LESSON 28 :

SYSTEM ANALYSIS
DFD AND ER DIAGRAM

Topics covered
• Data Flow Diagram
• Entity Relationship Diagram
Objectives
Upon completion of this Lesson, you should be able to:
• Discuss the about ER Diagram
In the example of library management system, corresponding to
each level of function hierarchy diagram, we develop the data flow
diagrams:

© Copy Right: Rai University

3.151/3A.151/3B.151 137
 Summary A. A triangle-headed connection line displays this relationship.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS

At the end of function analysis phase, we have 2 diagrams: the The non-triangle headed end shows to the table with one entity
function hierarchy diagram and the data flow diagram. They will and the other end shows the table with various entities.
be a basis for finding out entities and relationships between them Assume that we have 2 entities in table A and table B, a many -
(which is defined in the Entity-Relationship diagram). many relationship will exist between them if:
Entity-Relationship diagram (ERD) With each entity in table A, there are several entities in table B and
Though the relationship among data warehouse is not emphasized with each entity in table B, there are several entities in table A. A
in data flow diagram, it is well reflected in ERD. When developing connection line displays this relationship with triangle at both
a new information system, analyst often has discussion with users, ends.
especially database manager, on the current system. It’s they who In fact, the many - many relationship is often transferred to the
have the responsibilities to collect necessary information about one - many relationship via “connection entity” with 2 upper
the system required by system analyst. ERD is one of the most entities.
useful model forming tools to organize this discussion. ERD is
Thus, of the 3 types of relationships, the one - many relationship
network model that describes stored data of a system at a high
is the most important and popular because the one - one
level of abstraction. For system analyst, ERD has a major benefit:
relationship can be integrated in a table, the many - many
it highlights the relationship between data stores on DFD which
relationship is transferred to one - many relationship by creating a
would otherwise only be seen in the specification process.
“connection entity”, which facilitates the data modeling.
The main Components of an ERD Include In the example of library management system, we see the following
• Entity relationships:
• Attribute We realize that: one book or magazine (documents) must be
• Relationship belong to one language, but one language can have many books
Entity is a subject, a duty, or an event that has a significant meaning or magazines, so this relationship is one - to - many(one language
to the future system and is displayed by a rectangle with round has many documents).
corners. Each entity has its own name. In some cases, entities of The similar relationships are: documents and nation, documents
the same sort can be merged into one entity type. and collection, documents and specialty.
Entity type of a system is defined base on the outcome of system With the magazines: we realize that each magazine category has
function analysis. many volumes (depend on years, months, and numbers...), but
The simplest approach to decide whether a type of information one volume must be belong to one magazine category, so this
should be put in the model as a type of entity is to make up the relationship is one - to - many.
following question: Are these information tables useful for the The relationship between department and readers is also one -to
system? If the answer is yes, system analyst has to identify the - many relationships, because one reader must belong to one and
basic entities that create flows in the data table. only one department, but one department can have many readers
After a suitable type of entity, entity nature have been identified, (staffs).
the next important step is to define the information that needs to And the last relationship
be archived for each entity. the relationship between readers and documents: This is a special
• Attributes are the characteristics of the entity displayed by fields relationship: one reader can borrow many documents, and one
or columns of a table. document can be borrowed by many readers at different time
Relationship shows connections among the system’s entities. (because, when a reader gives back a document, it can be borrowed
Triangle headed arrows display these connections. by another reader again). So we can say that this relationship is
“many - to -many” relationship, and separate it into 2 “one - to -
There are 3 major Types of Relationship used in ERDs
many” relationships and one entity, the Borrowing/
• One - one relationship Returning_Ticket entity, with its primary key is the compose of
• One - many relationship the primary key of document entity, the primary key of reader
• Many - many relationship entity, and the BORROW_DATE attribute.
Let’s assume that we have 2 entities in tables A and table B, a one So we have the Entity-Relationship diagrams as
- one relationship will exist between them if: follow
With each entity in table A, there is a corresponding entity in table
B and vice versa, with each entity in table B, there is a corresponding
entity in table A. A normal connection line displays this
relationship.
Assume that we have 2 entities in table A and table B, a one -
many relationships will exist between them if:
With each entity in table A, there are several entities in table B and
with each entity in table B, there is one and only one entity in table

© Copy Right: Rai University

138 3.151/3A.151/3B.151
 an active list of over 100 books each identified by a universal code

SYSTEM ANALYSIS
called an ISBN number.
(i) Draw an ERD for the Top Text information system
(ii) Indicate cardinality
FastFlight Airlines is a small air carrier operating in three
northeastern states. FastFlight is the process of computerizing its
passenger reservation system. The following data were identified:
reservation number, flight number, flight date, origin, destination,
departure time, arrival time, passenger name and seat number.
(i) Create an ERD, including cardinality for the reservation system.
References
Heuring, Vincent P.
Computer systems design and architecture
Delhi : Pearson Education Asia, 1997
Whitten, Jeffrey L.
Systems analysis and design methods
5th ed. New Delhi : Galgotia Publications, 2001
Shelly, Gary B.
Systems analysis and design
3rd ed. New Delhi : Galgotia Publications, 1999
Bennett, Simon
Object-oriented systems analysis and design using
UML
2nd ed. New Delhi : McGraw Hill Book, 2002
Booch, Grady
Object-oriented analysis and design : with
applications
2nd ed. Reading : Addison-Wesley Publishing, 2000
Hoffer, Jeffrey A.
Modern systems analysis and design
2nd ed. Delhi : Pearson Education Asia, 2000
Kain, Richard Y.
Advanced computer architecture : a systems design
approch
New Delhi : Prentice Hall of India, 1996
Sima, Dezso
Advanced computer architectures : a design space
Mayille is a rural village with a population of 500. Until now approch
Mayville was served by a bookmobile from a larger town. The
Delhi : Pearson Education Asia, 1997
Mayville village council has authorized funds for a small public
library and you have volunteered to set up an information system Sarkar, A.K.
for the library. Assume that the library will have multiple copies Systems analysis, data processing and quantitative
of certain books. techniques
(i) Draw an ERD for the Mayille library system New Delhi : Galgotia Publications, 1997
(ii) Indicate cardinality. Hawryszkiewycz, Igor
Top Text Publishing is a textbook publishing company with a Introduction to systems analysis & design
headquarters location, a warehouse and three sales offices that 4th ed. New Delhi : Prentice Hall of India, 2002
each have a sales offices that each have sales manager and sales
Awad, Elias M.
reps. Top Text sells to schools, colleges and individual customers.
Many authors write more than one book for Top text and some Systems analysis and design
books are written by more than one author. Top text maintains New Delhi : Galgotia Publications, 1997

© Copy Right: Rai University

3.151/3A.151/3B.151 139