4.5: Key Terms

accessibility

practice of making products, services, and environments usable by as many people as possible, especially by ensuring that digital resources are available to individuals with disabilities

Agile

approach of iterative and incremental delivery of quality products and value to stakeholders using team collaboration, flexibility, and continuous planning

Agile software development

adaptive approach to software development that considers uncertainty in rapidly changing environments and allows Agile teams to respond to those changes to deliver smaller, consumable work packages quickly

As-Is/To-Be process map

visualization that details the “current state” and “future state,” respectively, of a specific process or function within an information system; the As-Is process map details how things currently work, while the To-Be process map describes what should be done to reach the desired future state

business problem

any obstacle to business operations that causes variance in the expected outcome

client/server architecture

tiered architecture in which a central computer (server) operates the network and allocates resources to the equipment connected to the network

computer-aided design (CAD)

design approach in which computers are used to assist in the design process, including in the creation, development, modification, or optimization of design systems

context diagram

high-level diagram that visualizes a system or parts of a system and the environmental actors with which it interacts using diagrammatic arrows to display the flow of data

data cycle

different stages that data pass through while they exist in an organization’s system, from initial generation onward

data design

aspect of systems design wherein data and the actionable components resulting from the systems analysis process are translated from their raw formats and combined into understandable formats

data dictionary

database that houses the details of system data, their properties, entity relationships, and any reference documentation

data flow diagram (DFD)

graphical representation of the information flow of a process or system

design diagram

simplistic drawing, or elaborate depiction, that helps design teams as it is simple to understand, universally accepted, and easy to compare

enterprise

another term for a business, organization, or company

enterprise network architecture

includes pertinent business functions and provides and illustrates the technical architecture, including the dependencies and connectivity of various applications

entity relationship diagram (ERD)

visual representation of the data flow and its relationship among people, objects, events, places, or concepts

flowchart

visualization that displays sequential relationships between data, systems, programs, or processes and is often used by technical and nontechnical persons to document, plan, and communicate ideas in a simple-to-understand visual format

focus group

group of individuals assembled to discuss their opinions on a product or service

functional requirement

feature or function of an application that is needed for the affected business areas to accomplish its tasks

interface design

design of the visual layout and functional elements of a product or system that involves using an understanding of people and processes to drive the final design outcomes

iterative

process that is applied repeatedly

mind map

free-form depiction of ideas with branches displaying the flow of information and thoughts; generally used for brainstorming activities

network

system of interconnected computers and other devices that allow for the exchange of data and information (such as files) and the sharing of resources (such as printers)

network architecture

top-level view of the system that defines the equipment in the network and the interaction between the equipment

network design

focuses on the specific implementation and configuration of a network to meet the requirements of a particular organization or application

network protocol

set of rules and guidelines that determines how data are exchanged between network devices

nonfunctional requirement

attribute of the system that enhances its functionality or operation and is often viewed as an item that describes the general properties of the system or how the system should behave and work

peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture

architecture in which computers on the network are all given the same opportunity to use resources on the network

process design

activity generally used by businesses to further understand its processes and how to improve them

prototype

design approach wherein systems designers and users create a small-scale representation or working model of the solution

requirements traceability matrix (RTM)

spreadsheet or similar document used to record each user requirement along with supplemental information (such as type, description, objective, justification, priority, department, and status) that assists with the review, testing, and confirmation of requirements

responsive design

approach that allows design themes and associated content to adjust to match and reconfigure itself for mobile use

retrospective meeting

meeting in the Agile software development process at which sprints are discussed in detail and areas of improvement to apply to future sprints are identified

software development life cycle (SDLC)

framework that defines the stages of software development, from inception to retirement

sprint

time-based period, generally between one and six weeks, that represents a delivery cycle during which the specified work is completed and reviewed

stakeholder

individual or group who has a vested interest or concern of a business decision; may be internal or external to an organization and may include the community, government entities, employees, customers, investors, suppliers, or trade unions/associations

stand-up

ten- to thirty-minute daily meeting to discuss the development process and any changes that are needed during sprints

system design process

methodology that determines and defines the architecture, interfaces, and data for a system to ensure that it satisfies the specified requirements

system documentation

reference information used to describe the system and its parts and used to understand the functioning of the system

systems analysis

identifies the opportunities discovered by examining business problems and identifying possible solutions the business may undertake

systems analyst

professional whose primary functions are to utilize systems analysis and design techniques to support information systems and solve challenges that arise when using information systems

systems design

organizational approach to improving on an existing system or to developing a newer one

systems design task list

road map through each step of the design process, allowing teams to have an organized workflow and make informed decisions at each step

UML diagram

broad category of tools that are commonly used in systems analysis and design

usability

quality-related attribute that assesses an interface’s ease of use

use case diagram

visual representation of system features that displays how specific users interact with the specific functions of a system

user experience (UE or UX)

design approach that encompasses the user’s experience with the company, its services, and its products

user interface (UI)

point of user interaction with the product that incorporates the elements, functions, and responsiveness of the design that the user may encounter

user requirements

aspects of a solution that are specified by stakeholders and needed to support the specific needs and expectations of a business process or product

user-centered design (UCD)

iterative, and stepwise, approach to development that considers the user’s needs, behaviors, and preferences

web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG)

guidelines for web and digital design that integrate accessibility into the product and user experience