Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat

SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2

Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

5.1. Flow Diagram of Application
5.1.1. System Outline Chart
5.1.2. System Flow Chart
5.1.3. Decision table and Decision Tree
5.1.4. Structured Chart (HIPO chart, Warnier–Orr chart)
5.2. Output Design
5.3. Input Design
5.4. UML Diagrams
5.4.1. Introduction
5.4.2. Class Diagram
5.4.3. Use Case Diagram

A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents a workflow or process. A flowchart can also be
defined as a diagrammatic representation of an algorithm, a step-by-step approach to solving a
task.
Flowcharts are nothing but the graphical representation of the data or the algorithm for a
better understanding of the code visually. It displays step-by-step solutions to a problem,
algorithm, or process.
There are various types of flow chart
1) System outline chart
2) System flow chart
3) Process flow chart
4) Data flow chart
Flowchart symbols

Uses of Flowcharts in Computer Programming/Algorithms

1
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
The following are the uses of a flowchart:

• It is a pictorial representation of an algorithm that increases the readability of the program.

• Complex programs can be drawn in a simple way using a flowchart.

• It helps team members get an insight into the process and use this knowledge to collect data,
detect problems, develop software, etc.

• A flowchart is a basic step for designing a new process or adding extra features.

• Communication with other people becomes easy by drawing flowcharts and sharing them.

Advantages of Flowchart

• It is the most efficient way of communicating the logic of the system.

• It acts as a guide for a blueprint during the program design.

• It also helps in the debugging process.

• Using flowcharts we can easily analyze the programs.

• Flowcharts are good for documentation.

Disadvantages of Flowchart

• Flowcharts are challenging to draw for large and complex programs.

• It does not contain the proper amount of details.

• Flowcharts are very difficult to reproduce.

• Flowcharts are very difficult to modify.

5.1.1 System Outline Chart

This presents a list of all inputs, files, processes and outputs in tabular form without bothering
about the sequence of operations.
It helps in checking for duplication and discrepancies (mismatch/inconsistencies) in
operation/events or machine converts input data into the desired output.

2
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Muster – Attendance records, Arrears – pending salary or payments, deduction details – taxes, insurance,
Norms and parameters – salary rules, policies

5.1.2 System Flow Chart

A system flowchart is a diagrammatic representation that depicts the workflow or processes

involved in a system.

Generally, it shows –

• where the input enters the system,

• how it is processed and controlled and

• How it leaves the system in form of storage or output.

In a system flowchart emphasis is placed on input document and output reports. Only limited details are furnished
about how a work station

System flowchart and system outlines can be drawn for complete system or subsystem only.

It uses a variety of symbols, shapes, and arrows, each representing different types of tasks or

3
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
steps in a process. The sequence of operations is illustrated by arrows connecting these symbols.

Example 3: Amazon Book Online Order System Flowchart

In this scenario, the flowchart might start with a customer choosing a book, depicted by a rectangle. The
following step could be another rectangle showing the addition of the book to the shopping cart.

A decision diamond could be used for checking stock availability. If stock is available, the process
would proceed to payment and order confirmation steps. If not, a different route could lead to a
message notifying the customer about the unavailability.
After order confirmation, steps like packaging and shipping would follow. A final rectangle could
represent customer receipt of the book, concluding the flowchart with an 'End' oval.
Each of these examples emphasizes how system flowcharts effectively map out processes,
promoting comprehension and aiding decision-making.

4
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
5.1.3 Decision table and Decision Tree

Decision Table
Decision Table is just a tabular representation of all conditions and actions.

Decision Table are always used whenever the processing logic is very complicated and
involves multiple conditions.

It's a very useful tool for both complicated software testing and requirements
management.

The main components used for the formation of the Data Table are Conditions Stubs,
Action Stubs, and rules (entries).

Example:
Consider a ‘Login’ Page Functionality.
Username
Password
Login

Here are the business rules.

1. On entering correct combination of ID & Password, user should be able to login
successfully and show Home Page.
2. User is not allowed to login when any or both of the ID & Password are incorrect. In
such cases, it should show ‘Invalid Credentials’ message.

