Information System Design And Implementation (BCA) 3rd Sem Previous Year Solved Question Paper 2022

Practice Mode:
8.

What are various approaches to design a good system ? Explain functional decomposition as design methodology.

Explanation

Designing a good system involves considering various approaches and methodologies to create a solution that meets the desired goals, requirements, and expectations. One such approach is Functional Decomposition. Here are some common approaches to system design:

1. Functional Decomposition:

  • Approach: Functional Decomposition breaks down a system into smaller, manageable functions or modules that perform specific tasks. Each function is responsible for a specific part of the system's functionality.

  • Benefits:

    • Simplifies complex systems by dividing them into smaller, understandable components.

    • Facilitates the organization of tasks and responsibilities.

    • Enables parallel development by different teams or individuals.

    • Enhances reusability as individual functions can be used in various parts of the system.

  • Example: In a library management system, functional decomposition might break the system into modules like "User Management," "Catalog Management," and "Loan Management."

2. Object-Oriented Design:

  • Approach: Object-Oriented Design (OOD) focuses on modelling the system using objects, which encapsulate data and methods. It emphasizes concepts like inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation.

  • Benefits:

    • Promotes code reuse through class hierarchies.

    • Models the real-world problem domain effectively.

    • Enhances maintainability and extensibility of the system.

    • Supports a modular and organized design.

  • Example: In an e-commerce system, objects like "Product," "Customer," and "Order" represent real-world entities with associated attributes and behaviours.

3. Structured Design:

  • Approach: Structured Design emphasizes creating a systematic, hierarchical design that's easy to understand. It often uses tools like data flow diagrams (DFDs) to depict how data moves through the system.

  • Benefits:

    • Provides a clear and organized representation of the system's data flow and processing.

    • Facilitates the identification of potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies.

    • Enhances documentation and communication of the design.

  • Example: In a banking system, structured design might show how customer transactions are processed, including validation, updates to account balances, and record-keeping.

4. Agile and Iterative Design:

  • Approach: Agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, focus on iterative and incremental development. The system evolves through small, frequent iterations with feedback and adaptation at each stage.

  • Benefits:

    • Adapts to changing requirements and user feedback.

    • Supports rapid development and deployment.

    • Encourages collaboration and customer involvement.

    • Reduces the risk of late-stage design flaws.

  • Example: In a web application project, features are continuously developed and deployed based on user feedback and priorities.

5. User-Centered Design:

  • Approach: User-Centered Design (UCD) places a strong emphasis on understanding and incorporating user needs and feedback throughout the design process. It involves techniques like user research, personas, and usability testing.

  • Benefits:

    • Ensures the system is user-friendly and meets user expectations.

    • Reduces the risk of design choices that users find confusing or frustrating.

    • Enhances user satisfaction and adoption of the system.

  • Example: In a mobile app development project, user feedback and usability testing help refine the user interface and overall user experience.