EXAMINATION PAPER: ACADEMIC SESSION 2007/2008

Campus Maritime Greenwich

School Computing and Mathematical Sciences

Department Information System and Multimedia

Level Three

TITLE OF PAPER Information Systems Engineering

COURSE CODE COMP1304

Date and Time Thursday 29th May 2008 (2 hours)

BAHRAIN 15:00 GREECE 15:00

HONG KONG 18:30 LONDON 13:00
MALTA 15:00 MALAYSIA 18:30
SINGAPORE 18:30 SYRIA 16:00
SRI LANKA 16:30 TANZANIA 16:00
TRINIDAD 09:30 U.A.E 17:00
ZAMBIA 15:00

You MUST answer question 1 which is worth 40%.

Marks will be awarded for your best TWO answers to the remaining THREE questions.
Each question is worth 30% marks.

CALCULATORS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE NOT PERMITTED.

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Question 1 is compulsory. You MUST answer this question.

1. There are many tools available to the system developer to help understand system
requirements.

a) Describe the role of use case diagrams for determining information systems
requirements
[10 marks]

b) Describe the role of rich pictures as a requirements gathering tool for the building
of information systems.
[10 marks]

c) Discuss the importance of the requirements analysis stage for developing an

information system. In your answer examine why both use case modelling and
rich pictures can be important in determining system requirements.
[20 marks]

Marks will be awarded for your two answers from Questions 2, 3 & 4.

2. In Stamper’s Semiotic Framework, the Social World layer includes an understanding

of user expectations and organisational culture.

a) Using an appropriate annotated diagram, describe Stamper’s Semiotic Framework.

[10 marks]

b) Discuss why understanding the Social World layer in general, and user
expectations and organisational culture in particular, are of importance to the
information system developer.
[20 marks]

Information Systems Engineering

COMP1304
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3. Prototyping is a popular approach to systems development since end-users are a key

part of the process.

a) Outline the management issues that must be addressed to ensure that a prototyping
activity is successful.
[10 Marks]

b) Discuss how the DSDM method uses prototyping as a part of its approach to
Rapid Application Development. How do the DSDM principles support these
prototyping activities?
[20 marks]

4. When developing an enterprise-wide information system the conflicting views of user

groups and stakeholders soon become apparent and can cause problems for the
organisation, users and society at large.

a) Discuss why the abstraction and modelling process plays a key role in gathering
requirements within this environment.
[15 marks]

b) How might the introduction of systems and IT be considered as a positive and a

negative force upon organisations, end users and society?
[15 marks]

Information Systems Engineering

COMP1304
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