Decision table:
Rule1 Rule2 Rule3 Rule4
Username(condition1) T T F F
Password(condition2) T F T F

Expected Result - T F F F
Login successfully(Action1)
Error ‘Invalid F T T T
Credential’(Action2)
5
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

So, the total number of test cases are as follows:

Formula = 2Condition Here conditions are 2 so, 2 ^ 2 = 4 Test cases

Advantages of Decision Table Testing:

• Clear and structure representation of complex business rules or logic.

• When the condition are numerous, then the decision table help to visualize the
outcomes of a situation
• It summarize all the outcomes of a situation & suggest suitable actions
• Easier to construct than flow chart
• It can be changed easily.
• They provide more compact documentation
• It is useful at any test level where the software behavior depends on a multiple
combinations of conditions
• Identification of any gaps in the requirements is possible.

Limitations:

• It only represent a partial solution.

• Do not depict the flow of logic of a solution
• Decision tables are quite far away from high-level languages

Example 2:

A customer requests a cash withdrawal. One of the business rules for the ATM is that the ATM
machine pays out the amount if the customer has sufficient funds in their account or if the
customer has the credit granted.
6
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
This example of a business rule is quite complicated to describe in text. A decision table makes
the same requirements clearer to understand:

To make decision table

Step 1 – Analyze the requirement and create the first column

Step 2: Add Columns

Mathematically, the number of columns is 2 conditions. In this case 22 = 4 columns.
Step 3: Reduce the table
Mark insignificant values with “-“.
If the requested amount is less than or equal to the account balance it does not matter if credit
is granted. In the next step, you can delete the columns that have become identical.

Step 4: Determine actions

Name the column R1 (Rule1), R2, R3.

Step 5: Write test cases

Test case for R1:
Balance = 200, requested withdrawal = 200. Expected result: withdrawal granted.
Test case for R2:
Balance = 100, requested withdrawal = 200, credit granted. Expected result: withdrawal granted.
Test case for R3:
Balance = 100, requested withdrawal = 200, no credit. Expected Result: withdrawal denied.

7
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Decision Tree:
Decision Trees are graphical representation of processing logic involved in decision making
and corresponding action taken in hierarchical manner.

• It used to show complex function of system.

• It is used extensively in decision analysis to help identify a strategy most likely to reach a
goal.
• They are also popular tools in machine learning, data mining, and statistics.
To construct decision table

Step 1: Identify conditions

This condition is served as ROOT
Step 2: Identify possible outcome of condition
Outcome serves as branches of tree.
Step 3: Process is repeated for each outcome
With each outcome leading new decision or endpoint
The endpoints represent the outcomes of the decision-making process.
Once all decisions and outcomes have been identified, the decision tree can be drawn.

8
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Advantages :

• Represent logic of if else in pictorial (picture) form

• It is simple to understand and interpret
• It help analyst to identify the actual decision to be made.

Disadvantages

• May suffer from overfitting (noise and irrelevant patterns)

• Large number of branches with many path will confuse rather than help in analysis
Key Differences

9
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Feature Decision Table Decision Tree

A tabular representation of rules and
Definition A tree-like model of decisions and outcomes.
conditions.
Rows & columns with conditions and
Structure Nodes (conditions) and branches (outcomes).
actions.
Simple for a small number of rules, hard to Handles complex conditions, but can be deep
Complexity
scale. and large.
Interpretability Easier for non-technical users. Visual and intuitive, but can be complex.
Use Case Business rule validation, test cases. Machine learning, AI-driven decision-making.
Example
Loan approval based on conditions. Predicting customer behavior using past data.
Application

2. Example Comparison
🔹 Decision Table Example (Loan Approval)
Condition Credit Score ≥ 700 Income ≥ 50K Loan Approved?
Rule 1 Yes Yes ✅ Yes
Rule 2 Yes No ❌ No
Rule 3 No Yes ❌ No
Rule 4 No No ❌ No

👉 Best for structured business rules.

🔹 Decision Tree Example (Loan Approval)

[Credit Score ≥ 700?]

/ \
Yes No
/ \
[Income ≥ 50K?] ❌ No
/ \
✅ Yes ❌ No

👉 Best for predictive models & complex logic.

