Agile Development and DevOps Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which conversion strategy is considered the riskiest and least expensive?

Phased conversion

Direct conversion (correct)

Pilot conversion

Parallel conversion

What primary role does a Scrum master play in agile development?

Maintains project processes (correct)

Conducts user requirement sessions

Represents the business users

Develops the software systems

In the design thinking process, which step involves understanding the user's perspective regarding the problem?

Define

Empathize (correct)

Prototype and test

Ideate

What is the primary goal of DevOps in software development?

Reducing deployment time Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a characteristic of Rapid Application Development (RAD)?

It incorporates iterative feedback from users. Signup and view all the answers

End-user development can sometimes lead to which major concern within an organization?

Increased chances of security breaches Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of an IT strategic plan?

To describe the IT infrastructure needed to achieve organizational goals. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an objective of the IT strategic plan?

It should create new policies for hiring IT staff. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the IT steering committee play in the planning process?

To set IT priorities and ensure alignment with corporate strategy. Signup and view all the answers

What must organizations do before agreeing on an IT strategic plan?

Analyze the organizational strategic plan and their current IT applications. Signup and view all the answers

What is an application portfolio?

The existing and potential IT applications needed by the organization. Signup and view all the answers

Which element is crucial for developing the IT strategic plan?

The existing IT architecture and its constraints. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common challenge companies face when calculating the costs of IT investments?

Allocating fixed costs among different IT projects Signup and view all the answers

Which method is used to convert future values of benefits to present-value equivalents in cost–benefit analysis?

Net present value (NPV) method Signup and view all the answers

What does the break-even analysis determine?

The cumulative dollar value of benefits versus project costs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a method to justify funding specific IT projects?

Business case approach Signup and view all the answers

When considering the purchase of prewritten applications, what is an important factor for companies?

The need for standard features to meet current and future requirements Signup and view all the answers

What does leasing an application typically save a company?

Development time and money Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the '80/20 rule' when evaluating vendor software?

Software must meet at least 80 percent of requirements to be viable. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of IT project benefits is particularly difficult for organizations to evaluate?

Assessing the intangible benefits and complexities of implementation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of systems analysis in the systems development life cycle?

To gather information about the existing system Signup and view all the answers

What is a key disadvantage of outsourcing IT applications?

It can lead to a loss of control over corporate data Signup and view all the answers

In the systems design phase, what is a deliverable expected from this process?

Technical system specifications Signup and view all the answers

What occurs if functions are added after the project has been initiated in systems design?

Scope creep Signup and view all the answers

What does the feasibility study primarily evaluate?

The suitability of proposed solutions for a business problem Signup and view all the answers

Which phase in the systems development life cycle involves translating design specifications into computer code?

Programming and testing Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of application service providers (ASPs)?

To assemble and package software with services for enterprises Signup and view all the answers

Which job role is involved in deciding whether to build a new system based on user suggestions?

IT steering committee Signup and view all the answers

What is a core characteristic of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)?

Vendors provide software hosted on their own platforms Signup and view all the answers

What type of software allows users to customize and develop applications without payment for licenses?

Open-source software Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

IT Application Planning and Justification

Organizations analyze application needs, justifying purchases based on goals, costs, and benefits.
An application portfolio prioritizes existing and potential IT applications.
IT planning starts with the organizational strategic plan, outlining mission, goals, and steps to achieve them.
The IT strategic plan is aligned with the organizational plan, defines an IT architecture, and efficiently allocates resources.
The IT steering committee links corporate strategy, approves resource allocation, and sets measures for the MIS function.
The IS operational plan details specific projects for the IS department and functional areas, including mission, environment, objectives, constraints, portfolio, resource allocation and management.

Evaluating and Justifying IT Investment

Cost-benefit analysis compares the costs and benefits of IT investments.
Calculating IT investment costs involves allocating fixed costs across projects and considering long-term maintenance and improvement expenses.
Evaluating benefits is often subjective and difficult to quantify, particularly intangible ones.
Companies may pilot new technologies to assess functionality and consumer acceptance.
Cost-benefit analysis methods include NPV, ROI, break-even analysis, and business case development.

Strategies for Acquiring IT Applications

Purchasing pre-written software is cost-effective and time-saving. Careful consideration of features is needed to avoid obsolescence.
Customizing pre-written software is flexible but can be complex, demanding thorough planning.
Leasing applications saves both time and money. The 80/20 rule suggests adapting business processes to leverage software that meets 80% of needs.
Application service providers (ASPs) or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) vendors host applications, eliminating installation and maintenance costs.
Open-source software offers a flexible alternative via licenses.
Outsourcing to external contractors can provide access to experts. Offshoring, particularly to India and China, may offer lower costs but presents communication risks.
Continuous development steadily adds new code to a project.
Custom development offers better fit to specific requirements.

Traditional Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The SDLC is a structured framework for large-scale IT projects.
Six processes define the SDLC: investigation, analysis, design, programming, implementation, and operation/maintenance.
Systems investigation uses feasibility studies (technical, economic, and behavioral) to evaluate solutions.
Systems analysis gathers information on the existing system for defining system requirements.
Systems design specifies system outputs, inputs, processing, user interfaces and hardware/software specifications.
- Approved design specifications are "frozen" to prevent scope creep.
Programming translates design specifications into code.
Testing assures the code meets expected results.
Implementation involves transitioning to the new system. Direct, pilot, and phased strategies exist.
Operation and maintenance involve ongoing support and updates.

Alternative Methods and Tools for Systems Development

Joint Application Design (JAD) is a group-based method to gather requirements.
Rapid Application Development (RAD) combines JAD, prototyping, and ICASE tools for rapid system development.
Agile development delivers functionality in short iterations, emphasizing frequent communication and user involvement using techniques like Scrum and MVP.
DevOps integrates development and operations teams to speed up deployments.
End-user development—sometimes shadow IT—allows users to develop apps without IT help.
Design thinking prioritizes user needs to create successful applications
Prototyping uses iterative models to refine the system.
Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools automate various SDLC tasks. ICASE tools integrate upper and lower CASE.
Component-based development uses reusable components.
Object-oriented development models real-world entities as objects – properties and behaviors.
Containers package applications with their needed environments for consistency.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts of Agile development, DevOps, and design thinking. This quiz covers the roles in Scrum, conversion strategies, and understanding user perspectives. Challenge yourself and see how well you understand these critical methodologies in software development.