Model Questions.
Chapter 2: Introduction to OOSAD.
Direct Answer Questions
1. What does Domain Analysis involve?
Investigating the domain of the software to understand the specific area and terminology.
2. What is the goal of Software Elements Analysis?
To extract precise requirements from customers, even if initially incomplete or ambiguous.
3. What is a software specification?
A set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service.
4. What does Software Architecture address?
The interfaces between the software system and other software products, and the underlying hardware
or host operating system.
5. What is involved in the Implementation phase of software development?
Realizing a technical specification or algorithm as a program, software component, or other computer
system.
6. What is the focus during the Testing phase?
Testing parts of software, especially where code by two different engineers must integrate.
7. Why is Documentation important in software development?
For the purpose of future maintenance and enhancement, especially documenting external interfaces.
8. What does Software Training and Support entail?
Providing training classes to help users adapt to new software and to build excitement and confidence.
9. What challenges does Maintenance address in software development?
Coping with newly discovered problems or new requirements, often taking more time than the initial
development.
10. List the phases of SDLC.
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, Maintenance.
11. What is considered during the Planning phase of SDLC?
Economic, organizational, operational, and technical feasibility studies.
12. What activities are involved in the Analysis phase of SDLC?
Breaking down the system into parts, gathering requirements, and creating proposals.
13. What decisions are made during the Design phase of SDLC?
Deciding whether the system will be created in-house or outsourced and how it will operate.
14. What is the most expensive phase of SDLC?
Implementation.
15. What is a key activity during the Implementation phase?
Building or purchasing the system and testing it.
16. What are the two most popular structured design methodologies?
Waterfall model and Parallel Development model.
17. What is the primary focus of Object-Oriented Analysis and Design?
Breaking down problems into objects that contain both data and processes.
18. What is the difference between Structured and Object-Oriented Analysis in terms of
focus?
Structured focuses on processes, while Object-Oriented focuses on objects.
19. What is the Waterfall model known for?
Its systematic and sequential approach from one phase to another like a waterfall.
20. What is a disadvantage of the Waterfall model?
It is rigid and inflexible; one phase must be completed before moving to the next.
21. Which development model is favored for large, mission-critical projects?
The Spiral Model.
22. What combines features of both prototyping and waterfall models?
The Spiral Model.
23. What is the primary advantage of Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
Much faster development and higher-quality results compared to traditional methods.
24. What does the Business Modeling step in RAD focus on?
Modeling the information flow among business functions.
25. What is the main focus during the Data Modeling step of RAD?
Defining the attributes of each object and their relationships to support the business.
26. What transformation occurs during the Process Modeling step of RAD?
Transforming identified data objects to achieve business functions.
27. What is Agile known for in software development?
Accommodating changing requirements and enhancing customer involvement.
28. What is Extreme Programming (XP)?
An Agile development methodology designed to improve software quality and responsiveness to
changing customer requirements.
29. What are the core values of XP?
Communication, simplicity, feedback, and courage.
30. What does Scrum emphasize?
Iterative progress through sprints and collaborative decision-making.
31. What is the role of a ScrumMaster?
To facilitate the Scrum process and remove obstacles impacting productivity.
32. What is the responsibility of the Product Owner in Scrum?
To maximize the value of the product and the work of the development team.
33. Describe the purpose of the Sprint Planning meeting.
To plan the work to be performed during the Sprint.
34. What happens during a Daily Scrum?
The team synchronizes activities and plans for the next 24 hours.
35. What is the outcome of a Sprint Review?
Inspection of the Increment and necessary adjustments to the Product Backlog.
36. What is the goal of the Sprint Retrospective?
For the team to inspect itself and plan improvements for the next Sprint.
37. What is the key benefit of the Agile Manifesto in software development?
Prioritizing individuals, working software, customer collaboration, and responsiveness to change over
rigid processes.
38. Why is Extreme Programming considered flexible and low-risk?
Because it emphasizes continuous feedback and iterative testing throughout the development process.
39. What is the purpose of pair programming in XP?
To enhance code quality through continuous review and collaboration between two developers.
40. Why are RAD projects typically faster to complete?
Due to the emphasis on reusing existing components and rapid prototyping.
41. When is using the Waterfall model most appropriate?
For small, well-defined projects with clear and stable requirements.
42. What are the strengths of the Spiral Model?
High focus on risk analysis, suitability for large projects, and flexibility to add functionality later.
43. What is a critical weakness of the RAD model?
High dependency on strong team performance and the ability to modularize the system.
44. How does Agile differ from traditional methodologies like Waterfall?
Agile methodologies focus on flexibility and iterative development, allowing changes throughout the
project lifecycle.
45. Why might the Waterfall model be less suitable for large, complex projects?
Due to its inflexibility and the linear nature of its phases, which may not accommodate changes
effectively.
Critical Thinking and Illustrative Questions
1. How does Domain Analysis impact the scalability of a software product?
Domain Analysis ensures that the software is designed with a deep understanding of the domain's
complexities and potential future needs. By accurately identifying and understanding these factors,
developers can design systems that are adaptable and scalable, accommodating future growth or
changes in user requirements without significant reworks or system overhauls.
2. What are the potential drawbacks of not involving end-users during the Software
Elements Analysis phase?
