IGCSE ICT: The Systems Life Cycle — Practice Questions

These practice questions cover all six stages of the systems life cycle in Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 Topic 7: analysis, design, development and testing, implementation, documentation and evaluation. Topic 7 is assessed on Paper 1 (Theory), where questions are set in a scenario and answers must be applied to it.

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or Cambridge directly.

Related: The Systems Life Cycle revision notes · The systems life cycle study guide

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Section A: short answers

1. Name the stage of the systems life cycle in which a requirements specification is produced. [1]

2. Name two validation checks, other than a range check, that could be used on a field storing a student’s email address. [2]

3. Give two components of user documentation that are not usually found in technical documentation. [2]

4. State what is meant by live data. [1]

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Section B: structured questions

5. A sports centre wants to replace its paper booking system. The systems analyst must research the current system.

(a) Describe how the analyst would use observation, and give one disadvantage of it. [3] (b) The centre has 40 part-time staff who work different shifts. Explain why a questionnaire might be more suitable than interviews. [2] (c) Apart from researching the current system, state two other tasks carried out during analysis. [2]

6. The new booking system stores details of each member.

(a) Complete a design for three fields: give a field name, data type and suitable field length for MemberID, DateOfBirth and Gender. [3] (b) Gender is stored as M or F. Explain one benefit of coding data in this way. [2]

7. The field CourtNumber accepts whole numbers from 1 to 8.

(a) Complete a test plan row for each of normal, extreme and abnormal data, giving the test data and the expected outcome. [3] (b) Explain why the system must be tested before it is implemented. [2] (c) State what is recorded in a test plan after a test has been run. [2]

8. The sports centre has one site. A chain of 30 libraries is installing a similar system.

(a) Describe pilot running. [2] (b) Explain why pilot running may suit the library chain but not the sports centre. [2] (c) Give one advantage and one disadvantage of direct changeover for the sports centre. [2]

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Section C: extended questions

9. Compare parallel running with phased implementation for a hospital that is introducing a new patient records system. [6]

10. After six months the sports centre manager asks for the new system to be evaluated. Describe how the system should be evaluated. [4]

11. Explain why a technician who has to upgrade the booking system needs technical documentation rather than the user guide. Refer to three components of technical documentation in your answer. [4]

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Worked answers

1. Analysis. [1]

2. Any two of: presence check (field must not be empty); format check (contains text, then @, then a domain); length check (no more than a set number of characters); character check (only permitted characters, for example no spaces). [2] A type check is weak here because the whole address is text.

3. Any two of: how to load/run/install the software; how to save a file; how to print data; how to add, delete or edit records; error messages and error handling; troubleshooting guide/helpline; frequently asked questions; glossary of terms. [2]

4. Real data, whose results are already known, used to test the new system. [1]

5. (a) The analyst watches staff taking bookings and records what is done, the data used and any problems (1). This gives first-hand, reliable information (1). Disadvantage: staff may work differently because they know they are being watched / it is time-consuming (1). [3] (b) Staff work different shifts, so it would be hard to arrange interviews with all 40 (1); a questionnaire can be completed by everyone at a convenient time, and answers can be anonymous and analysed quickly (1). [2] (c) Any two of: identify the inputs, outputs and processing of the current system; identify problems with the current system; identify user and information requirements; identify and justify hardware and software for the new system. [2]

6. (a) One mark per correct row, for example: MemberID, Text (or alphanumeric), length 6; DateOfBirth, Date/Time, length 8 or 10 (DD/MM/YYYY); Gender, Text, length 1. [3] (b) Less storage space is needed / data entry is faster (1), and validation is easier because only M or F is allowed, so fewer errors are made (1). [2]

7. (a) Normal: for example 5, accepted (1). Extreme: 1 or 8, accepted (1). Abnormal: for example 0, 9 or “two”, rejected with an error message (1). [3] No mark if 0 or 9 are given as extreme data. (b) To find errors and make sure the system works as designed (1) before staff and customers depend on it, so faults do not cause lost bookings or wrong data (1). [2] (c) The actual outcome (1) and any remedial action needed if it differs from the expected outcome (1). [2]

8. (a) The whole new system is introduced in one branch or department first (1); when it works there it is introduced in the other branches (1). [2] (b) The library chain has many branches, so one library can trial the system and limit any failure to one site (1); the sports centre has only one site, so there is nowhere separate to pilot it (1). [2] (c) Advantage: fastest and cheapest method / benefits are immediate (1). Disadvantage: if the new system fails there is no old system to fall back on, so bookings could be lost (1). [2]

9. Up to 6 marks for points about both methods, for example:

• In parallel running both systems run together, so if the new system fails the old one is still available (1).
• Outputs of the two systems can be compared to check the new one is correct (1).
• Parallel running is expensive, because staff enter every record twice and need more time (1).
• In phased implementation one part of the system is introduced at a time, such as admissions first (1).
• If a part fails, only that part is affected, so the risk is limited (1).
• Phased implementation takes longer before the whole system is in use (1).
• Reasoned conclusion: for patient records, where a failure could endanger patients, parallel running is safer despite its cost (1). [6] A “compare” answer must contain points about both methods.

10. Any four of: compare the system with the original task requirements (1); evaluate the efficiency of the solution, for example time taken to make a booking (1); evaluate ease of use, for example by asking staff (1); evaluate the appropriateness of the solution (1); evaluate users’ responses to the results of testing (1); identify limitations and necessary improvements (1). [4]

11. The technician needs to change how the system works, not just use it (1). Three components explained, for example: the program listing and program language show the code to be changed (1); system/program flowcharts or algorithms show how the processing works (1); file structures and the list of variables show how data is stored (1); validation routines and hardware/software requirements may also be credited. The user guide only explains how to use features such as adding a record, so would not help. [4]

Frequently asked questions

Which paper tests the systems life cycle? Paper 1 Theory (1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks), which uses multiple-choice, short-answer and structured questions set in everyday ICT contexts. Each mark normally needs one point applied to the scenario.

Do I have to name all four implementation methods? Only when asked. Most questions name one or two methods and ask you to describe, compare or justify them for the organisation given.

What earns the final mark in a “compare” question? Points about both methods and, where asked, a justified conclusion linked to the scenario.

Official syllabus

Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE Information and Communication Technology (0417) syllabus for 2026, 2027 and 2028, Version 3, Topic 7 “The systems life cycle” (7.1–7.6). See the revision notes for the condensed content.