A Full System Overview

4/16/2013

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND COMPUTING

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS & DESIGN (CPT223)

BACHELOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

A

FULL SYSTEM

OVERVIEW

Asadhu Shujaau (33475)

Ibrahim Areef (36934)

Fathih Mamdhooh (36884)

Hammaadh Rasheedh (37404)

A Full System Overview April 16, 2013

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Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2

Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) .......................................................................................... 3

Data Dictionaries ........................................................................................................................ 4

Data Flow ................................................................................................................................ 5

Data Store .............................................................................................................................. 10

Data Structure – Process 8 (Produce Leave Documents) ...................................................... 13

Opportunities & Problems ........................................................................................................ 14

Problems ................................................................................................................................ 14

Opportunities ......................................................................................................................... 14

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 15

References ................................................................................................................................ 16


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Introduction

The main objective of this report is to provide a full system overview of the Human-

Resource Management System (HRMS) used in Maldives Police Service. We have included an

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD), a data dictionary entry for a data flow, data store, and a

data structure based on a process in the Data Flow Diagram of the HRMS. In addition, the

report will contain major problems and opportunities that exist in the present Human-Resource

Management System. Report ends with a brief conclusion.


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Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD)

It is a data modeling method that builds a graphical representation of the entities, and

the relationships between them. (Rouse, 2007)

There are different methods used for drawing an entity-relationship diagram. In this

report, we will be using the crow’s foot notations to draw the E-R Diagram.

Figure 1 below shows the ERD for the Maldives Police Service with only the few important

entities and attributes.

Figure 1: Entity-Relationship Diagram

The entity “Operation” shows the tasks that are given to different employees which

needs to be completed in a certain period. Operations are given to individuals as well as groups.

An example can be a case an individual or a group is involved in.

As an operation can be given to many employees and as employees can take part in

many operations, a weak entity is created to represent this relationship. The same has been done

with the “Department” and “Branch”.


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Data Dictionaries

Data dictionaries can be useful for different ways. Other than providing documentation

and eliminating redundancy, they may be used to:

Check the DFD for completeness and accuracy.

Provide a starting point for creating forms, screens and reports.

Regulate the contents of data stored in data stores.

Create the logic for data flow diagram processes.

Create XML (extensible markup language). (Kendall & Kendall, 2010)

To create a data dictionary for data flow and data store. We chose the “Processed Leave” as

the data flow and “Employee Record” as the data store. The dataflow and data store description

forms and data structures are provided on the coming pages with the Element Description

Forms.


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Data Flow

DATA FLOW DESCRIPTION FORM

ID:

Name: Processed Leave

Description: Contains leave requests of employees, is used to update and verify the

information from Employee Records as they take leave and to create leave list and the leave

summary.

Source:

Processed Leave Records

Destination:

Process 8

( Produce Leave Documents )

Type of data flow:

File ( ) Screen (X) Report ( ) Form ( ) Internal ( )

Data Structure Traveling with the flow:

Information about taking leave.

Volume/Time:

7/Day

Comments:

Contains information on taking leave related to one employee.

Data are submitted by employees by filling a form on screen and it is retrieved later

from Processed Leave Records.


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DATA STRUCTURE

Processed Leave = Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email) +

Designation +

Date of Leave +

Type of Leave +

Days on leave +

Reason

Employee Name = First Name +

( Middle Name ) +

Last Name

Address = Street +

( Residence ) +

Island +

Type of Leave = [ Sick Leave | Family Responsibility | Annual Leave ]


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ELEMENT DESCRIPTION FORM

ID:

Name: Service Number

Alias: Employee ID

Description: Uniquely identifies each employee who are working in Maldives Police Service.

Element Characteristics

Length:

Input Format:

Output Format:

Default Value:

(X) Continuous or ( ) Discrete

( ) Alphabetic

( ) Alphanumeric

( ) Date

( ) Numeric

( ) Base or ( ) Derived

Validation Criteria

Continuous Discrete

Upper Limit:

Lower Limit:

Value Meaning

Comments: Should be unique to each employee.

It is a continuous number. Always the next number is given when a new

employee joins.


FIELD LENGTH % OF DATA THAT FITS

First Name 10 98

Middle Name 10 98

Last Name 10 98

Street 18 95

Residence 15 97

Island 15 99

Email 25 99

Designation 15 100

Reason 200 90


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ID:

Name: Date of Leave

Alias: Leave start day

Description: Shows the start date of employee’s leave.


Length: 8

Input Format: DDMMYYYY

Output Format: DDMMYYYY

Default Value:

( ) Continuous or (X) Discrete

( ) Alphabetic

( ) Alphanumeric

(X) Date

( ) Numeric


Validation Criteria

Continuous Discrete

Upper Limit:

Lower Limit:

Value

29052013

Meaning

Start date of leave is 29th may 2013

Comments: Should be in date format day month then year.