3. When to Use Which?
Scenario Best Choice
Simple IF-THEN rules ✅ Decision Table
Complex decision-making with many conditions ✅ Decision Tree
Testing business logic ✅ Decision Table
10
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
AI & Machine Learning models ✅ Decision Tree
Explaining business rules to non-technical users ✅ Decision Table
Predicting future outcomes (classification models) ✅ Decision Tree

• Use Decision Tables for clear, structured business rules.

• Use Decision Trees for data-driven decisions and AI models.
• If conditions are simple and static, use a table. If conditions branch dynamically, use a tree.

5.1.4 Structured Chart (HIPO chart, Warnier–Orr chart)

Structure Chart

Structure Chart represents the hierarchical structure of modules. It breaks down the entire system
into the lowest functional modules and describes the functions and sub- functions of each module
of a system in greater detail. This article focuses on discussing Structure Charts in detail.
What is a Structure Chart?
Structure Chart partitions the system into black boxes (functionality of the system is known to the
users, but inner details are unknown).
1. Inputs are given to the black boxes and appropriate outputs are generated.
2. Modules at the top level directly interacts modules at low level.
3. Components are read from top to bottom and left to right.
4. When a module calls another, it views the called module as a black box, passing
the required parameters and receiving results.
Symbols in Structured Chart

Module It represents the process or task of the

system. It is of three types:
Control Module: A control module branche
to more than one sub-module.

Sub Module: Sub Module is a

module which is the part (Child) of
another module.

Library Module: Library

Module are reusable and
invokable from any module.

It represents that control module can

Conditional Call select any of the sub module on the
basis of some condition.

11
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
It represents the repetitive execution of
Loop (Repetitive call module by the sub module. A curved arrow
represents a loop in the module. All the
of module) submodules cover by the loop repeat
execution of module

It represents the flow of data between the

Data Flow modules. It is represented by a directed
arrow with an empty circle at the end

It represents the flow of control between

Control Flow the modules.
It is represented by a directed arrow
with a filled circle at the end.

Physical Storage It is that where all the information are to

be stored.

Example
Structure chart for an Email server

12
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
HIPO Diagram

HIPO stands for Hierarchical Input Process Output. It organizes the modules of the software
system in a hierarchical structure. A HIPO chart can be used to get a high- level view of the
business. These functions are divided into sub-functions using the HIPO function diagram.
1. The HIPO diagram represents the hierarchical structure of modules in a software
system.
2. HIPO charts are used to get a high-level view of the body's functioning.
3. It divides the functionality of a system into sub-functions in a hierarchical manner.
4. Describes the functions performed by the system.
5. Their graphical representations make it easy for designers and managers to get a
graphical idea of the process model.
6. These can be used for documentation purposes.
7. HIPO does not provide any information about data flow or control flow.
8. HIPO charts are great for documentation.
9. By presenting the structure of the system in the form of diagrams, designers, and
managers can quickly understand it.
A HIPO chart can be used to get a high-level view of the business. These functions are divided
into sub-functions using the HIPO function diagram.

HIPO consists of two types of diagram

Visual Table Of Contents(VTOC)
Input Process Output(IPO)

VTOC charts:
VTOC chart breaks down a system or program into detailed levels, starting with general functions
and progressing to more specific sub-functions. The VTOC arranges program modules in order of
priority, reading from top to bottom and left to right. Each module is represented by a rectangle
containing a brief description of its purpose, typically two to four words starting with a verb.

The example VTOC provided outlines a sales/inventory system:

Level 1:
Sales Inventory System (1.0)
13
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
Level 2:
Sales record, validation, and sales report overview (2.0)
Inventory processing overview (3.0)
Level 3:
Validate sales records (2.1)
Generate sales report (2.2)
Check customer credit (2.3)
Verify inventory level (3.1)
Generate dispatch order (3.2)
Generate inventory report (3.4)
Customer billing (3.3)

IPO charts:

Each function in a HIPO chart is described through IPO(input-process-output) charts.It contains

three boxes showing Input, Process and output.

