System Architecture Design Using Joint Application Development (JAD) Facilitated Sessions with In-Session Documentation

Hathaway & Associates, Inc. is a Florida-based training and consulting firm

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	System Architecture Design JAD Sessions

People Involved
Technical Components
Typical Activities
Potential Deliverables

Our Promise:

Repeatable and verifiable system design process
Balance between data and functional designs
Exception and error focused validation
System and process level control analysis

Benefits:


	A system architecture identifies hardware platforms, automated processes, manual procedures, databases, organizational structures and similar dimensions of a selected solution. Business experts and technology specialists have to understand each other's needs to flush out the details. The environment of a JAD session establishes the communications tools needed to get the job done.

Account for hardware and software configuration boundaries
Increase the probability of developing a solution without missing pieces
Develop ready-to-code module-level technical specifications
Segment processes and data using user access profiles
Deliver detailed data structure and access specifications
Integrate analysis and design processes seamlessly
Clarify the scope and meaning of system requirements



		Client Representatives, Business Analysts, Data Administrators, Business Managers, End Users
		Information Technology Managers, System Analysts, System Designers, Developers, Information Technology Specialists, Telecommunications Specialists, Technical Experts
		Data Analysts, Project Leaders, Auditors, Security, Standards, Vendors, Quality Assurance, Independent Verification and Validation Team, Contingency Planners, Production Planners, Human Resource Representatives, Trainers
		We offer experienced JAD facilitation teams (session leader and session analyst) with proven track records who work virtually or at your site to deliver the best possible result.


		- Requirements documents - Process models - Data models - Interface documentation - CRUD matrixes - Organizational chart - Technology architecture
		Workflow Diagramming, Interface Design, Data Design, Database Design, System Usage Matrixes, Prioritization, Breakout Sessions, Functional Design, Process Modeling, Interviewing Techniques, Scoping Techniques, Requirements Decomposition, Requirements Validation
		Diagramming tools, Spreadsheets, Word processors, Upper CASE, Data dictionary, Lower CASE

All of the following business system analysis activities and deliverables can also be supported via e-mentoring


	Each session is unique. We create the actual session agenda together with you based on your business needs. The selection of the deliverables is a pre-session activity.

	Identify mission critical application functions
	Identify environmental and social dependencies
	Prioritize business functions based on mission
	Overlay organizational chart on the process model
	Define process and interface ownership
	List all internal and external interfaces
	Develop workflow diagrams
	Prepare preliminary contingency document
	Agree on testing, training and change management plans
	Assign post-session tasks and schedule post-session meeting
	Level process models
	Evaluate impact of emerging technologies
	Define data entity ownership and responsibilities
	Evaluate potential project scopes
	Resolve model discrepancies
	Collect additional attribute definitions and metadata
	Finalize data attribute ownership assignments
	Finalize physical data model
	Decompose and prioritize new system requirements
	Create function statements for identified processes
	Initiate preliminary new system process model
	Expand preliminary new system process models
	Populate data stores with required data elements
	Walk-through logical design documentation
	Define physical design constraints
	Identify discretionary design factors
	Expand new system process model to include functional controls
	Define functional control data
	Balance new system process and data models
	Evaluate organizational standards and guidelines
	Correlate physical design constraints to logical models
	Identify range of tradeoff design decisions
	Evaluate impact of tradeoff decisions on implementation
	Select final physical design alternative
	Define functional and data components of selected design
	Identify system-level control functions and data
	Initiate program/procedure detailed specifications
	Define physical data structures (tables/records/files, etc.)




	Risk assessment of potential internal and external disruptions that can either degrade or interrupt performance of business functions, operation of plants, or affect the quality of products and services. Implementation plan and schedule with situations and dates when components or releases of the solution will be available for production. High-level process models show business functions performed by organizational units and the internal and external information flows they produce and need. Business function/system matrixes relate applications or automated functions to business functions. Test and change management plans detail actions that have to be taken to validate the solution. Training plan and schedule for each component of the solution Workflow diagrams indicate how to execute complex manual procedures to accomplish the business mission. List of assumptions that define the baseline against which each deliverable was established. If the baseline is changed, the validity of the other deliverables is at best questionable. Post-session task assignments define the actions that individuals have to do to clarify open questions or resolve open issues. Detailed Entity-Relationship Diagrams depict the objects (entities) that describe the business world, the relationships between objects and their primary key attribute(s). Attributes are the data elements that describe the objects and/or allow for unique identification of an object. Attribute metadata is data about data. A data dictionary is a repository for metadata, such as: Primary name is the official designator for the attribute. Attribute synonyms describe what other names different organizational units call this attribute. Attribute definitions are single, simple English (nobody's techno-babble) sentences expressing what information the attribute contains. Data rules constrain the structure of information stored in the attribute, e.g., numeric/alpha, number of characters, storage type, etc. Data validation rules constrict the values stored in the attribute. Default values are assigned to attributes in the absence of an explicit value. A synopsis contains a short overview of the results of the entire session for the management review New system preliminary process and data models show the new system. Open issues are unanswered questions and issues that must be resolved before continuing with the project. The new system physical data model is an entity/relationship diagram (ERD) combining logical and physical stored attributes of objects. Module descriptions specify all required algorithms and control logic for each module of the system. A new system physical process model incorporates all manual and automated pieces of the entire proposed system and includes the flow of information required for each system component to function correctly. Physical data structures detail data base records, tables, files, screens, reports and/or other physical data representations. Physical data attributes capture the metadata (data about data) for attributes required by physical design decisions.

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