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ID:

Name: Days on Leave

Alias: Duration of Leave

Description: shows the length of the leave in days.


Length: 2

Input Format: 9(2)

Output Format: 9(2)

Default Value:


( ) Alphabetic

( ) Alphanumeric

( ) Date

(X) Numeric


Validation Criteria

Continuous Discrete

Upper Limit:

Lower Limit:

Value

02

13

Meaning

Can be for a sick leave mostly

More than two days can mean family

responsibility or annual leave

Comments:


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Data Store

DATA STORE DESCRIPTION FORM

ID:

Name: Employee Records

Alias: Employee Master

Description: Contains a separate record for each employee.

DATA STORE CHARACTERISTICS

File Type: (X) Computer

File Format: ( ) Direct

( ) Manual

( ) Indexed

(X) Database

( ) Sequential

Record Size (Characters):

Number of Records (Maximum) :

% Growth Per Year:

Block Size:

Average:

Data Set Name: Employee.REC

Copy Member: EmpMaster

Data Structure: Employee Record

Primary Key: Service Number

Secondary Keys: National ID

Employee Name

InsuranceSerialNum

Comments:

Contains Personal and working details of employees, it have different uses like

maintain employee information, it is used while calculating pays and giving leaves.


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DATA STRUCTURE

Employee Record = Service Number +

Employee Name +

National ID +

Address +

(Email) +

Department Number +

Insurance Serial Number +

Contact Number

Employee Name = First Name +

( Middle Name ) +

Last Name

Address = Street +

( Residence ) +

Island +


ID:

Name: National ID

Description: Proves the nationality of the employees.


Length: 7

Input Format: A9(6)

Output Format: A9(6)

Default Value:


( ) Alphabetic

(X) Alphanumeric

( ) Date

( ) Numeric

(X) Base or ( ) Derived

Validation Criteria

Continuous Discrete

Upper Limit:

Lower Limit:

Value

A322602

A334456

Meaning

National ID of an employee

National ID of another employee

Comments: National ID must be present.


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ID:

Name: Contact Number

Alias: Mobile Number

Description: Employee’s personal contact number.


Length: 7

Input Format: 9(7)

Output Format: 9(7)

Default Value:


( ) Alphabetic

( ) Alphanumeric

( ) Date

(X) Numeric

(X) Base or ( ) Derived

Validation Criteria

Continuous Discrete

Upper Limit:

Lower Limit:

Value

7555463

Meaning

Contact Number of an

employee

Comments: should start with a “9” or a “7”.


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Data Structure – Process 8 (Produce Leave Documents)

DATA FLOW DATA STRUCTURE

Processed Leave = Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email) +

Designation +

Date of Leave +

Type of Leave +

Days on leave +

Reason

Employees Record = Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email)

Leave Summary = Employee Name +

Possible date +

Start date +

End date

Leave List = Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email) +

Designation +

Type of Leave +

Days on leave +

Reason

Verified Leave Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email) +

Designation +

Type of Leave +

Days on leave +

Reason

Employee Personal

Info =

Service Number +

Employee Name +

Address +

(Email)


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Opportunities & Problems

The following are the major problems and opportunities that we found to be present in

the current Human-Resource Management System used in Maldives Police Service.

Problems

They are using two separate information systems to handle documents. Apart

from the HRMS they use the E-Government System for document handling.

Using both means sometimes same documents can be processed in both systems,

which in hand might create duplicates and may lead to wastage of space and

confusions.

Some employees find it difficult to use the system. So to solve this they do carry

out few training lessons.

Opportunities

Some Information systems can be merged together to handle the work better.

Like E-Government System and their HRMS. Though this will possibly be

expensive, the benefits like work simplification less wastage of space, less

confusion are greater.

Using some system on internet rather than on intranet can help reduce time

wastage and make work faster. However doing this can increase the chances of

coming under a cyber-attack, but with a good security system this can be

overcome up to a level. Putting a system online brings benefits as well. In the

case of Maldives Police Service, as it operates in many areas of the Maldives,

collection of data related to administrative and HR works can be simplified.


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Conclusion

Knowing the methodology of creating a data dictionaries and Entity-Relationship

Diagram can support the systems analyst in understanding the system and how it works. As

they provide detailed information about the data stores and the data flows. Data dictionaries can

simplify the work for programmers as well. They will know what type of data is to be used with

the help of data dictionaries hence helping to make the work easy. So in-order to get a better

accurate system, data dictionaries play an important role just as the ERD.


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References

Kendall, J. E., & Kendall, K. E. (2010). Systems Analysis and Design. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Rouse, M. (2007, March). entity-relationship diagram (ERD or ER diagram). Retrieved from

http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/entity-relationship-diagram