Data Flow and Data Structure Modeling for Database Requirements Determination: A Comparative Study.

Author List: Mantha, Robert W.;
MIS Quarterly, 1987, Volume 11, Issue 4, Page 531-545.
This study investigated, in an experimental setting, the existence, nature and causes of the differences in the completeness of logical data specifications generated by professional systems analysts having training and experience in the use of one of two modeling approaches. The approach used primarily modeled either the data flows or the data structure of an object system. The systems analysts were asked to analyze a case and to generate logical file specifications which were evaluated for completeness. The results of the study indicate that the data structure analysts produced logical data specifications which contained a greater number of entity views and attributes than those of the data flow analysts. Data flow analysts had greater difficulty with the concepts involved in specifying logical data specifications and consequently derived less complete data specifications than data structure analysts.
Keywords: analysis methods; conceptual data modeling; data flow modeling; data specification; database design; database requirements determination; information requirements determination
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#272 0.281 requirements analysts systems elicitation techniques analysis process technique understanding determination analyst acquisition interview development used semantic results knowledge structured effectiveness
#6 0.247 data used develop multiple approaches collection based research classes aspect single literature profiles means crowd collected trend accuracy databases accurate
#216 0.209 conceptual model modeling object-oriented domain models entities representation understanding diagrams schema semantic attributes represented representing object relationships concepts classes entity-relationship
#51 0.081 results study research experiment experiments influence implications conducted laboratory field different indicate impact effectiveness future participants evidence test controlled involving
#77 0.063 information systems paper use design case important used context provide presented authors concepts order number various underlying implementation framework nature