What is SSADM

The SSADM methodology is a welldefined (structured) methodology

and is quite difficult to use. When
used skillfully it can produce welldocumented, accurate information
systems. It recognises the following
stages in the systems development
lifecycle.
However, it concentrates on the
analysis and design phase of the
Waterfall Model of the Systems

SSADM Tools
The analysis is done in two stages.
The first task done by the developer is to create the Requirements
Specification - this is really a statement of what we are to do with
the current system in order to produce the required system.
Stage 2 then develops a range of options that meet the defined
requirements, and selects one option as the basis for the desired
system.

SSADM revolves around the use of three

key techniques, namely Logical
Data Modelling,
Data Flow Modelling
Entity/Event Modelling.

Logical Data Modelling:

This is the process of identifying, modelling
and documenting the data requirements of
a system.

A Logical Data Model consists of a Logical

Data Structure (LDS - also known as an
Entity-Relationship Model) and the
associated documentation.

LDS represents Entities (things about

which a business needs to record
information, and usually proper nouns) and
Relationships (links between entities).

Data Flow Modelling:

This is the process of modelling and
documenting how data flows around a
system.
A Data Flow Model consists of a set of
connected Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
supported by appropriate documentation.
Data Flow Diagrams representprocesses and
functions of the system(activities that
transform data from one form to
another),data stores(files or data
storage),external entities(things that send

Entity Event Modelling:

This is the process of identifying,
modelling and documenting the
business events that affect each
entity and the sequence in which
these events occur.
An Entity/Event Model consists of a
set of Entity Life Histories (one for
each entity) and appropriate
supporting documentation.

SSADM Views
The methodology examines the system in detail
using standard tools, and produces three
descriptions of the system under investigation.
The success of SSADM may lie in the fact that it has
these multiple techniques.
Each of the three system models provides a different
viewpoint of the same system, each of which are
required to form a complete model of the system.
Within SSADM, each of the three techniques is crossreferenced against the others to ensure the
completeness and accuracy of the complete model.

The three views gained are:

The Data View:
A description of all the data and information the
system uses (gained from the DFDs above)
The Process View:
A description of all the processes or actions carried out
by the system (taken from the process descriptions
and the process catalogue)
The Event View:
A description of the systems events, that is the
'triggers' that set processes running (from the Entity
life histories)
Taking these different views allows us to gain much
more information about the system than we could
have done otherwise.

Object Oriented Methodology (OOM)

Object Oriented Methodology (OOM) is a
system development approach
encouraging and facilitating re-use of
software components.
With this methodology, a computer system
can be developed on a component basis
which enables the effective re-use of
existing components and facilitates the
sharing of its components by other
systems.

PRINCE2 - A Structured Project Management

Methodology
PRINCE stands forProjects in Controlled Environments.
Dealing with a bit of history, this method was first established
by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency
It has since become a very commonly used project
management method in all parts of the world and has therefore
proven to be highly effective in various respects.
The method also helps you to identify and thereafter assign
roles to the different members of the team based on expertise.
Over the years, there have been a number of positive case
studies of projects that have used PRINCE2 project
management methodology.
This method deals with the various aspects that need to be
managed in any given project.

The seven principles shown in the above diagram

must be applied if the project is to be called a
PRINCE2 project. These principles will show you
whether and how well the project is being carried out
using this particular project management method.

Joint Application Development

Joint application design (JAD) is design

methodology where the project team develop a
system design in close conjunction with the
sponsor/customer.
JAD is a methodology where the development
team work co-operatively with the customer to
develop the processes which the software will
support and by corollary the specification for
the software.
At the core of JAD are 'JAD sessions' which are
meetings between the customer team and the
developers where the specification is
formalized.

Understanding RAID technology

Redundant array of independent disk (RAID) is
the technology of grouping
severalphysicaldrives in a computer into an
array that you can define as one or more
logical drives.
Eachlogical driveappears to the operating
system as a single drive.
This grouping technique greatly enhances
logical-drive capacity and performance beyond
the physical limitations of a single physical
drive.

Entity Life History Diagram

An Entity Life History (ELH) diagram
represents the life cycle of entities
within the database.
An Entity Life History diagram is used
to show the sequencing, iteration or
timing of an entity

Unified Modeling Language (UML)

UMLis an industry standard
modeling language with a rich
graphical notation, and
comprehensive set ofdiagrams
and elements.

UML 2 defines 14 diagrams

Package diagrams
Class or Structural diagrams
Object diagrams
Composite Structure
Component diagrams
Deployment diagrams
Use Case Diagrams
Activity diagrams
State Machine diagrams
Communication diagrams
Sequence diagrams
Timing diagrams
Interaction Overview diagrams
Profile diagrams

Class Diagrams
Class diagrams are the backbone of almost every object oriented
method, including UML. They describe the static structure of a system.

Use Case Diagrams

Use case diagrams model the functionality of system using actors and
use cases.

Sequence Diagrams
Sequence diagrams describe interactions among classes in terms of an
exchange of messages over time.