Question A4 (Developing Information Systems) (TOTAL: 15 points) Read the following problem-solving mini-case for the telecommunications company, TropiComm, and answer the questions at the end. TropiComm is a small telecommunications company that specialises in providing internet-enabled voice and data communication to small businesses. Quinn James is the TropiComm Chief Executive Officer, while Josh Raine and Patrick Szu are software development engineers. Over a coffee on Tuesday morning, Josh and Patrick suggested to Quinn that they should gather a team of experienced programmers and use the eXtreme Programming approach to develop a new accounting information system for TropiComm. It would be just like SAP only better! This was the first time this suggestion had been raised with Quinn. Quinn immediately agreed to this suggestion and she wants Josh and Patrick to start developing and implementing the software immediately. Quinn suggested that she should pay Josh and Patrick a bonus of $50 each for each page of documentation that the project produces. Josh and Patrick consider this to be a highly unsuitable way to pay them they refuse to work for nothing! Answer all of the following questions:

(b) You are concerned that this decision of Josh, Patrick and Quinn to develop TropiComms own accounting information system is a disaster in the making. Explain the crucial steps to developing an information system that Quinn, Josh and Patrick have skipped in deciding to develop this system (4 points). Discuss the factors that should have been considered before deciding to make this software inhouse (3 points). Considering these factors in deciding whether to make or buy software, do you believe it is likely that the development of a custom system by TropiComm is warranted in this case? Justify your answer (3 points). (