Chapter 1
1. What functions does the systems analyst perform during the Systems
Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Answer:
 Analyse the current system
 Analyse the system environment
 Involve the user
 Identify problems and requirements
 Design a new system based on a range of options
2. The SDLC is just one model for systems development. Find at least one more
and describe the differences.
Answer e.g.
 prototyping
 Soft Systems
 Business Process Re-engineering
 Object Oriented Analysis and Design
3. Why has SSADM become an industry standard?
Answer:






Breaks problems down into manageable chunks - functional decomposition
Clearly defined steps
Involves users
Effective use of models and diagrams
Cross-checking - improves reliability
Tried and tested
Chapter 2
1. Draw DFDs for each of these scenarios:
(a) A customer goes into a bookshop and asks for this book. The member of staff
looks for the book in the online stock catalogue and reports that the book is sold
out.
Answer:
1.1 Sales
CUSTOMER
book details
response
sto
ck
det
ails
Find book
M1
Book catalogue
(b) Every month, the Medical Centre receives a list of current drugs available from
the drug companies. These lists are collated into a catalogue of drugs which is
copied and given to each doctor.
Answer:
DRUG
COMPANY
drug list
1.1
Reception
Receive drug list
drug
list
M1 Drug Lists
1.2 Reception
Compile drug
catalogue
list
g
u
dr
dru
g li
st
M2 Drug catalogue
DOCTOR
cat
alo
gue
1.3
Reception
e
gu
o
l
ta
ca
Copy and
distribute
catalogue
(c) Swillbuckets orders a crate of sweet, sparkling drinks from the brewery. Jack
Trout fills in an order form and sends copies to the brewery and the barman. The
original is kept in the Orders shoebox. When the order arrives, the delivery note is
checked against the order form by the barman. If the delivery matches the order,
the barman signs the delivery note and attaches it to the order. He sends this to
Jack.
Answer:
BREWERY
order form
de
liv
er
yn
ote
1.1
Secretary
Order drinks
1.2 Barman
Receive
delivery
M1 Orders
rm
er fo
ord
te
no
y
r
e
liv
de
or
de
rf
or
m
M2 Barman's files
form
order
(d) Now decompose the diagram for (c) into two lower level DFDs. One showing
the order process and one showing the delivery process. Compare them with the
top level DFD in (c).
Answer:
Order process
BREWERY
order form
1.1.1 Secretary
Order drinks
1.1.2 Secretary
Copy order
Delivery process
M1 Orders
m
r for
orde
m
for
r
de
or
order form
M2 Barman's files
M2 Barman's files
1.2.1 Barman
BREWERY
rm
r fo note
e
d
or ivery
del
delivery note
Check delivery
note
y
er
il v
de
te
no
1.2.2 Barman
Process delivery
note
deli
very
note
M1 Orders
The decomposition simplifies the top level DFD and avoids the need to have data
flows crossing over each other.
2. Draw a physical DFD to model this vet practice scenario
Hallam Vets consists of 2 vets plus a receptionist. Both vets maintain records of
treatment sessions. In addition, they maintain detailed animal records held in
reception. When an owner arrives with an animal, the receptionist enters new
animal details if the animal has not been seen before. The receptionist also
reminds owners if their account needs paying, and receives payments where
offered. She records details of payments.
Patients may send payments by cheque in the mail, or pay by cheque or cash at
reception. Payments are banked daily. Once a week the receptionist checks the
payments. She updates the ledgers and records the updated balance on the
owner's records. She sends reminders to owners with outstanding balances. Once
a year, a breakdown of treatment has to be prepared by each vet and dispatched
to the Department of Animal Welfare.
One possible answer:
animal details
1 Receptionist
ANIMAL
Record animal
details
ani
ma
l de
tail
s
M1 Animal file
2
payment
reminder
Track payments
ow
ne
r
M2 Payments file
3 Receptionist
Update owner
records
t
amoun
BANK
pay
me
pay
nt
me
nt
4
t
en
m
y
pa
re
ce
ip
t
OWNER
Receptionist
Receptionist
Bank money
receipt
M3 Treatment
DEPT AW
repo
rt
5 Vet
Record
treatment
t
en
t
m
en
at
m
e
at
tr
tre
Chapter 3
1. Draw an entity model to model the following car rental business scenario:

Cars are always rented from one location and are brought back to the
same location.

Customers may pay by cash or credit card

Customers who call the agency may request a particular car make, or
model, etc if available

A bill is presented to the customers prior to releasing the rental car

A further bill may be presented to the customers once the rented car has
been returned to cover any damage or excessive mileage.
Answer:
CAR
CUSTOMER
RENTAL
BILL
More complex solutions are possible.
2. Draw an entity model to model this university scenario:

A university dept. employs lecturers and clerical staff

It offers a three year degree

A student has to take 12 modules during the course

Each lecturer teaches one or more courses

Courses may be taught by more than one lecturer

During the year, each postgraduate student has to complete two or
three coursework assignments for each module.
Answer:
COURSE
STUDENT
MODULE
SESSION
ASSIGNMENT
STAFF
One or two assumptions have been made here e.g. that each module is taught by
more than one lecturer.
Chapter 4
1. Logicalize the following, if necessary:

