A Simple Introduction to Data and Activity Analysis

A Simple Introduction to Data and Activity Analysis provides an introduction to the main concepts embodied in the analysis techniques. This book provides a more balanced picture of the methods of the analysis by showing what deliverables are collected as well as how to obtain them.

Organized into eight chapters, this book begins with an overview of some of the activities that need to be done to analyze the business and some of the end and intermediate deliverables produced by these activities. This text then explains how to get the activity analysis deliverables. Other chapters consider the causes and effects of problems in business. This book discusses as well how activities can be decomposed or broken down into more and more detailed activities, using the techniques of activity decomposition and data flow diagramming. The final chapter deals with the methods of analysis that show how different types of input could be converted into the data and activity models.

This book is a valuable resource for computer programmers.

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Introduction to Analysis

1.1 What does 'Analysis' Mean?

1.2 Why is Data and Activity Analysis Different from Traditional 'Systems Analysis'?

1.3 What is its Purpose?

1.4 Where can it be Used in a Traditional Systems Development Cycle?

1.5 How are the Results of the Analysis Used?

1.6 What About the Other 'Methods' I've Heard About?

1.7 Summary

Chapter 2 Data Analysis

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Main concepts

Entities

Attributes

Relationships

2.3 Diagrammatic Techniques

Degree of Relationships

One-to-One Relationships

One-to-Many Relationships

Many-to-Many Relationships

Optionality

Exclusivity

Entities Identified by Relationships

Entity Sub-Types

2.4 Other Deliverables of Data Analysis

2.5 An Example Model

2.6 Fundamental Rules of Data Analysis

2.7 Summary

Chapter 3 How to do Data Analysis

3.1 Introduction

Real World Abstractions and Real World Occurrences

Design Abstractions and Occurrences

3.2 Analysis

Using Forms and Record Layouts

Using Conceptual Descriptions

Using Occurrences

Using Design Occurrences

3.3 Merging the Models

3.4 Refining the Data Model

Removing Synonyms

Check for Attribute Duplication

Generalization - Entities

Looking for Patterns

Exclusivity Case

Generalizing - Relationships

Removing Redundancy

Resolving Many-to-Many Relationships

Investigating One-to-One Relationships

Remove 'Code Only' Entities

Degree Verification

3.5 Summary

Chapter 4 Activity or Function Analysis

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Main concepts of Activity Analysis

Activity

Event

Sources and Sinks

Data Flow

Data Store

4.3 Diagrammatic representation

Activity Decomposition Diagram

Data Flow Diagram

Conditions, Repetition and Sequence

Conditions

Repetition

Sequence and Parallel

4.4 Other Deliverables of Activity Analysis

4.5 Summary

Chapter 5 How to do Activity Analysis

5.1 Introduction

Real World Abstractions and Real World Occurrences

Design Abstractions

5.2 Analysis

Using Real World Abstractions

Using Design Abstractions

Using 'Actions' or Activity Occurrences

5.3 Refining the Results

5.4 Verification Methods

Inner Consistency Checks

'Outer Consistency' Checks

5.5 Summary

Chapter 6 Improving a System Using the Analysis Methods

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Problems, Causes and Effects

Problems

Cause

Effect

6.3 Objectives, Obligations and Events

Objectives

Obligations

Events

6.4 Summary

Chapter 7 Elementary Activities

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Definition and Purpose

Definition of Elementary Activities

7.3 Structured Text and Access Paths

Example Commands to Describe Elementary Activities

7.4 Common Procedures, Messages and Embedded Elementary Activities

Common Procedures

Messages

Embedded Elementary Activities

7.5 Examples of Elementary Activities

7.6 Updating the Data Model

7.7 Other Useful Detailed Deliverables of an Elementary Activity

Response required

User/Activity Responsibility: Represented by Matrix

Usage Figures

Examples of Elementary Activity Access Path Usage

7.8 Summary

Chapter 8 Summary

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Packaging the Results - Data Dictionaries, Analyst Workbenches and IPSEs

8.3 The Next Step - Design

8.4 Summary of Contents

Index

Notes

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