Key term
CCEA A-Level Software Systems Development CL4
Software and the Development Environment
Topic overviewSystems software and application softwareThe operating system and file managementSource code filesBinary, object and executable filesCompilers, interpreters and the build processXML files and structured dataUtility software and managing files on diskThe integrated development environmentObject oriented development platformsOpen source software and licensing
Defining Data: Types, Variables and Classes
Topic overviewPrimitive types and their storageReference types, objects and nullDeclaring variables, scope and lifetimeType casting and conversionArithmetic operators and expressionsRelational and logical operatorsOperator precedence and evaluation orderObjects as occurrences of a classAbstract, base and inherited classesAttributes and the properties of a classStatic variables in a classInterfaces and class reusability
Program Control Structures
Topic overviewSequence and the order of executionMethods and passing control between themSelection with IF and IF ELSENested IF and multi-way selectionThe switch statementCount-controlled repetition with FORConditional repetition with WHILE and DO WHILENested loops and tracing iterationsBreaking out of loops and avoiding infinite loopsChoosing and evaluating control structures
Objects, Classes and Data Structures
Topic overviewConstructors and creating objectsMethods, parameters and return valuesEncapsulation and access modifiersGetters, setters and validating an object's stateInheritance and the base classOverriding methods and run-time polymorphismOverloading methodsChoosing and organising data structuresStrings and string handlingStatic arrays of simple typesArrays of objects
Exception Handling and Managing Input and Output
Topic overviewWhy errors have to be trappedTypes of error and how an exception is raisedThe try and catch blockCatching more than one kind of exceptionThe finally block and releasing resourcesThrowing exceptions and writing an exception classChecked and unchecked exceptionsReading and validating input from the command lineControlling screen outputText filesBinary filesObject files and serialisation
Testing an Object Oriented Application
Topic overviewWhy an object oriented application must be testedChoosing test data: normal, boundary and erroneousWriting a test plan for a classTesting a class method by methodTesting constructors and object stateTesting inheritance and overridden methodsTesting error handling pathsDry runs and trace tablesTest harnesses, drivers and stubsRecording and interpreting test resultsEvaluating a test plan and re-testing
Graphical User Interface Objects and Events
Topic overviewGraphical user interfaces and console programsForms and their common propertiesLabels, text boxes and text areasButtons, check boxes and radio buttonsLists, combo boxes and other selection controlsProperties, methods and events of a GUI objectContainers, panels and laying out a formThe event loop and the event queueEvent handlers and registering a listenerThe event object and reading it inside a handlerButton, mouse and keyboard triggers
Multiple Forms and Linking to Files
Topic overviewWhy an application needs more than one formCreating, showing, hiding and closing a formModal and modeless formsPassing data between formsMenus, menu items and shortcutsToolbars and navigation buttonsDesigning navigation for a multi form applicationReading and writing text filesBinary files and streamsObject serialisation and object filesChoosing between text, binary and object files
Designing, Testing and Evaluating an Event Driven Application
Topic overviewStoryboards and what they showBuilding a storyboard from user requirementsPrototyping and refining a designError trapping in an event driven applicationUsing try and catch inside an event handlerValidating what a user types into a controlDesigning a test strategy for an event driven applicationTest plans and choosing test dataTesting the paths a user takes through an interfaceDocumenting and interpreting test resultsEvaluating an application against its requirementsEvaluating features, functionality and usability
Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies
Topic overviewWhy organisations initiate systems developmentAnalysis and design principles for business solutionsRoles in development and the place of the userThe purpose of a methodology and how methodologies evolvedThe waterfall modelIterative, incremental and spiral developmentRapid application developmentThe dynamic systems development methodScrumExtreme programmingPrototyping in the development processUML modelling and simple diagrams
Managing Projects
Topic overviewThe purpose of project managementProject management concepts and the project life cycleRoles and responsibilities in project managementResources needed to develop a projectEstimating effort, duration and costGantt charts and the scheduleMilestones and checkpointsNetwork diagrams and PERTFinding the critical pathFloat and how it is usedMonitoring and controlling progressManaging risk and change
Testing Strategies
Topic overviewWhy testing matters throughout the development cycleTesting at the design stageProgram and unit testingIntegration testingSystem testingWhite box testingBlack box testingNormal, boundary and erroneous test dataUser acceptance, alpha and beta testingThe personnel involved in testingWhat a test plan containsBuilding a test plan for a scenario
Database Concepts and Entity Relationship Modelling
Topic overviewWhat a database is and why one is usedDatabase terminology: fields, records and keysThe relational modelThe hierarchical modelThe network modelEntities and attributes in an ER modelRelationships and their degreeBuilding an ER model for a problemFrom ER model to a working designComparing the three database models
