Systems in organisations

[Eamonn]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.

.

B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end users and other stakeholders better insight to how the new system will function at an earlier stage.

B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why

B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method

C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.

C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
C4) Can end users carry out white box, explain your answer.

D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.

D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?

E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host inhouse or on the cloud and why. Discuss teh merits of both and provide recommendation.

Please note for some of these there is not always a correct and wrong answer, if you are asked for a view provide it , but with justifications.

[girwan]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.

Other banks may have new requirements because of which the vendors focus on software that can fulfill their requirements instead. Although the legacy system still works as it should there may be new features that majority of the customers require that leads to vendors ending support for some of their systems. Also, as newer technologies roll out, vendors would want to incorporate them into their system to attract new customers so they end support for their older systems. Furthermore, as systems get older they may become more vulnerable to attacks because of which vendors may find it more financially feasible to build a new system instead of updating the previous system.
.

B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end users and other stakeholders better insight to how the new system will function at an earlier stage.

A better alternative to the waterfall approach would be the spiral approach.

B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why

A software project goes through these stages repeatedly through iterations called Spirals.
Identification: This stage includes gathering the requirements. In this phase, there is continuous communication between the client and development team.
Design: This stage involves architectural design, design of modules, physical product design and final design.
Construct: In the construct phase, the actual software product is developed. Also, while the design is being developed a Proof of Concept is made to get customer feedback. Then in each spiral , a working software model is developed and sent to the customer for feedback.
Evaluation and Risk analysis : This stage involves identifying, estimating and monitoring the technical feasibility and management risks. At the end of each iteration, the customer tests the software and provides evaluation.

I believe that Evaluation and risk analysis is the most important as from this stage, the developers can get feedback from the users which gives them information on what should be changed and improved in the next iteration of the product.

B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method

When the customer’s requirements are rigid and well understood then you can use the waterfall method. The waterfall method is also best suited when building systems for organizations that have a strict organizational structure. Also since the users are not so frequently involved in the waterfall method, it is appropriate when the users don’t want to be informed constantly on the developments of the system.

C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.

C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
Alpha testing involves a combination of black box and white box testing while in beta testing it is mainly black box testing. Alpha testing is carried out internally in the organization while users carry out beta testing. During alpha testing, bugs can be addressed immediately but in beta testing feedback must be collected from the users first.

C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
Black box testing only cares about the functionality while whitebox testing ensures that the system follows the correct internal processes. Black box testing is used in higher level testing methods such as acceptance and system testing while white box testing is used primarily for lower level testing such as unit testing or integration testing. Furthermore, black box testing can be done by people unfamiliar with code while white box testing is done by those who understand how the system works.
C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
White box testing would be carried out by developers.
C4) Can end users carry out white box, explain your answer.
End users cannot carry out white box testing unless the system is open source, otherwise the users do not have access to the code
.
D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.
I would suggest they do parallel running. This way, even if the new system does not work they can still revert back to the old system and get paid.

D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each
Direct Changeover
Disadvantages:
Trained staff need to be ready before the new system is installed. There may be compatibility issues which may risk data loss. It is also time consuming and difficult to plan
Advantages:
It is the fastest way for a system changeover and is also cheaper as at any given time there would only be one system running.

Pilot
Disadvantages:
The changeover becomes more time consuming. The risk of data loss still exists for the part of the company where the system was implemented.
Advantages:
If any problem arises with the new system only a small part of the organization will be affected. The results achieved are similar to parallel running but cheaper

Phased changeover
Advantages:
The risk of damage is limited to a smaller part of the organization. And any form of data loss will not affect the whole organization.
Disadvantages:
Since it is done in multiple phases it takes longer time to implement the system throughout the whole organization.

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?
I would suggest using a parallel running system as it minimizes the risk of data loss due to the option of reverting back to the old system in case of any problem. Since the payroll system contains sensitive data, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks when employing parallel running.

E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host inhouse or on the cloud and why. Discuss the merits of both and provide recommendations.

Merits of cloud: Cloud storage could be cheaper especially since you don’t need to pay for any hardware or maintenance costs other than the subscription fees. Also, since data is stored in the cloud, it can be accessible on multiple devices and platforms.

