COIS20025 Assessment item 3—Modelling
Due date: Midnight 11:55 PM AEST, Monday of Week 11 ASSESSMENT
Weighting: 30% 3
Length: No fixed length
Objectives
This assessment relates to course learning outcomes 1 to 6 stated in the e-course profile.
Assessment 3 is an individual assessment. Following on Assessment 2, Assessment 3 is based on the same project case study. In Assessment 3 - Modelling, you are required to complete tasks below which assess your general course knowledge, particularly your course knowledge on modelling diagrams from weeks 6-10 about different facets of systems development.
Please note that ALL submissions are passed through a computerized copy detection system and it is extremely easy for teaching staff to identify copied or otherwise plagiarised work.
• Copying (plagiarism) can incur penalties ranging from deduction of marks to failing the course or even exclusion from the University.
• Please ensure you are familiar with the University’s Plagiarism Policy, available from: http://policy.cqu.edu.au/Policy/policy_file.do?policyid=1245
The tasks
In the report format used in CQUniversity (refer to Help section below for a link to the report guide), explain how you would complete the following modelling tasks. The report presentation including the references and appendices will be awarded 10 marks.
You are to develop the report having each task clearly numbered together with your answer. You are also expected to write an introduction and conclusion for this report. In performing the following tasks, you have to strictly follow all diagramming rules used in the text for this course.
In each task, please feel free to make any assumption necessary for the readers. The explanation of your assumptions can help the readers to understand what you have considered differently but as important criteria in producing your model.
Task 1 Data Flow Diagram – Context Diagram and Level 0 Diagram (20 marks):
You are assigned a role to develop a new system based on the project case study. Draw a context diagram and a level-0 DFD for it.
Task 2 Use Case Diagram (10 marks):
Draw a use case diagram by using the Level-0 DFD that you provided in Task 1.
Note: Your use case diagram directly relates to the information in Level-0 diagram, but it will also relate to the same system presented as in the context diagram.
Task 3 Domain Model Class Diagram (20 marks):
Develop a domain model class diagram for the system based on the project case study.
Task 4 Activity Diagram (20 marks):
Develop an activity diagram for the scenario.
Task 5 System Sequence Diagram (20 marks):
Using the Activity Diagram above, produce a system sequence diagram, i.e. only include two swimlanes – one for the actor (PSSM employee) and the other for the entire system as a system class object.
Help
Help on writing reports is contained in the Faculty Guide for Students – Chapter 4 Academic Report Writing:
http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2289/Extract-of-Chapter-3.pdf
You may also benefit from a video supplied by the CQUniversity Communications Learning Centre available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0v9ekxeoko
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Overview
Professional and Scientific Staff Management (PSSM) is a unique type of temporary staffing agency. Many organisations today hire highly skilled technical employees on a short-term, temporary basis to assist with special projects or to provide a needed technical skill. PSSM negotiates contracts with its client companies in which it agrees to provide temporary staff in specific job categories for a specified cost.
For example, PSSM has a contact with an oil and gas exploration company in which it agrees to supply geologists with at least a masters degree for $5,000 a week. PSSM has contracts with a wide range of companies and can place almost any type of professional or scientific staff members, from computer programmers to geologists to astrophysicists.
Current System
When a PSSM client company determines that it will need a temporary professional or scientific employee, it issues a staffing request against the contract it has previously negotiated with PSSM. When PSSM’s contract manager receives a staffing request, the contract number referenced on the staffing request is entered into the contract database file. Using information from the database, the contract manager reviews the terms and conditions of the contract and determines whether the staffing request is valid. The staffing request is valid if the contract has not expired, the type of professional or scientific employee requested is listed on the original contract, and the requested fee falls within the negotiated fee range. If the staffing request is not valid, the contract manager sends the staffing request back to the client with a letter stating why the staffing request cannot be filled, and a copy of the letter is filed. If the staffing request is valid, the contract manager enters the staffing request into the staffing request database as an outstanding staffing request. The staffing request is then sent to the PSSM placement department.
In the placement department, the type of staff member, experience, and qualifications requested on the staffing request are checked against the database of available professional and scientific staff. If a qualified individual is found, he or she is marked “reserved” in the staff database. If a qualified individual cannot be found in the database or is not immediately available, the placement department creates a memo that explains the inability to meet the staffing request and attaches it to the staffing request. All staffing requests are then sent to the arrangements department.
In the arrangements department the prospective temporary employee is contacted and asked to agree to the placement. After the placements details have been worked out and agreed to, the staff member is marked “placed” in the staff database. A copy of the staffing request and a bill for the placement fee is sent to the client. Finally, the staffing request, the “unable-to-fill” memo (if any), and a copy of the placement fee bill is sent to the contract manager. If the staffing request was filled, the contract manager closes the open staff request in the staffing request database. If the staffing request could not be filled, the client is notified. The staffing request, placement fee bill, and unable-to-fill memo are then filed in the contract office.
Source: Dennis, A, Wixom, D, Tegarden, D (2012), Systems analysis design, UML version 2.0: an object oriented approach, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.
Accounting
When a placement is made full payment is required no later than 30 days after the placement is finalised, by credit card or cheque or customer account. In all cases a tax invoice is provided to the client but kept confidential from the employee.
Problems associated with the current system
• Due to the nature of the database, only one staff member can access the records at a time which causes bottlenecks and possible loss of revenue;
• There is some duplication with paper and electronic records. Staff report that they find this cumbersome and difficult to manage;
• Records are held in computer applications plus in paper form; and
• The system does not provide an effective means for keeping track of placement success rates and correlating client and placement data.
Due to these problems, some placements have not been handled well and customer complaints are increasing.
The desired new system
The CEO of PSSM has identified his major priority is to create a system that ties together all the key elements of placement and removes redundancies from the system related to electronic and paper copies. He has hired your company, ABC Information Services as consultants to carry out analysis and develop the specifications for a new automated information system.