The book concentrates on the techniques used in structured systems analysis. It presents the model used to analyse an information system from the three perspectives of process, data and time. The book has a practical emphasis with many exercised and examples based on case studies. The techniques of Data Flow Diagrams, Entity-Relationship Models, Entity Life Histories and Data Dictionaries are covered in detail through worked examples to illustrate their application, and exercised with solutions to provide practice. One major case study is used for the worked examples throughout the book and another is used for the exercises, supplemented by smaller case scenarios where necessary. The emphasis is on how an information system may be viewed from three perspectives and how the models of those three views interrelate. There is extensive use of a CASE tool to support the development of the models and to assist in their cross-checking to ensure completeness and consistency. The book provides a complete and easy-to-understand coverage of this essential subject and is applicable to all undergraduate and Higher National programmes in computing and information systems.
This book should be of interest to undergraduates and diploma students in computing, and information systems; systems analysts; and business information systems designers.