4.

0 System Analysis

Systems analysis is the dissection of a system into its component pieces for purposes of

studying how those component pieces interact and work [Edwa89]. Structured analysis

was one the first formal strategies developed for systems analysis of information systems

and computer applications [Whit98]. Modern structured analysis is a process-centered

technique that is used to model requirements for a system. The models are structured

pictures that illustrate the processes, inputs, outputs, and files required to respond to

events. Structured analysis introduced an overall strategy that has been adopted by many

of the other techniques – model-driven development. A model is a representation of

reality. Just as ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’ most models use pictures to

represent reality. Model-driven development techniques emphasize the drawing of

models to define requirements and system designs. The model becomes the design

blueprint for constructing the final system.

Before developing this model, however, it is essential to identify the components that will

make up the system to be designed. In order to best aid the machine designer and reduce

the design time, the following key elements were identified: an implicit solver to solve

System Analysis 16
the equations, a suitable graph utility to plot parameter values, a data store for the

machine element design data, and a word processor to aid in the documentation.

4.1 The Environmental Model

The first step in any system analysis and development technique is to develop a complete

model of user requirements for the new system. It is essential to determine what is part of

the system and what is not. Thus, the first major model to be developed is one that

defines the interface between the system and the rest of the universe, that is, the

environment. This model is known as the environmental model. It models the outside of

the system; the model of the inside of the system, known as the behavioral model is

discussed later.

In addition to determining what is inside the system and what is outside the system, it is

also critically important to define the interfaces between the system and the environment.

It is essential to identify what information comes into the system from the external

environment and what information the system produces as an output to be delivered to

the external environment. The systems produce outputs as a response to an event, or a

stimulus, in the environment. Thus, another critical aspect of the environmental model is

that of identifying the events occurring in the environment to which the system must

respond. The focus is only on those events that (1) occur in the external environment, and

(2) require a response from the system.

System Analysis 17
The area inside the system boundary is referred to as the domain of change, which simply

means that everything within the system boundary is subject to change, while everything

outside the boundary is to be left in its current form and not investigated.

The environmental model consists of three components:

1.Statement of purpose

2.Context Diagram

3.Event List

4.1.1 The Statement of purpose

The first component of the environmental model is a brief, concise textual statement of

the purpose of the system. It is intended for those who are not directly involved in the

development of the system and summarizes the tangible, quantifiable benefits that will be

achieved by the new system. For the system that the author intends to develop, which has

been named “The Mechanical Design Desktop, ” the statement of purpose is as follows:

The purpose of the Mechanical Design Desktop system is to categorize and arrange on

the desktop all the resources related to the design of a particular machine element, such

as the formulae, tables, standards, graphs and information available on the Internet. By a

convenient arrangement of the above stated resources, a user may design a machine

element of his or her choice and document the design. The purpose of the system is to not

System Analysis 18
only reduce the amount of work and time required for a machine designer to design a

given machine element, but also eliminate the need for the calculator, pen and paper.

Evidently, if the resources that a designer often refers to during the design process were

made available in a categorized manner on the desktop, it would speed up the design

process, as the designer need not spend time sifting through pages in the design book to

locate relevant data. Also, by incorporating a solver and word processor, one can

eliminate the conventional routine of using a pen and paper to document the design.

Thus, one can reduce the time and effort required for a particular design.

4.1.2 The Context Diagram

The Context diagram is a special case of the dataflow diagram, wherein a single bubble

represents the entire system. The context diagram highlights several important

characteristics of the system:

• The people, organizations, or systems with which the system communicates.

These are known as terminators.

• The data that the system receives from the outside world and that must be

processed in some way.

• The data produced by the system and sent to the outside world

• The data stores that are shared between the system and the terminators.

These data stores are either created outside the system and used by the system,

or created by the system and used outside the system.

System Analysis 19
 • The boundary between the system and the rest of the world.

Figure 4.1 shows the context diagram for the Mechanical Design Desktop system

THE CONTEXT DIAGRAM

Machine design data

design parameters
designer Solver

Mechanical Design design documents

design
Internet Desktop System
information

design data

Design Design
Data Documents

Figure 4.1: The context diagram for the Mechanical Design Desktop system.

