Designing the Internals: Program and Process Design

Introduction.

Once you know the input, the output, the interface, the dialogue, and database for an information
systems, you can design the inside of the system, the part that will make the interface operable, generate
output, and access and update the organization's databases. (Internal design).
We will begin at an abstract level, taking what we already know about a system's processs, in the form
of documented data flow diagrams, and converting them to structure charts. Structure charts graphically
represent system design. The structure charts you create will form the basis for the structure of the
system you design and build. Decisions you make at this point will heavily influence the overall design
and implementation of your system information.

Design the Internals:

The process of designing the internals.
You begin designing internals armed with a great deal of information about the system chosen for
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development and implementation. With the exception of the detailed physical file and database design,
most of that information is at logical level. For the process that have been identified as part of the
system, the information takes the form of data flow diagrams and mostly textual descriptions of what
each process is supposed to accomplish. Your job now is to take the logical information and turn it into a
blueprint for the physical information system that will be programmed.

Structure Charts:

Structure charts:
􀂊 Hierarchical diagram that shows how information system is organized.
􀂊 Shows how parts of system are related to one another
􀂊 Shows breakdown of a system into programs and internal structures of programs written in
third and fourth generation languages.