Excluding end-users can lead to a misalignment between the software functions and the users' actual
needs. This oversight often results in software that may technically meet specified requirements but
fails in usability and practical effectiveness, potentially necessitating costly revisions and negatively
impacting user satisfaction.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Waterfall model in today's fast-paced technology
environment.
The Waterfall model, with its sequential design, faces challenges in today's dynamic technology
landscape where requirements can change rapidly. Its rigid structure can delay testing and feedback
until late in the project, potentially leading to the discovery of issues that are costly or complex to
resolve at later stages. Agile methodologies might be more effective in environments where flexibility
and iterative testing are crucial.
4. Discuss the role of continuous integration in Agile methodologies like Extreme
Programming (XP).
Continuous integration in Agile methodologies, particularly XP, involves merging all developer working
copies to a shared mainline several times a day. This practice reduces integration problems, allows for
early discovery of conflicts between different pieces of code, and encourages frequent testing and
immediate feedback, leading to higher software quality and reducing the time to market.
5. How suitable are the Waterfall and Spiral methodologies for a software development
project with complex requirements?
The Waterfall methodology, with its linear and sequential approach, can be less adaptable and might
struggle with complex, changing requirements. In contrast, the Spiral methodology, which emphasizes
iterative development and risk management, is generally more suitable for projects with complex and
evolving requirements due to its flexibility.
6. How does the emphasis on customer collaboration in Agile impact project outcomes
compared to traditional models like the Waterfall?
Agile's emphasis on customer collaboration ensures that the development process is more aligned
with customer needs and expectations, allowing for adjustments based on feedback throughout the
project. This contrasts with traditional models like Waterfall, where customer feedback is typically
incorporated only at certain milestones, possibly leading to a final product that may not fully meet the
current needs due to the lack of flexibility to adapt to changing requirements during development.
7. What challenges might arise from the frequent iterations of Scrum, and how can they be
mitigated?
Frequent iterations in Scrum can sometimes lead to burnout or a lack of clear direction if not managed
carefully. To mitigate these issues, it’s crucial to ensure that each sprint has specific, achievable goals
and that the team does not deviate significantly from the established roadmap. Regular and structured
retrospectives are also essential to address any ongoing issues in the process.
8. Illustrate the Waterfall Methodology?
The Waterfall Methodology is a sequential design process used in software development, where
progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through several phases such as
Conception, Initiation, Analysis, Design, Construction, Testing, Production/Implementation, and
Maintenance. This methodology is best suited for projects with clear objectives and stable
requirements. The linear nature of Waterfall allows for easy understanding and management, but its
rigid structure can be a drawback in projects requiring flexibility due to the difficulty in going back to
any stage once it is completed.
9. Explain the Rapid Application Development (RAD) model.
Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a type of agile software development methodology that
prioritizes rapid prototype releases and iterations. Unlike traditional waterfall methods, RAD focuses
on the use of software and user feedback over strict planning and requirements recording. It is
characterized by the use of powerful development tools and techniques to speed up the development
process, typically involving user participation and iterative design and construction phases. This
methodology is effective in projects where time to market is a critical concern and requirements can
be modularized.
10. Illustrate Extreme Programming (XP).
Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile software development framework aimed to improve software
quality and responsiveness to changing customer requirements. XP promotes high customer
involvement with frequent feedback loops, continuous testing, continuous planning, and close
teamwork to deliver software at frequent intervals, typically every 1-3 weeks. The core practices of XP
include pair programming, test-driven development, and system metaphors. XP is particularly useful
in projects with unclear or rapidly changing requirements due to its flexible and adaptive nature.
11. What are the key principles of Scrum?
Scrum is an agile methodology used to manage and improve work processes, typically in software
development. Scrum relies on a set project structure that includes roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner,
and Development Team), ceremonies (Sprints, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint
Retrospective), and artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Product Increment). The framework
emphasizes teamwork, accountability, and iterative progress toward a well-defined goal, allowing
teams to respond flexibly to changing requirements.
12. How does the Waterfall methodology handle changes during a project?
The Waterfall methodology traditionally handles changes with difficulty due to its sequential nature.
Once a phase is completed, revisiting or modifying it involves significant effort and is often
discouraged. Changes in the project requirements or scope are typically addressed through extensive
documentation and increased cost, which makes Waterfall less flexible compared to agile
methodologies like Scrum or XP.
13. What advantages does the Spiral Model offer over traditional models?
The Spiral Model offers the advantage of early risk identification and mitigation through its iterative
nature and risk analysis phase. This model allows for multiple refinements and iterations, providing a
more flexible and adaptable development process suitable for projects with uncertainty and high risks.
This flexibility to adjust the project with each iteration reduces potential costly errors as the project
progresses.
14. In what scenarios is RAD most effective?
RAD is most effective in projects requiring rapid development and where requirements are expected
to change or are not fully understood at the project's outset. It works well when the project scope is
restricted to modularized, small to medium-sized projects that can benefit from the faster iterations
and active user feedback integral to the RAD approach.
15. How does Extreme Programming enhance software quality?
Extreme Programming enhances software quality through continuous testing and feedback, frequent
releases, and close collaboration between developers and customers. The practice of pair
programming, where two developers work together on the same code, also helps in reducing bugs
and improving code quality. Test-driven development ensures that testing is integrated throughout
the lifecycle, not just at the end, which helps in maintaining high standards of quality continuously.