14
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
Advantages of HIPO

1. HIPO allows a program or a system to be easily understood.

2. HIPO is design, development and documentation tool.
3. HIPO packages provide a common, visual base for education and communication.
4. HIPO has less duplication on information and more information can be obtained in a glance.
5. It is a top-down approach with successive levels going for greater details.
6. In HIPO, errors can be detected and isolated and on a functional basis.
7. HIPO indicates clearly what inputs, processing and outputs are involved in each programming module.
8. HIPO designs computer programs in modules that can be individually assigned, designed and tested.

Disadvantages of HIPO
1. HIPO concentrates more on what is to be accomplished rather than how it is o be accomplished.
2 . Requires extra documentation beyond flowcharts or coding.
3. Necessitates some training for programmer before use.

Warnier–Orr Charts
The Warnier-Orr diagram is a design and program design technique developed by Jean-Dominique
Warnier and Kenneth Orr. It is an alternative to pseudocode and flowcharts, using a structured,
hierarchical approach with brackets, circles, parentheses, dots, and bars.

Warnier-Orr Diagram Elements

Bracket:
Encloses a level of decomposition, revealing the next level of detail.
Sequence:
Events occur in a top-to-bottom order.
OR:
Represents a choice between items, using the "OR" operator.
AND:
Represents concurrency between operations, using the "AND" operator.
Repetition:
Shows repeated actions, with the number of repetitions in parentheses.
Hierarchy:
The most fundamental construct, using nested brackets to break down topics.

Basic Constructs
The four basic constructs are hierarchy, sequence, repetition, and concurrency. Two additional advanced concepts
are concurrency and exclusion

Hierarchy:
Hierarchy is the most fundamental of all of the Warnier/Orr constructs. It is simply a nested group of sets and
subsets shown as a set of nested brackets: big topics break down into smaller topics which break down into
smaller topics, and so on ad infinitum

EXAMPLE:
Each bracket on the diagram (depending on how it is represented, the character is usually more like a brace"
{" than a bracket "[", but it is called "brackets") represents one level of hierarchy. The hierarchy or structure
15
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
that is represented on the diagram can show the organization of data or processing. However, both data and
processing are never shown on the same diagram

Bracket: A bracket encloses a level of decomposition in a diagram. It reveals what something

"consists of" at the next level of detail. Each bracket on the diagram (depending on how it is
represented, the character is usually more like a brace" {" than a bracket "[", but it is called
"brackets") represents one level of hierarchy. The hierarchy or structure that is represented on the
diagram can show the organization of data or processing. However, both data and processing are
never shown on the same diagram

Sequence: The sequence of events is defined by the top-to-bottom order in a diagram. That is, an
event occurs after everything above it in a diagram, but before anything below it.

OR: You represent choice in a diagram by placing an "OR" operator between the items of a
choice. The "OR" operator looks either like “or”.

AND: You represent concurrency in a diagram by placing an "AND" operator between the
16
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
concurrent actions. The "AND" operator looks either like “and”.

Repetition: Repetition in programming, often referred to as a "loop," signifies the repeated

execution of a block of code. It is represented in diagrams using parentheses containing two
numbers, indicating the minimum and maximum number of repetitions. For example:

Customer File - Customer Record (1, c):

This denotes that the "Customer Record" can occur at least once and up to 'c' times within the
"Customer File."

Month - Day (28, 31):

This indicates that "Day" occurs between 28 and 31 times within "Month," reflecting the variation
in days across different months.

Alteration: or election is traditional decision process whereby a determination is made to execute one
process or another.Eg

17
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
Concurrency : It is used whenever sequence is unimportant.

E.g.

Recursion:It is used to indicate that a set contains an earlier or less ordered version of itself

5.4 Input Design

Input design refers to the process of defining how data enters a system. It ensures that input
data is collected, validated, and processed efficiently to produce accurate output.

In an information system, input is the raw data that is processed to produce output. During the
input design, the developers must consider the input devices such as PC, MICR, OMR, etc.

