Post on 21-Jul-2015
Scenario• Alexandria Regional Bank is a small bank with three
branches. However, it wants to introduce an online banking system using the Internet. In order to ensure that the system will work effectively it has employed the services of a systems analyst. The analyst will investigate the current methods of carrying out transactions.
• At the moment, all paying in slips and cheques are gathered together in the course of the day and are then batch processed overnight. Many customers pay their bills by writing a cheque together with the invoice which is similar to a paying in slip. Sometimes customers call in or phone the branch to find out the balance on their account. Statements are only sent to customers at the end of each month.
1 (a) Describe three methods a systems analyst
would use to research the way the bank
currently operates. [3]
• Observations – Analyst observes the workers
• Questionnaires – Pieces of papers with questions
written on them
• Interviews – Analyst interviews key personal
• Examining documents – Analyst examines the
documents that are used within the system
Examiners Report
• A small number of candidates just listed three
methods without a description and did not gain any
marks.
(b) Describe how data would be stored in
the current system of batch processing. [2]
• File will be held in a sequential manner
• To allow for serial access
• Code allocated for credit (paying in slip)
• Or debit (cheque)
• Used to process all records one after the
other
• When updating customer accounts
Examiners Report• Most candidates were unable to suggest the
method of storage as they failed to conclude that
only serial access was required in the current
system.
(c) Describe how data will be stored once
the on-line banking system is introduced. [2]
• Files will be held in an indexed sequential
manner
• The index will allow for direct access
• Needed when accessing individual records
quickly
• The records will be held sequentially to allow
for serial access
Examiners Report• The scenario required the candidate to deduce
that a system requiring both direct access and serial
access was required. Most candidates failed to
make the correct deduction and were
consequently unable to describe the indexed
sequential method of data storage.
(d) Describe the equipment a bank customer
will need if they are going to use the new
online banking system. [2]
• Modem/Router to connect to the
system/Internet
• Mouse to select options/services
• Keyboard to type in
username/password/amounts
• Internet browser to connect to the service
(e) Some customers are worried that they will have to type
in their bank account details.
Discuss why you think this will be a problem or not. [4]
• Bank details may be intercepted by hackers/description of
spyware/key logging
• Hackers would need to know username and password
• Most systems are extremely difficult to hack into contrary to
popular belief
• Data is encrypted when being transmitted
• Impossible to crack the encryption without a key
Examiners Report
• Candidates often failed to give both sides of the
argument instead they relied on vague descriptions
of hacking for the main thrust of their answer.
2 (a) Describe the effects that the
introduction of the new system will have on
the people who work at the bank in terms of
employment and working patterns. [4]
• Increased unemployment for specific bank workers such as cashiers
• Increased employment for technical staff
• Some workers may have to/will have the opportunity to go part time
• There will be the opportunity to job share
• There will be the opportunity for flexible working hours
• Workers will need to have the ability to move from branch to branch
• Workers may gain new skills
Examiners Report• Many candidates seemed to have learnt off by
heart a supermarket scenario and did not transfer
their knowledge to a banking scenario with many
referring to checkout operators rather than bank
clerks.
• Many concentrated on the unemployment aspect
and therefore did not gain more than one mark.
(b) Explain what responsibilities the bank has with regard to its
customers and the data they will store about them. Discuss the
types of security measure it will need tointroduce. [6]
Three from:
• Need to protect confidentiality of data/duty of confidence to
prevent customer data being made public
• Need to comply with data protection rules
• Responsibilities relating to passing on information from bank to
other organisations to avoid customer being compromised
Three from:
• Advantage of User id/passwords is that only authorised users have access to the data
• Disadvantage of User id/passwords is that users can forget their passwords
• Advantage of encryption is that unauthorised people will not understand the data
• Disadvantage of encryption is that it is just possible to crack encryption codes
• Advantage of duty of confidence requirement in employment contracts is it discourages workers from spreading personal data around
• Disadvantage of duty of confidence requirement in employment contracts is that bank is relying on workers having sufficient integrity to abide by this
Examiners Report• The majority of candidates concentrated on
aspects of the data protection act without
managing to explain which aspects would be
relevant to the banking scenario. Very few
candidates saw that the second half of the
question was a ‘discuss’ question and failed to give
advantages and/or disadvantages of different
forms of security.