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Design System Architecture

Seminars and Services We Offer to Perform this Process
Techniques We Use and Teach to Support this Step
Other Steps (Activities) We Can Help You With

We can:

		show you how to do this activity
	with e-mentoring

		teach you how to do this activity
	with our in-house or public seminars

		lead your experts through this activity in an
	interactive JAD or e-JAD

A logical design solves a business problem in a manner that is independent of the underlying technology. It is possible to implement this design in a multitude of ways on a wide variety of hardware and software components. The system architecture specifies how the individual components interact to enable the business solution.

System architecture design
		applies proven techniques from other building disciplines to the information technology world

		increases the business community's confidence in the end product

		reduces the number of errors produced during the construction phase of the project

		drastically reduces the amount of effort required to program and/or assemble the components into a coherent system

		establishes a testable basis before consuming development dollars

		improves the internal consistency of the working system

		is an integral component of requirements management and traceability

When should you design the system architecture?

At least a superficial system architecture is needed to evaluate alternatives. The mass of work, however, should not be needed until the solution has been agreed upon. It is often not feasible to complete the system architecture prior to beginning the development. This implies the need for a good approach to avoid constant revisions and rework.

Who should design the system architecture?

A designer or system architect needs a solid understanding of hardware and software capacities and constraints. Business analysts, end-users and managers have to be involved to provide a reality check of the detailed decisions that are the basis of the system architecture.

Denormalizing Data

Denormalization is a process for creating the optimal set of physical data structures, such as tables, files, records, etc., to store 3rd normal form data.

The process starts by identifying real-life conditions and criteria that influence data structures.

Example Entities and Attributes

Entity	Attribute
A	A1*, A2, A3
B	B1*, B2, B3
C	C1*, C2, C3, C4

*key of this entity

Step 1: Group data components that share a common criteria (e.g., updated in the same time interval, share response time needs, under authority of single user-group, etc.).

Attributes with Common Criteria

Attributes	Criteria
A2, C4, B3	are always updated at the same time
A2, C4	require the same level of security
B3, C2	are under the same user group

Step 2: Draw a line around the entities on the entity relationship diagram that contain involved attributes.

If you only need a subset of the attributes in an entity, identify them.

Entity Relationship Diagram Overlay

Step3:

Compare the drawings for each criteria in which an entity is needed.

Identify common groupings and combine the attributes into specific physical data structures.

Add the keys of all participating entities to the record.

Create a different record for each entity that contains attributes that have not yet been assigned to a physical record. The primary key of these records will be the primary key of the entity.

Potential Physical Data Structures

ID	Record
R1	A1, C1, A2, C4
R2	A1*, A3
R3	B1*, B2, B3
R4	C1*, C2, C3

*key of this entity

Step 4: Evaluate the impact that your proposed design will have on performance.

Potential Impacts

ID	Impact Statement
1	Processing an event that needs B3 and C2 will require 2 physical accesses which doubles access time.
2	Is there an event that requires A2, A3, B3 and C2? That event would require 4 physical accesses leading to unacceptable response times.
3	......

Partitioning the Solution

Once you have developed a sound business design, you need to map these essential processes and data components to the technology model that will support them.

The process of partitioning your solution is a process that makes tradeoff decisions visible.

Example Process Model

Step 1: Group processes and data stores that share common traits, such as manual versus automated steps, common process and data ownership, same time rate of creation and consumption of data, existing data structures, security, hardware and software platform, data volatility, data volumes, etc.

Groups with Common Traits

Process/Data	Criteria
P2, P4, S1	are done in the Home Office
P1, S2	are done manually
P2, P3, P4, S1	are automated
......	........

Step 2: Draw circles around those processes, data stores and data flows that share a selected set of traits.

Process Model Overlay

Step 3: Evaluate all traits associated with the circled components.

Identify any negative consequences of implementing a solution with the indicated groupings.

Possible Conclusions

Task	Reason
Combine P2, P4 and S1	Are all automated and performed in the Home Office
Combine P1 and S2 in one procedure	both are done manually
......	........

Step 4: Document your results in the form of process or data specifications and assumptions that have to be true for your proposed design to work.

Training for the Novice Business System Analyst

Defining Business Data (BARG)

Defining Business Data (BARDTT)

From Business Rules to System Requirements (BARG)

From Business Rules to System Requirements (BARDTT)

Training for the Experienced Business System Analyst

Designing a Logical Data Model (SYSDEV)

Managing the Working Session (JADFAC)

Managing the Deliverables (JADFAC)

Dealing with Difficulty (JADFAC)

Training for the Expert Business System Analyst

Requirements-Driven Design (ABAT)

Designing a Logical Data Model (SYSDEV)

Creating the Implementation Data Model (SYSDEV)

Modeling Business Requirements with the UML (BAUML)

Dealing with Difficulty (JADFAC)



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	Our eMentoring offer is a cost-effective alternative for small groups to learn these and other business system analysis techniques at their own workplace or for follow-up after a training seminar

JAD Sessions for Your Time-Critical Projects

your business
analysis skills

Business Data Modeling

Business Process Improvement

Process and Workflow Modeling

System Architecture Design

	Analyze Business Problems
	Analyze Business Processes
	Gather Prioritized Requirements
	Model Business Data
	Develop Quick Fixes
	Engineer Business Processes
	Evaluate Potential Solutions
	Engineer Test Data
	Execute Tests
	Plan Testing Activities

Hathaway & Associates offers training, virtual and in-house services to support a wide range of activities within the system development life cycle all targeted exclusively to the Business Analyst, Requirements Engineer and the Subject Matter Expert.

You can also visit our bookstore for the newest in the business analysis field

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