ASSIGNMENT 03 2025
Question 1
1.1 The goal of systems design should be to build systems that are effective, reliable, and maintainable.
Below are brief descriptions of each factor:
● Effective / Effectiveness: A system is said to be effective if it satisfies and supports business
requirements and meets the needs and expectations of the users.The system should be aligned with
organizational goals, be functional and easy to use. For example, a user interface that ensures the
system responds in ways that are aligned with user expectations, such as clicking a button and
receiving immediate, relevant feedback.
● Reliable / Reliability: A system is reliable if it is available nearly all the time, with backups in place and
easily accessible. A reliable system is also able to handle input errors and processing errors. It should
be able to anticipate errors early. Examples of reliability include input validations to make sure correct
data is stored, or running multiple servers in parallel to ensure that failure on one server does not affect
the availability of the system and ensure high availability.
● Maintainable / Maintainability: A system is maintainable if changes can be made easily. The system
needs to be flexible, scalable, and easy to modify. It should be designed with consideration for future
needs. For example, following best practices by writing clean and reusable code, or designing
databases with best practices like designing database tables with foreign keys in a relational database.
Maintainability ensures the system remains functional and efficient over time.
1.2 Human-Computer Interaction: Human computer interaction studies and designs the relationship between
computers and the people who use them. This involves translating user behaviour, needs, desires and
expectations into the design of an interface to make it user-friendly. For example: Designing a form with a
greyed-out button that turns green when the user has entered valid data. Another example is ensuring that
error messages are visible where the user expects them and are displayed in red.
1.3 The seven habits of successful interface designers are:
● Understand the Business:
● Maximise Graphical Effectiveness:
● Think Like a User
● Use Models and Prototypes
● Focus on usability
● Invite Feedback
● Document Everything
1.4 The ISO 9241-11 standard definition of usability with respect to computer interfaces is as the extent to
which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and
satisfaction in a specified context of use.
Question 2
2.1
Symbol Name Description
Process Represents a transformation that takes input data and
produces output data with a different content, form, or both. A
process shows how data is processed, or modified in the
system. The name of the process appears inside the rectangle
Data Flow Represents a path of how data moves from one part of the
system to another. It is usually labeled with the name of the
data.
Data Store A data store is used in a DFD to represent data that the
system stores because one or more processes need to use
the data at a later time.
External Entity The symbol for an entity is a rectangle, which may be shaded
to make it look three-dimensional. The name of the entity
appears inside the symbol. A DFD shows only.
2.2
2.2.1 Leveling is the process of drawing a series of increasingly detailed diagrams, until all functional
primitives are identified. For example an analyst might create a series of DFDs starting off with a high level
DFD, then creating many different diagrams which show more and more detail until all processes are identified
as functional primitives.
2.2.2 Balancing maintains consistency among a set of DFDs by ensuring that input and output data flows align
properly. Balancing ensures that the input and output data flows of the parent DFD are maintained on the child
DFD
2.2.3 A Data Dictionary is a central storehouse of information about the system’s data. In simpler terms, it is a
repository of information about data. An analyst uses the data dictionary to collect, document, and organize
specific facts about the system, including the contents of data flows, data stores, entities, and processes.
2.3.1 Spontaneous generation: A notification system that automatically sends reminders or alerts without any
external input at that moment
2.3.2 Black hole: A Delete Account process where user data is irreversibly removed, data goes in but nothing
comes out.
2.3.3 Gray hole: Password Reset
Question 3
3.1
3.2
Country
Country_ID, CountryName, Region
Person
PersonID__, FullName, CountryID (FK)
Language
__LanguageID__, LanguageName, LanguageFamily
PersonLanguage
__PersonLanguageID__, PersonID (FK), LanguageID (FK)
CountryLanguage
__CountryLanguageID__, CountryID (FK), LanguageID (FK)
Question 4
4.1 System testing is the process in which testing is performed on the entire information system. System
testing involves all processing situations and it makes sure that the program meets all specifications and that
all necessary features have been included. During a system test, users/testers enter data samples of actual
data to perform queries on the system in order to produce reports to simulate actual operation conditions.
System testing verifies that all programs work, that the system can handle all input data(valid and invalid), it
ensures documentation is in place, and backup and restart capabilities are adequate, ensures or verifies that
all components of the system are integrated properly and that the system can handle the expected or predicted
volumes of data.
4.2 Operational documentation contains all the information needed for processing and distributing online and
printed output. Operational documentation may include information on the program, personnel involved(e.g
developers and analysts), input files, requirements, etc.
Question 5
5.1 Perfective maintenance involves changing an operational system to make it more efficient, reliable, or
maintainable. Requests for a perfective maintenance usually come from the IT department usually initiates
perfective maintenance. Perfective maintenance is usually needed when a system has experienced changes in
user activity or data patterns, thus affecting the system’s efficiency and performance. The cost of effective
maintenance varies based on the maintainability of the system.
5.2 Configuration management is a process for controlling changes in system requirements during software
development. Configuration management is also an important tool for managing system changes and costs
after a system becomes operational.
5.3 Incremental backup is a backup method that only backs up files that are new or changed since the last
backup of any kind. That mean that only copies the files that have changed since the last full backup are
saved. This approach, however, requires multiple steps to restore the data — one for each incremental
backup. Incremental back up needs to be done daily or more often than that. Because only recent files that
have never been backed up are copies, it is the fasted back up method.