Normalisation and Structured Query Language
Topic overviewWhy data is normalisedUn-normalised data and repeating groupsFirst normal formSecond normal formThird normal formWorking a full normalisation throughThe advantages and limits of normalisationThe principles of SQLSQL commands for defining and changing dataSQL statements for retrieving dataJoining tables and grouping results
Project Management and the Systems Approach in Practice
Topic overviewBreaking a development into tasks and deliverablesEstimating durations, effort and dependenciesDocumenting the plan as a Gantt chartWorking out the critical path and floatMilestones, reviews and user sign-off pointsPlanning people, resources and skillsBuilding a plan capable of reflecting changeRecording progress against the planUpdating the plan to reflect slippageRecording change requests and versions of the planEvaluating different approaches to a business problemSelecting and justifying a specific approach
Defining Requirements and Documenting the Design
Topic overviewEliciting requirements from the userWriting functional requirementsWriting non-functional requirementsSpecifying the software and hardware the solution needsProducing and agreeing the user requirements specificationDesigning the data model and the tablesDesigning the inputs, the screens and the navigationDesigning the outputs and the reportsDocumenting the processes and the logic of the solutionTesting the design against the desired user outcomesPresenting the design and the solution using appropriate media
Building a Desktop Solution with a Database
Topic overviewApplying relational techniques to a real solutionChoosing the database and the development toolConnecting the application to the databaseData adaptorsData setsData commands and parameterised queriesBinding the database to the interfaceMultiple forms and navigationSaving changes and protecting the dataTesting and documenting the built solution
Testing and Evaluating the Solution
Topic overviewPlanning the testing of the finished solutionChoosing test data: normal, boundary and erroneousTesting validation and error handlingTesting the database and its queriesTesting the user interface and the navigationTesting the whole solution and testing with the userDocumenting test outcomes as evidenceDiagnosing failures and retestingEvaluating the test proceduresEvaluating the solution against the user requirementsEvaluating delivery against the project planEvaluating your own performance on the development
Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies
- 12 subtopics
- 36 things to know
- A2 Unit 1
What Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies covers
Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies is examined in Unit A2 1, Systems Approaches and Database Concepts — a written examination on a pre-release case study. It covers why organisations initiate systems development, analysis and design principles for business solutions, roles in development and the place of the user, the purpose of a methodology and how methodologies evolved, the waterfall model, iterative, incremental and spiral development, rapid application development, the dynamic systems development method, scrum, extreme programming, prototyping in the development process and UML modelling and simple diagrams.
Where it is assessed
A2 Unit 1
Systems Approaches and Database Concepts, examined on a pre-release case study.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 12 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Why organisations initiate systems developmentProject initiation, legal change forcing a system to be rewritten and feasibility study.Open →
- Analysis and design principles for business solutionsPurpose of the analysis stage of a project, four fact-finding techniques an analyst uses and what levelling a data flow diagram means.Open →
- Roles in development and the place of the userMain responsibility of a systems analyst, two responsibilities of a programmer within a development team and purpose of a steering committee.Open →
- The purpose of a methodology and how methodologies evolvedSystems development methodology, four things a methodology supplies to a development team and how software was typically produced before methodologies were adopted.Open →
- The waterfall modelStages of the waterfall model in order, situation in which waterfall is the right choice and situation in which waterfall would be the wrong choice.Open →
- Iterative, incremental and spiral developmentIterative development, how iterative working reduces the cost of a misunderstood requirement and regression risk created by repeatedly changing a partly built system.Open →
- Rapid application developmentRapid application development trying to achieve, joint application development workshop and three kinds of tool that make rapid application development possible.Open →
- The dynamic systems development methodDynamic systems development method, principle of fixing time and resources and varying features and building incrementally from firm foundations.Open →
- ScrumThree roles defined in Scrum, three responsibilities of the product owner and saying a Scrum team is self-organising and cross-functional.Open →
- Extreme programmingAbbreviation XP stand for, and what does the name, values on which extreme programming is built and how pair programming works.Open →
- Prototyping in the development processPrototype in systems development, horizontal prototype and vertical prototype.Open →
- UML modelling and simple diagramsFour elements of a use case diagram, UML visibility symbols for public, private and protected members and state machine diagram used to model.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Process
Several roles are inherent in the development process. Justify the claim that the user's is the one nobody else can fill.
