SYSTEM ANALYSIS

AND DESIGN
LESSON 4B - DESIGN TOOLS
Traditional Design Tools

 Gantt charts
 System Flowcharts
 Decision Trees
 Decision Tables
 GANTT CHART

 A Gantt chart, commonly used in project management, is

one of the most popular and useful ways of showing activities
(tasks or events) displayed against time. On the left of the
chart is a list of the activities and along the top is a suitable
time scale. Each activity is represented by a bar; the position
and length of the bar reflects the start date, duration and end
date of the activity. This allows you to see at a glance:
History of Gantt Chart

 1890’s - First Gantt Chart

- Designed Karol Adamiecki, a Polish engineer

 1917 - Henry Gantt, an American engineer and project

management consultant devised his own version
of the chart.

 Originally Gantt chart were prepared laboriously by hand;

each time a project changed it was necessary to amend or
redraw the chart and this limited their usefulness.
The Gantt Chart

Gantt Charts are useful tools for analyzing and planning more complex
projects. They:
 Help you to plan out the tasks that need to be completed
 Give you a basis for scheduling when these tasks will be carried out
 Allow you to plan the allocation of resources needed to complete the
project, and
 Help you to work out the critical path for a project where you must
complete it by a particular date.
 When a project is under way, Gantt Charts help you to monitor whether
the project is on schedule. If it is not, it allows you to pinpoint the remedial
action necessary to put it back on schedule.
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DECISION TREES
 Decision Trees

 Decision Trees are excellent tools for

helping you to choose between several
courses of action. They provide a highly
effective structure within which you can
lay out options and investigate the
possible outcomes of choosing those
options. They also help you to form a
balanced picture of the risks and rewards
associated with each possible course of
action.
Drawing a Decision Tree

 You start a Decision Tree with a decision that you

need to make. Draw a small square to represent
this towards the left of a large piece of paper.

 From this box draw out lines towards the right for
each possible solution, and write that solution along
the line. Keep the lines apart as far as possible so
that you can expand your thoughts.
Drawing a Decision Tree…

 At the end of each line, consider the results. If the result of taking that
decision is uncertain, draw a small circle. If the result is another decision
that you need to make, draw another square. Squares represent decisions,
and circles represent uncertain outcomes. Write the decision or factor
above the square or circle. If you have completed the solution at the end
of the line, just leave it blank.

 Starting from the new decision squares on your diagram, draw out lines
representing the options that you could select. From the circles draw lines
representing possible outcomes. Again make a brief note on the line
saying what it means. Keep on doing this until you have drawn out as
many of the possible outcomes and decisions as you can see leading on
from the original decisions.
Drawing a Decision Tree……

 Once you have done this, review your tree diagram.

Challenge each square and circle to see if there are
any solutions or outcomes you have not considered. If
there are, draw them in. If necessary, redraft your tree
if parts of it are too congested or untidy. You should
now have a good understanding of the range of
possible outcomes of your decisions.
Decision Tree Symbols
Shape Name Meaning

Decision node Indicates a

decision to be
made

Shows multiple
Chance node uncertain
outcomes

Each branch
Alternative indicates a possible
branches outcome or action

Shows a choice
Rejected that was not
alternative selected

Indicates a final
Format of a Decision Tree
DECISION TABLES
Decision Tables

 Decision tables are composed of rows and

columns. Each row corresponds to a single
rule, with the columns defining the conditions
and actions of the rules
Parts of a Decision Table

Condition Condition
Stub Entry

Action Action
Stub Entry
Sample Decision Table
FLOWCHARTS
Flowcharts

A flowchart is a graphic representation of the

steps in the solution of a problem, in which
symbols represent operations, data flow,
hardware, and the system plan. Flowcharts
can document either business systems or
computer programs
Types of Flowcharts

 System Flowcharts are diagrams that illustrate the

movement of data in an organization. They show the
sequence of steps through which information moves,
including related personnel, workstations, forms, records,
processing, and associated activities
 Program Flowcharts show the sequence of steps
performed in a computer program .
 System flowcharts document the overall system, while
Program flowcharts deal with the information flow through
the computer.
FLOWCHART SYMBOLS
Most Commonly Used Flowchart
Symbols
STRUCTURED DESIGN TOOLS
Structured Design Tools

 Structured design tools emphasize the

visual or graphic nature of a problem. They
break systems down into elements known as
modules.

A module is one component of a system.

DATA DICTIONARY
Data Dictionary

A data dictionary is a composite collection of

specifications about the nature of data and
information. It is a repository of descriptions of the
form, style, and content of data, as well as of the
methods that will be used to process and report it.
DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

 A data flow diagram is a graphic illustration that

shows the flow of data and logic within a system.

 DFDs are one of the main methods available for

analyzing data-oriented systems.

 DFDs emphasize the logic underlying the system.

 The systems analysts can put together a graphical

representation of data movement through the
organization.
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Data Flow Diagrams

 DFDs are one of the main methods available for

analyzing data-oriented systems.

