System Design

Concept of System Life Cycle

A system life cycle is a crucial process in system development, which outlines the stages needed to take a system from an initial idea through to decommissioning and disposal.
The system life cycle usually involves stages such as analysis, design, implementation, testing, installation, and maintenance/review.

Prototyping

Prototyping refers to creating an early model or sample of a system to evaluate its functionality, design and feasibility.
It can help developers detect problems early on and communicate effectively with clients/stakeholders.

Design Tools

System design involves various tools including flow diagrams, data flow diagrams (DFD) and entity relationship diagrams (ERD).
A flow diagram shows how data moves through a system, while a more detailed data flow diagram shows where data comes from, how it is processed, and where it goes.
An entity relationship diagram depicts how different entities of a system are connected to each other.

Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is an important part of system design that helps determine whether a project is viable and achievable.
It considers aspects such as technical feasibility, economic/financial constraints, legal considerations, operational feasibility and scheduling constraints.

Methods of Implementation

Implementation refers to the process of turning a system design into a working system.
Different methods of implementation include the direct changeover method, the parallel changeover method, the phased changeover method and the pilot changeover method.
The choice of the method heavily depends on the level of risk involved and resources available.

Testing

Testing in system design is carried out to ensure that the system meets the predefined specifications and that it functions optimally.
Different types of testing include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT).

Documentation

Documentation is essential for communication during system design and development. It provides a complete description of system design, its components, and its functioning.
It can help system designers, users, and stakeholders understand the system at various stages of the cycle.

By thoroughly understanding the processes involved in system design, it is possible to effectively develop a system that is efficient, user-friendly, and meets the specified requirements. Doing so will elevate proficiency in coding and enhance the overall understanding of computer science.