Type and copy invoice
Create invoice

Collate customer details
Sort customer details

SR1 form - blue
Sales (entity)

File details from new customer
Create customer

View patient's name and address
patient (data flow)

Photocopy application form
can probably remove this

delivery note
order
2. Logicalize the mail order book company DFD shown in Fig. 4.15
Answer:
D1
1
k
boo
customer
order
Customer
Book
Create customer
order
custom
er
r
de
or
er
om
st
cu
D3
D2
Customer
Customer order
er
rd
o
er
tom
s
cu
2
Create publisher
order
r
he
lis r
b
pu rde
o
pu
bl
is
he
ro
rd
er
Publisher
pu
bli
sh
er
or
de
r
pub
lish
er
D4 Publisher
D5 Publisher Order
r
rde
er o
h
s
li
pub
3
Receive
publisher order
D3 Customer order
4
cu s
Customer
Chapter 6
e
to m
rd
ro
er
Assemble
customer order
er
ord
r
me
sto
cu
cus
tom
er
D2 Customer
1. Produce a decision table to model the logic in this scenario:
A postal delivery company delivers parcels by air or rail transport. The price of
delivery by air depends upon the weight of the parcel. There is a basic charge of 5
euros per kilo up to 50 kilos. Excess weight over 50 kilos is charged at 3 euros per
kilo.
Delivery by rail is charged at 3 euros per kilo up to 50 kilos and then 2 euros per
kilo. There is a special service guaranteeing same day delivery which carries an
additional flat rate charge of 20 euros.
Any deliveries overseas are charged at double the normal rate.
Answer:
Conditions
C1 - By air?
C2 - =< 50 kilos
C3 - > 50 kilos
C4 - Special service
C5 - Overseas?
Actions
A1 - 5 euros per kilo
A2 - 3 euros per kilo
A3 - 2 euros per kilo
A4 - additional 20 euros
A5 - double rate
It should be simple to draw the resulting table.
2. Produce a structured English specification for this scenario:
A travel agent has account customers and individual customers. Account
customers who have spent over 25,000 euros in the past year get a discount of
25%. Otherwise, they get 10% discount. Individual customers who have booked
holidays previously get 5% discount. New customers get no discount. Account
customers who have spent over 10,000 euros in any previous year will receive
offers of free tickets on selected routes.
Answer:
IF account cust
IF >25000 euros
discount = 25%
IF >10,000 euros
free tickets
ELSE
no tickets
ELSE
discount = 10%
IF >10,000 euros
free tickets
ELSE
no tickets
ELSE
IF previous booking
discount = 5%
ELSE
no discount
3. Design a report for the Medical Centre showing the appointments for the
following week. The report will be used by the receptionists to check patients as
they arrive for their appointment, so consider what information will be required on
the report.
Answer:
Information required will be: Date (or week number), Day, Time, Patient Name,
Doctor, Arrived (Y,N)
Chapter 7
1. Normalise the following data taken from a student assessment form, bearing in
mind that students will take a number of modules:
Student Number
Student Name
Student Address
Module Code
Module Name
Module Mark
Module Grade
Answer:
UNF
1NF
2NF
3NF
Student No
Student No
Student No
Student No
Student Name
Student Name
Student Name
Student Name
Address
Address
Address
Table
STUDENT
Address
Module Code
Module Name
Module Code Module Code Module Code
Module Mark
Student No
Student No
Student No
Module Name
Module Mark
Module Mark
Module Mark
Module Grade
MODULE
Module Grade
MARK
Module Grade
Module Mark
GRADE
Module Code Module Grade
Module Name
Module Code MODULE
Module Name
This solution assumes that the grading system is uniform across all modules.
2. Normalise this form:
Purchase Order (Customer copy)
To:
Bert Hovis
Swillbuckets Club
West Yorkshire
Order: 345
8/12/2002
From:
Cooper's Brewery
15 Brewery St
Fillem
Product No Name
Quantity
Price
10
Babycham
400
1.50
25
Old Firtle
25
30.00
48
Egg nog
20
2.50
28
Red nose bitter
30
25.00
Total cost: 3536.00
Answer:
UNF
1NF
2NF
3NF
OrderNo
OrderNo
OrderNo
OrderNo
CustNo
CustNo
CustNo
CustNo
Table
ORDER HEAD
CustContact CustContact CustContact OrderDate
CustName
CustName
CustName
CustAdd1
CustAdd1
CustAdd1
CustNo
CustAdd2
CustAdd2
CustAdd2
CustContact
OrderDate
OrderDate
OrderDate
CustName
ProdNo
CustAdd1
ProdName
OrderNo
OrderNo
Quantity
ProdNo
ProdNo
CustAdd2
CUSTOMER
Price
ProdName
Quantity
OrderNo
Quantity
Price
ProdNo
Price
ORDER LINE
Quantity
ProdNo
Price
ProdName
ProdNo
PRODUCT
ProdName
Chapter 8
1. Design an interface for Freddo Smitho at Swillbuckets. He needs to be able to
see and update information about dishes, ingredients, recipes and events. Use the
entity model in Fig. 6.4 to help you.
Answer
Click here