Documentation

Question 1

Why is documentation important?

Answer 1

There is so much information so it is important for it to be consolidated in a timely, relevant, credible, trustworthy (based on the source), verifiable (is it consistent across multiple sources), understandable form.

Question 2

What are the key uses of documentation?

Answer 2

1. Depict how the system works to colleagues and auditors
2. Training users - identifies how a new person contributes to the broader organisation
3. Record designs for new systems
4. Reduce maintenance costs and control system development (eg surveys can reveal the truth about how users feel about the existing systems and whether it is necessary to have a new system)
5. Provides transparency and standardisation around communications so that everyone can understand - helps depts to collaborate and minimises confusions

Not signed off by the manager of the user department

Question 3

What does diagramming help with?

Answer 3

Helps us to see the problems and visualise the people and steps involved in a process

Question 4

What is a flowchart?

Answer 4

Visualises the steps in a process

DIAMONDS - decisions
OVAL - start/end
RECTANGLE - process
HALF CURVE - document
ARROW - process flow direction

Question 5

What 3 things do you need to check before proceeding with a process customer order?

Answer 5

• verify customer identity
• check credit status
• check if there is stock to fulfil the order

Question 6

How do we check if an invoice is valid?

Answer 6

When an invoice

Must check the invoice against the purchase order and prepare a receiving report that gets sent to the accounts receivable dept

Check with the purchasing dept, receiving dept depending on the issue

Question 7

What are the issues with flowcharts?

Answer 7

There is no documentation of data stores and who does what in the process

INSTEAD WE CAN USE DFD

Question 8

What are data flow diagrams?

Answer 8

A flow diagram that records the following:
DATA STORE - triangle
DATA FLOW - line and arrow
PROCESS - rounded rectangle
AGENT - square

No symbols for decisions or documents

Question 9

What is a BPMN diagram?

Answer 9

SATISFIES ALL THE WEAKNESSES FROM DFD AND FLOW CHARTS

There are ‘swim lanes’ that represent the entities/depts

CIRCLES - start/end
ROUNDED RECTANGLES - actions
ARROWS - direction of flow
DIAMONDS - gateway (yes/no that impacts the organisation) decisions/assessment/verification
CYCLINDER - data stores
FILE - data object

It shows the activities, decisions, entities, and documents

External entities are in a separate pool and entities in the same organisation are connected

Data stores are always the LAST swim lane in the organsation’s pool