COURSE TITLE: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

PAPER CODE: CSE 4205

LECTURER: MASESE CHUMA

TOPIC: STRUCTURED ANALYSIS

CHAPTER: FOUR

STRUCTURED ANALYSIS
Analysts use various tools to understand and describe the information system. One of the ways is
using structured analysis.
What is Structured Analysis?
Structured Analysis is a development method that allows the analyst to understand the system and
its activities in a logical way.
It is a systematic approach, which uses graphical tools that analyze and refine the objectives of an
existing system and develop a new system specification which can be easily understandable by
user.
It has following attributes:
❖ It is graphic which specifies the presentation of application.
❖ It divides the processes so that it gives a clear picture of system flow.
❖ It is logical rather than physical i.e., the elements of system do not depend on vendor or
hardware.
❖ It is an approach that works from high-level overviews to lower-level details.
Structured Analysis Tools
During Structured Analysis, various tools and techniques are used for system development. They
are:
1. Data Flow Diagrams
2. Data Dictionary
3. Decision Trees
4. Decision Tables
5. Structured English
6. Pseudocode
Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) or Bubble Chart
It is a technique developed by Larry Constantine to express the requirements of
system in a graphical form.
❖ It shows the flow of data between various functions of system and specifies how the current
system is implemented.
❖ It is an initial stage of design phase that functionally divides the requirement
specifications down to the lowest level of detail.
❖ Its graphical nature makes it a good communication tool between user and analyst or
analyst and system designer.
❖ It gives an overview of what data a system processes, what transformations are performed,
what data are stored, what results are produced and where they
flow.

Basic Elements of DFD

DFD is easy to understand and quite effective when the required design is not clear
and the user wants a notational language for communication. However, it requires a
large number of iterations for obtaining the most accurate and complete solution.
The following table shows the symbols used in designing a DFD and their significance:

Symbol Name Meaning

Square Source or Destination of Data

Arrow Data flow

Circle Process transforming data flow

Open Rectangle Data Store

Types of DFD
DFDs are of two types: Physical DFD and Logical DFD. The following table lists the
points that differentiate a physical DFD from a logical DFD.

Physical DFD Logical DFD

It is implementation dependent. It It is implementation independent. It
Shows which functions are performed. Focuses only on the flow of data between
processes.
It provides low level details of It explains events of systems and Data required
hardware, software, files, and people. by each event.
It depicts how the current system operates and It shows how business operates; not how the
how a system will be implemented. system can be implemented.

Context Diagram

A context diagram helps in understanding the entire system by one DFD which gives the overview
of a system. It starts with mentioning major processes with little details and then goes onto giving
more details of the processes with the top-down approach.
The context diagram of mess management is shown below.
Data Dictionary
❖ A data dictionary is a collection of data about data. It maintains information about the
definition, structure, and use of each data element that an organization uses.
❖ A data dictionary is a collection of descriptions of the data objects or items in a data model
for the benefit of programmers and others who need to refer to them.
❖ Data Dictionary can be defined as collection of information of all data elements or
contents of databases such as data types, text descriptions of system. It makes it easier for
user and analyst to use data as well as understand and have common knowledge about
inputs, outputs, components of a database, and intermediate calculations.
❖ A data dictionary contains metadata i.e data about the database. The data dictionary is very
important as it contains information such as what is in the database, who is allowed to
access it, where is the database physically stored etc.
The users of the database normally don't interact with the data dictionary, it is only handled by the
database administrators
❖ A data dictionary is a structured repository of data elements in the system. It stores the
descriptions of all DFD data elements that is, details and definitions of data flows, data
stores, data stored in data stores, and the processes.
❖ A data dictionary improves the communication between the analyst and the user. It plays
an important role in building a database. Most DBMSs have a data dictionary as a standard
feature. For example, refer the following table:
 Sr. No. Data Name Description No. of Characters
1 ISBN ISBN Number 10
2 TITLE Title 60
3 SUB Book Subjects 80
4 ANAME Author Name 15

What Data Dictionary consists of

Data Dictionary consists of the following information −
• Name of the tables in the database
• Constraints of a table i.e. keys, relationships, etc.
• Columns of the tables that related to each other
• Owner of the table
• Last accessed information of the object
• Last updated information of the object
An example of Data Dictionary can be personal details of a student −

