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AS 1 Approaches to Systems Development

9 dot points across 9 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do the waterfall, iterative and agile approaches differ, and when is each suitable?

The waterfall, iterative or incremental and agile or rapid application development methodologies, their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and the situations that suit each.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer comparing the waterfall, iterative or incremental and agile or rapid application development methodologies, their characteristics, strengths, weaknesses and the projects that suit each approach.
10 min answer →

What documentation does a system need, and who uses each type?

The purpose and contents of technical documentation and user documentation, and the audience each serves during development, use and maintenance.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on system documentation: the purpose, contents and audience of technical documentation and user documentation, and why each matters during development, use and maintenance.
9 min answer →

How is a project judged feasible, and how are requirements gathered and recorded?

The purpose and types of feasibility (technical, economic, legal, operational and schedule), fact-finding techniques for requirements gathering, and functional and non-functional requirements.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on the feasibility study (technical, economic, legal, operational and schedule), fact-finding techniques for gathering requirements, and the difference between functional and non-functional requirements.
10 min answer →

How is a new system installed, and which changeover method should be chosen?

Implementation and installation of a system, the changeover methods (direct, parallel, phased and pilot), their advantages, disadvantages and suitability, and data conversion and user training.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on implementing and installing a system: the direct, parallel, phased and pilot changeover methods, their advantages, disadvantages and suitability, and data conversion and user training.
10 min answer →

How does an analyst investigate the current system and gather facts?

The fact-finding techniques used during investigation: interviews, questionnaires, observation and inspection of documents, with the advantages and disadvantages of each.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on the fact-finding techniques used during system investigation: interviews, questionnaires, observation and document inspection, with the advantages, disadvantages and suitability of each.
9 min answer →

Why is a system maintained after delivery, and what kinds of maintenance are there?

The purpose of system maintenance and the three types of maintenance (corrective, adaptive and perfective), with examples of each.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on system maintenance: why systems are maintained after delivery and the three types of maintenance, corrective, adaptive and perfective, with examples of each.
9 min answer →

What is specified during the design stage, and how is it documented?

Designing the inputs, outputs, processing, data storage and user interface of a system, and the design tools used: data flow diagrams, system flowcharts, entity relationship diagrams and the data dictionary.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on the design stage: specifying inputs, outputs, processing, data storage and the user interface, and the design tools used including data flow diagrams, system flowcharts, entity relationship diagrams and the data dictionary.
10 min answer →

How is a system tested, and what test data proves it works?

Levels of testing (unit, integration, system and acceptance), the purpose of a test plan, and the use of normal, boundary and erroneous test data.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on testing: the levels of testing (unit, integration, system and acceptance), the purpose of a test plan, and the use of normal, boundary and erroneous test data with expected results.
10 min answer →

What are the stages of the systems development life cycle, and what does each stage produce?

The stages of the systems development life cycle, the activities carried out in each stage and the documented outputs each stage hands on to the next.
A CCEA A-Level Digital Technology answer on the systems development life cycle: its stages from feasibility through analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance, the activities in each, and the documents each stage produces.
10 min answer →