Structured Systems Analysis And Design Method Research Articles

XML Based Representation of DFD

In the world of Information Technology, the working of a information system is well explained with the use of Data Flow Diagrams (DFD). DFDs are one of the three essential perspectives of the Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM). [3]The sponsor of a project and the end users are briefed and consulted throughout all stages of a system's evolution. With a data flow diagram, users are able to visualize how the system will operate, what the system will accomplish, and how the system will be implemented. But, various practical problems exist with the representation of DFDs. Different tools are available in the market for representing the DFDs. These tools are user friendly and based on the object oriented features. The diagrams drawn using these tools can be sent over the network for communicating with others. On the other hand, the XML is platform independent, textual information and is totally extensible. XML is structured and is an excellent way to transfer the information along with the metadata over the network. XML can be used to transfer the information related to DFDs, there by removing the problems related to understanding the diagrammatic notations and concentrating more on the information flow in the system. This paper is aimed at understanding the problems related to DFDs and representing it in XML[4] format for their storage and communication over the network. The discussion is divided into four main topics – introduction to XML and DFD, problems related to DFD, an XML representation for DFDs and finally the conclusion.

Management of process improvement by prescription

This paper examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK Government's mandatory structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on three large SSADM projects and from observing 90 end users in training. The generic conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organizational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project.

An ethical review of information systems development – The Australian Computer Society’s code of ethics and SSADM

The rapid advance of computer‐based technology has led to social policy vacuums. Most information systems development tools concentrate upon technical issues, and offer few if any guidelines that address the moral issues inherent in new application possibilities. It is argued that extension of such tools to include ethical and moral, human and environmental issues is possible. A good starting point is provided by mapping relevant clauses of professional codes of ethics upon each stage of the development methodology. We use as examples the Australian Computer Society Code of Ethics and the structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM).

Barriers to the efficient and effective use of information technology

Examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK Government’s mandatory structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on three large SSADM projects and from observing 90 end users in training. The conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organisational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project.

Managing information system development in bureaucracies

This article examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK Government's mandatory Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on three large SSADM projects and from observing 90 end users during training. The conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organisational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project.

Management of software engineering

This paper examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK Government's mandatory Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on 3 large SSADM projects and from observing 90 end users in training. The conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organisational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project.

Software quality by administration

This paper examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK Government's mandatory Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on 3 large SSADM projects and from observing 90 end users in training. The conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organizational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project.

Managing software quality by standardization

This paper examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a prescriptive systems development methodology in practice. The UK government’s mandatory Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) was examined to determine its value to software projects. The evidence was collected from interviews with 17 project managers, discussions with participants on three large software projects and from observing 90 end users in training. The conclusions are that prescriptive information systems methodologies are unlikely to cope well with strategic uncertainty, user communication or staff development. The recommendations are to focus more on soft organizational issues and to use approaches tailored to each project. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

A new course in systems analysis and design

In October 1988 the Department of Information Studies at the University of Sheffield introduced an MSc programme in information management incorporating a course in systems analysis and design. This paper outlines the content of that course now that it is entering its third year. The course encourages a contingency approach to systems development based on the techniques of soft systems methodology (SSM) and structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM) supported by the computer assisted systems engineering (CASE) tool Excelerator (marketed by Index Technology Inc.) and the relational database management system R:Base (marketed by Microrim). These tools and techniques are introduced in the first half of the course; the second half gives students a chance to put the methods to work in the context of a real-world systems development project.

The application of SSADM to modelling the logical structure of proteins

A logical design that describes the overall structure of proteins, together with a more detailed design describing secondary and some supersecondary structures, has been constructed using the computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool, Auto-mate. Auto-mate embodies the philosophy of the Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) which enables the logical design of computer systems. Our design will facilitate the building of large information systems, such as databases and knowledgebases in the field of protein structure, by the derivation of system requirements from our logical model prior to producing the final physical system. In addition, the study has highlighted the ease of employing SSADM as a formalism in which to conduct the transferral of concepts from an expert into a design for a knowledge-based system that can be implemented on a computer (the knowledge-engineering exercise). It has been demonstrated how SSADM techniques may be extended for the purpose of modelling the constituent Prolog rules. This facilitates the integration of the logical system design model with the derived knowledge-based system.

Experiences in use of SSADM: Series of case studies. Part 1: First-time users

This is the first of two papers that present a series of case studies that describe the experiences of a selection of Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) practitioners. The paper covers the experiences of organizations using the method for the first time. The case studies are based on a series of in-depth interviews of SSADM practitioners, in both government and commercial departments, involved in a variety of business areas and system types. Each of the case studies centres around the practitioner's view of the benefits and drawbacks of the SSADM process.

Structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM)

The structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM) is the standard structured method used for computer projects in UK government departments. It is also being adopted as a standard by various other bodies. Responsibility for SSADM belongs to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), HM Treasury although support and training may be acquired through commercial organizations. SSADM has certain underlying principles and consists of six stages which are broken down into a number of steps and tasks. Within this framework, a number of structured techniques are used and documents produced. SSADM may be compared with methods that use some of the same techniques. Two other methods (Yourdon and Arthur Young's Information Engineering) are briefly described and some comparisons drawn with SSADM.