Topic 1 - System fundamentals
Question 1
SLPaper 1Identify one method of inputting data that can improve the accessibility of a computer system for some users.
Question 2
SLPaper 1A business’s computer system needs to be updated.
The new system is now ready for implementation.
Identify one stakeholder to be considered when planning the new system.
Outline one consequence of not including all stakeholders in the design of the new system.
Describe two appropriate techniques to gather the information needed to find a suitable solution for the updated system.
Outline one reason testing should take place at every stage of the development process.
Evaluate two methods the business could use to implement the new system. Include the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Question 3
SLPaper 1Identify two reasons why patches may be necessary for an operating system.
Identify twomethods that can be used to obtain these patches.
Question 4
SLPaper 1A medical centre uses a computer system to manage both patients’ data and appointments. This system, which is used by the doctors, nurses and secretaries, has two unordered files: a patients’ file and an appointments’ file, both of which can only be accessed sequentially.
Every evening the following processing takes place:
- a list of appointments for the next day is printed out
- reminders are sent by SMS text messages to the patients’ mobile devices.
Outline the pseudocode that the processing must follow when the system sends out the text reminders.
Describe two different methods that the medical centre could use that would allow data to be restored should it be lost for any reason.
The medical centre is concerned about the privacy of the data it is storing and has to make decisions concerning:
- access to the data stored on this system
- storing the data locally or through the use of a cloud service.
Discuss the issues that should be considered before making these decisions.
Question 5
SLPaper 1An airline has a server that holds the flight database. Passengers can check in using a number of self-service client kiosks located in the airport.
Define the term client.
Define the term server.
Explain the functions performed by the server in this situation.
Question 6
SLPaper 1Compare direct changeover with parallel running as a method of implementation.
Question 7
SLPaper 1Outline one method of collecting information from stakeholders concerning the requirements for a new system.
Question 8
SLPaper 1Define the term peripheral.
Question 9
SLPaper 1A new computerized system is being planned for a school library.
Describe one method by which systems requirements can be obtained from the stakeholders.
Outline one reason for providing a prototype for this new system.
Question 10
SLPaper 1Website developers need to consider a range of usability factors when designing a website.
A company promotes its products online. To make a purchase, customers are required to register with the company and provide data like their name, date of birth, age, gender and email address. Once registered, more than one customer is able to access the server to retrieve and modify their data at the same time.
Identify two usability factors that need to be considered in the design of a website.
Outline one reason why visual displays on a computer screen can create difficulties for some people.
State where the customer data is held during the process of modifying their data.
Explain how the operating system ensures that each customer’s data is secure when multiple users are accessing the data at the same time.
The company is considering sharing its customers’ data with marketing organizations.
Explain why there could be ethical issues for the company when sharing its customers’ data.
