IMPORTANT NOTICE:
THIS ARTICLE IS AN EXTRACT OF LINES FROM A REPORT SUBMITTED BY MUKESH PARTHASARATHY TO UNITEC NEW ZEALAND. PLAGIARISM IS A SEVERE OFFENCE. KINDLY USE CITATIONS IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR PAPERS OR WEBSITES.
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Table of Contents:
1. Executive Summary
………………………………………………………..3
2. Problem Statement
………………………………………………………..4
3. Problem Analysis
………………………………………………………..5
4. Use Case diagram with its associated glossaries
………………………………………………………..8
5. Narratives for all Use Cases
………………………………………………………..12
6. Activity Diagrams for all Use Cases
………………………………………………………..45
7. An Analysis Class Diagram for the System, and associated glossaries
………………………………………………………..62
8. Design Use Case Narratives- one for each key Use Case
………………………………………………………..64
9. Interaction Diagrams (Collaboration and Sequence)-for each key Use Case
………………………………………………………..73
10. Design Class Diagrams- one for each key Use Case, showing all objects involved in that Use Case
………………………………………………………..83
11. Conclusion
………………………………………………………..88
12. References
………………………………………………………..89
This report provides an OOAD approach to the problems faced by the TTBC information systems and the report looks into the modelling activities done during the design phase and the analysis phase. The report uses diagrams that have been drawn using VISIO 2002 Professional Site Version to highlight the different activities involved. Five key Use Cases have been identified during the design phase out of the seventeen Use Cases that was identified during analysis phase. This helped in more accurate modelling and mapping of the development of a good information systems that can solve the problems faced by TTBC.
Citations wherever done are respectfully acknowledged in the references section of the report.
The Te Atatu Toothbrush Company (TTBC) hitherto has handled its business processes purely through paper work and this has complicated their everyday work and made executing transactions difficult. The problems faced at TTBC are outlined below:
• The manual system is not able to efficiently handle the number of orders placed
• Too much time is wasted in calculating the amount of tooth brushes to be manufactured and preparing invoices
• Sometimes invoices aren’t ready even though the corresponding orders are manufactured and ready to be delivered. This leads to build up of goods in the working area
• Staff occasionally trip over the goods in the working area
• There is no proper estimation of the number of hours a staff has worked for a particular period
• There is repetition of paper work when it comes to filling distributor’s name and address
• There is no sales report estimation for analysis of performance
• In the manufacturing area, there is wastage of materials every time the toothbrush machine starts and stops, especially when changing colours
These problems need to be solved. In order to do that TTBC needs to automate its business processes through a computer system. The system that is being developed would help to cut down time by reducing repetitive tasks. It will cut down the costs involved in the business processes. It will also remove the stress from the staff and make them more creative and productive in their day to day work.
In this report we are concerned with the automation of the business processes of TTBC. In this report we complete the analysis phase documentation for this project and then go on to produce a report on the design specifications. The tool we use in this report to achieve our purpose is UML.
TTBC is a small company that is need of organizing its information systems. TTBC manufactures tooth brushes and sells them to distributors. It is not a software company but still software solutions can be used effectively to improve its business processes. This means taking a closer look at their information systems (if at all, they already have one) and organizing the data and information effectively so that there can be clear communication between the different entities involved. The approach to solve the various problems identified in the case study given is through an Object Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) approach to come up with an information systems. This OOAD approach thus includes two phases- analysis and design. Hence the reason for this assignment to be broken down into two tasks- each for one phase. Task1 considers the Unified Modelling Language (UML) aspects of the analysis phase and Task2 considers the UML aspects in the design phase. Task2 is a continuation and improvement of whatever has been done during Task1. To be more specific, the design phase is a more accurate mapping and modelling of the work done during the analysis phase.
To analyse the problems and the company business as such the OOAD approach treats the different entities involved as objects that are essentially instances of classes and these objects can have attributes (properties) and behaviours (functions). The approach also enables us to divide the given system into various subsystems and define the different actors and Use Cases involved. The relationships between the different actors and Use Cases are brought about using different diagrams like Activity Diagrams etc. These diagrams (which are drawn using VISIO 2002 Professional Site Version) along with Use Case Narratives and glossaries help in accurate modelling of the information systems.
Thus the whole approach to solving this problem has been a diagrammatic approach!
Hence this report contains more diagrams than words!!!
Although there is no limit to the number of Use Cases that can be included in this system, care has been taken only to identify the most important and significant Use Cases. This helps us to focus on the important issues or the high priority issues.
“Between the time the business requirements use-case model was created and the time it is subsequently approved by the system owners, the system analyst and the rest of the development team, through talking with stakeholders and researching project artifacts, continue to learn more about what is required in order for the system to be successful. During these efforts it is possible that additional actors may be discovered and thus need to be defined and documented. System analysis use cases will be further refined during the design phases of the life cycle to specify the how or implementation specifics.”(Whitten, Bentley, Dittman, 2004, pp.443-445)
TTBC information systems can be broken down into four sub systems.
These are:
• Distribution sub system
• Manufacturing sub system
• Staff sub system
• Sales report sub system
The distribution sub system considers all the aspects of the transactions that happens between the distributor and TTBC.
The manufacturing sub system considers all the manufacturing or the production process of the tooth brushes including the packaging. Here we also take into consideration the part played by the supplier when there is need for more raw materials for the manufacturing process.
The staff sub system takes into consideration the work details of the different staff members.
Finally the sales report sub system takes care of the generation of reports for management.
Overall 17 Use Cases have been identified- the key actors being distributor, staff, and management.
Out of these 17 Use Cases, during the design phase “when we really get into the problem” we identify 5 key Use Cases that help us in effective modelling.
These five key Use Cases are:
• Update Order
• Pack Orders to Appropriate Distributors
• Update Product Details List
• Record Staff Working Details
• Print Sales Report
Certainly the four of these are influenced from time to time everyday and the changes need to be incorporated immediately.
The fifth of the five key Use Cases is for management purposes and may influence the decisions that are taken on the business process in TTBC.
Hence all these five key Use Cases are very important for TTBC information system.
Hence during the design phase we will be concerned only with these key Use Cases.
