System Anlaysis
Terms
undefined, object
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- abstract class
- a class that cannot be instantiated (no objects can be created), existing only to allow subclasses to inherit its attributes, methods, and associations
- activity
- behavior that the system performs when an event occurs (similar to a use case)
- aggregation
- whole-part relationship between an object an its parts
- associated entity
- a data entity that represents a many-to-many relationship between two other data entities
- attribute
- one piece of specific information about a thing
- cardinality
- the number of associations that occurs between specific things, such as a customer places many order and an employee works in one department
- class
- the type of classification to which all similar objects belong
- composition
- whole-part relationship in which the parts can not be dissociated from the object
- compound attribute
- an attribute that contains a collection of related attributes
- concrete class
- a class that can be instantiated (objects can be created)
- data entities
- the thing the system needs stores the information about in the traditional approach to information systems.
- Descriptive Model
- narrative memos reports, or lists that describe some aspect of a system
- destination
- an external agent or actor that receives data from the system
- encapsulation
- covering or protecting each object so that it contains values for attributes and methods for operation on those attributes, making the object a self-contained (and protected) unit
- Event
- an occurrence at a specific time and place that can be described and is worth remembering
- Event Table
- a table that lists events in rows and key pieces of information about each event in columns
- External Event
- an event that occurs outside the system, usually initiated by an external agent or actor
- generalization/specialization hierarchies
- hierarchies that structure or rank classes from the more general superclass to the more specialized subclasses; sometimes called inheritance hierarchies
- Graphical Model
- diagrams and schematic representations of some aspect of a system
- identifier
- attribute that uniquely identifies a thing
- inheritance
- a concept that allows subclasses to share characteristics of their superclasses
- Mathematical Modeling
- a series of formulas that describe technical aspects of a system
- methods
- the behaviors all objects of the class are capable of doing
- multiplicity
- a synonym for cardinality (used with the object-oriented approach)
- Perfect technology assumption
- the assumption that events should be included during analysis only if the system would be required to respond under perfect conditions
- relationship
- a naturally occurring association among specific things, such as an order is placed by a customer and an employee works in a department
- response
- an output, produced by system, that goes to a destination
- source
- an external agent or actor that supplies data to the system
- State Event
- an event that occurs when something happens inside the system that triggers the need for processing
- System Controls
- checks or safety procedures put in place to protect the integrity of the system
- Temporal Event
- an event that occurs as a result of reaching a point in time
- trigger
- a signal that tells the system that an event has occurred, either the arrival of data needing processing or of a point in time
- use case
- a series of actions that a system performs that result in a defined outcome (similar to activity)
- whole part hierarchies
- hierarchies that structure classes according to their associated components