Case Study ‘Employee Benefits System’

MILESTONE 3 – PROCESS MODELING- Part I

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Synopsis 

The requirements analysis phase answers the question, "What does the user need and want from a new system?" The requirements analysis phase is critical to the success of any new information system! In this milestone we need to identify what information systems requirements need to be defined from the system users’ perspectives. 

The Data flow diagram (DFD) has gained popularity as a technique for expressing system requirements for two reasons: 

• It facilitates development, which often leads to building systems that better 

satisfy user needs 

• Data flow diagrams and narratives are easy for users to understand. 

In this milestone you will first uncover external agents, processes and data flows that define the requirements for the proposed system and document that information. You will use that to build the Context Data Flow Diagrams. 

Objectives 

After completing this milestone, you should be able to: 

• Understand and perform the techniques for requirements discovery. 

• Determine external agents (external entities) and their relationship with the 

System, identify data  flows. 

• Construct the Context DFD using VISIO. 

Prerequisites 

Before starting this milestone, the following topics should be covered: 

• The problem analysis phase — Chapters 3 and 5 

• PIECES framework — Chapters 3 and 5 

• Problem analysis techniques — Chapter 6 

• Process modeling techniques — Chapter 9 

Assignment 

Now that we have studied the current system and analyzed some of its problems and opportunities, plus gained approval to proceed, we can now start to identify the business requirements for the system and model them. In this assignment we will use our results of the previous Milestone. The results of this activity will identify the system requirements for the proposed system. 

Refer to sample forms (below), and results from Milestones 1 and 2 for the information necessary to complete the activities. 

Activities 

1. Identify External entities      and relationship with system
2. Identify data flows
3. Prepare Context level 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 3”.

References 

• Transcripts of Interview - Exhibit 3.1 (see below)