System Analysis 20
4.1.3 The Event List

The event list is a simple textual listing of the events in the environment to which a

system must respond. The event list for the current system consists of the following

events:

1. Machine designer selects the machine element to be designed.

2. Machine designer specifies the design limitations/constraints.

3. Machine designer selects the design equation.

4. Machine designer provides input parameter values by referring relevant graph.

5. Machine designer provides input design parameter values by referring relevant

table.

6. Machine designer provides input design parameter values by referring relevant

standard.

7. Solver solves for unknown design parameter.

8. Machine designer checks for the compliance of the calculated design parameter

with design limitation.

9. Machine designer standardizes calculated design parameter.

10. Machine designer generates datasets for dependent and independent design

parameter.

11. Machine designer plots datasets to observe the effect of changes in design

parameter value.

System Analysis 21
 12. Machine designer searches the Internet for design information on the machine

element.

13. Machine designer catalogues the design information.

14. Machine designer refers design information.

15. Machine designer is prompted to refer source.

16. Machine designer documents the design.

4.2 The Behavioral Model

On the successful completion of the environmental model, there is a need to model what

the internal behavior of the system must be in order to deal successfully with the

environment. These are also referred to as the Logical Model.

Logical models show what a system is or does. They are implementation independent;

that is, they depict the system independent of any technical implementation. As such

logical models illustrate the essence of the system and have the following advantages:

• Logical models remove biases that are the result of the way the current system

is implemented or the way that any one person thinks the system may be

implemented. This overcomes the “we’ve always done it that way” syndrome.

Consequently, logical models encourage creativity.

• Logical models reduce the risk of missing requirements because we are too

preoccupied with technical details. Such errors can be costly to correct after

the system has been implemented. By separating what the system must do

System Analysis 22
 from how the system will do it, we can better analyze the requirements for

completeness, accuracy and consistency.

• Logical models allow us to communicate with end-users in non-technical or

less technical languages. Thus, we don’t lose requirements in the technical

jargon of the computing discipline.

Logical Process modeling is a technique for organizing and documenting the structure

and flow of data through a system’s processes and/or the logic, policies, and procedures

to be implemented by a system’s processes.

4.2.1 Data Flow Diagrams

One of the most widely used system analysis process models is the data flow diagram. A

data flow diagram (DFD) is a tool that depicts the flow of data through a system and the

work or processing performed by that system. They are used to help understand the

current system and to represent the required system. The diagrams represent the external

bodies sending and receiving information, the processes that change information, the

information flow itself and where the information is stored. The diagrams are

hierarchical, with a single top level diagram decomposing to many lower level diagrams,

each representing different parts of the system. As diagrams are easier to understand than

technical descriptions, the data flow diagrams help analysts represent and discuss the

system with non-technical users. They can show a high-level overview of the system,

showing the boundaries and connections to other system and users, as well as, a much

System Analysis 23
more detailed picture of individual parts of the system. Thus, the existing system can be

studied and then future needs or existing problems considered and a new / better system

designed. The development of a data flow diagram aids in the understanding of the

system.

Data flow diagrams consist of three symbols and one connection, which help in quick

comprehension of the system. The symbols that typically make up a data flow diagram

are: Rounded rectangles to represent processes; squares to represent external agents-the

boundary of the system; open-ended boxes to represent data stores, sometimes called

files or databases; and arrows to represent data flows, or inputs and outputs, to and from

the processes.

Some of the salient features of data flow diagrams that aid in the understanding of the

system are summarized below:

• Processes in a dataflow can operate in parallel. Thus, several processes might be

executing or working simultaneously.

• Data flow diagrams show the flow of data through the system. Their arrows

represent paths down which its data can flow. Looping and branching are

typically not shown.

• Data flow diagrams can show processes that have dramatically different timing.

Each of the events listed in Section 4.1.3 has an associated dataflow diagram. The

preliminary data flow diagrams for the “Mechanical Design Desktop” system are given in

the following pages.

System Analysis 24
 1.0
machine element Select machine machine Machine
index element element name Designer
to design

Machine Element
Design Resources

Figure 4.2: Event 1: Machine designer selects the machine element to be designed.

