SYSTEM DESIGN

Prepared by RAR (JTMK)

Subtopics
User interface design
Principles of user centered design

Input design
Objectives of input design
Differences between data capture and data entry
Validation checks for reducing input errors
Input and data entry methods

Output design
Types of reports
Report Design principles
Output types and technologies

INPUT DESIGN
To avoid GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out)
Objectives of input design are to ensure:
Quality
Accuracy
Timelinessof input data

INPUT DESIGN

Source documents and forms

used to collect input data
Can be paper based or online

Must have good form layout :

makes the form easy to complete and provides enough space, both

vertically and horizontally, for users to enter the data.

A form should indicate data entry positions clearly using blank lines or

boxes and descriptive captions.

Input design
Source documents and forms
Typically include the following zones :
Heading zone
Control zone
Instruction zone
Body zone
Total zone
Authorization zone

Data capture vs data entry

Data capture
uses an automated or manually operated device to identify source data

and convert it into computer-readable form.

Examples of data capture devices include credit card scanners and bar

code readers

Data capture vs data entry

Data entry
is the process of manually entering data into the information system,

usually in the form of keystrokes, mouse clicks, touch screens, or spoken

words.

Validation check
Reducing the number of input errors improves data quality.
The best defense against incorrect data is to identify and

correct errors before they enter the system by using data

validation rules

Validation checks improves input quality by testing the data

and rejecting any entry that fails to meet specified conditions.

Validation check
Types:
Sequence check
Existence check
Data type check
Range check
Reasonableness check
Validity check
Combination checks
Batch controls

Validation check
Sequence check
used when data must be in some predetermined sequence.
If user must enter work orders in numerical sequence, then an

out-of-sequence order number indicates an error

Validation check
Existence check
used for mandatory data items.
Eg, if an employee record requires a Social Security number,

an existence check would not allow the user to save the

record until he or she enters a suitable value in the Social
Security number field.

Validation check
Data type check
to ensure that a data item fits the required data type.
For example, a numeric field must have only numbers or

numeric symbols, and an alphabetic field can contain only the

characters A through Z (or a through z).

Validation check
Range check
tests data items to verify that they fall between a specified

minimum and maximum value.

The daily hours worked by an employee, eg must fall within

the range of 0 to 24.

When the validation check involves a minimum or a maximum

value, but not both, it is called a limit check.

Checking that a payment amount is greater than zero, but not

specifying a maximum value, is an example of a limit check.

Validation check
Reasonableness check
identifies values that are questionable, but not necessarily

wrong.

For example, input payment values of $.05 and $5,000,000.00

both pass a simple limit check for a payment value greater

than zero, and yet both values could be errors.

Validation check
Validity check
used for data items that must have certain values.
For example, if an inventory system has 20 valid item classes,

then any input item that does not match one of the valid
classes will fail the check.

Validation check
Combination check
performed on two or more fields to ensure that they are

consistent or reasonable when considered together.

Even though all the fields involved in a combination check

might pass their individual validation checks, the combination

of the field values might be inconsistent or unreasonable.
For example, if an order input for 30 units of a particular item

has an input discount rate applicable only for purchases of

100 or more units, then the combination is invalid; either the
input order quantity or the input discount rate is incorrect.

Validation check
Batch control
Used to verify batch input and useful for comparison purposes.
Do not identify specific errors.
Might check data items such as record counts and numeric field totals.
Eg, before entering a batch of orders, a user might calculate the total

number of orders and the sum of all the order quantities. When the batch of
orders is entered, the order system also calculates the same two totals. If the
system totals do not match the input totals, then a data entry error has
occurred.

For example, if the sum of all the order one or more orders in that batch were

entered incorrectly quantities does not match the batch control total, you
know only that or not input.

often called hash totals

Input and data entry method

Input methods should be
Cost-efficient
Timely
Simple as possible

Consider 2 methods :
Batch input
Online input

Input and data entry method

Batch input
data entry usually is performed on a specified time schedule,

such as daily, weekly, monthly, or longer.

For example, batch input occurs when a payroll department

collects time cards at the end of the week and enters the data
as a batch

Input and data entry method

Online input
most business activity requires online data entry.
Advantages :
immediate validation
availability of data

A popular online input method is source data automation,

which combines online data entry and automated data

capture using input devices such as RFID tags or magnetic
data strips.

Other examples: ATM and library book loan using barcode,

OUTPUT DESIGN
When designing reports, the essential goal is to match the

report to the users specific information needs.

Types of reports:
Detail reports
Exception reports
Summary reports

OUTPUT DESIGN
Detail reports
Produces

one or
more lines
of output
for each
record
processed
- detail
lines

Can be

quite
lengthy

OUTPUT DESIGN
Exception reports
displays only those records that meet a specific condition or

conditions.

useful when the user wants information only on records that

might require action, but does not need to know the details

OUTPUT DESIGN
Summary reports
Upper-level managers often want to see total figures and do

not need supporting details.

In that case, a summary report is appropriate

Report Design Principles

Reports must be :
Attractive
Professional
Easy to read

Report Design Principles

The principles are:
Report headers and footers
Page headers and footers
Column heading alignment
Column spacing
Field order
Grouping detail lines
Repeating fields
Consistent design

The End

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