Visualising System Requirements
The Importance of Visualising System Requirements
We need ways to visually convey the requirement because of:
- Clarity: Visuals simplify complex processes, making them easier to understand.
- Communication: They provide a common language for stakeholders, developers, and users.
- Error Reduction: Early visualisation helps identify potential issues before implementation.
Visualizing system requirements is a critical step in the design process, bridging the gap between abstract ideas and concrete implementations.
Types of Requirements Visualisation
System Flowcharts
System Flowcharts provide a high-level view of a system, illustrating how data flows through various components, including hardware, software, and manual processes.
Key Features of System Flowcharts include:
- Data Flow: Arrows indicate the direction of data movement.
- Processes: Rectangles represent operations or tasks.
- Decision Points: Diamonds show where decisions are made.
- Input/Output: Parallelograms depict data entry or retrieval.
- Storage: Cylinders represent databases or files.
When creating a system flowchart, focus on the overall process rather than the details of individual programs.
ExampleImagine taking a book in the library:
- Data Entry: The user scans their library card and the book barcode using a scanner.
- Validation: The system checks if the library card is valid. If not, an error message is shown on the monitor.
- Availability Check: The system verifies if the scanned book is available for checkout. If not, a message is displayed.
- Processing: If both validations pass, the system records the transaction and updates the database
- Output: A receipt with the due date is printed, confirming the checkout.
Use system flowcharts for high-level overviews that include hardware and software interactions.
Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) focus on how data logically moves through a system, highlighting links between parts of the system.
Key Components of DFDs include:
