Data flow diagrams and conceptual logical models for eCities system

¶ … eCities composes of the annual research that assists local communities to measure and benchmark their performances in order to foster economic development, entrepreneurship and job growth. The eCities also aims to create environment that will enhance expansion of business organizations within the communities. More importantly, the eCities allow the local governments to implement their projects using the online interface that connects 32 items, six factors, township, empirical index and village level data. The benefits that the eCities deliver to the stakeholders make the policy makers to decide expanding the eCities information systems to assist the organization to deliver benefits that are more meaningful to all the stakeholders.

Objective of this project is to design information systems for eCities. The project develops a data flow diagram that provides the goals of the information systems and the computer programs that will be required for the systems.

Data Flow Diagrams

A DFD (Data Flow Diagram) is a graphical representation that reveals the flow of data within the information systems.

Fig 1: Data Flow Diagrams

As being revealed in the data flow diagram, the system will perform the following functions:

1. Adding, deleting and editing student and administration researchers

2. Adding, deleting and editing communities

3. Change of the current year for the data analysis and entry

4. Editing community data

5. Changing the email templates

6. Change of text on various reports and pages

7. Importing historical data

8. Factors and Index export

9. Database Access and Webhost

However, the eCities organizational functions are too complex to be captured only by the data flow diagram. The project decomposes all the functional processes with more explicit level 1 diagram (level 1 DFD).

eCities Level 1 Diagram

Level 1 DFD 0 Process 1.0: Administration

eCities Update Demographic Export Community Data

Administration

Update Current Year E Update Help Screen

Administration

Import Historical Data Export Index

Administration

Level 1 DFD of Process: 2.0 Editing Community Data

Updated Status Community Data

Demographic Data

Community Changing current year data eCities Public Research Data

Update Community Data

Level 1 Diagram Process 3.0: Setting Up Help

Update Help Screen Help Text

Help Update

Update Current Year Update Help Screen

1 DFD of Process 4.0: Changing email templates

Update Email Template Data Submission Template

Email Subject

Email Template Update Email

Email Update

Level 1 DFD of Process 5.0: Changing text on Report and Pages

Online Application Editing Texts

Editing Texts

Login in screen Community Log in Level 1 DFD of Process 6.0: Creating Final Project Report

Export Community Summary / Data

Export Community Summary

Update Current Year Website Data

The table below reveals the software program that will be used to develop the information systems

Table 1: Software Program for the eCities

Software category

Open Source Software

Purpose

Operating system

Window XP, Window Vista Window 7 and Window 8

Desktop and server operating system

Office productivity

Microsoft office

Spreadsheets, Word processing, and Presentations

Web development

Apache web server, PHP, page tool

Hosting, Web development, and Content Management

Database management systems

Mysql

Database management and development

Internet access

Mozilla

Web Browsing

Image processing

GIMP

Image processing

Anti-virus

Avast

Protection the systems against worms, Virus, worms and trojans horse.

The diagram below reveals the data flow diagram for the software program

Conceptual Data Models

The diagram below reveals the conceptual model that consists of Entities Administration, City, Demographic and Community. The model also reveals the relationships between these Entities.

Logical Data Models

The logical data model reveals the relationships and attributes of each of the Entity.

The diagram below provides the eCities context diagram.

3. The paper provides Structured English statements for the systems

Process 1

INPUT the DATA Username, Password, First name, Last name, Email Address in the ADMINISTRATION

If Username and Password is correct

Then allow to log in Else

Display Error message end if

Process 2

INPUT the DATA Tax, Building, Development, Assessing, Financial, Census in the COMMUNITY

INPUT the DATA, Demographic Data, Tax Data, Building Data, Development Data, Accessing Data, Financial Data, Census Data in the CITY

If data are found

Display the Data

Else

Display data are not found end if

b. Decision Table

General Decision Table

Condition for Course of Action

Rules

Conditions

Administration Can have specific Data

Y

Y

Y

Input Username

Y

Y

Y

Input Password

Y

Y

Y

Action

Access Data

Y

Y

Y

Access any Data

N

N

N

Condition for Course of Action

Rules

Conditions

City have specified data

Y

Y

Y

City has Financial data

Y

Y

Y

Has Tax data

Y

Y

Y

Demographic Data

Y

Y

Y

Tax Data

Y

Y

Y

Census Data

Y

Y

Y

Accessing Data

Y

Y

Y

Foreign Country Data

N

N

N

Action

Input Username To access Data

Y

Y

Y

Input Password Data

Y

Y

Y

Input wrong Username and Password to Access Data

N

N

N

Condition for Course of Action

Rules

Conditions

Demographic Can have specific Data

Y

Y

Y

Input Username

Y

Y

Y

Input Password

Y

Y

Y

Action

Access Data

Y

Y

Y

Access any Data

N

N

N

Condition for Course of Action

Rules

Conditions

Community can have City 1

Y

Y

Y

City 2

Y

Y

Y

City 3

Y

Y

Y

City 4

Y

Y

Y

Action

Access Data

Y

Y

Y

Access any Data

N

N

N

Access Data with password

N

N

N

Simplified Decision Table

Condition for Course of Action

Rules

Conditions

Administration Can have specific Data

Y

Y

Y

City have specified data

Y

Y

Y

Demographic Can have specific Data

Y

Y

Y

Community can have City

Y

Y

Y

City 4

Y

Y

Y

Action

Access Data

Y

Y

Y

Access any Data

N

N

N

Access Data with password

N

N

N

The rules of the decision table is detonated as Yes (Y) or No (N). The decision table shows that the Administration will be required to input username and password before he or she can log in. Moreover, the decision table reveals that the City can have financial data, tax data census and demographic data. Additionally, a user should input username and password to access the data and if input a wrong username or password, the system will flag an error. In addition, community can have City 1, City 2, City 3 and City 4.

The decision trees of the eCities information systems are revealed below:

Decision Tree of eCities information systems

Conclusion

The project presents the data flow diagrams for the eCities information systems. The data flow diagram reveals all the entities for the systems. The conceptual flow diagram provides the relationships and the attributes of the entities. The decision tables and decisions trees reveal the logical processes of the systems and the rules to follow when a user accesses data within the systems.