe the relationships between entities
(2)

Question 4 (10)

Discuss the various types of reports (10)

1. DETAIL REPORTS
 Produces one or more lines of output for each record processed
 Can be quite lengthy
 A better alternative might be an exception report

2. EXCEPTION REPORTS
 Displays only those records that meet a specific condition or conditions
 Useful when the user wants information only on records that might require action, but does not
need to know the details

Damelin SAD220 4
 3. SUMMARY REPORTS
 Upper-level managers often want to see total figures and do not need supporting details
 A sales manager, for example, might want to know total sales for each sales representative,
but not want a detail report listing every sale made by them.

SECTION C Essay and long Questions [70 Marks]

Question 5 (14)

You have been appointed by a Damelin as analysts in their IT department; one of your responsibilities
is to design a user interface. During such process, outline the 7 habits of successful Interface Design
that should one apply. (14)

Seven Habits of Successful Interface Designers

1. Understand the Business
 The interface designer must understand the underlying business functions and how the system
supports individual, departmental, and enterprise goals

2. Maximize Graphical Effectiveness

 Studies show that people learn better visually.
 For example, the immense popularity of apple Mac OS and Microsoft Windows is largely the
result of their graphical user interfaces that are easy to learn and use.
 A well-designed interface can help users learn a new system rapidly and be more productive.

3. Think like a User

 A systems analyst should understand user experience, knowledge, and skill levels.
 To develop a user-centered interface, the designer must learn to think like a user and see the
system through the user’s eyes.
 Use terms and metaphors that are familiar to users
 Understand user experience, knowledge, and skill levels

4. User Models and Prototypes

 Present initial screen designs to users in the form of a storyboard.
 Users must test all aspects of the interface design and provide feedback to the designers.

5. Focus on Usability
 Opening screen should show the main options
 Offer a reasonable number of choices that a user easily can comprehend

6. Invite Feedback
 Monitor system usage and solicit user suggestions
 Determine if system features are being used as intended by observing and surveying users

7. Document Everything
 Document all screen designs for later use by programmers
 Number the screen designs and save them in a hierarchy similar to a menu tree
 User-approved sketches and storyboards also can be used to document the user interface

Damelin SAD220 5
Question 6 [26 Marks]

1. Discuss 8 Golden Rules for User Interface Design (26)

RULE 1: Create an Interface That Is Easy to Learn and Use

 Focus on system design objectives
 Create a design that is easy to understand and remember
 Provide commands, actions, and system responses that are consistent and predictable
 Allow users to correct errors easily
 Clearly label all controls, buttons, and icons
 Select familiar images that users can understand, and provide on-screen instructions that are
logical, concise, and clear
 Show all commands in a list of menu items, but dim any commands that are not available to the
user
 Make it easy to navigate or return to any level in the menu structure

RULE 2: Enhance User Productivity

 Organize tasks, commands, and functions in groups that resemble actual business operations
 Create alphabetical menu lists or place the selections used frequently at the top of the menu
list
 Provide shortcuts for experienced users so they can avoid multiple menu levels
 Use default values if the majority of values in a field are the same
 Use a duplicate value function that enables users to insert the value from the same field in the
previous record, but allow users to turn this feature on or off as they prefer
 Provide a fast-find feature that displays a list of possible values as soon as users enter the first
few letters
 If available, consider a natural language feature that allows users to type commands or
requests in normal text phrases

RULE 3: Provide Users with Help and Feedback

 Ensure that help is always available on demand
 Provide user-selected help and context- sensitive help
 Provide a direct route for users to return to the point from where help was requested
 Include contact information
 Require user confirmation before data deletion (Are you sure?)
 Provide an Undo key
 When a user-entered command contains an error, highlight the erroneous part and allow the
user to make the correction without retyping the entire command
 Use hypertext links to assist users
 Display messages at a logical place
 Alert users to lengthy processing times or delays. Give users an on-screen progress report
 Allow messages to remain on the screen long enough for users to read them
 Let the user know whether the task or operation was successful or not
 Provide a text explanation if you use an icon or image on a control button
 Use messages that are specific, understandable, and professional Avoid messages that are
cute, cryptic, or vague, such as: ERROR — You have entered an unacceptable value

