System Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

An individual in charge of designing, modifying, or analyzing various systems to ensure compatibility and user effectiveness. System analysts may work independently but are often part of a larger information technology unit that keeps technical aspects of a company running smoothly. System analysts do not focus on hard-coding, but more on evaluating the code and making suggestions.

• System analyst responsibilities are to develop, document and revise system design procedures, test procedures, and quality standards.
• Provide staff and users with assistance solving computer related problems, such as malfunctions and program problems.
• Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.
• Consult with management to ensure agreement on system principles.
• Expand or modify system to serve new purposes or improve work flow.
• Assess the usefulness of pre-developed application packages and adapt them to a user environment
• Recommend new equipment or software packages.
• Confer with clients regarding the nature of the information processing or computation needs a computer program is to address.
• Read manuals, periodicals, and technical reports to learn how to develop programs that meet staff and user requirements.

Train staff and users to work with computer systems and programs; review and analyze computer printouts and performance indicators to locate code problems, and correct errors by correcting codes; determine computer software or hardware needed to set up or alter system; supervise computer programmers or other systems analysts or serve as project leaders for particular systems projects; define the goals of the system and devise flow charts and diagrams describing logical operational steps of programs; coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility and so information can be shared; analyze information processing or computation needs and plan and design computer systems, using techniques such as structured analysis, data modeling and information engineering; specify inputs accessed by the system and plan the distribution and use of the results; interview or survey workers, observe job performance or perform the job to determine what information is processed and how it is processed; use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and internet technology; utilize the computer in the analysis and solution of business problems such as development of integrated production and inventory control and cost analysis systems; prepare cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to aid in decisions on system implementation.

System analysts are technical experts and outstanding analytical thinkers. They are highly organized and knowledgeable about many different types of technological systems. They are also able to adapt to the various unique technological conditions which each new company brings. They possess reasonable communication skills and are able to prepare effective reports, flowcharts, and diagrams.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a protocol used to provide quick, automatic, and central management for the distribution of IP addresses within a network.

DHCP is also used to configure the proper subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server information on the device.

Teams are about working effectively with others.  Highlight your effectiveness with others particularly non-technical and your accomplishments.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times, Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents, Talking to others to convey information effectively, Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

My work style matching exactly what cashier job requires by: being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks, analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems, being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations, being honest and ethical, being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Functional requirements:

Any requirement which specifies what the system should do.

In other words, a functional requirement will describe a particular behavior of function of the system when certain conditions are met, for example: “Send email when a new customer signs up” or “Open a new account”.

A functional requirement for an everyday object like a cup would be: “ability to contain tea or coffee without leaking”.

Typical functional requirements include:

• Business Rules
• Transaction corrections, adjustments and cancellations
• Administrative functions
• Authentication
• Authorization levels
• Audit Tracking
• External Interfaces
• Certification Requirements
• Reporting Requirements
• Historical Data
• Legal or Regulatory Requirements

Non-functional requirements:

Any requirement which specifies how the system performs a certain function.

In other words, a non-functional requirement will describe how a system should behave and what limits there are on its functionality.

Non-functional requirements generally specify the system’s quality attributes or characteristics, for example: “Modified data in a database should be updated for all users accessing it within 2 seconds.”

A non-functional requirement for the cup mentioned previously would be: “contain hot liquid without heating up to more than 45 °C”.

Typical non-functional requirements include:

Performance – for example: response time, throughput, utilization, static volumetric

• Scalability
• Capacity
• Availability
• Reliability
• Recoverability
• Maintainability
• Serviceability
• Security
• Regulatory
• Manageability
• Environmental
• Data Integrity
• Usability
• Interoperability

DHCP server allowed entire process to be auto-mated and managed centrally. DHCP server maintains the IP addresses in bulk and assign an address to any DHCP enabled client when he switches on to the network. As such the addresses are dynamic rather than static, so the Addresses which are no more in use are automatically return to the bulk for re-allocation.

Use Case Diagram and Component Diagrams are used.

We as a team of developers, testers, analyst, lead and architect sit close to each other. Most of the time I would just jump to their seat and talk to them (if required). We have daily stand up where we discuss things that needs team attention.

I have the ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations), listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences, tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem, generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways, apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Among the considerations – user participation, identify the objective or deliverable for the applications, and hardware platform.

If you feel you’re weak in programming experience, you may want to mention any formal training you’ve had.

The Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming, the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar, principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications, the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

We have multi-tier architecture with multiple layers, we have series of web servers and applications in application tier, infrastructure libraries at middle tier and Database servers at the lower tier. We are using Oracle as Database, ESB (Enterprise service Bus) for asynchronous communication and Rest Web Services.

System analysts are technical experts and outstanding analytical thinkers. They are highly organized and knowledgeable about many different types of technological systems. They are also able to adapt to the various unique technological conditions which each new company brings. They possess reasonable communication skills and are able to prepare effective reports, flowcharts, and diagrams.

System analyst should gather requirements like

Technical requirements: It includes the detail about what the system is built, including which language it will be programmed in, what standards are to maintained, etc.

Functional requirements: It includes the detail about what needs to be delivered, which is

Generally, read by software engineers, project managers and business analyst

Be specific about what you actually have training and experience in. But generally speaking, system analysts are usually experts in computer systems, hardware platforms, and programming techniques.

Software audit includes

• Looking into an employee’s computer system for violation of security and company’s policy
• Regular audits of all servers and computers to check whether they are updated in streamlined with all software licenses
• Adapting audit system that is least bothering to employee and their task
• Apart from regular audits, random audit should be done to check whether there is any
• Deletion or addition of software to the system.

• Provide assistance to users solving computer related problems
• Test, maintain and monitor systems and computer programs
• Co-ordinate and connect the computer systems within an organization to increase
• Compatibility
• Modify system to improve work flow
• Training and assisting staff and users to work with computer systems
• Recommend new equipment or software packages
• Determine computer software or hardware required in an organization
• Good understanding of company’s database
• Publish weekly report which identify progress made towards implementing monitoring by
• application and by environment

When a large network is subnetted, the network is divided into at least two smaller subnetworks, with each subnetwork (subnet) having its own subnetwork address (subnetid). When super netting is performed, several small Class C networks are combined to create one large network, or supernetwork.

I would first try to make sure that I am correct in that understanding. Will talk to developers and architects to understand the technical challenges to accomplish it. Once I am done with my ground work, Will schedule a meeting with business stake holders. Will gather required evidences and will present the challenges to Business.

I am working as a Software System Analyst that specializes in understanding Business Requirements, analyzing them, Performs Cost / Benefit analysis, Make suggestions to business, translate the business requirements into technical requirements, Discuss their feasibility with the technical team, performs sizing in coordination with developers and prepare high level design document. 

Describe the various documentations you keep as part of your daily responsibilities. Analysts document problems as well as the solutions required or implemented. They make records of inventory and maintain system documentation.

1. How do you persuade a doubtful manager to get on board with your suggestions?
2. Why do you like to work as system analyst?
3. What could you do not like to work as system analyst?
4. What are your future steps after experience you’ll gain from your system analyst job?
5. As system analyst, what training courses or extra education that you think will improve your work performance?
6. How would you reconcile different opinions on the deployment date of a new program?
7. What salary do you expect you’ll get from being system analyst employee?
8. How do you perform a software audit on a PC or Mac?
9. Describe a time when you had to deliver a presentation. How did you explain technical details to a non-technical audience?
10. Have you ever implemented a cost-reducing system? What was it and how did you come up with the suggestion?