A Simple Introduction to Data and Activity Analysis

PrefaceAcknowledgementsChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 SummaryChapter 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 ContentsIndexNotesComputer Weekly Publications