Merits of inhouse: In-house storage allows for scalability as hardware components can be added or removed as per current requirements. Safety is a major bonus as opposed to cloud storage where you need to lend your data to third parties which increases the effects of data breaches. Also since it does not require the use of the internet to access data, it can be assured that data can always be accessed.

Due to the sensitive nature of payroll data I would recommend the bank to use in house storage systems.

[Irfan]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.
Because the original vendor doesn’t know what the new system is or just hasn’t the resources to run it. Or the original vendor knows the system but hasn’t had the chance to optimise the system for its hardware.
B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end users and other stakeholders better insight to how the new system will function at an earlier stage.
Agile method.
B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why
1. Requirements
2. Design
3. Development
4. Testing
5. Deployment
6. Review
Requirements is the most important because it is the deciding factor if the system will even work on the hardware or not.
B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method
When the system is being designed with a limited time frame. And its users trust the developers.
C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.
C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
Alpha testing is testing done by the developer. Beta testing is testing done by the users.
C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
Black box testing is testing done without looking at the applications code being executed. White box testing is testing with the applications code being observed too when the application is being tested.
C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
The developers of the system.
C4) Can end users carry out white box, explain your answer.
Yes, if they know what they are doing and how to do it. Then they can carry out a white box test.
D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.
The system is better off being on site.
There should be multiple data backups.
And it should have multiple back up systems to do the payments.
Keep the old system as a backup in case the new one fails they can go back to the old one.
D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each
Pilot:
Pros: It can be known earlyier on what the issues are. And the problems will affect a small group
Cons: It will cost money and time for it to go on from there to the rest of the business. Lots of training needed.

Direct changeover:
Pros: Quick and easy.
Cons: Very risky and makes data quite vulnerable for loss.

Phase changeover:
Pros: Lesser training needed and issues can be covered in a wider range.
Cons: Is costly in terms of electricity waste and space used to store the new system and old.

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?
Pilot changeover because finances are critical infrastructure and it should work once its fully rolled out because of how dangerous a broken financial system is.
E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host inhouse or on the cloud and why. Discuss teh merits of both and provide recommendation.
Merits of cloud:
pros:
-cheap
-convenient
-safe from locations disasters

cons:
-data vulnerable to theft
-easily lost access to
-trust is a major question

Merits of onsite:
pros:
-trust can be certain of data security
-easy access
-data far less vulnerable to theft

cons:
-expensive
-vulnerable to natural disasters at the location
-will likely take a considerable amount of time to set up

I would recommend the bank choose onsite because it allows data to be safe, easily accesable and can be afforded by a large financial institution like a bank.
Please note for some of these there is not always a correct and wrong answer, if you are asked for a view provide it , but with justifications.

[Shiva Chandnani]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.
– Because the surrounding systems that are supposed to work with the previous payroll system no longer support it. this could be because the legacy system cannot be purchased anymore or not supported by the manufacturer anymore therefore any new technology implemented to the system may be incompatible with the system.

B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end-users and other stakeholders better insight into how the new system will function at an earlier stage?
– The V-shaped Model

B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why
– the first stage is the requirements stage where all the interactions between the developer and the end-user occur to determine the requirements.
– the second stage is High-level design in which the data transfer and communication between internal systems and with extrenal systems is clearly understood and defined in this stage.
– the third stage is lower-level design in which the detailed internal design for all the system modules is specified.
– the fourth stage is unit testing which is when testing is done at code level to help eliminate bugs or defects.
– the fifth stage is the integration and system testing in which the architectural design and system functionality is tested.
– the sixth stage is acceptance testing which is done to test if all the business requirements are met and if the system works in the end-users environment.
– In my view, the most important stage is the unit testing stage because it allows the developer to identify mistakes in the code and system at an early age.

B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method
– I would recommend the usage of the waterfall method when the circumstances need to be strict as the waterfall method is quite rigid. Also for the waterfall method, there is limited testing compared to other methods meaning that the end-user is less involved in the process.

C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.

