Emailed to Ed Paynter on 8 November ADVANCED SUBSIDARY (A2) General Certificate of Education GCE Applied ICT Assessment A2 Unit 7 assessing Investigating Systems Mark Scheme Pilot version August 2004
1. 1 REASONS mark for 1 The number of staff has increased. each of 2 David likes computers TWO 3 Improved customer service X correct 4 The profits have increased and there is money to spend reasons 5 The telephone line is always busy 6 The current system is not efficient X (2 marks) 2. (a) An End User is defined as a person who uses a computer system to achieve a specific outcome related to an organisation. () (b) (i) and (ii) may be particular members of staff at CAROL S CATERING COMPANY who would need access to the system for a particular reason. Possible end users include any two of the following for the reason given or for any other acceptable reason. End User Carol David Accountant Secretary Cooks Possible Reasons To record orders To look at bookings To assess stock levels To access customer information To look at sales figures To record new customers To access financial information To record invoices To manage accounts To record bookings To check availability To manage enquiries To check stock levels To make stock orders To check party sizes
3. The answer should note the activities involved in the Systems Development Life Cycle and the sequence in which they follow. These should include at least three of the following : Initiation Analysis; Design; Testing; Implementation; Maintenance; Review; 3 marks 4. The answer should identify any FIVE of the following areas of information: Organisation Structure; Objectives; Inputs; Processes; Files; Outputs; Problems; Costs; 5 marks 5. (a)the answer should identify the following four fact finding techniques: Interviewing; Questionnaires; Observation; Analysing existing documentation; 4 marks (b) The answer should identify two of the techniques above and name any one of the following advantages and disadvantages of each as follows, or any other acceptable advantage or disadvantage. Technique 1 Technique 1 Advantage Disadvantage Advantage Disadvantage 1 mark 1 mark 1 mark 1 mark
Technique Advantage Disadvantage Interviewing Direct contact with the User. Can ask specific questions from the people who actually do the job. Can target all levels of the organisation. Some staff may feel intimidated. There may be a fear amongst staff that their job roles may change. Incorrect information may be deliberately Questionnaires This method can save time. The method lends itself to short yes/no type answers. Useful when targeting large groups of people. given Mostly suited to large geographically distributed groups. Percentage responses can be low. Not appropriate when opinions are being sought. Observation Analysing existing documentation Can actually see what really happens in the organisation. Can identify events that may not be apparent from the other techniques such as interruptions to work flow. Show the flow of information. Can get an overview of the organisation from company documents. Can identify all documentation used in the organisation. Can determine the relevance of existing documentation. Employees may be resentful. Employees may feel threatened. Employees may behave differently under observation. Company documents may not reflect the reality of the organisation. Documentation becomes out of date if it is not correctly maintained. The method can only provide background information.
(c) The answer should select one of the techniques identified above and identify THREE of information likely to be determined in CAROL S CATERING COMPANY by using this technique as follows or any other acceptable item of information not listed: 3 marks Technique Interviewing Questionnaires Observation Analysing existing documentation Item of Information Strategic information about the future of the business. Specific nature of each job role. Problems identified by individuals. How individuals feel about the organisation. Factual information about the order process. Factual information about the accounts. Factual operational information. How the Bookings are taken How the Stock is managed How the Accounts are managed How staff actually work Inefficiencies Orders Invoices Customer List List of equipment 6. (a) The answer should identify any three problems and associated effect from the following, or any other acceptable problem and reason.
1 mark for each of THREE correct reasons 3 marks 1 mark for each of THREE correct effects 3 marks Problem Filling in the Notebook. Writing names and numbers on the post it stickers. Writing the details into the diary. Managing the order forms Managing stock Managing invoices Managing customer payments Keeping track of equipment stock Effect Incomplete or illegible details might cause orders to be lost These stickers can be mislaid and the customer may be lost or may be very annoyed. Transcribing information can lead to mistakes The forms have to be sent out and then placed in date order. This whole procedure is error prone and time consuming. The actual stock level is not known so either too much or too little may be ordered. This can cost money either way. This is time consuming and depends on accurate details being recorded on the order forms. There is quite a time delay in sending out the invoices. When a customer pays an invoice, it has to be matched to the invoice copy and the order and then a receipt must be issued. This is time consuming and There is no proper record of the items of stock available for rental and no proper record of the people who rent out the stock. This is likely to cost the business money on lost items and items not returned. (b) The answer should fully explain how the particular problem can be resolved by the implementation of a computer system.