RULE 4: Create an Attractive Layout and Design

 Use appropriate colours to highlight different areas of the screen; avoid gaudy and bright
colours
 Use special effects sparingly
 Use hyperlinks that allow users to navigate to related topics

Damelin SAD220 6
  Group related objects and information. Visualize the screen the way a user will see it, and
simulate the tasks that the user will perform
RULE 5: Enhance the Interface
 The opening screen is especially important because it introduces the application
 The starting point can be a switchboard with well-placed command buttons that allow users to
navigate the system
 Use a command button to initiate an action such as printing a form or requesting help
 If you are using a software package, check to see if it allows you to create customized menu
bars and toolbars
 Add a shortcut feature that lets a user select a menu command either by clicking the desired
choice or by pressing the Alt key + the underlined letter
 If variable input data is needed, provide a dialog box that explains what is required
 A toggle button makes it easy to show on or off status — clicking the toggle button switches to
the other state
 Use list boxes that display the available choices
 Use an option button, or radio button, to control user choices

RULE 6: Focus on Data Entry Screens

 Whenever possible, use a data entry method called form filling, where a blank form that
duplicates the source document is completed on screen
 Position the insertion point in the first data entry location
 Provide a way to leave the data entry screen at any time without entering the current record
 Provide a descriptive caption for every field
 Provide a means for users to move among fields on the form in a standard order or in any
order they choose
 Allow users to add, change, delete, and view records
 Design the screen form layout to match the layout of the source document
 Display a sample format like MMDDYY, and provide separators, such as slashes
 Use an input mask

RULE 7: Use Validation Rules

 A sequence check can be used when the data must be in some predetermined sequence
 An existence check can apply to mandatory data items
 A data type check can test to ensure that a data item fits the required data type
 A range check can be used to verify that data items fall between a specified minimum and
maximum value
 A reasonableness check identifies values that are questionable, but not necessarily wrong
 A validity check can be used for data items that must have certain values
 A combination check is performed on two or more fields to ensure that they are consistent or
reasonable when considered together
 Batch controls are totals used to verify batch input

RULE 8: Reduce Input Volume

 Input necessary data only
 Do not input data that the user can retrieve from system files or calculate from other data
 Do not input constant data
 Use codes. Codes are shorter than the data they represent, and coded input can reduce data
entry time.

Damelin SAD220 7
Question 7 [30 Marks]

1. State and explain 10 reasons why is to the advantage of a company to develop its own
software in-house. (10)

Reasons for in-house software development

 Satisfies unique business requirements
 Because no commercial software package can meet their unique business requirements
 Minimizes changes in business procedures and policies
 Installing a new software package almost always requires some degree of change in how a
company does business
 Meets constraints of existing systems
 Any new software installed must work with existing systems
 Meets constraints of existing technology
 The new system must work with existing hardware and legacy systems
 Develops internal resources and capabilities
 Develop and train an IT staff that understands the organization’s business functions and
information support needs

2. With the aid of diagrams explain the FOUR network topologies network topologies. (20)
1. Bus Network - A bus network with all devices connected to a single communication path. A
single communication path connects the central server, departmental servers, workstations,
and peripheral devices. Information is transmitted in either direction between networked
devices, and all messages travel over the same central bus.

Damelin SAD220 8
 2. Ring Network- with a set of computers that send and receive data flowing in one direction. Still
exist but somewhat outdated. Resembles a circle where the data flows in only one direction
from one device to the next

3. Star Network - By far the most popular LAN topology today. Has a central networking device
called a switch, which manages the network and acts as a communications conduit for all
network traffic

4. Mesh Network – are used in situations where a high degree of redundancy is needed, such as
military applications. The redundant design provides alternate data paths, but is expensive to
install and maintain. Each node connects to every other node. Extremely reliable but very
expensive to install and maintain

Damelin SAD220 9
Damelin SAD220 10