Question

1. Choose one of the following 3 sets and provide adequate answers that are well-supported (You can’t mix the items between sets… once you choose a set, you get committed to the problems included in that set).

Set A

1. If LAU plans on changing its Banner system and getting a new system for admissions, registration, and curriculum management, advising, and assessment, what should be implemented: SDLC or Prototyping? Please support your answer with valid arguments and examples. (Sufficiently)
2. The Human Resources Office is planning to get a Payroll Application. What do you recommend they do: Implement SDLC or Prototyping? Why?

Set B

1. Ammo El Dekkanji Supermarket is a small family business in Beirut. It intends to automate its operations to be more efficient and effective. Its owner approached you for advice: “we want to develop a system that keeps good record of our inventory, receivables, costs, operations, and sales”. What would you recommend they use: the SDLC or the Prototyping approach? What’s your logic behind it
2. Latte Art wants a system that would help management keep record of inventory and customers’ preferences for coffee, sandwiches, croissants, cookies, and other items. Which systems development model should be applied here? SDLC or prototyping? Why?

Set C

1. The Central Bank of Lebanon has made a decision to install a system all over the bank, and it needs it to enhance transparency all over the bank, the audits, and records, and ensure smooth operations. What systems development approach should be followed in this case? SDLC or Prototyping? Why? Please be systematic and support your argument.
2. The Middle East Airlines intends to develop a system that overcomes all kinds of delays, reservation errors, and allows for better self-service by passengers before reaching and while they are at the airport. What approach should be followed in this case? SDLC or Prototyping? Why? Please be systematic and support your argument.

Answer 1

Set A

a) LAU is planning on changing its banner system. The organization has plans to get a new banner system for admissions, registration as well as curriculum management. The new system will also have coverage on advising and assessment. As this system will have functionality for all major functionalities of the organization, it is better that the system be developed and implemented using Prototyping method. A comprehensive discussion on requirements of different process owners can be done and accordingly a prototype can be developed. This prototype will portray the sample functionality of the system. If any of the process owner is not satisfied with the functionality, he or she can recommend changes for the same. This way, the end system will be acceptable as well as useful for all process owners. The overall effectiveness of the system will be quite high when developed using prototyping method. SDLC is not flexible method and any kind of changes will not be accounted for in that methodology. Hence it will not be a relevant method in this case.

b) The HRD is planning to get a payroll application for the company. Payroll is a very crucial functionality of the business. If the compensation of employees is not calculated accurately, there will be various problems and issues. The problems will get reflected in the overall performance of the employees. Hence the company is required to come up with an effective payroll application to facilitate the needs of the organization effectively. The requirements of the payroll application will be quite clear. The HRD will have clarity about the requirements and objectives from the system. Also the developer will require to work on feedback of the users, the HRD in this case, so as to come up with a comprehensive system. Prototyping will be a good methodology in this case as well. Prototyping facilitates the collaboration as well as communication between the developer and the user. The HRD can give feedback about the prototypes of payroll system and a comprehensive system can be developed. There will no information gap in the way, the system is developed. Hence prototyping will help the HRD to get an effective payroll system.