SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-1
MILESTONE 5 – PROCESS MODELING
 Synopsis
rocess 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. In this milestone, you
focus on using and constructing data flow diagrams (DFDs) and
decomposition diagrams to perform process modeling.
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Data flow diagrams are tools that depict the flow of data through a system and the
work or processing performed by that system. A decomposition diagram is a DFD
planning tool that shows the top-down functional decomposition and structure of a
system.
During this milestone, you will first construct a context diagram to establish project
scope and boundaries. Second, you will draw a functional decomposition diagram to
partition the system into logical subsystems and/or functions. Third, you will draw
event decomposition diagrams to model individual processes. Finally, you will
construct a system data flow diagram that shows the big picture of the system, and a
primitive data flow diagram for a single event process.
 Objectives
After completing this milestone, you should be able to:
 Construct a context diagram to illustrate a system’s interfaces with its
environment.
 Identify external and temporal business events for a system.
 Logically group events to create a functional decomposition diagram.
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-2
 Create event diagrams.
 Merge event diagrams into a system data flow diagram.
 Draw appropriate primitive data flow diagrams.
 Prerequisites
1. Process modeling – Chapter 8
2. Optional: Milestone 3 or 4 solution
 Assignment
As a systems analyst or knowledgeable end-user, you must learn how to draw
decomposition and data flow diagrams to model business process requirements. The
preliminary investigation and problem analysis phases of the methodology have been
completed, and you understand the current system’s strengths, weaknesses,
limitations, problems, opportunities, and constraints. As part of a requirements
analysis phase, you have already built the data model (Milestones 3 and 4) to
document business data requirements for the new system. You now need to build the
corresponding process models.
 Activities
1. Draw a Context Diagram using the accompanying narrative.
2. Given the accompanying use-case (event/response) matrix, draw the Functional
Decomposition Diagram.
3. Given your decomposition diagram from above and the use-case matrix, draw
Event Decomposition Diagrams. Your instructor will tell you which ones to draw.
Use your data model from milestones 3 and 4 as an attribute reference. Also, state
any assumptions you make.
4. Merge your event diagrams from #3 above into a System Diagram.
5. For all transaction processes described in the accompanying narratives, draw the
Primitive Data Flow Diagram.
Deliverable format and software to be used are according to your instructor’s
specifications. Deliverables should be neatly packaged in a binder, separated with a
tab divider labeled “Milestone 5.”
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-3
References:
Completed Data Model Solution from Milestone 4
Context Diagram Narrative
Exhibit 5.1
Completed Use-Case (or Event-Response) List
Exhibit 5.2
Primitive Diagram Narrative(s)
Exhibit 5.3
Deliverables:
Context Diagram:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Functional Decomposition Diagram:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Event Decomposition Diagrams:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
System Diagram:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Primitive Diagram(s):
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-4
ALTERNATIVE OPTION
Exhibit 5.2 is a partial Use-Case list. Add all maintenance and report UseCases necessary to match the system narrative in Exhibit 5.1. Then draw the Event
Decomposition Diagrams and the System Diagram based on the complete list.
Use-cases:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Activity diagrams and state models:
Due: __/__/__
Time:_______
Milestone’s Point Value:
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
_______
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-5
Exhibit 5.1
Use the following narrative to construct the Context Diagram for the IT Tracker system
The purpose of the IT Tracker system is to provide a single central repository of
all information about information technology equipment, including its purchase
information, history of installed components, service requests, and responses to
those requests.
Users will submit service requests to the system whenever they have a problem
with their equipment. Users will also be able to check on the status of their service
requests at any time. In response to a submitted service request, the IT director
will assign each request to a technician. The technicians will be able to view a list
of their assignments at any time. As they respond to and fix problems, technicians
will enter service information. If they replace parts or entire machines, they will
also enter new equipment and component change information. To help technicians
do their jobs, they will be able to view reports of the service and component
installation history of any machine.
The IT director will be able to view various management reports such as the
service and component installation history of any machine, service requests and
responses for any period of time, a list of machines by department, and the work
history for any technician. The IT director will also be able to view a “digital
dashboard” of key statistics and trends.
Purchase Order information is created and updated in a separate system located on
a mainframe computer. However, that information will be available to IT Tracker
on a read-only basis to help in tracking warranty information. IT Tracker will
allow technicians and the IT director to view the complete information on any
purchase order and for technicians to reference a specific purchase order number
when entering component installation information.
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-6
Exhibit 5.2
Below is a Use-Case list for the major processes of the system. To keep the assignment
simple, most “maintenance” events, such as adding new technicians and departments and
edit/delete options have been ignored along with some of the reports.
Actor
Event (or Use Case)
Trigger
Responses
Tech
Add equipment
New equipment is installed
Create new Equipment in
database
Tech
Add component to a computer
New component is installed
Create new Installed
Component in database
Tech
Remove component from a
computer
Old component is removed
Update Installed
Component information in
database
Technology User
Add service request
User finds problem
Create new Service Request
in database
Send e-mail to IT Director
IT Director
View open requests for
service
Upon request
Generate Open Requests
report
IT Director
Assign service request to a
technician
Decision by IT Director
Update Service Request
information in database
Tech or IT Director
View list of service
assignments for a technician
Upon request
Generate Tech Assignment
report
Tech or IT Director
View service and component
history for a machine
Upon request
Generate Machine History
report
Tech
Add service record
Tech performs service work
Create new Service
Response in database
(Time)
Import purchase order info
Nightly
Update Purchase Order info
in database
Technology User or
IT Director
View service request status
Upon request
Generate Service Request
Status report
IT Director
Report Digital Dashboard of
service response times, total
cost of ownership, technician
utilization
Upon request
Generate Digital Dashboard
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001
SADM 5/ed – CASE STUDY 4 – Milestone 5: Process Modeling
Page: 5-7
Exhibit 5.3
Use the following narrative to construct the Primitive Diagram for the Add Service Request event.
The User enters the Equipment ID, Problem Description, the User’s name, and the
User’s telephone extension. The system will verify the Equipment ID by checking
it against the list of Equipment IDs in the system. If it is not valid, send an error
response to the User. If it is valid, set the Report Date to the current date and add
the service request to the ServiceRequest data store. Generate e-mail to IT
Director.
Prepared by Gary B. Randolph for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 5ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2001