1. Demonstrate an understanding of the need for quality assurance in IT system development 2. Demonstrate the use of standard quality control documentation for an IT system development 3. Demonstrate the selection and use of appropriate project management tools for an IT system development 4. Demonstrate personal reflection skills through independent learning SCENARIO – Quality in HSBC's IT System Software Development "HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC), incorporated on January 1, 1959, is a global banking and financial services organisation. As of December 31, 2012, it provided a range of financial services to around 58 million customers through four global businesses: Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Private Banking. Its international network covers 81 countries and territories in six geographical regions; Europe, Hong Kong, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Latin America. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had an international network of some 6,600 offices in 81 countries and territories in six geographical regions; Europe, Hong Kong, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa ("MENA‟), North America and Latin America. Retail Banking and Wealth Management: Retail Banking and Wealth Management (RBWM) take deposits and provide transactional banking services to enable customers to manage their day-to-day finances and save for the future. It offers credit facilities to assist customers in their short or longer-term borrowing requirements; and we provide financial advisory, broking, insurance and investment services to help them to manage and protect their financial futures. It develops products designed to meet the needs of specific customer segments, which may include a range of different services and delivery channels. Its customer offerings include deposits and account services; credit and lending, both secured and unsecured, and financial advisory, broking, life insurance and asset management. The Company offers services through four principal channels: branches, selfservice terminals, telephone service centres and digital (Internet and mobile). Customers can transact with the bank through a combination of these channels. Its offers include HSBC Premier, HSBC Advance, Wealth Solutions & Financial Planning and Basic Banking." [Sources: http://www.reuters.com/; http://www.hsbc.com/] HSBC makes use of the latest information technologies to maintain, and develop, its competitiveness including "big data‟ and cloud-based e-commerce applications which are web-browser accessible and database-centred. It develops these inhouse using its extensive business analysis and computing expertise in these areas. You have been appointed as a senior systems analyst who also has particular responsibility for ensuring that the company‟s IT systems are developed, and evolved, to the highest possible quality standards to ensure their cost-effective development and maintenance. It is also one of your responsibilities to train colleagues in your team about the importance of:  quality,  quality standards,  quality assurance,  quality in the development life-cycle,  quality control documentation, and  the role of project management tools and techniques in the production of high quality IT systems. Assignment Task Using the learning materials provided in iLearn, reading materials from authoritative sources (e.g. Google Scholar, EBSCO), information concerning the HSBC business organisation given in the scenario, and your research from the World-Wide-Web, you are required to answer the following assignment sub-tasks (1, 2, 3 & 4) and their respective component parts (a, b, etc.): 1. This task is concerned with the need for quality assurance in HSBC‟s IT systems. With reference to the web-site development aspect of HSBC‟s IT system: a) Define what is meant by quality in terms of the development of a web-site and explain why a systematic approach to: 1) quality assurance, and 2) quality control is needed. b) Briefly discuss the various: 1) United Kingdom, and 2) international standards that are defined in respect of the development of IT systems. c) Briefly discuss the risks associated with the development of an IT system which has a database at its centre. d) Describe the systems development life-cycle (SDLC) as it applies to database development, and then go on to explain how each phase of the life-cycle is quality assured. Include an annotated diagram of the SDLC in your answer. (750 words) (25 marks) 2. This task is concerned with the production of standard quality control documentation during HSBC‟s IT system development. With reference to the web-site development aspect of HSBC‟s IT system: a) Discuss the critical importance of quality control methods and documentation to the production and evolution of a high quality IT system throughout its whole lifecycle. b) Describe one major problem which may be uncovered in an IT system which is web-site accessible, and then go on to explain how it can be solved using a Fishbone diagram. c) With reference to alternative methods, discuss the effectiveness of using the Fishbone diagram to solve the common problem you have identified in b). d) With an example for each, explain how you would use: 1) Histograms, 2) Pareto Analysis, and 3) Control Charts as quality control tools during web-site development. (750 words) (25 marks) 3. This task is concerned with the demonstration, and explanation, of the use of project management tools in HSBC‟s IT system development. With reference to the web-site development aspect of HSBC‟s IT system: a) Explain the importance of project management to the production of high quality IT systems. b) Explain the role of PRINCE2 in the project management of IT systems developments focussing on web-site development. c) With an example for each, explain how you would use: 1) a Work Breakdown Structure, 2) a Precedence Diagram, and 3) a GANTT chart in a web-site development project. (750 words) (25 marks) 4. This task is concerned with testing in assuring high quality systems in IT. With reference to the web-site development aspect of HSBC‟s IT system: a) Discuss testing in the 'V Model', its relevance to the IT system developer, and its role in assuring the quality of IT systems. b) Explain how Walkthroughs may be used in a web-site development. c) Describe the importance of the Capability Maturity Model and briefly argue the level you consider the HSBC organisation to occupy