---
title: "Feasibility report and candidate matrix"
subject: "Software Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_5/software_engineering:feasibility-report"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/feasibility-report
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Feasibility report and candidate matrix

Software Engineering · Chapter 1: Software Process and requirements

- Asked in: year not given, 7+3 marks
- Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5 on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/feasibility-report
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/software_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

What are major components of any feasibility study report? Explain with examples. The candidate matrix with recommendation in feasibility report is considered standard, justify with reason.

## Short answer

A feasibility report includes: executive summary, introduction, problem statement, scope, existing system study, alternative solutions, feasibility analysis (technical, operational, economic, schedule, legal), candidate matrix, recommendation, implementation outline, and appendices. The candidate matrix with recommendation is standard because it enables objective weighted comparison of alternatives, clearly presents trade-offs, covers all feasibility dimensions, documents rationale for audit, and supports what-if analysis.

## Answer

#### Major components of a feasibility study report
A **feasibility report** documents the findings of the feasibility study and gives management the information needed to decide whether, and how, to proceed. Typical components, illustrated for a proposed **college library management system**:

1. **Title page and executive summary**: a one-page summary of the problem, alternatives and recommendation, for busy managers.
   *Example: "We recommend buying and customising an open-source library package at a cost of NPR 6 lakh; payback in about 2 years."*
2. **Introduction and background**: purpose of the study, who requested it, the organisation and current situation.
   *Example: manual card-based issue system serving 3,000 students.*
3. **Problem statement and objectives**: problems with the current system and what the new system must achieve.
   *Example: long queues, lost books, no overdue tracking; objective is to reduce issue time to under 1 minute.*
4. **Scope and constraints**: what is included and excluded; budget, time, policy limits.
   *Example: covers issue/return, catalogue and fines; not purchase accounting; budget NPR 8 lakh; ready by next semester.*
5. **Study of the existing system**: how work is done now, with its costs and weaknesses.
6. **Alternative (candidate) solutions**: brief description of each option.
   *Example: C1 open-source package, C2 custom in-house development, C3 cloud (SaaS) subscription.*
7. **Feasibility analysis of each candidate**:
   - *Technical*: can it run on existing PCs and LAN; staff skills.
   - *Operational*: will librarians accept it; training needed.
   - *Economic*: development and running costs, benefits, payback, ROI.
   - *Schedule*: can it be ready on time.
   - *Legal*: licences, data privacy.
8. **Candidate (feasibility) matrix**: side-by-side comparison of the candidates on all criteria.
9. **Recommendation**: the chosen solution and the reasons.
10. **Implementation outline**: high-level plan, schedule, resources and major risks.
11. **Appendices**: cost–benefit calculations, interview notes, survey results, vendor quotations.

#### Why the candidate matrix with recommendation is the standard
A **candidate systems matrix** lists the alternative solutions in columns and the evaluation criteria in rows; a **feasibility analysis matrix** adds weights and scores so that the candidates can be ranked. Example (scores out of 10):

| Criterion (weight) | C1 Package | C2 Custom | C3 Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational (0.30) | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| Technical (0.25) | 9 | 6 | 8 |
| Economic (0.30) | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| Schedule (0.15) | 9 | 5 | 9 |
| **Weighted score** | **8.10** | **6.75** | **7.25** |

(C1: 0.30×7 + 0.25×9 + 0.30×8 + 0.15×9 = 2.10 + 2.25 + 2.40 + 1.35 = 8.10.) Recommendation: **C1**, the highest-ranked candidate.

This form is considered standard because:
1. **Objective comparison**: all candidates are judged on the same criteria and weights, reducing personal bias.
2. **Clarity for decision makers**: managers see all options, their trade-offs and ranking at a glance, without reading long text.
3. **Covers all feasibility dimensions** (technical, operational, economic, schedule) in one place, so no aspect is ignored.
4. **Documented rationale**: the recommendation is traceable to the scores, so it can be reviewed, justified and audited later.
5. **Supports what-if analysis**: changing weights (for example, if cost becomes more important) quickly shows whether the recommendation still holds.
6. **Actionable**: the recommendation tells management exactly what to approve, while the matrix shows the fallback options if the first choice fails.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is the purpose of the executive summary in a feasibility report?
   A. To give busy managers a one-page summary of the problem, alternatives and recommendation
   B. To list detailed vendor quotations and survey results
   C. To describe the existing system step by step
   D. To define the testing schedule
   Answer: A. The executive summary condenses the problem, alternatives and recommendation so managers can decide quickly. Details go in appendices. (Key point: Executive summary)

2. Which set lists the feasibility analyses done for each candidate solution?
   A. Technical, operational, economic, schedule and legal
   B. Syntactic, semantic, logical and physical
   C. Unit, integration, system and acceptance
   D. Requirements, design, coding and testing
   Answer: A. Each candidate is analysed for technical, operational, economic, schedule and legal feasibility. (Key point: Feasibility dimensions)

3. In a candidate systems matrix, what goes in the columns and rows?
   A. Criteria in columns and staff names in rows
   B. Alternative solutions in columns and evaluation criteria in rows
   C. Time periods in columns and costs in rows
   D. Risks in columns and test cases in rows
   Answer: B. Candidates are placed in columns and the criteria they are judged on in rows, so they compare side by side. (Key point: Candidate matrix layout)

4. In the example matrix, why is C1 (Package) recommended?
   A. It has the highest technical score only
   B. It has the lowest cost
   C. It has the highest weighted score (8.10)
   D. It was the first candidate listed
   Answer: C. C1 scores 8.10 against 6.75 for C2 and 7.25 for C3, so it is the highest-ranked candidate. (Key point: Weighted score)

5. Why does a weighted matrix help when cost suddenly becomes more important?
   A. Costs are removed from the matrix
   B. The weights can be changed to see if the recommendation still holds
   C. The candidate list must be rebuilt from scratch
   D. The recommendation becomes final and cannot change
   Answer: B. Changing the weights quickly shows whether the top-ranked candidate stays the same, which supports what-if analysis. (Key point: What-if analysis)

## Related in Software Engineering

- [Feasibility study and its types](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Afeasibility-study) — Software Engineering, chapter 1
- [Short note: feasibility study](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Afeasibility-note) — Software Engineering, chapter 1

## Related in other subjects

- [Case study: plan, feasibility and ROI](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Finstrumentation_ii%3Acs-2075chaitra) — Instrumentation II, chapter 10
- [Final project report: title page, abstract, recommendation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Afinal-report-title-abstract-recommendation) — Communication English, chapter 8
- [Case study: current control and recommendation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Finstrumentation_ii%3Acs-existing-recommend-problems) — Instrumentation II, chapter 10, asked 3×
- [Proposal; feasibility study of a road project](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aproposal-questions-feasibility-road) — Project Engineering, chapter 2