LAB ACTIVITY 6: Completing the Process Model

WHY:

This activity is designed to give you practice constructing an event list, the event decomposition diagram, event data flow diagrams, system diagram and primitive diagrams. using System Architect. You will use this type of process model in defining the new system pertaining to your project. Process models have many uses in Systems Analysis, Planning, and Design, because of their versatility in modeling different levels of detail.

VOCABULARY:

Process

A process is work or actions performed on incoming data flows to produce outgoing data flows. Processes focus on what work or action is being performed, not on who or what is doing the work. A process is represented by a rounded rectangle. A process linked to and immediately above a set of processes on a decomposition diagram is said to be their parent and the processes on the next level linked to the parent are said to be child processes. When a process can no longer be split into two or more subprocesses, it is said to be a primitive process. Primitive processes must be described using Structured English, and must have an active verb in the process name..

Data Flow

A data flow represents a highway over which data travels as input to some processes and output from others. A primitive data flow is one whose attributes always travel together as a single packet. A composite data flow is one that consists of multiple primitive data flows. A data flow is represented by a connector and has a singular noun for its name.

External Agent

An External Agent is usually a source of inputs to the system or a receiver of outputs from the system and is represented by a square.

Data Store

A data store is an inventory of data. It represents all the occurrences of a data entity. A data store is represented by an open-ended rectangle.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Understand how to build a process model.
2. Discover how to use System Architect to develop process models.
3. Discover how to transfer knowledge of process models to the project.

CRITERIA:

1. Quality of the Process Model built by the team.
2. Quality of answers to the Critical Thinking Questions.

RESOURCES:

1. System Architect Help System and Manuals;
2. Class Activity 11;
3. Lab Activity 4 and 4B;
4. Chapter 6 in Systems Analysis and Design Methods;
5. 60 minutes;

PLAN:

1. Review the model in activity 11.
   
2. Using the system description below, finish the process model you started in lab 4. Hand in the diagrams.
   
3. Start the next milestone for your project.

The purpose of the CAMPAIGN PLEDGE SYSTEM is to collect pledges from DONORs during a capital campaign and ensure that these pledges are honored with donations. The BOARD OF TRUSTEES sets up a capital campaign, determines the campaign categories for which pledges may be sought, and sets a goal for these categories. The college uses a list of prospective donors prepared by the development office to solicit donors to make pledges and/or donations toward one or more of these pledge categories. The solicitation includes a pledge form which the donor completes giving her information and the pledge amount. Once a DONOR has pledged to contribute, the development office sends pledge reminders at the appropriate times, and the DONOR sends back her pledge payment with a copy of the reminder invoice. The payments and invoices are sent to the BUSINESS OFFICE which records and deposits them. The development office keeps track of the total donated by each donor to each campaign category. The system produces a campaign progress report which is sent to the BOARD OF TRUSTEES and a campaign summary report which is sent to the College PRESIDENT. A detailed donor profile report and pledge status report are also prepared for the BUSINESS OFFICE auditors. Exception reports include an inactive donor list and an unfulfilled pledge report. These are sent to the PRESIDENT for information when she contacts donors.

List of Lab Activities