Structured Systems Analysis and
Design Methodology
Northern College Diploma
Philip Bird
Why Bother?
Need to plan and organise – link to life cycle.
Help communicate ideas.
Get processes (functions) right – Data flow
modelling.
Get data right – Entity modelling.
Cross reference the two – checks built-in.
Can be automated.
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Data Flow Modelling
Describe the current physical system.
Show processes together with data
flows between them.
Show data stores.
Use these to discuss problems with
users and help identify requirements for
new system.
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Customer
Order
Stock level
Check stock
availability Product
Order
Copy order
Order
Order
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X-Ray Example I have a problem
X-Ray Request
Patient
GP What’s the result?
Meet Appt
Appt Request
Appt
Report
X-Ray/History X-Ray Dept
Consultant
Report
System Boundary
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X-Ray L1 DFD
Appointment Patient
Appt Card
1 X-Ray Dept
Appt Request
Take
X-Ray
X-Ray/History
Report
2 Consultant
Produce Report
Report
GP
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Records Clerk – Chaka Khan Receptionist – Mae Pang
Scenario Takes the X-Ray Request and uses this to
find old, historical X-Rays and Reports for
that Patient.
Completes an Appointment Card
for the patient at the Radiology
clinic and makes an appointment
Appends new X-Rays to the historical in the Diary. (16th December).
records and sends them, together with Passes the X-Ray Request to the
Patient – Mark Twain the copy of the X-Ray Request, to the Office Assistant.
Visits the GP with a pain in the Consultant. When the Patient attends the
middle finger, left hand. (Lives Files away the historical records and the appointment the Appointment
at 14 Sheffield Road, new Report from the Consultant. Card is taken and checked in the
Deepvale) Diary. The Patient is sent to the
Makes a hospital appointment, waiting room while the
Office Assistant – Bart Simpson
(16th December) and attends Appointment Card is passed to
Takes the X-Ray Request, finds the
the hospital appointment. the Office Assistant.
patient number from the Patients Record
Revisits the GP to gets the
Card file and adds it to the X-Ray
results.
Request then files the X-Ray Request
away. Consultant – Don Waters
Takes the Appointment Card, finds the Examines the new X-Rays, checks
GP – Stig McNasty patient number and uses this to retrieve the X-Ray history and dictates the
Fills in an X-Ray Request form the X-Ray Request. Makes a copy of the new Report diagnosing the
for the Patient. (Area to X-Ray Request and passes one copy to findings. One copy of the Report
investigate is “Index finger, left the Radiographer and the other to the goes back to the X-Ray
hand”) Records Clerk. Department with the historical
On receipt of the Report from records and one copy goes to the
the hospital they request the GP.
Patient to make a follow up Radiographer – Gaynor Glow
visit to get the results. Collects the next X-Ray Request from the
pending file, calls the Patient from the
waiting room and takes the X-Ray.
Passes the X-Ray to the Records Clerk.
Information Systems Philip Bird
X-Ray L2 DFD Consultant
X-Ray/History
X-Ray Put in
In Tray
Dept In Tray
History Out Tray
Report History View & Dictate
Diagnosis
Write
Send to Report
X-Ray Dept
GP
Report
Report
Report
Copy Send
Report to GP
Information Systems Philip Bird
Entity Modelling
Things the system needs to store data
about
Physical – cars, products
People – customers, employees
Abstractions – order, invoice, booking
Each entity has a unique identifier – key
attribute/field.
Entities linked via relationships.
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One to One 1:1
Woman
Is the husband of
Is married to
Man
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One to Many 1:N
Tutor
Has
Is allocated to
Student
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Many to Many M:N
Actor Actor
Has
Appears in Role
Film Film
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Entity Attributes
° Employee number
Name
Address
Employee Tax code
NI number
Pay to date
Tax to date
° Key field
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An Example – Hire Car Booking
Customer#, Name,
Customer Address, Tel
Customer#, Date,
Booking Car reg, Duration
Car reg, Make, Model,
Car Type, Seats, Cost
Date, Mileage,
Service Description, Mechanic
Name, Qualifications
Mechanic
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Entity Life Histories
Describes the entity over time.
Check to see there are no missing
processes. Are there processes to
create, update and delete the entity?
Produce diagram that serves as an
initial program design.
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ELH For Appointment Entity
Appt
Make Change *
Visit New Year
Appt Appt
Where
Whereininthe
theDFD
DFDisis
there
thereaaprocess
processtoto
º = Alternative change
changean appointment?º
anappointment?
Has No º
Appt Appt
* = Repetition
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