​(b) Explain two benefits that a company would gain from using batch processing method for data processing 

RESPONSES

a) Functions of information system in an organization.

•  Process data in an organization according to the policies and objectives.
•  Decision making by providing information that helps with strategic planning within the organization.
•  Means of communication and flow of information to various sections of an organization / enable sharing of information.
•  Improving quality of production, through the use of feedback mechanisms for counter checking the production with expected results.

(b)Benefits of using batch processing.

•  Output is increased because the processor work is uninterrupted.
•  Low cost of operation since the tasks are processed as a group.
•  Requires little supervision since the processing runs automatically as long as the instructions is given.
•  Less labour required since the process is automatic.
• Efficient use of computer resources due to no idle time.
•  Gives company opportunity to check any error before processing begins.

​(b) Explain two ways in which computers can be used in the transport industry. 
(c) Mary was advised to partition a hard disk for her computer. Explain two reasons that may have necessitated this. 
(d) Explain a reason for conducting each of the following studies in systems development:
(i) Schedule feasibility; 
(ii) Technical feasibility. 

RESPONSES

a) Possible responsibilities of a database admin in a school

•  Carrying out school database backups.
•  Recovering of lost school data incase of system failure.
•  Ensuring the security and integrity of the school system.
•  Adding new users to the school system and managing the user’s accounts.
•  Designing and developing database application for the school.
•  Updating or maintaining database for the school.

b) Ways in which computers can be used in a transport industry.

•  Use of GPS to track vehicles, flights etc.
•  Bookings to different destinations can be done through the use of computers ( online booking).
•  The computers can also be used to reduce the speed of vehicles and bring sanity in the industry.
•  Managing human resource involved in the industry.

c) Reasons for partitioning hard disk

•  For security purposes, incase one partition fails the second partition remains functional.
•  If she requires backup copies to be stored in the same hard disk.
•  If she intends to install more than one operating system.

d) (I Schedule feasibility

•  To determine if the proposed solution can be developed within the required time.

(ii) Technical feasibility

•  To determine if the system can be supported by the available technology.

​(b) Arnold a programmer intends to create a user input interface screen for a system. State three factors that he should consider. 
(c)With the aid of an example in each case describe the following types of maintenance.
(i) adaptive; 
(ii) perfective; 
(iii) corrective. 

RESPONSES

a) Arithmetic errors
 Truncation error

• Results due, to shortening or leaving out part of a number or a word.
•  Rounding off error
• Arising by approximating a number by replacing it with a number that has fewer significant digits or one with zeros for its ending digits.

 Overflow error

• Occurs when the results of a computation is larger than the allocated memory space. 

 Underflow error

• Type of error occurs when the output is low small to be represented in the chosen format.

b) User interface design considerations

•  Should be user friendly.
•  Colour, fonts and layout should be appealing to the user.
•  Consider a consistent layout in the entire system.
•  Should prompt user clearly.
•  Should capture the same number of items of date as indicated in the manual data capture form.

(c)Types of maintenance
(i) Adaptive

• Type of maintenance that is done to make the system to adopt the changing technology e.g. changing the system because to new ois

(ii) Perfective

• Type of maintenance done to make the system better in its operation e.g. adding a module in a system.

(iii) Corrective

• Type of maintenance done to correct an error in the system e.g.wrong results during addition.

(a) Name this implementation strategy; 

•  The implementation strategy is: - phased change-over/modular

(b)Give two reasons why the organisation is opting to use the implementation strategy in (a) above. 

•  It gives employees opportunity to learn
•  Organization can revert to old system in case of failure.
•  Reduces resistance by employees.

(c) A manager wishes to replace the current manual system with a computerised one. Describe three main areas that must be evaluated to justify the replacement. 
Technical feasibility:

•  Does' the current technology (hardware & software) allow.

Economic feasibility:

•  Are funds available?

Social feasibility:

•  How will the new system impact on the organization/society?

Uses of system documentation

1. Technical manual referred to during system maintenance;
2.  User training: it has details of how the system works and used hence used for training new users;
3.  System progress: the document assists in the tracking of flow from one stage to the next;
4.  User guide that helps a system user to solve problems since the document outlines how the system is operated and the errors that are likely to occur/installing programs.

​(b) A company’s management has opted to use computers to process data. State four factors that the management needs to consider when selecting the company data processing mode. 
(c) Explain the purpose of each of the following in system documentation:
(î) user manual; 
(ii) sample data: 
(iii) table descriptions. 

RESPONSES

​(a) Time-sharing mode
This is a processing mode in which a central processor serves two or more users with different requirements. The processor time is divided equally
among the tasks in the queue. A user whose task requirements are more than is apportioned is send back to the queue. For example, four jobs requiring times t1, t2, t3 and t4 to complete is apportioned equal time in each round until when they are done.

(b) Factors to consider when selecting data processing mode

•  The optimisation of processing time;
•  The time factor required for decision arising from the processed data;
•  The ease of development, use and maintenance;
• The control over the resources e.g. files, I/O devices e.t.c;
• The need for the shared resources among several users who may afford purchasing their own facilities as in time sharing configuration;
•  The volume of work involved;
•  The cost of acquiring the relevant hardware. software. media e .t .c and the cost of maintenance;
•  The nature of the task to be processed.

(c) (i) Purpose of user manual

• It is a documentation whose purpose is to help a user to use the system with little guidance.

(ii) Purpose of sample data

• Before the system is implemented, it has to be confirmed that it is functional. Sample data is meant to be used to test whether the system is giving desired output.

(iii) Purpose of table descriptions

• They are details of table structures that the system will require for the purpose of designing the actual tables.