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Define a systems development methodology.
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Name four things a methodology supplies to a development team.
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Who are the participants in a methodology? Name three and state each one's contribution.
Process
Explain why a requirement discovered during the testing stage is so expensive under waterfall.
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Describe the four activities that make up one loop of the spiral model.
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How is a prototype used in rapid application development?
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What is a sprint, and how long does one usually last?
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What does a burndown chart plot, and what does a flat line on one mean?
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What does the abbreviation XP stand for, and what does the name mean?
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What is continuous integration, and how often does it happen?
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What is the danger of showing a polished prototype to a manager?
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How can prototyping be used inside an otherwise sequential project?
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What is meant by project initiation?
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What does the abbreviation DSDM stand for, and what is fixed in it?
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What is UML?
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Give three business pressures that commonly trigger the development of a new system.
Process
What is the purpose of the analysis stage of a project?
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What is the main responsibility of a systems analyst?
Process
List the stages of the waterfall model in order.
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Distinguish iterative development from incremental development.
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What does the abbreviation RAD stand for, and what is its central idea?
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What is the dynamic systems development method, and how does it relate to rapid application development?
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Is UML a methodology? Explain your answer.
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Why does a merger between two companies almost always start a systems development project?
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Name four fact-finding techniques an analyst uses.
Process
How does the work of a project manager differ from that of a systems analyst?
Process
What has to happen at the end of a waterfall stage before the next stage may start?
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What makes the spiral model risk-driven?
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What is rapid application development trying to achieve?
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Explain the principle of fixing time and resources and varying features.
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How is the name Scrum usually written, and where does it come from?
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Name the values on which extreme programming is built.
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Distinguish a throwaway prototype from an evolutionary prototype.
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Distinguish structural from behavioural UML diagrams and give one example of each.
Take Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies further
The same content, four other ways.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is meant by project initiation?
Model answer
Project initiation is the point at which an organisation formally agrees to investigate or build a system, naming the problem, the sponsor who will pay for the work and the boundaries of what will be looked at.
- 2
Give three business pressures that commonly trigger the development of a new system.
Model answer
Growth beyond what the current system can handle, a change in the law that the current system cannot satisfy, and a competitor offering customers a faster or cheaper service are three common triggers.
- 3
Explain how ageing technology on its own can force an organisation into systems development.
Model answer
Ageing technology forces development when the supplier stops issuing security patches, spare parts or replacement licences, so the organisation is running software that can no longer be made safe or repaired.
- 4
Why does a merger between two companies almost always start a systems development project?
Model answer
A merger leaves the combined company holding the same customers in two incompatible systems, so records are duplicated, reports disagree and staff cannot see one version of a customer until the systems are replaced or integrated.
- 5
Give an example of a legal change forcing a system to be rewritten.
Model answer
A data protection rule that gives customers the right to have their records erased forces a rewrite if the existing system was built to archive everything and has no delete path.
- 6
How can an opportunity, rather than a problem, initiate development?
Model answer
An opportunity such as cheap mobile hardware or a new payment service can initiate development because the organisation sees a way to reach customers or cut costs that was not previously available, even though nothing is currently broken.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies revision questions
- What does Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies cover in CCEA A-Level Software Systems Development?
- 12 subtopics: why organisations initiate systems development, analysis and design principles for business solutions, roles in development and the place of the user, the purpose of a methodology and how methodologies evolved, the waterfall model, iterative, incremental and spiral development, rapid application development, the dynamic systems development method, scrum, extreme programming, prototyping in the development process and uml modelling and simple diagrams. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies organised?
- By the CCEA CL4 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Reasons for Systems Development and Systems Methodologies, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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