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224 Part 3 • the analysis Process

Figure 8.14
Data structure for an order picking
slip at World’s Trend Catalog
Division.
Order Picking Slip =
Order Number +
Order Date +
Customer Number +
Customer Name +
Customer Address +
Customer Telephone +
{Order Item Selection} +
Number of Items
Order Item Selection =
Item Number +
Item Description +
Size Description +
Color Description +
Warehouse Section +
Shelf Number +
Quantity Ordered +
Quantity Picked
Customer Name =
First Name +
(Middle Initial) +
Last Name
Address =
Street +
(Apartment) +
City +
State +
Zip +
(Zip Expansion) +
(Country)
Telephone =
Area Code +
Local Number

data dictionary may be used in conjunction with a data flow diagram to analyze the system
design, detecting flaws and areas that need clarification. Some considerations are:
1. All base elements on an output data flow must be present on an input data flow to the process
producing the output. Base elements are keyed and should never be created by a process.
2. A derived element must be created by a process and should be output from at least one pro-
cess into which it is not input.
3. The elements that are present in a data flow coming into or going out of a data store must
be contained in the data store.
If begun early, a data dictionary can save many hours of time in the analysis and design phases.
The data dictionary is the one common source in the organization for answering questions and
settling disputes about any aspect of data definition. An up-to-date data dictionary can serve as
an excellent reference for maintenance efforts on unfamiliar systems. Automated data dictionar-
ies can serve as references for both people and programs.

Using Data Dictionaries to Create XML
Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a language that can be used to exchange data between
businesses or between systems within a business. It is similar to HTML, the markup language