Essay, Research Paper: Design Structure

Basic ideas and Concepts of Software DesignAn Interface to the End-UserThe Project Management System was designed with the goal that the end-user can handle the system on his own.The interactive user interface is based on the Windows interface.The interface programs use standard software of the market like Visual Basic, Microsoft Access and Crystal Reports.DocumentationThe software should be documented. The documentation should cover : h Description of the database architecture h Analysis of the programs h Analysis of the reports h Description of procedures h User's guide for the user program h Set-up from the existing systemThe documentation can be done in French or English, except the user's guides which should be done in French.ModularityThe package consists of the following functional modules : h Data input of timesheets h Data input on Freelance Costs h Data input of Other Costs h Job-book h Administration of the Project Accounting h Importation from General Accounting h Importation from Freelance Payroll h Importation from Estimates h Project Accounting reporting h Project Trade ReportingEach of these functional modules or units is provided with one or more programs.The modules of data management and reporting are clearly separated.Database orientationThe software is database oriented. It uses the client-server technology. The Database Management System used is Oracle.information is unique and can be more safety controlled.IntegrationBecause of the database orientation, information is unique and can be more safety controlled. The relational database technique allows to manage the relations between the different information. A conceptual model provides a good wiew and a good control of the whole information. This conceptual model is managed by a dedicated software (AMC Designor).
FlexibilityA flexible software id a software easy to administrate, to maintain and to modify. It's possible because of the principles of modularity and the database orientation. It's also helped by a good documentation and a software to manage the conceptual model.The system should allow to modify some man-day charges, unit's price of cost-center, overhead rate for a past period without to have to modify all the corresponding past costs.EvolutivityThe system should be able to have evolutions (functional and technique). It should not be linked to the structure of the company. Again It's possible because of the principles of modularity and the database orientation. It's also helped by a good documentation and a software to manage the conceptual model.The system should not be limited to some versions of operating systems, or database management systems or others software.Control of AccessThe access to the different modules, and within them, to the different functionnalities is control in function of the user and of the rights he has for the Oracle tables and the Access objects.Self CheckingA self-checking system is considered as important in order to achieve a high reliability of the computations involved and the technical performance of the system. The checking is done on three levels : h Data entry : every entry is checked immediately with regards to existance of projects codes, accounts etc. h Importation : every file imported is checked h Processing Data : every calculation check data integritySecurityThe safety of the systems is warranted by daily backup.Year 2000The system should be 100% Y2K compliant.Evolution with the EuroThe system should be build to allow a migration from the local currency (the Franc) to the Euro. The principle allowing it is to double all the information in the database.