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Discussion Questions

27 August, 2015 - 13:02
  1. “Data flow diagrams and flowcharts provide redundant pictures of an Information System. We don’t need both.” Discuss.
  2. “It is easier to learn to prepare data flow diagrams, which use only a few symbols, than it is to learn to prepare flowcharts, which use a number of different symbols.” Discuss.
  3. Describe the who, what, where, and how of the following scenario: A customer gives his purchase to a sales clerk, who enters the sale in a cash register and puts the money in the register drawer. At the end of the day, the sales clerk gives the cash and the register tape to the cashier.
  4. Why are there many correct logical DFD solutions? Why is there only one correct physical DFD solution?
  5. Explain why a flow from a higher- to a lower-numbered bubble on a logical DFD is a physical manifestation of the system. Give an example.
  6. Compare and contrast the purpose of and techniques used in drawing physical DFDs and logical DFDs.
  7. “If we document a system with a systems flowchart, data flow diagrams, and E-R diagrams, we have over-documented the system.” Discuss.
  8. “Preparing a table of entities and activities as the first step in documenting systems seems to be unnecessary and unduly cumbersome. It would be a lot easier to bypass this step and get right to the necessary business of actually drawing the diagrams.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
  9. “In terms of the sequence used in documenting systems, it would be easier to prepare a systems flowchart before we prepare a data flow diagrams.” Do you agree?
  10. “Since there are computer-based documentation products that can draw data flow diagrams and systems flowcharts, learning to draw them manually is a waste of time.” Do you agree? Why or why not?