2.0
Machine design limitation names design
Process Design
designer design limitation values limitations
Limitations

Design
Limitations

Figure 4.3: Event 2: Machine designer specifies the design limitations/constraints.

3.0
Machine design design equation
Select design
designer equation index
equation

Design
Equations

Figure 4.4: Event 3: Machine designer selects the design equation.

4.0
Machine input design graph
Refer
Designer parameter index
Graph

design parameter Graphs

Design
Parameters

Figure 4.5: Event 4: Machine designer provides input parameter values by referring
to the relevant graph.

System Analysis 25
 5.0
Machine input design table
Refer
Designer parameter index
Table

design parameter Tables

Design
Parameters

Figure 4.6: Event 5: Machine designer provides input design parameter values by
referring to the relevant table.

6.0
Machine input design standard
Refer
Designer parameter index
Standards

design Standards
parameter

Design
Parameters

Figure 4.7: Event 6: Machine designer provides input design parameter values by
referring to the relevant standard.

input design calculated design Machine

parameters parameter Designer

Design
Parameters

7.0
calculated design calculated design
Solve
parameter parameter

Design
Equations design equation and
Solver
design equation input design parameters

Figure 4.8: Event 7: Solver solves for unknown design parameter.

System Analysis 26
 design limitations

Design
Limitations

8.0
calculated design Check design limitations and Machine
parameter for calculated design parameter Designer
compliance

Design response
Parameters

Figure 4.9: Event 8: Machine designer checks for the compliance of the calculated design
parameter with design limitation.

standardized
design parameter

9.0
calculated design select Machine
Standardize
parameter standard Designer
design parameter

relevant standard
Design
Parameters
Standards

Figure 4.10: Event 9: Machine designer standardizes calculated design parameter.

System Analysis 27
 dependent and Machine
independent design designer
parameters

10.0
design parameters dependent design parameter dataset
Generate
and independent design parameter data set
data

design equation

Design
Design
Parameters
Equations

Figure 4.11: Event 10: Machine designer generates datasets for dependent and
independent design parameters.

dependent design parameter dataset and

independent design parameter dataset

11.0
Machine
Plot
Designer
dataset

plot

Figure 4.12: Event 11: Machine designer plots datasets to observe the effect of changes in
design parameter values.

Machine machine element

designer

12.0
selected design Search search results
information design
information

search criteria
Internet

Figure 4.13: Event 12: Machine designer searches the Internet for design information on
the machine element.

System Analysis 28
 Machine selected design
designer information

13.0
Catalogue design information
design
information

Web
Resources

Figure 4.14: Event 13: Machine designer catalogues the design information.

Machine design
designer information

14.0
required design Refer retrieve design
information design information
information

Web
Resources

Figure 4.15: Event 14: Machine designer refers to design information.

15.0
Machine relevant Issue design
designer prompt Prompt equation

Design
Equations

Figure 4.16: Event 15: Machine designer is prompted to refer source.

System Analysis 29
 16.0
Machine document design documented design
Document
designer
Design

Design
Documents

Figure 4.17: Event 16: Machine designer documents the design.

The initial behavioral model as shown on the last several pages was transformed into a

leveled set of data flow diagrams. The top-level dataflow diagram and the additional

downward leveling are shown in the following pages.

System Analysis 30
 design parameter values

input design design equation

information Machine
designer
output design
information
limitations

4.0
Process
1.0
2.0 3.0 design
Process
Process design Process design parameter
design
limitations equation values
information

accepted design
limitation name and
accepted design accepted accepted input
limitation value design design parameter
equation 5.0 values
Send to
solver

7.0
design equation, dependent design parameter
Generate
and independent design parameter design equation and
plot input design parameter
values

6.0
Machine Solve for
resultant plot designer calculated design output design
parameter value parameters

resultant plot
and calculated design
parameter values 8.0
Process design document Machine
design Designer
document

Figure 4.18: The top-level dataflow diagram for the Mechanical Design Desktop system.

