Introduction To Structured Method Techniques

Introduction to Structured
Method Techniques ERDs &

Event Models
Topic & structure of the lesson

Introduction to Structured Method
Techniques
Entity Relationship Models
Event Models
CT026-3-1 Systems Analysis and Design
Introduction to Structured Method Techniques
Slide 2 (of 43)
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lecture, YOU should be
able:
to identify the framework of activities
associated with methodologies and describe
how the techniques are used together to
develop a system
Slide 3 (of 43)
Key terms you must be able to use
If you have mastered this topic, you

should be able to use the following
terms correctly in your assignments
and exams:
Entity
Attributes
Relationship
Slide 4 (of 43)
Introduction
Data model
What data does the system need to store?
What is the most efficient way of organizing
it?
Techniques
entity-relationship modelling
normalization (later modules)
What is a Data Model?

Data model
Relatively simple representation, usually
graphical, of complex real-world data
structures
Communications tool to facilitate interaction
among the designer, the applications
programmer, and the end user
Importance of Data Model

Good database design uses an
appropriate data model as its foundation
End-users have different views and needs
for data
Data model organizes data for various
users
Entity Relationship modelling

Terminology
Entity
Attributes
Value of an attribute
Primary Key
Foreign Key
Relationship
degree of relationship
one to one
one to many
many to many
multiplicity
cardinality
Entity Relationship Modelling

What is it?
Entity relationship diagrams are important
because using a graphical representation
they illustrate the interrelationships
between entities using different symbols.
These symbols show the entities in an
organization, the type of relationships these
entities have and the attributes each of
these entities have stating the primary key.
Terminologies
Entity (also known as file or table)
an object about which the system need to
store data, such as Customer or Product
Attributes of an entity (column names)
data items or elements that make up that entity
E.g. customerName, customerAddress those
significant to the system
Value of an attribute (data stored in it)

E.g. John Barrett is the value of the attribute
customerName
Slide 6 (of 22)
Terminologies
Primary Key (identification key)
of an entity is an attribute or a set of
attributes whose values uniquely
identify one occurrence of that entity
Entity primary keys are underlined as
shown here:
E.g. Customer (customer#, initial,
surname, customerAddress,
customerPhone)
Slide 7 (of 22)
Terminologies
Foreign key (connectivity between tables)
an attribute in one entity which is the
primary key of another entity
acts as a link or navigation route
between related entities
Terminologies
Relationship (type of link)
a link between two entities which is
significant for the system
E.g. customer places an order
places describes a relationship between
Customer and an order
Slide 8 (of 22)
Terminologies
Degree of relationship (between
entities/tables)
can be
one to one
one to many
many to many
multiplicity and cardinality are used

to refer to the degree of relationship

Notations
wide variety
Figure 1: Variation 1 Chen Notation from Elmasri book


Notations
Figure 2: Variation 2 Information Engineering notation from Oracle Designer/ 2000 CASE

Notations
Figure 3: Variation 3 Visible Analyst Notation


Notations
Figure 4: Variation 4 Sybase PowerDesigner Notation


Notations
Figure 5: Variation 5 Popkin System Architect Crows Feet Notation

Chen Notation
Entity
Multivalued
attribute
Weak Entity
Derived
attribute
Attribute
Relationships
Cardinality
Key attribute
Weak
Relationships
Recursive
Relationship
Event Modelling
To obtain a view of events in a system and the way in
which entities respond to external events
Techniques
Entity Life Histories SSADM
State Diagrams real-time systems
State chart / State transition diagrams
are produced after data and process modelling

These techniques use the entities and processes
identified in the E-R and data flow diagrams
Definitions
Entity
a data object of interest that has been identified in the entityrelationship model
Event
something that happens in the real world which causes an entity
or more than one entity to be updated.
Entity Life History

A diagrammatic representation of the life of a single entity from
its creation to its deletion
(taken from http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~gwatkins/isdp2/04-05/lec45elh.doc)
Entity Life Histories

are a diagrammatic technique that provides of all
possible biographies for any occurrence of a
particular entity in the system.
Example: Ordering System
customer places an order customer entity created
customers details change during life of the order
entity ammended
Order is delivered / cancelled entity will be deleted
Entity Life Histories
Customer
Customer
places
order
Customer
life
Change *
in customer
details
Deletion
of customer
Order
delivered
Order
cancelled
Figure 7.1 Example of an Entity Life History

Referenced from Software Systems Development A Gentle Introduction Britton & Doake
Tasks involved in creating and

documenting ELH
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Initial identification of events

Constructing the Event / Entity Matrix
Drawing initial Entity Life Histories for all entities
Completion of the Entity Life Histories
Addition of operations
Addition of state indicators
Notation for entity life histories
Entity Life History (ELH) notation provides

constructs to express sequence, selection
and iteration of events in the system
ELH Diagram
Sequence
First event 1, then event 2, then event 3
Entity X
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Figure 7.2 Representing Sequence in entity life histories

ELH Diagram
Repetition
Event 2 can take place 0 or more times
Entity X
Event 1
Event 3
Event 2
Figure 7.3 Representing iteration (repetition) in entity life histories

ELH Diagram
Selection
Either event 2 or event 3 will take place
Entity X
Event 1
Event 4
Event 2
Event 3
Figure 7.4 Representing selection in entity life histories

ELH Diagram
Optionality
Event 2 may or may not take place
Entity X
Event 1
Event 3
Event 2
---------
Do nothing box
Figure 7.5 Representing optionality in entity life histories

ELH Diagram
No restriction on ordering
Event 1 and event 2 can take place in any order
Double line
Entity X
Event 1
Figure 7.6 The double line indicates that there is no restriction on the ordering of events 1 and 2
Summary of Main Teaching Points

Introduction to Structured Method
Techniques
Entity Relationship Models
Event Models
Slide 41 (of 43)
Question and Answer Session
Q&A
Slide 42 (of 43)
Next Session
Introduction to OO Concepts
Introduction
Object-oriented concepts
Object
Class
Class Relationships
Message
Encapsulation
Inheritance
Slide 43 (of 43)

Introduction To Structured Method Techniques - Erds & Event Models

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Introduction to Structured

Method Techniques ERDs &

Topic & structure of the lesson

CT026-3-1 Systems Analysis and Design

Slide 2 (of 43)

CT026-3-1 Systems Analysis and Design