Key Aspects of Input Design

1. User-Friendly Data Entry

o Designing intuitive interfaces for users to enter data easily.
o Example: Forms with dropdown menus, checkboxes, and auto-fill features.
2. Data Validation & Accuracy
o Preventing errors by using validation rules.
o Example: Restricting phone numbers to digits only or ensuring email format validation.
3. Input Devices Considered
Developers must consider various input devices based on the system's needs:
o PC (Personal Computer): Used for manual data entry via keyboard and mouse.
o MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition): Used in banking for processing cheques.
o OMR (Optical Mark Recognition): Used for processing multiple-choice exams and surveys.
o Barcode Scanners: Used in shops for product identification.
o Touchscreens: Common in mobile apps and kiosks.

Therefore, the quality of system input determines the quality of system output.

Well-designed input forms and screens have following properties −

• It should serve specific purpose effectively such as storing, recording, and retrieving the
information.
• It ensures proper completion with accuracy.

18
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
• It should be easy to fill and straight forward.
• It should focus on user’s attention, consistency, and simplicity.
• All these objectives are obtained using the knowledge of basic design principles regarding-
o What are the inputs needed for the system?
o How end users respond to different elements of forms and screens.
29
Objectives for Input Design
The objectives of input design are −
• To design data entry and input procedures.
• To reduce input volume (Minimizing the amount of manual data entry required.)
• To design source documents for data capture or devise other data capture methods (Source
documents are physical or digital forms used to collect raw data before entry into the system.)
• To design input data records (define how data is structured and stored in databases.), data entry
screens (ensure users enter information in a logical and user-friendly way.), user interface screens
(designed for ease of use, providing an intuitive experience.), etc.

• To use validation checks and develop effective input controls.

Data Input Methods

It is important to design appropriate data input methods to prevent errors while entering data.
These methods depend on whether the data is entered by customers in forms manually and later
entered by data entry operators, or data is directly entered by users on the PCs.
A system should prevent user from making mistakes by −
• Clear form design by leaving enough space for writing legibly.
• Clear instructions to fill form.
• Clear form design.
• Reducing key strokes.
• Immediate error feedback.
Some of the popular data input methods are −
• Batch input method (Offline data input method) (Data is collected and stored first, then processed
in bulk at a later time.)
• Online data input method (Data is entered and processed instantly.)
• Computer readable forms (Uses special forms or documents that can be read by machines.)
• Interactive data input (Data is entered with user interaction and real-time validation.)
Input Integrity Controls
Input integrity controls include a number of methods to eliminate common input errors by end-
users. They also include checks on the value of individual fields; both for format and the
completeness of all inputs.

Why is Input Design Important?

• Reduces data entry errors

19
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
• Enhances user experience
• Improves system efficiency
• Ensures data integrity and security

5.3. Output Design

The design of output is the most important task of any system. During output design,
developers identify the type of outputs needed, and consider the necessary output controls and
prototype report layouts (cloned reports created to visualize and evaluate the design, structure,
and content before final implementation).

Objectives of Output Design

The objectives of output design are −

• To develop output design that serves the intended purpose and eliminates the production
of unwanted output.
• To develop the output design that meets the end users requirements.
• To deliver the appropriate quantity of output.
• To form the output in appropriate format and direct it to the right person.
• To make the output available on time for making good decisions.

Various types of outputs −

External Outputs

External outputs are outputs generated by a system that are meant for users, organizations, or other
external entities. These outputs serve various purposes, such as triggering actions, confirming actions,
or providing necessary information.

Some of the external outputs are designed as turnaround outputs, which are implemented as a
form and re-enter the system as an input.

Internal outputs

Internal outputs are present inside the system, and used by end-users and managers. They
support the management in decision making and reporting.

Internal outputs are generated within a system and are mainly used by managers, employees,
or decision-makers to monitor operations and support business processes. These outputs help

20
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
in decision-making, tracking performance, and maintaining records.
There are three types of reports produced by management information −

1. Detailed Reports

• Contain raw data or transactional information in a structured format.

• Used by lower-level employees or managers to track daily operations.
• Example: A sales transaction report listing each sale with customer details, product details, and
amount.

2. Summary Reports

• Provide an aggregated view of data, showing key metrics and trends.

• Help middle-level managers understand overall performance without going into individual details.
• Example: A monthly sales report showing total revenue, number of units sold, and percentage
growth.