System Analysis 31
 Machine web page
Designer

machine
element
information

1. 1 1. 2 1. 3
hits web
Search for Catalogue View design
pages
information hits information

design
information

1. 4
request design Machine selected design
Select design
information Designer information
information

input design
1. 6
output design information
Refer design
information
information

requested design
information

Web
Resources

Figure 4.19: 1.0: Process design information.

System Analysis 32
 2. 1
design limitation name Accept design accepted design limitation
limitation name
names

Machine
designer

2. 2
design limitation value Accept design accepted design limitation
limitation value
values

Figure 4.20: 2.0: Process design limitations.

machine element Machine design equation

designer

3.1 3.2
3. 3 5.0
Select machine Load design loaded design selected design
Select design Send to
machine element equations equations equation
equation solver
element

selected design
design
equation accepted
equations
selected design design equation
Design equation
Equations

3. 6
3. 4 Generate
resolved design
Resolve prompt
parameters
parameters

relevant prompt

Design
Parameters Prompt

Figure 4.21: 3.0: Process design equation.

System Analysis 33
 Machine
designer

design
parameter values

4.1 4.2
design parameters Display input design Refer design
design parameter values data
parameters source

input design
Design parameter values
Parameters

5.0
accepted input design
Send to
parameter values
solver

Figure 4.22: 4.0: Process design parameter values.

4.11
graph design Accepted graph design
Process
parameter value input parameter value
Graph

4.12
Machine design parameter design limitation Process Accepted design limitation
designer values parametervalue design input parameter value
input

4.13
table design Accepted Table design
Process
parameter value input parameter value
Table

Figure 4.23: 4.2: Refer design data source.

System Analysis 34
 6. 1
Process
accepted input input design
input design
design parameters parameters
parameter
values

6.4
6. 3 Process
design
Solve design
parameters
Equation parameters

6. 2 calculated design
accepted design Process design equation parametervalues
equation design
equation

Machine
designer

Figure 4.24: 6.0: Solve for output design parameters.

System Analysis 35
 design Machine dependent design
equation designer parameter

independent
design parameter

7.2 7. 3
7.1 selected Process
selected Process
Process design equation dependent design
design equation independent design
Equation parameter
parameter

selected
independent
parameter

selected design 7. 4 selected dependent

equation Generate values design parameter

independent and dependent

design parameter data

resultant plot 7. 5
Machine
Plot
Designer
data

Figure 4.25: 7.0: Generate Plot.

System Analysis 36
 reusultant plot Machine requested
and calculated Designer design document
design parameter values

request documented
design

8. 2
8. 1 Process
Process design
Design document
Document request

new design requested design

document document

Design
Documents

Figure 4.26: 8.0: Process design document.

Though data flow diagrams are effective tools for identifying processes, they do not show

the logic inside those processes. The detailed instructions for elementary processes on

data flow diagrams are specified using Structured English. It is not pseudo code and does

not concern itself with declarations, initializations, linking and such technical issues.

Structured English is a language and syntax, based on the relative strengths of structured

programming and natural English, for specifying the underlying logic of elementary

processes on process models (such as data flow diagrams) [Whit98].

For each of the elementary processes in section 4.2.2, the Structured English is given

below:

System Analysis 37
1.1 Search for information:

For each machine element information requested:

1. Search the Internet for requested information.

2. List all web pages containing the requested information.

1.2 Catalogue hits

1. Display all the hits pertaining to the requested information.

2. Sort hits based on occurrence of requested information.

1.3 View design information

For each hit selected:

1. Display web page information.

2. Allow navigation to the web pages in order of selection.

3. Allow reloading of each of the web pages.

1.4 Select design information

For design information selected:

1. Allow copying of selected design information.

2. Allow pasting of selected design information.

3. Allow saving design information to specified folder and file.

1.5 Refer design information

For requested design information:

System Analysis 38
 1. Open folder and file.

