System Analysis and Design
DriverPass sytem
The client DriverPass approached us with the intent of having a system created which caters to students looking to pass their driving test. This is to be a web-based system with some of the core functionality being the ability to take courses on different aspects of driving, take practice exams which mimic the actual driving test administered by the DMV, and lastly the ability to schedule in-person lessons with driving instructors. The system is to adhere to design and security best practices.
While developing the design documentation for the DriverPass system, the individual diagrams (use case, class, sequence, activity) were comprehensive and easy to follow. The part of the project that I would revise is the Functional Requirements section of the business requirements document. Between the time that I created this document and the end of this project, my understanding of the system and its use cases changed. There were some areas where I initially made assumptions that turned out to be incorrect and other areas where my interpretation of the initial interview was lacking.
The interview transcript was crucial for compiling and understanding the user’s needs. For areas of the interview that were ambiguous or glossed over, I deferred to my judgment and experience using similar systems. This is an area where focus groups or additional interviews with both the company and potential clients would be beneficial.
Prior to this project, my approach to developing software was not nearly as comprehensive in terms of planning. While developing design documents may be tedious and time consuming, it will pay dividends when it actually comes to programming. The use case diagram allows you to identify clearly what functionality the system will need. Documents such as the class diagram and activity diagram can serve as a blueprint for the development process, leading to cleaner code with all the intended functionality.