3. Exception Reports

• Highlight unusual or critical conditions that need attention.

• Used by top-level managers for decision-making and problem-solving.
• Example: A stock shortage report that lists items below the minimum stock level.

Output Design Considerations

When designing internal outputs, the following factors should be considered:

• Relevance – Only include necessary data to avoid information overload.
• Format & Layout – Use tables, graphs, and charts for better understanding.
• Timeliness – Reports should be generated at the right time for decision-making.
• Accuracy & Consistency – Data should be reliable and correctly formatted.
Output Integrity Controls

Output integrity controls include routing codes to identify the receiving system, and
verification messages to confirm successful receipt of messages that are handled by
network protocol.

Printed or screen-format reports should include a date/time for report printing and the data.
Multipage reports contain report title or description, and pagination. Pre-printed forms
usually include a version number and effective date.

Forms Design

Both forms and reports are the product of input and output design and are business
document consisting of specified data. The main difference is that forms provide fields for
data input but reports are purely used for reading. For example, order forms, employment
21
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
and credit application, etc.

• During form designing, the designers should know −

o who will use them
o where would they be delivered
o the purpose of the form or report
• During form design, automated design tools enhance the developer’s ability to
prototype forms and reports and present them to end users for evaluation.

Objectives of Good Form Design

A good form design is necessary to ensure the following −

• To keep the screen simple by giving proper sequence, information, and clear
captions.
• To meet the intended purpose by using appropriate forms.
• To ensure the completion of form with accuracy.
• To keep the forms attractive by using icons, inverse video, or blinking cursors etc.
• To facilitate navigation.

5.4 UML Diagram:

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose modeling language.

• The main aim of UML is to define a standard way to visualize the way a system has been
designed.
• It is quite similar to blueprints used in other fields of engineering.
• UML is not a programming language, it is rather a visual language.
• UML diagrams show the behavior and structure of a system.
• UML helps software engineers, businessmen, and system architects with modeling, design, and
analysis.
Why do we need UML?
• It provide clear and concise way to communicate amongst multiple teams.
• Businessmen do not understand code. So UML becomes essential to communicate with non-
programmers about essential requirements, functionalities, and processes of the system.
• A lot of time is saved when teams can visualize processes, user interactions, and the static
structure of the system.

22
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Behavior Diagram:

It will show interaction of system. It is dynamic nature of system. i.e. Activities diagram, use
case diagram, sequence diagram etc.

UML Use Case Diagram

• A use case diagram is used to represent the external behavior of a system.

• Use-case diagram provides a fast and simple way to describe the purpose of the
project. Recently it is employed by many software engineers, to record high-level

objectives of the project in its initial phase of development.

• Use-case diagram is used to identify different processes as well as primary elements

of the system. The primary elements are also known as actors and processes of the
system are called use-cases.
• Use-case diagram shows how the different actors interact with the different use-cases
of the system.
• Use-case diagram focuses on functional requirements of the system. It represents the
graphical view of the system functionalities (use-cases) and users (actors).

• It depicts the high-level functionality of a system and also tells how the user handles
a system.

23
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
ELEMENTS OF USE-CASE DIAGRAM:

It is easier to design use-case diagram, if we have proper knowledge of its different elements.
The elements of the use-case diagrams are:

1. Actors

2. Use-Case

3. Relationship between Actor and Use-case

4. Relationship between Use-cases

5. Relationship between Actors

6. System boundary

Actors: An actor can be a user or role which interact with the system by invoking different
1
use-cases of the system. Usually Actor can be human, a hardware device, or another system
which operates the functionalities of the system. Actors are external to the system. Actor may
provide data or get information from the system by interacting with different usecases.

Use-Cases: It represents set of sequences of actions that system performs. A use- case
2
describes what a system, subsystem, class or interface does, but not describe how it does.

Relationship between Actor and Use-cases: Relationship between the Actor and Use-case
3
is communication between the instance of Actor and instance of the Use- case.
It is represented by a straight line between the participating Actor and requested
Use-case.

