Fact Finding Questions

1. A Systems Analyst must obtain information about an organisation or information system in order to analyse requirements for a possible new system. Outlined below are eleven situations the analyst must find the answers to. For each, suggest an appropriate data gathering technique and describe how and why it is suitable. Also for each need, identify the primary source plus a secondary source of information that could be sought if the primary source is not available.
   
   1. The formal structure of responsibility and authority within a major department of a large organisation.
      
      
   2. The company policy on the assignment of credit ratings to new customers
      
      
   3. The job duties of an accounts receivable clerk within a small company
      
      
   4. The amount of time spent by a secretary on various job duties
      
      
   5. The average number of errors made by a billing clerk in calculating invoice totals
      
      
   6. The reason for preparing a three-part purchase order form to buy merchandise to replace inventory stock
      
      
   7. The best arrangement of desks and other fixtures within an office
      
      
   8. The general level of satisfaction among fifty employees in a warehouse
      
      
   9. The computerised procedure for selecting suppliers and producing purchase orders for merchandise
      
      
   10. The cost to the company of having the office manager spend time in responding to customer complaints
       
       
   11. Modifying a computer-generated management report by rearranging the columns of information
       
       
   
   

2. The following is a memo sent to the head of an accounting department as an interview request. Criticise it.

   Date: March 14

   To: Dennis Smith, Accounting Supervisor

   From: Anne Warren, Systems Analyst

   Re: Interview

   I would like for you to come to my office next week sometime to discuss the very serious problems that you have in your department. It seems that many of the other managers are upset that their reports are late and never up to date.

   I will be discussing the following topics:

   1. How many people work for you? What are their salaries?
      
      
   2. What are the exact duties of each of your employees?
      
      
   3. Why do they make so many errors?
      
      
   4. What procedures are followed by the data processing department to keep your files up to date?
      
      
   5. What kind of reports do other managers need?
      
      
   6. How will your staff feel if we automate the entire accounting function and have to lay off the unproductive workers?
      
      

   I will use this information in coming up with some better ways of doing the work in your area. I already have some idea of the changes I would like to see and hope you will agree with them. If I am not in my office when you come by, please wait, as I will probably return soon.

3. Construct questionnaire items to solicit the following information items. The gathered information should be easy to tabulate.

   1. The amount of time an office worker spends:
      • answering the phone
      • filing
      • typing correspondence
      • typing reports
      • writing memos
      • performing other duties
      
      
      
   2. The degree of importance each of the following job dimensions plays in the job satisfaction of an average worker: salary, fringe benefits, co-workers, work environment, amount of supervision, amount of work and other factors.
      
      
   3. The salaries of workers paid between $25,000 and $40,000.
      
      
   4. The relative importance of each of the following reasons for customer complaints:
      • late deliveries of orders
      • stock run outs
      • damaged goods
      • inaccurate billing
      • poor service
      • high prices