C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
– Beta testing is done by the user while alpha testing is done by the developer.
C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
– in black-box testing, the basic total output and input of the system are tested by the user, while in white box testing specific areas of code and functions are tested by the developer.
C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
– Usually, the developer would carry out the black-box testing as it requires coding/tech knowledge.
C4) Can end-users carry out a white box, explain your answer.
– The end-user could carry it out if they have the required knowledge to do so but in most cases, it is very unlikely and is usually done by the developer.

D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.

D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each

Direct Changeover
Disadvantages: If the system fails and there is no backup all data will be lost
Advantages: The form of change is very fast in terms of time and it is also cost effective to do.

Pilot
Disadvantages: The changeover is time-consuming and there is still a risk of data loss.
Advantages: It is cost-effective and if an area within the system fails, the rest of the system won’t be affected thus there is only limited data loss.

Phased changeover
Disadvantages: Extremely time-consuming.
Advantages: Very limited data loss and limited risk of failure since small parts of the system are implemented at a given time.

Parallel
disadvantages: It requires large storage capacity to accommodate both systems,and can be expensive and time consuming.
advantages: very less to no risk of data loss and if the system fails the old system is still running. this method is recommended for crucial systems.

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?
– The Bank could implement the new system using a parallel running method so that if the new system fails the old one is still active and no data is lost.

E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host in-house or on the cloud and why. Discuss the merits of both and provide recommendations.
– The payroll should be hosted in-house in order to protect their sensitive data. storing data on a cloud can make that data more susceptible to data leaks and hacking so a in-house server will prevent these risks. However, an in-house server has the risks of physical damage done to it such as a fire, in this case there can be data loss. also in-house servers can be more costly due hiring specified employed to maintain the server.

[joshua7]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.
– Because the original vendor would not know how the new system works so they may choose to stick with the old system. Also there is a possibility that the new system may not be compatible with the new hardware if they did not include the end users during the development phase.

B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end-users and other stakeholders better insight into how the new system will function at an earlier stage?
– The agile method

B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why
1. Requirement
– Checking the requirements given by the users
2. Design
– Designing the system
3. Development
– Developing the system
4. Testing
– Testing the system
5. Deployment
– Implementation of the system
6. Review
– Final review to see if any more interactions need to be made
I think the design phase is the most important, as if the design fails to satisfy the end users, they may have to develop the software all over again. Design would also set the base for the software so if any mistakes are made, there could be larger issues later on.

B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method
– I would recommend it only if the requirements from the end users are very much in detail and is well understood by the users because the waterfall method is quite rigid, the requirements need to be strict and in much detail. Also when a system is very private, like software that would be used by users with high security clearance or someone setting up a very private system for a small group of people, there would be a lot of data to be dealt with so having limited testing and involving less people would be ideal thus the Waterfall method would be suggested.

C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.

C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
– Beta testing is testing conducted by users whereas the alpha testing is conducted by developers.

C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
– Black-box testing tests the basics, like total output and input as well the UI of the system which is usually conducted by the end user. White box testing tests specific codes and its functions by other developers.

C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
– Usually, when the developer wants to see if there are bugs, as sometimes the developer itself may not catch it, and if there could be any more efficient code that could be implemented.

C4) Can end-users carry out a white box, explain your answer.
– Yes, but only if the end users have sufficient knowledge about programming and have past experiences building projects.

D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.

D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each
Pilot
Advantages : Can test out real time without needing to fully implement the system, can always fall back to the old system or make a new system as it is not a final implementation.
Disadvantages: It is time consuming and it is also not a full implementation so they would need to make the final implementation later on.

Big Bang/ Direct Changeover
Advantages: It is very fast to implement and it is also cost effective.
Disadvantages: If the system fails, there is no backup so all data will be lost and there wouldn’t be a good working system so they would have to remake or make iterations to the system.

Parallel
advantages: Nearly no risk of data loss and if the new system fails the old system is still running so there is backup.
disadvantages: It can be very expensive and time consuming because it needs a large storage to accommodate both systems.

Phased Changeover
Advantages: Also very low risk of data loss and there is also a low risk of failure as only some parts of the system is being implemented at a time. This would ease and make the transition smooth into the new system.
disadvantages: This is also very time consuming and would be expensive as a portion of the data would still need to be stored until the transition is fully completed.