2. Display contents.

2.1 Accept design limitation names

For each design limitation name:

1. Allow input of design limitation names.

2. Display design limitation names.

2.2 Accept design limitation value

For each design limitation value:

1. Allow input of design limitation value.

2. Display design limitation value.

3.1 Select machine element

For each machine element selected:

1. Load the design equations.

2. Load the graphs.

3. Load the tables and standards.

3.2 Load design equations

1. Display all design equations.

System Analysis 39
3.3 Select design equation

For each design equation displayed:

1. Allow selection of design equation.

3.4 Resolve parameters

For each design equation selected:

1. Display the design parameter names.

2. Display means of specifying parameter values.

3.5 Generate Prompt

For each design equation selected:

1. Display prompt

4.11 Process Graph

For each graph selected:

1. Display graph name

2. Load graphics

4.12 Process design input

For each input design parameter:

If (finalized),

Then Display value.

Else Accept input value.

System Analysis 40
4.13 Process Table

For each table selected:

1. Display table name.

2. Load table data.

4.2 Refer design data source

Do the following based on source selected:

Case 1: If (table) then

Display table.

Case 2: If (graph) then

Display graphics.

Case 3: If (design limitation) then

Display design limitation.

5.0 Send to Solver

Do the following based on input:

Case 1: If (design equation) then

Load design equation model.

Case 2: If (design parameter value) then

Send design parameter values to solver.

6.1 Process input design parameter values

1. Assign design parameter values.

System Analysis 41
6.2 Process design equation

For each selected design equation:

1. Assign input design parameter values to design parameter names.

6.3 Solve equation

For each selected design equation:

1. Solve for unknown design parameter.

6.4 Process design parameters

For each selected design equation:

1. Reassign values for input design parameters.

2. Display the calculated design parameter value.

7.1 Process design equation

For each design equation selected:

1. Display design equation.

2. Display design parameter names.

3. Display design parameter values.

7.2 Process independent design parameter

For each design equation selected:

1. Allow independent design parameter selection.

2. Allow generation of values

System Analysis 42
7.3 Process dependent design parameter

For each design equation selected:

1. Allow dependent design parameter selection.

7.4 Generate values

For each independent design parameter value:

1. Generate value for dependent design parameter based on design equation.

7.5 Plot data

With the data sets for both the dependent and independent design parameters:

1. Plot the corresponding values.

2. Display the plot.

8.1 Process design document

For each design document:

1. Allow insertion of calculated design parameter values.

2. Allow insertion of plots.

3. Allow saving of design document to specified folder and file

8.2 Process design document request

For each design document requested:

1. Display design document.

2. Allow editing of design document.

System Analysis 43
4.2.2. The Entity Relationship Diagram

Data modeling is a technique for organizing and documenting a system’s data. There are

several notations for data modeling. The actual model is often called the entity

relationship diagram (also known as an ERD, or E-R diagram) because it depicts data in

terms of the entities and relationships described by the data [Whit98]. An ERD is a

network model that describes the stored data layout of the system at a high level of

abstraction.

The need for modeling a system’s data arises primarily because the data structures and

relationships may be so complex that we may want to highlight them and examine them

independently of the processing that will take place. The DFD focuses attention on the

functions that the system is performing, not the data that it needs. In addition, an ERD

helps an analyst in quickly identifying the vocabulary more completely than process

model. Also, an ERD is built more quickly than process models, and a complete data

model can fit in a single sheet of paper. Thus, an ERD enables complete comprehension

of the system in a concise manner.

There are several notations for ERDs. Most are named after their inventor (e.g., Chen,

Martin, Bachman, Merise). In order to describe the ERD for the Mechanical Design

Desktop System, the Yourdon notation has been adopted [Edwa89]. The ERD for the

Mechanical Design Desktop System is as shown in Fig. 4.27.

System Analysis 44
 regarding
MACHINE DESIGN DESIGN
ELEMENT INFORMATION DOCUMENT

consists
collects
of
designs

refers

DESIGN
selects
EQUATION
writes

DESIGN
consists Machine
DATA refers
of Designer
SOURCE

to specify
DESIGN
PARAMETER

specifies
draws

CALCULATED DESIGN INPUT DESIGN

PARAMETER PARAMETER

evaluates

DESIGN
satisfies
LIMITATION
calculates

shows
PLOT
variation in
SOLVER

Figure 4.27: The entity relationship diagram for the Mechanical Design Desktop System.

Design data source = [Table | Graph | Design Limitations]

System Analysis 45