IT532 - SYSTEMS ANALYSIS - CLASS 4

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IT532 - SYSTEMS ANALYSIS - CLASS 4 EVENT DICTIONARY

To: (Type) (Purpose) (Components) (Related) (Example)

Model Type (Top)

Text dictionary with structured text entries.

Purpose (Top)

The event dictionary contains an entry for each event that must be handled by the system. A primary event is an imperative event that is stimulated by a system client. A secondary event is initiated by any other type of stimulus.

Components and Structure (Top)

A template for a structured entry is:

Event: <Actor> <Active Verb> <Object>

Context:: Use Cases: <List the use case(s) that contain this event.>
-- If event is not contained in a use case, briefly describe context
-- with mention of any preceeding or following events.
Frequency:: <Describe the frequency and volume of occurance of the event. Include growth estimates if appropriate.>
Annotations:: [ Primary | Secondary ], [ Mandatory | Desirable | Optional ], [ Stable | Volatile ]
-- If necessary, specify annotations for each stimulus and response.
-- Explain the reason for expected volatility.
[ Message | Temporal ] Stimulus:: [ Receive <message> from <actor> | It is <time description> ]
Validation Rules:: -- May be omitted if there are no significant validation rules.

Apply <validation rule name> to <item>.
Apply <validation rule name> to <item>.
```
    ....
```

Transform Rules:: -- May be omitted if there are no significant transform rules.

Apply <transform rule name> to [allocate | create | compute | ...] <[ object | response ]>.
Apply <transform rule name> to [ allocate | create | compute | ...] <[ object | response ]>.
```
    ....  
```

Update Responses:: -- May be omitted if there are no significant update responses.

[ Create new | update | delete ] <object name>
[ Create new | update | delete ] <object name>
```
    ....
```

Message Responses:: -- May be omitted if there are no message responses.

Send <message name> to <actor>
Send <message name> to <actor>
```
    ....
```

The dictionary is usually presented in alphabetical order.

Related Models (Top)

It should be possible to trace events to the following models:

Actor Dictionary: Every actor that is mentioned in the event dictionary must be found in the actor dictionary.
Use Case Dictionary: Every primary event must be found in at least one use case in the use case dictionary. Simple custodial events may not require a use case to describe their context.
Message Dictionary: Every message stimulus must be found in the stimulus section of the message dictionary. Every message response must be found in the response section of the message dictionary.
Rule Dictionary Every transform rule must be found in the rule dictionary.

Example (Top)

Event: Business Applies for License

Context:: Use Cases: Grant License.
Frequency:: About 3,500 new Businesses are started each year.
Annotations:: Primary, Mandatory, Stable.
Message Stimulus:: Receive License Application and Fee from Business.
Update Responses:

Create entry in application pending log.

Message Responses:

Send Fee to Treasurer.
Send License Application to Zoning.

The following is an example event dictionary entry that shows how rules can be added to an event:

Event: Policy Owner Pays Premium

Context:: Use Cases: Collect Premium
Frequency: This event occurs about three times per week toward the end of the month. The premium paid notices arrive in batches that contain as few as one and as many as one hundred payments. The number of payments will grow at the same rate as the number of policies will grow.
Annotations:: Secondary, Mandatory, Stable
Message Stimulus: Receive Premium Paid Notice from Carrier.
-- Design Note: A collection of Premium Paid Notices arrive in a file. Each
-- notice in the file triggers one of these events.
Transform Rules:

Apply Allocate Premium to allocate premium to coverages.
Apply Account for Premium to generate accounting transactions.
Apply Calculate Commissions to generate commission transactions.

Update Responses:

Update Policy.
Create Accounting Transactions.
Create Commission Transactions.

Message Responses:

Send Premium Received Notice to Policy Owner.
Send Accounting Transactions to Carrier.
Send Commission Transactions to Carrier.
Send Refund Excess Premium Notice to Carrier [payment too large].

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