Example

<StudentPersonalDetails>

An example of Data Dictionary can be personal details of a student −

Example

<StudentPersonalDetails>

Student_ID Student_Name Student_Address Student_City

•
Types of Data Dictionary
Here are the two types of data dictionary −
Active Data Dictionary
The DBMS software manages the active data dictionary automatically. The modification is an
automatic task and most RDBMS has active data dictionary. It is also known as integrated data
dictionary.
Passive Data Dictionary
Managed by the users and is modified manually when the database structure change. Also known
as non-integrated data dictionary

Decision Trees
Decision trees are a method for defining complex relationships by describing decisions and
avoiding the problems in communication. A decision tree is a diagram that shows alternative
actions and conditions within horizontal tree framework. Thus, it depicts which conditions to
consider first, second, and so on.
Decision trees depict the relationship of each condition and their permissible actions.
A square node indicates an action and a circle indicates a condition. It forces analysts
to consider the sequence of decisions and identifies the actual decision that must be
made.
The major limitation of a decision tree is that it lacks information in its format to describe what
other combinations of conditions you can take for testing. It is a single representation of the
relationships between conditions and actions.
For example, refer the following decision tree:

Decision Tables
❖ Decision tables are a method of describing the complex logical relationship in a precise
manner which is easily understandable.
 ❖ It is useful in situations where the resulting actions depend on the occurrence of one or
several combinations of independent conditions.
❖ It is a matrix containing row or columns for defining a problem and the actions.
Components of a Decision Table
Condition Stub: It is in the upper left quadrant which lists all the condition to be checked.
Action stub: It is in the lower left quadrant which outlines all the action to be carried out to meet
such condition.
Condition Entry: It is in upper right quadrant which provides answers to questions asked in
condition stub quadrant.
Action Entry: It is in lower right quadrant which indicates the appropriate action resulting from
the answers to the conditions in the condition entry quadrant.
The entries in decision table are given by Decision Rules which define the relationships between
combinations of conditions and courses of action. In rules section,
Y shows the existence of a condition.
N represents the condition, which is not satisfied.
A blank - against action states it is to be ignored.
X (or a check mark will do) against action states it is to be carried out.
For example, refer the following table:
CONDITIONS Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4
Advance Y N N N
payment
Purchase - Y Y N
amount = RS
10,000
Regular - Y N -
Customer
ACTIONS
Give 5% X X -- -
discount
Give no - - X X
discount
Structured English
Structure English is derived from structured programming language which gives more
understandable and precise description of process. It is based on procedural logic that
uses construction and imperative sentences designed to perform operation for action.
❖ It is best used when sequences and loops in a program must be considered and the
problem needs sequences of actions with decisions.
❖ It does not have strict syntax rule. It expresses all logic in terms of sequential decision
structures and iterations.
For example, see the following sequence of actions:
if customer pays advance
then
Give 5% Discount
Else
if purchase amount >=10,000
then
if the customer is a regular customer
then Give 5% Discount
else No Discount
end if else
No Discount
end if
end if
Pseudocode
A pseudocode does not conform to any programming language and expresses logic in
plain English.
It may specify the physical programming logic without actual coding during and
after the physical design.
It is used in conjunction with structured programming.
It replaces the flowcharts of a program.
Advantages and disadvantages of Pseudocode
Advantages:
1. It can be easily in any word processor.
2. It can be easily modified as compared to flowchart.
3. Its implementation is very useful in structured design elements.
4. It can be written easily.
5. It can be read and understood easily.
6. Converting a pseudocode to programming language is very easy as compared with
converting a flowchart to programming language
Disadvantages:
1. It is not visual.
2. We do not get a picture of the design.
3. There is no standardized style or format, so one pseudocode may be different from
another.
4. For a beginner, It is more difficult to follow the logic or write pseudocode as compared to
flowchart.
5. Create an additional level of documentation to maintain.
6. Introduce error possibilities in translating to code.
7. May require tool to extract pseudocode and facilitate drawing flowcharts.

Guidelines for Selecting Appropriate Tools

Use the following guidelines for selecting the most appropriate tool that would suit
your requirements:
❖ Use DFD at high- or low-level analysis for providing good system documentations.
❖ Use data dictionary to simplify the structure for meeting the data requirement of the
system.
❖ Use structured English if there are many loops and actions are complex.
❖ Use decision tables when there are a large number of conditions to check and logic is
complex.
❖ Use decision trees when sequencing of conditions is important and if there are few
conditions to be tested.