← VCE Software Development U3O2

Reports as a source of requirements

Data already collected by someone else, such as error logs, sales or incident reports. Analysts study it to find problems and needs, after checking it is current and reliable.

Part of: VCE Software Development - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 26

Understanding Reports as a source of requirements in VCE Software Development U3O2

What it does: Currency means the data is recent enough to reflect how the system and business work now, so the date must be checked. A sales report is secondary data. The sharp drop suggests a problem with the checkout, which gives a need to analyse. Secondary data is data that already exists and was collected by someone else. Primary data is collected first-hand, for example through interviews, surveys or observation. Reports reveal patterns that point to problems and needs. The analyst should investigate the drop, not jump to extreme conclusions. Reliability depends on the source and the collection method. Page count says nothing about whether the data can be trusted.

Common mistakes: A sales report was collected by someone else, so it is secondary data. Primary data is collected directly by the analyst. It should be 'secondary'. A report is current only if it is recent. The test should be age <= 12, because >= 12 marks old reports as current.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 26–41) and word search (Modules 26–51).

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Learning
Duo
A developer reads last year's help desk incident report to find common problems. What type of data is this?
Primary data, because the developer is the one reading itSecondary data, because someone else already collected it
Matches
Analyst uses a 6-year-old incident report without checking its date to define needs for the new system
↓
The analyst did not check currency. Old data may not reflect current problems, so the needs could be wrong.
Applying
Meanings
Term
secondary data
Meaning
Data already collected by someone else, such as error logs, sales or incident reports. Analysts study it to find problems and needs, after checking it is current and reliable.
Practice
BEGIN AnalyseReport
Testing
Gaps
data: collected by someone else
Check Answer
Spots
1type ← 'primary'
2source ← 'sales report'

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Quick Questions

1. A developer reads last year's help desk incident report to find common problems. What type of data is this?
A. Secondary data, because someone else already collected it ✓
B. Primary data, because the developer is the one reading it
Secondary data is data that already exists and was collected by someone else. Primary data is collected first-hand, for example through interviews, surveys or observation.
2. Which of these is an example of an existing report that can reveal user needs?
A. An error log showing the same crash 300 times a week ✓
B. A new survey the analyst writes and hands out today
Error logs, sales reports and incident reports already exist. A new survey creates new primary data, so it is not an existing report.
3. A sales report shows that online orders fall sharply at the payment page. What might this suggest?
A. Customers definitely want the whole website deleted
B. A possible need to improve or fix the checkout process ✓
Reports reveal patterns that point to problems and needs. The analyst should investigate the drop, not jump to extreme conclusions.
4. Before relying on a report, which check shows if the data is still current?
A. Check the date the data was collected ✓
B. Check how long the report file name is
Currency means how up to date the data is. Old data may not describe how the system or users work now.
5. Which question best checks the reliability of a report?
A. How many pages does the report have?
B. Who created it and how was the data collected? ✓
Reliability depends on the source and the collection method. Page count says nothing about whether the data can be trusted.

Match the Pairs

secondary data → Data already collected by someone else, such as an existing sales report, that is reused to find needs
error log → A report of faults and crashes that points to problems users have with the current system
Check that a report is current by looking at when it was produced → Report date: 14 Feb 2021 (5 years old) - may be out of date
Existing business reports can reveal a need, such as a product that is selling poorly → Sales report: Online orders down 30% since checkout page was added
Analyst uses a 6-year-old incident report without checking its date to define needs for the new system → The analyst did not check currency. Old data may not reflect current problems, so the needs could be wrong.
Analyst accepts a sales report from an unknown source with no author, and treats it as fully trustworthy → The analyst did not check reliability. Without a known, credible source, the data may be inaccurate or biased.

Key Term

secondary data
Data already collected by someone else, such as error logs, sales or incident reports. Analysts study it to find problems and needs, after checking it is current and reliable.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Secondary data: collected by someone else
Hint: Type the name for data that someone else already collected.
2. Interviews: primary data Sales reports: secondary data
Hint: Type the data type for an existing business report.
3. Check currency: is the report up to date?
Hint: Type the word for how up to date a source is.
4. Check reliability: is the source trusted?
Hint: Type the word for whether a source can be trusted.
5. Error logs reveal problems and needs
Hint: Type what an analyst finds by studying error logs.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A type ← 'primary'
B source ← 'sales report'
C OUTPUT type, source
Line A — A sales report was collected by someone else, so it is secondary data. Primary data is collected directly by the analyst. It should be 'secondary'.
Question 2
A report ← LoadReport(sales)
B age ← MonthsOld(report)
C current ← age >= 12
D OUTPUT current
Line C — A report is current only if it is recent. The test should be age <= 12, because >= 12 marks old reports as current.
Question 3
A crashes ← 0
B FOR EACH entry IN errorLog
C IF entry.type = 'crash' THEN
D crashes ← 1
E END IF
F END FOR
Line D — The error log must be counted, so crashes should be increased each time one is found: crashes ← crashes + 1. Setting it to 1 resets the count.
Question 4
A IF reliable OR current THEN
B USE report AS evidence
C ELSE
D FLAG report AS unsuitable
E END IF
Line A — Secondary data should only be used if it is both reliable and current. It should be AND, because OR accepts data that fails one check.
Question 5
A incidents ← LoadIncidents()
B top ← LeastCommon(incidents)
C need ← 'Fix ' + top
Line B — The most common incident shows the biggest problem and so the strongest need. It should be MostCommon(incidents).

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