each for each of three explanations as follows: 6 marks Problem Filling in the Notebook. Writing names and numbers on the post it stickers. Writing the details into the diary. Managing the order forms Managing stock Managing invoices Managing customer payments Keeping track of equipment stock Solution Using a new computer system would mean that this activity would no longer be required. Information would be keyed directly onto a computer and there would be no question of illegible handwriting. Again this activity would no longer be required. Information would be keyed directly onto a computer and there would be no question of lost information. This would no longer be a transcription exercise. Data would be matched automatically with the booking file and clashes identified. The entire order processing function could be managed on line so that the need for order forms could be at least minimised. This would mean that orders would be placed directly. There would still be a facility for customers too fill in order documents where appropriate. All stock would be properly recorded on the stock file. This would mean that low stock items could be flagged up and reorders generated at the right time. Invoices would be automatically printed with the correct information drawn from the customer file and the order file. The payment process would again be completely correct as orders invoices and payments would be matched and invoices up dated as paid. All equipment stock would be maintained on an equipment file so that a complete inventory of every item was available. An appropriate borrowing system would be maintained on the new system so that every item could be tracked and rental customers charged accordingly. 7. (a) The answer should provide an explanation of Project Management in terms of
tasks, milestones and timescales. (b) The answer should note the structure of a GANTT chart and how the tasks in the systems development process for CAROL S CATERING COMPANY can be scheduled on the chart. (c) The answer should identify TWO reasons from the following, or two other acceptable reasons explaining why using a GANTT chart would benefit the company: 1 mark for each of TWO acceptable reasons. The overall development process can be seen at a glance; Tasks are identified and agreed; Timescales are identified and scheduled; The overall timescale is clear; Events that can run together are visible; The chart can be used to keep track of progress; (b) The answer should identify THREE tasks from the following: 1 mark for each of THREE acceptable reasons. 3 marks Investigation of the existing system; Production of the User Requirements Specification; Design of the new system; Purchase of hardware/software; Testing of the new system; Staff Training; 8. 1 mark for each stage in the correct sequence Stage No. Business Study 2 Functional Model Iteration 3 Implementation 5 Feasibility Study 1 Design and Build Iteration 4 5 marks (b) The answer should identify one of the following reasons for suitability of DSDM in this situation:
1 mark for each of TWO reasons Method works within strict timescales; User is involved throughout the process; Highly suited to business applications; Can be broken down into small steps so that different tasks can be achieved at the same time; 9. (a) The answer should state that a Context Diagram is a high level diagram drawn to put a system in context. It describes the main system process and identifies the external entities and the external data flows. (b) (i) Name: External entity Function: Source or destination of data (ii) Name: Process Function: To carry out work on a data flow and to logically Change it in some way (iii) Name: File or data store Function: To store data held in the system (iv) Name: Data Flow Function: To carry data of known composition around a system (c ) (i) 1 mark each for any two of the following: Customer; Vegetable Shop: Supermarket; (ii) 1 mark each for any three of the following: 3 marks Customer order; Customer payment; Completed Order forms; Vegetable shop delivery note; Vegetable shop invoice; Vegetable shop delivery note Supermarket delivery note; (iii) 1 mark each for any three of the following: 3 marks Customer invoice; Customer receipt;
Customer reminder; Blank Order forms; Vegetable shop payment; Supermarket payment; 10. (a) The answer should give a full explanation of the term Prototyping in the context of CAROL S CATERING COMPANY. The answer should highlight: the concept of building a model; construction of a working model; demonstration to Carol and David; agreement between user and developer on amendments; implementation of the revision of the model; repetition of the process until agreement is achieved. 3 marks (b) 1 mark each for two of the following or any other acceptable reason: defines requirements clearly for the User; speeds up the development process; allows for refinement at every stage; final product is the result of significant User interaction; final product is fully agreed; (c) 1 mark each for two of the following or any other acceptable reason: may be difficult to define the scope of the exercise; because the system is needed urgently, there may be a temptation to start using an early prototype which is not a properly functional tested product documentation may not be produced; because of change, the final prototype may be outdated by the time it is fully implemented; it is difficult to plan the whole procedure.
11. (a) 1 mark for two if the following or any other acceptable reason: Layout of the document is poor; There is not enough room for customers to complete it properly; The information collected may not contain sufficient detail; There is not enough information given to the customer on the form; Customers will not know how much detail to provide; It may be difficult to read customer s handwriting; There is no Order No.; There is no Customer Reference No. (b) 1 mark for two of the following or any other acceptable suggestion: The form could be laid out so that the customer need only tick boxes, thus avoiding illegible entries; Each category could be in tabular format so that options are clearly visible to the customer, this would reduce any ambiguity; Only possible options should be itemised on the document; Instructions for completion could be stated on the form; The Order Forms should have a pre printed Order No.; The Order Forms should have a space for a Customer Reference No. 12. 1 mark for identifying any two of the following areas where the lack of Management Information is causing a problem and for explaining why there is a need for the particular management information identified. There is no stock information maintained in the system. This means that there is a danger of either over ordering and losing food through wastage, or under ordering and being unable to fulfil customer orders. Either situation is bad for business and could mean loss of profit; There is no customer information maintained in the system. This means that there is no way of knowing how many customers the company is dealing with. There is no way of retaining customer details so that they do not have to be taken every time an order is placed. There is no way of tracking customers, orders and invoicing. There is no information maintained regarding equipment. The actual stock of equipment is unknown at any given time meaning that customers may well duplicate requests leading to customer dissatisfaction. There is no
way of keeping track of the equipment stock so customers may not even return items. There is no information retained regarding the number and type of orders. This means that there is no way of knowing which service is doing well and which isn t. Information of this nature could ensure that the company is delivering the exact service that the customers want. There is no information regarding invoicing and accounts. This type of information is critical to the success of the company and must be properly maintained. 13. (i) The answer should give a full explanation of how Internet technology could be successfully applied in the context of CAROL S CATERING COMPANY. The answer should highlight at least three of the following benefits: On-line marketing of the company; Facility to advertise new products or special offers; On-line ordering facilities; Ordering facility available at all times during the day, not just office hours; On-line payments; Direct communication with customers; On-line enquiry for customers; 3 marks (ii) The answer should give a full explanation of how Database technology could be successfully applied in the context of CAROL S CATERING COMPANY. The answer should highlight at least three of the following clearly stating the benefits in each case: Customer database, no need to keep sourcing the same information, comprehensive information available relating to customer profile. Existing customers will be identified by customer no. Stock information maintained on database. Reorder levels readily identified. Reduced wastage and no possibility of not fulfilling orders. Stock costs can be tracked and supplier invoicing and payment information retained; Equipment database maintained providing exact stock information and loan details; Maintenance of accurate accounting information; Query facility; Facility to provide detailed, current Management Information. 3 marks