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1. Goals and Objectives

When specifying a system goal or objective, it is important that it has certain properties.  These properties are known as SMART properties.  What does the acronym SMART stand for?

2. Non-Functional Requirements

Complete the following sentence.

Non-functional requirements are:

3. Volatility of Requirements

Many requirements are subject to change, i.e. they are volatile.  Volatile requirements can be classified as: mutable, emergent, consequential or compatibility-related.  Read the following narrative and decide what sort of changing requirement is described.

A new library system was introduced some time ago in which users can use self-service terminals in the library to 'check-out' their own books.  Because of the convenience of the system, users have asked that they can renew their books using an on-line web interface.

4. Requirement Risks

What type of requirement risk is described by the following:

A requirement is difficult to implement because of internal reasons e.g. staff acceptance (relating to their terms and conditions of employment)

5. Difficulties in Information Gathering

Outline three reasons why information gathering is difficult.

6. Identifying Fact Types

Read the following case study and identify examples of the following fact types: stakeholders, events and objects.

Passengers using a rapid transit system buy tickets to travel from their station of origin to their destination.  The ticket issuing machine is activated when the user indicates to which zone they wish to travel.  The machine then displays the fare and the user opts to pay either by cash or by credit card- depending upon the method selected the machine then processes the payment (receives cash or makes a credit card charge) and then issues the ticket. Ticket machines are emptied daily by station ticket office staff.

7. Qualities of Information Systems

Complete the following sentences.

1.  A process is ______________________ by an event. 

2.  A process may change one or more _________________________.

3.  A constraint ________________________________ a process.

8. Problems and Requirements

Explain the difference between a problem and a requirement.

9. Brainstorming

Brainstorming seeks to:

1.        generate a number of ideas which must be discussed and agreed as feasible, even if they are all desirable or essential

2.     generate a number of issues which can only be concerned with the implementation of a proposed system

3.    generate a number of ideas which are validated and agreed by a stakeholder group

4.     generate a number of ideas which are later validated and agreed by a stakeholder group

5.    generate a number of ideas from individual stakeholders, so that they are not encouraged by others to think in a particular fashion.