The Structured Analysis By Conger
Structured Analysis
I extracted the information from the textbook by following the steps identified by Conger (2008) to create a Structured Analysis. This analysis consists of three steps. The first step is to develop a context diagram. The second step is to develop a data flow diagram. The third and final step is to create a data dictionary. It is important to note that here are no processes for adding or deleting students or classes or removing students from classes. There was also no mechanism for reporting final grades or updating completed classes. Everything asked for by the project description was included and not was added that was not necessary for operation in the intended manner.
Context Diagram (STEP 1)From the text I was able to derive five entities and five processes. Students provide identification and course numbers to the program. The program retrieves student records, current courses, financial statuses. The program can update student records, class enrollment records, and financial statuses. The program determines if the student can be enrolled in classes or not and can then enroll them in individual classes. The program will print a receipt for the student, print an enrollment report for instructors, and request a bill be sent to students who owe back fees. Enhanced Context diagram for Course Registration System.
Data Flow Diagram (STEP 2)A Student entity provided a social security number for process 1.0, course numbers for process 2.0,and then receive a printed receipt containing a class schedule and a total amount of fees from process 3.0. A Student Records database stores student information and completed course information. It receives requests for student identifications from process 1.0 and provides a list of Course Registration System 3completed courses for process 2.0. The Course Registry provided current classes, enrolled students, and need prerequisites for each class to process 2.0. Accounts Receivable takes requests for a bill to be created and sent to students who owe back fees from process 3.0. It also takes student ids and new fees from process 2.0 and returns the status of a students financial account to process 2.0. Instructors receive printed enrollment reports via process 5.0. Process 1.0 sends the student id to process 2.0.
Data Flow Diagram for Course Registration System Course Registration System Data Dictionary (STEP 3)The data flow dictionary has three parts. The first part contains the Entity Dictionary Entries. The entities are derived from the context diagram and mirrored in the data flow diagram. The entities defined in the project description. A clerk is mentioned in the text but there were no associated processes so I didn’t include it. An example of a process that would necessitate adding the clerk would be a login entity and a login process to access the program. These are not called for. None of entities were given aliases or contacts since that is not asked for or provided by the text.
The second section of the data dictionary contains the Process Dictionary Entries. These processes are an expansion of the set of identified processes in the text. They identify a minimal set of data transfers that need to take place for the identified processes to occur. The Enter Student process has a restraint. That restraint is for the student to provide a valid registration card containing student identification and classes the student intends to enroll in. The third section of the data dictionary contains the Data Flow Dictionary Entries. The data flows are identified in the data flow diagram along with the minimum data items for processes and entities to interact while performing only the tasks described in the text. None of the data flows where given constraints or aliases. The timing for some of the data flows only take place when registration is completed.
