1What is the role of a systems analyst as a consultant?
A systems analyst acts as a consultant to a business, specifically hired to address information systems issues.
2What does a systems analyst do as a supporting expert?
They draw on professional expertise concerning computer hardware and software and serve as a resource rather than directly managing the project.
3What is the role of a systems analyst as an agent of change?
They help organisations transform by focusing on effectiveness, improvement, and development, acting as a catalyst for change.
4What are the analytical skills of a systems analyst?
Systems thinking, organisation knowledge, problem identification, and problem analysis & solution.
5What are the management skills of a systems analyst?
Resource management, change management, risk management, and project management.
6What are the technical skills of a systems analyst?
Constant re-education to keep skills up-to-date and understanding a wide variety of technologies.
7What are the interpersonal skills of a systems analyst?
Communication, ability to work alone or with a team, managing user/manager expectations, and facilitating groups.
8What are reasons people resist change?
Threat to job security, reduction in social satisfaction, and reduction of self-esteem and reputation.
9What are the effects of resistance to change?
Withholding facts, providing inaccurate data, showing indifference, or spreading negativity through commotions or a combative attitude.
10What are methods to overcome resistance to change?
Keep people informed, transfer employees if necessary, extend training, and seek employee participation.
11What shapes a successful project?
Completion on time, within budget, meeting requirements, and satisfying users.
12What are the main responsibilities of a project manager?
Project planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and reporting.
13What is project planning?
Identifying all project tasks and estimating their completion time and cost.
14What is project scheduling?
Creating a timetable showing tasks, dependencies, critical tasks, and assigning resources appropriately.
15What is project monitoring and controlling?
Guiding, supervising, and coordinating the team’s workload to meet quality standards.
16What is a structured walkthrough?
A review of a project team member’s work by other team members.
17What is project reporting?
Creating regular progress reports for management, users, and the project team.
18What happens in project status meetings?
Regular updates are given to discuss project status, issues, problems, and opportunities.
19What are project status reports?
Written progress reports often including Gantt charts to show project status graphically.
20What is the main business issue in project management?
Ensuring the system provides a solution to a business problem or opportunity.
21What is project creep?
Projects gradually expanding beyond their initial scope.
22What are budget issues in project management?
Cost overruns from unrealistic estimates, poor forecasts, or slow responses to warning signs.
23What are schedule issues in project management?
Problems with timetables and milestones due to poor monitoring, missed dependencies, confusion, or personnel turnover.
24What is Brooks’ Law?
"Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later."