 DFDs emphasize the logic underlying the system.

 The systems analysts can put together a graphical

representation of data movement through the
organization.

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Advantages of the Data Flow
Diagram Approach

Four advantages over narrative explanations of data

movement:
 Freedom from committing to the technical implementation
too early.
 Understanding of the interrelationships of systems and
subsystems.
 Communicating current system knowledge to users.
 Analysis of the proposed system.

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Basic Symbols

Four basic symbols are:

A double square for an external entity--a source or
destination of data.
 An arrow for movement of data from one point to another.
A rectangle with rounded corners for the occurrence of
transforming process.
 An open-ended rectangle for a data store.

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External Entities

 Represent people or organizations outside of the system

being studied
 Shows the initial source and final recipient of data and
information.
 The initial source of data from the external entities may
sometimes be called a trigger.
 Should be named with a noun, describing that entity

© 2005 Pearson Prentice Hall CUSTOMER

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External Entities…

 External entities may be:

A person, such as CUSTOMER or STUDENT.
 A company or organization, such as BANK or SUPPLIER.
 Another department within the company, such as ORDER
FULFILLMENT.
 Another system or subsystem, such as the INVENTORY
CONTROL SYSTEM.

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Processes

 Represent either: 1
· A whole system Add New
· A subsystem Customer
· Work being done, an activity
 Names should be in the form verb- 2
adjective-noun Customer
Inquiry
· The exception is a process that represents an Subsystem
entire system or subsystem.
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Data Flow

 Data flow shows the data about a person, place, or thing

that moves through the system.
 Names should be a noun that describes the data moving
through the system.
 Arrowhead indicates the flow direction.
 Use double headed-arrows only when a process is reading
data and updating the data on the same table or file.

Customer Record New Customer

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Developing Data Flow Diagrams

Use the following guidelines:

 Create the context level diagram, including all external
entities and the major data flow to or from them.
 Create Diagram 0 by analyzing the major activities within
the context process.
· Include the external entities and major data stores.
 Create a child diagram for each complex process on
Diagram 0.
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Creating Data Flow Diagrams

Detailed data flow diagrams may be developed by:

 Making a list of business activities.
 Analyzing what happens to an input data flow from an external
entity.
 Analyzing what is necessary to create an output data flow to an
external entity.
 Examining the data flow to or from a data store.
 Analyzing a well-defined process for data requirements and the
nature of the information produced.
 Noting and investigating unclear areas. Kendall &
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Data Flow Diagram Levels

 Data flow diagrams are built in layers.

 The top level is the Context level.

 Each process may explode to a lower level.

 The lower level diagram number is the same as the parent

process number.

 Processes that do not create a child diagram are called

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DFD Levels

 Level 0 -- Context Level Diagram

 Level 1 -- Diagram 0
 Level 2 -- Child Diagram

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Context-Level Data Flow Diagram

 It contains only one process, representing the entire system.

 The process is given the number zero.

 All external entities are shown on the context diagram as

well as major data flow to and from them.

 The diagram does not contain any data stores.

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Context-Level Data Flow Diagram

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Diagram 0

 Diagram 0 is the explosion of the context level diagram.

 It should include up to 7 or 9 processes (Any more will
result in a cluttered diagram).

 Processes are numbered with an integer.

 The major data stores and all external entities are
included on Diagram 0. Kendall &
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Diagram
0

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Child Diagrams

 Each process on diagram zero may be exploded to create a

child diagram.

 Each process on a lower-level diagram may be exploded to create

another child diagram.

 These diagrams found below Diagram 0 are given the same number
as the parent process.
 Process 3 would explode to Diagram 3.
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Child Diagrams (Continued)

 Each process is numbered with the parent diagram number, a

period, and a unique child diagram number.
 Examples are:
 3.2 on Diagram 3, the child of process 3.
 5.2.7 on Diagram 5.2, child of process 5.2.
 On Diagram 3, the processes would be numbered 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and so on.

3.2 5.2.7
Edit Calculate
Customer Customer
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Child Diagrams …

 External entities are usually not shown on the child

diagrams below Diagram 0.
 If the parent process has data flow connecting to a
data store, the child diagram may include the data
store as well.

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Child Diagrams (Continued)

A lower-level diagram may contain data stores not

shown on the parent process, such as:
· A file containing a table of information (such as a tax
table).
· A file linking two processes on the child diagram.

 Minor data flow, such as an error line, may be

included on a child diagram.
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Child Diagrams …

 An interface data flow is data that are input or output from

a child diagram that matches the parent diagram data flow.

 Processes that do not create a child diagram are called

primitive processes.

 Logic is written for these processes.

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Data Flow Diagram Errors

The following conditions are errors that occur when drawing a

data flow diagram:

 A process with only input data flow or only output data flow
from it.

1 2
Add Add
New New
Customer Customer
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to each other, in any combination.

Customer D1 Customer

Vendor D2 Vendor Master

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