 (a) Report or documentation
 (b )Disk/master file/database

The implementation strategy is:

• phased change-over/modular

Reasons for partial approach.

•  It gives employees opportunity to learn
•  Organization can revert to old system in case of failure.
•  Reduces resistance by employees.

​(a) (i) What is an information system? 
(ii) State two roles of an information system. 
(b) Describe the following file organisation methods:
(i) random file organisation; 
(ii) sequential file organisation. 
(c)The following records were extracted from two files that contained student data.

​(i) Which of the two files above represents a Transaction file? 
(ii) Give a reason for your answer in c(i) above. 
(iii) Name the other type of file represented above. 
(d)An airline uses an information system whereby if a passenger at station A books a plane seat,this transaction is immediately shown at stations A and B such that no other passenger can book the same seat.
(i) Identify this data processing mode. 
(ii) State two advantages and two disadvantages of this data processing mode.

​(a)(i) Information system is an arrangement of people, data, processes, communication and IT that interact to support problem solving.
(ii) Improve day-to-day operation

•  Support problem solving
•  Support decision making needs for management
• Data capture
•  Processing data into information
•  Data security
•  Storing of data/information

(b) (i) Stored and retrieved according to their disk address which is generated by use of an algorithm or formula i.e. stored randomly, accessed randomly.
(ii) Method of storing or retrieving information that requires the program to start reading at the beginning and continue until it finds the desired data.
(c) (i) File B.
(ii) Transaction file: It contains data which is regularly added.
Has data/fee payment .
(iii) Master File: It contains records that do not change regularly like in file A.

​(d) (i) Real time processing. 
(ii) Advantages

•  Information is readily available for instant, decision making.
•  Updating is done instantly when transaction occurs.
•  Auditing is easier.
•  It is accurate
•  Prevent double booking

Disadvantages

•  Complex - difficult to configure/set up.
•  Expensive to acquire and maintain.
•  Errors that occur are difficult to correct

1. Coding/writing/constructing (building) the system.
2.  Turning system specification into an information system.
3.  Modify existing programs to meet changes in information processing needs (maintenance) .
4.  Implementing/installing a system
5. Testing a new system
6.  Developing system/program
7.  Documenting/giving technical guide

• Preliminary investigation/requirements specifications/feasibility 

•  Requirement analysis/fact finding/data gathering/information gathering and maintenance 

• Implementation stage and maintenance 

Activities at the planning stages

1. Identify opportunity for the new project.
2. Analyse feasibility to establish the viability of the project.
3. Develop a work plan.
4. Identify appropriate staff to work in the project.
5. Control and direct the project.

(a) indenting the technologies that may be used in a proposed system; (1 mark)
System analysis/information gathering/problem recognition 

(b) indenting shortcomings of a system; (1 mark)
 Problem definition 

(c) preparing the system migration plan. (I mark)
Implementation stage

(b) State why each of the following is important in system documentation.

• (i) sample data; 
• (ii) output reports. 

(c) Name the tools used for data storage in each of the following methods of data processing.

• (i) manual:
• (ii) electronic. 

(d)A teacher manages students’ records by storing daily attendance information in a tile called register and students’ personal records such as year of birth and home address in a file called students.
(i) Identify the types of computer files named above. 
(ii) Give a characteristic of data held in each file. 
(iii) Name the field that should be used to link the two files. 

(a) Current system may be experiencing problems thereby being unable to meet organisation requirements.
 New directives may be received from authorities and the organisation must comply.
 Changes in the operating environment forces the organisation to change in order to fit and continue in business. e.g. competition.
 Changes in technology requiring the upgrading or total change in the existing system.
 Peer pressure need to remain fashion
(b) (i) Sample data should be provided so that all modules can be tested.
(ii) Output reports show that the system actually works/testing process/expected output..
(c) (i) Manual: Manual files stored in cabinets/books/paper/in-tray/out-tray.
(ii) Electronic: Secondary storage devices/individual storage devices e.g. Flash.
(d) (i) Student: Master file/Parent/Reference File/Primary.
Register: Transaction file/Child table/Secondary.
(ii) Master file: Data is static/Permanent/Semi-permanent.
Transaction file: Data is dynamic/Temporary/Changes frequently
(iii) Key field: Student number/Admission No/Reg. No/File No.

(b) Give three reasons why system maintenance phase is necessary in SDLC.
(c) State two instances where observation is not a viable method of gathering information during system analysis stage. 
(d) Various considerations should be made during input design and output design.

State two considerations for each case. 

• Input design.
• Onput design.

(e) State two reasons why an organisation may use other strategies of software acquisition other than developing their own. 

RESPONSES

(a)(i) Activities (system implementation)

•  File conversion system change over.
•  Training, construction, installation.

(ii) System construction stage.

•  Coding
•  Module testing

(b)System maintenance stage is necessary

• Correct the errors that may have escaped during the design.
•  To meet the changes in technology.
•  Changes in government policy. ‘
•  Changes in operating environment e.g. the system evolving (e.g . when a, newer  version of software is released). 

(c)Observation not viable method of gathering information:

• Distance = when data is to be collected from a far place. if the people to be observed must be aware that they are being observed.
• When the situation is risky for the observer. 

(d)Input design:

• Data capture method.
• Input interface, between user and the system e.g. form.
• Volume of input.
• Frequency of input. 
• Output design
• Form of output designed e.g. hard/soft copy.
• Output layout.
• Purpose of output. 

(e)Other strategies other than system construction:

• Constrained by time.
• Constrained by cost
• Constrained by human resource.
• Legal requirements.