24
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
Relationship between Use-cases: There are two relationships are there between Use-
4
Cases:
[1] Uses / Includes:
An Uses / Include relationship between two use-cases means that the sequence of behaviors
described in the sub (or included) use-case is included in the sequence of the base (including)
use-case.
For example, customer can ‘Withdraw cash’ or ‘Deposit cash’, but in both the cases
Account has to be updated.

Use-cases Withdraw Case and Deposit Cash includes Use-case Update Account

Note: Uses / Includes indicate compulsion. In the case of withdraw or deposit account
updating is mandatory (Compulsory) sub Use-case.

[2] Extends: Extend is basically use to extend the functionality if one Usecase by another. It
indicate optional functionality.
For example, in the case of Authentication if any error is there then it must be logged. Make
sure here the sub Use-case will perform if error occurs. If Authentication done successfully
then sub Use-case ‘log error’ will not perform. Thus extended Use-cases are optional

5 Relationships between Actors: Some time different Actors of the system has to be generalized
into one Actor. It is useful while the roles of different Actors are overlapping.

25
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

6 System Boundary: System boundary is a rectangular box, which represents whole system.
All the Use-cases are inside this rectangle box, to denote Use-cases are in the system.
Actors are the external entities so they are placed outside of the system (rectangle).

26
Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

27
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

UML Class Diagram

A class diagram is a type of static structure diagram that describes the structure of a
system by showing the system's classes, their attributes, operations (or methods), and the
relationships among objects.

Based on the purpose, class diagram can be designed of 2 types:

(1) Analysis class diagram or (2) Design class diagram.

Analysis model provides just provides overview of the class, that is names of the properties
and methods. Whereas,

Design model represents properties with its data type, and methods with arguments and
its return type. So, Design class diagram is more detailed version of the class diagram

ELEMENTS OF CLASS DIAGRAM:

1. Class: As we have seen in the above example in the class diagram class is represented as a rectangle
divided in the sections. First section shows the name of the class. Second section shows the attributes of
the class and third section shows methods of the class.

28
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
2. Relationships: Different types of relationships are described below:

There are four possible relationships between classes.

1. Association:

It represents Physical or conceptual connections between the classes by association (simple line).

It corresponds to a verb like teaches, work for, manages etc.

Association can be Unidirectional, Bidirectional or Reflexive.

Other Examples:

Unidirectional Association:

Student class has a course relationship. (Student can register for course offer).

Teacher teaches students.

Person has an address. (Here address doesn’t know person)

Class A know class B but B don’t know A.

Bidirectional Association:

Person A marries to Person B , Person B marries to Perseon A.( both can call each other). It is
represented by simple line.

Class A know about class B and Class B know about Class A

Association add multiplicity (number of instance of one class relate with number of instance with other
class).

In association objects have their own life and there is no owner.

29
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

2. Dependency:

A dependency is a relationship between two elements that indicates that changes to the source
element can cause changes in the target element. The notation for a dependency is a dashed arrow,
and the element at the tail of the arrow depends on the element at the arrowhead.

It forms a weaker relationship.

Example:

Consumer class depends on supplier.

3. Aggregation:
Aggregation is special type of association. It ‘whole- part’ kind of association.

30
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

Aggregation can be represented by symbol:

To show aggregation in a diagram, draw a line from the parent class to the child class with a
diamond shape near the parent class (aggregated).
An essential property of an aggregation relationship is that the whole or parent (i.e. the
owner) can exist without the part or child and vice versa
For Example:

Library has book class. If library class doesn’t exits than book exist. (Books can transfer to new library)

Class A can exit without B.

4. Composition:
Composition represents a strong 'has-a relationship' between two classes. It means both whole and its
parts cannot exist independently. This is represented by an arrow with a filled diamond and the arrow
points towards the whole class. Eg: House made of multiple rooms.It has strong relationship.

Ex: Department is part of company

Class B cannot exist without B

Generalization: Generalization is process of creating base class If two or more classes have common
attributes or methods. Common attributes and method are placed in the generalized class (base class).

31
 Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques
Generalization can be represented by symbol:

32
Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

33
Bhagwan Mahavir College of Computer Applications, Surat
SY.B.Sc. (IT) SEM 2
Unit 5. System Tools and Techniques

34