Text D: Implementation and maintenance

The tasks that take place during the implementation phase are: purchase and install hardware and/or software, create and test applications, finalize documentation, convert to new system. When new hardware and software are purchased and installed, they are tested to ensure they operate correctly.

Different types of testing help identify and fix problems. As each application module is completed, it undergoes unit testing. When all modules are tested, integration testing is performed to ensure that the modules operate together correctly. After unit and integration testing are completed, system testing ensures that all hardware and software components work together correctly.

The information system should be completely documented. System documentation describes a system’s features, hardware, and programming. User documentation describes how to interact with the system.

Implementation of a new system must include training employees. It might be software orientation, hardware operations, data entry and backup procedures.

The data for a new information system must be converted and loaded into the new system. System conversion is the process of deactivating an old information system and activating a new one. A final test called acceptance testing demonstrates that the system works correctly.

The maintenance phase involves day-to day operation of the system, making modifications to improve performance, and correcting problems. It is the longest SDLC phase and lasts until the system is retired.

Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. Testing is the only way to make sure a new information system works.
2. The target audience for user documentation is programmers, designers, and analysts who might maintain the system and implement modifications.
3. When converting data from an existing computer system to a new system, a programmer writes conversion software to read old data and convert it.
4. Acceptance testing includes the use of real data to demonstrate that the system operates correctly under normal and peak data loads.
5. During the maintenance phase, an information system is maintained in a static state and doesn’t undergo any changes.

Find the words with an opposite meaning in the text.

Fill in the correct words from the active vocabulary.

1. In the … phase, the project team must figure out how the new system will fulfill the requirements specified in the System Requirements Report.
2. … processing in a client/server or peer-to-peer environment is very popular because it provides high levels of processing power at a low cost.
3. Software … is the process of modifying a commercial application to an

organization’s needs.
4. The goal of … is to create very detailed specifications for the completed information system.
5. Software testing can reveal problems that result from … with the existing hardware or an incorrect installation of the software.
6. During the ... phase of the SDLC, the project team puts together the components for the new information system.

Read the sentences, translating the Russian fragments into English.

1. In the design phase, the project team (определяет различные решения) and then selects the one that offers the most benefits at the lowest cost.
2. (Настройка по техническим условиям заказчика может включать) modifying the user interface, enabling the mouse, selecting the menus.
3. Application development tools include (оболочки экспертных систем и системы управления базой данных).
4. The final phase of testing, in which users verify that the entire system works as specified, (называется приемочное тестирование).
5. (Без программы по преобразованию данных), users would be forced to manually reenter data from the old system into the new system.
6. (На этапе текущего обслуживания системы), security is a top priority, but operating system upgrades and software revisions also take place.

Answer the questions.

1. What happens during the implementation phase?
2. How can the team ensure that a new information system works?
3. What kinds of documentation does the project team create?
4. What happens to data from the old system?
5. What are the major maintenance activities for an information system?

SPEAKING PRACTICE

Speak on the following topics.

1. What happens in the design phase?
2. The pros and cons of different software alternatives.
3. Implementation phase: development and testing.
4. How long does the maintenance phase last?

UNIT 6: DATABASES

Active Vocabulary

Text A: Data Modeling

Key considerations in organizing data in a database include determining what data is to be collected in the database, who will have access to it, and how they might wish to use the data. Based on these determinations, a database can then be created. Building a database requires two different types of designs: a logical design and a physical design.

The logical design of a database shows an abstract model of how the data should be structured and arranged to meet an organization’s information needs. The logical design of a database involves an orderly fashion. Because databases provide both input and output for information systems throughout a business, users from all functional areas should assist in creating the logical design to ensure that their needs are identified and addressed.

Physical database design starts from the logical database design and fine-tunes it for performance and cost considerations (e.g. improved response time, reduced storage space, lower operating cost0. The person identified to fine-tune the physical design must have an in-depth knowledge of the DBMS to implement the database. For example, the logical database design may need to be altered so that certain data entities are combined, summary totals are carried in the data records rather than calculated from elemental data, and some data attributes are repeated in more than one data entity. These are examples of planned data redundancy. It is done to improve the system performance so that the user reports or queries can be created more quickly.

1. Read the questions and circle the correct answer.