Systems Development and ICT in Business
Domain focus
Systems Development and ICT in Business tests the SDLC, development approaches, testing levels and how information systems support business functions. Expect scenario questions on choosing a method and explaining business benefits.
Core rules and concepts
- SDLC phases: identification of need, feasibility study, requirements analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, maintenance and review.
- Feasibility checks technical, economic, legal, operational and schedule viability.
- Waterfall is sequential with fixed requirements; agile delivers in iterations; prototyping builds a model for user feedback.
- Testing levels: unit (component), integration (components together), system (whole system), acceptance or UAT (user confirms requirements).
- Implementation may be direct, parallel, phased or pilot.
- Business systems: TPS records transactions; MIS summarises for managers; DSS supports semi-structured decisions; ERP integrates business functions; CRM manages customer relationships.
Worked example
A school library wants a book-loan system. Requirements: issue and return, overdue notices, and search. Design tables and screens; develop a prototype; test a single loan function (unit), then loans with fines (integration), then all modules (system); librarians perform UAT. Run the new system parallel with the old register for one month to reduce risk. Review fine calculations and backup procedures after go-live. Reasoning: each phase reduces a different risk - requirements risk, integration risk, user acceptance risk and operational risk.
Traps that cost marks
Skipping feasibility and going straight to coding; calling UAT the same as unit testing; saying waterfall welcomes late requirement changes; treating ERP as a single application rather than integrated modules; and forgetting maintenance as an SDLC phase.