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?
– I personally think the bank should implement a pilot system because they can test out different locations and vendors to see what works. Then they can get feedback to make iterations before making the implementation to all locations. When they do make the final implementation, I would recommend big bang to make the implementation more fast and cost efficient.

E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host in-house or on the cloud and why. Discuss the merits of both and provide recommendations.
– It should be hosted in-house to protect the sensitive data and ensure more safety. Even Though an in-house server has the risk of physical damage that damages data, it would be kept more secure as data leaks and hacking would have a lower probability compared to a cloud. An in house system would also be more expensive as employees would need to be hired to maintain the servers and also they would need more physical space/rooms to keep the servers. Storing data on the cloud would be more cost effective and would not require more physical storage nor more employees but there is a higher risk of data leaks.

[ArinN_]

A bank is rolling out a new payroll system to replace a system that is no longer supported.

A) Discuss reasons why the system may not be supported by the original vendor.
– Due to reasons like compatibility, ease of use, times took to learn about the new system, etc.

B) The waterfall approach is very rigid. Can you suggest another approach that will provide end users and other stakeholders better insight to how the new system will function at an earlier stage.
– Spiral Approach

B1) Describe the 6 stages of this approach. In your view which stage is the most important and why

1. Identification: In this phase, there is continuous communication between the client and the development team in order to gather as much information as possible.
2. Design: The design stage involves architectural design, design of modules, physical product design, and final design.
3. Construct: In this stage, the actual software product is developed and while the design is being developed a Proof of Concept is made to get customer feedback.
model is developed and sent to the customer for feedback.
4. Evaluation and Risk analysis: This stage involves identifying, estimating, and monitoring the technical feasibility and management risks. At the end of each iteration, the customer tests the software and provides
evaluation.

B2) From a system development viewpoint under what circumstances would you recommend the use of the Waterfall method
– The waterfall method is the best to use when the customer’s requirements are rigid and well understood.

C) Testing is carried out to ensure the final system meets the original requirements.

C1) What is the difference between beta and alpha testing
– Beta testing is when the testing process is conducted by users while alpha testing is conducted by developers.

C2) What is the difference between black box and white/glass box testing
– Black-box testing tests the total output and input as well the UI of the system which is usually conducted by the end-user. White box testing tests specific codes and their functions by other developers.

C3) Who would carry out white box testing?
– The developers

C4) Can end users carry out white box, explain your answer.
– Yes, but only if the end users have enough knowledge about programming and past experiences building projects.

D) The bank has still to decide on the best approach to setting the new payroll system live, what advice would you give them. Their main requirement is that everyone gets paid even if the new system fails.

D1) List the alternative approaches to making a system live and discuss the advantages and possible pitfalls of each
– Direct Changeover
Disadvantages: If the system fails and there is no backup all data will be lost
Advantages: The form of change is very fast in terms of time and it is also cost-effective to do.

– Pilot
Disadvantages: The changeover is time-consuming and there is still a risk of data loss.
Advantages: It is cost-effective and if an area within the system fails, the rest of the system won’t be affected thus there is only limited data loss.

– Phased changeover
Disadvantages: Extremely time-consuming.
Advantages: Very limited data loss and limited risk of failure since small parts of the system are implemented at a given time.

– Parallel
disadvantages: It requires a large storage capacity to accommodate both systems, and can be expensive and time-consuming.
advantages: very less to no risk of data loss and if the system fails the old system is still running. this method is recommended for crucial systems.

D2) Which implementation method would you advise the Bank and why?
– Probably a pilot system because they can test out different locations and vendors to see what works. Then they can get feedback to make iterations before making the implementation to all locations. However, when they make the final implementation, the big-bang method would be recommended as it’s faster and more cost-efficient.

E) The payroll contains sensitive data should they host in-house or on the cloud and why. Discuss the merits of both and provide recommendations.
– The payroll should be hosted in-house for maximum security as storing data on a cloud can make that data more prone to data leaks and hacking thus, an in-house or local server would lessen the chance of these risks. However, an in-house server isn’t perfect as it has the risks of physical damage such as fire, water, and data corruption which if backups haven’t been made, all the data stored would be gone.

Please note for some of these there is not always a correct and wrong answer, if you are asked for a view provide it, but with justifications.

[Author]

Posts