Buce Marjorie C

BSIS- OOA

SYSANAL

Book Review 13

Book: Systems Analysis and Design

Author: Julie Kendall and Kenneth Kendall

Reference No. QA 76.9 S88 K45 2002

Chapter 11

Quote: The system analysts approaching process specifications and structured decisions has many options for documenting and analyzing them.

Describing Process specifications and structured decisions

              In determining the information requirements of a decision analysts strategy. The systems analysts must determine the organizations objective-using top down approach. The top down approach should be related to the board objectives of the entire organization.

                  Process specification is sometimes called minispecs; they are small portion of   total project specifications created for primitive processes on data flow diagram. It explains the decision making logic formulas that transform process input data into output.

Three goals of producing process specifications:

1. To reduce the ambiguity of the process.
2. To obtain a precise description of what is accomplished which is usually included in a packet of specifications for the programmer.
3. To validate the systems design.

Process specification Format

                  Process specification Format links the processes to the data flow diagram and the data dictionary. The process specification should enter on a separate form r into a case tool screen.

These are the things that should be entered:

1. The process number which match the process ID on the data flow diagram.
2. The process name.
3. A brief description of the process accomplishes.
4. A list of data flow information.
5. The output data flow.
6. An indication of the type process.
7. Include the name of the subprogram.
8. A description of the process logic that states policy and business rules.
9. Include the corresponding table or tree name.
10. Lists any unresolved issues in complete portions of logic or their concerns.

                  These processes should be entered to complete a process specification.

Information required for structured decisions

                  Conditions, Condition alternative, actions and action rules must be known to design systems for structured decisions. The analysts must determine the condition that might affect the outcome of something else. The next step is that the system analysts define the condition alternative as specified by decisions maker. Actions are identified. It also includes instructions that need to carry out as a result of one or ore conditions.

The last is an action rule that is a direction to execute the required actions in order.