MERISE

COURSE OUTLINE:

 CHAPTER 1: Information in organizations.

 CHAPTER 2: Fundamental principle of modeling .
 CHAPTER 3: Method of analysis and design of information system(IS )
:MERISE.

OBJECTIVES OF THIS COURSE:

 Our society is in the era of information technologies and communication
this make the computer engineer to be able to draw all the practical level
of its activities. In the activity of each organization we use a significant
amount of information to be use in decision making this information
must be stored, shared, processed and transformed.

This course lays the foundation by using the method of MERISE in which
simple models of different management cases to be use . It will allow the
student to know the concept of information system and method, Development
and realization of a computerize information system. Therefore at the end of
this course the student must be able to

o Understand the different concepts related to the notion of

information system.
o Identify in a given context the actors and their class.
o Help to model the clause , structures and data processing.
o Master the main step of designing a relation database.
o Know the software packages for building and managing the
relational database.
o Know the main stages of design development and realization of an
information system (IS).
 - Define the main function of an I.S and highlight the systemic approach of
a company.
- Know the components of an I.S.
- Distinguish the type of I.S within and organization.
- Ensure the security of an I.S.

Introduction:
In a context of strong transformation in a company the information system
take an increasingly strategic place with value change . it is now present in all
businesses of an organization huge infinite are put in contribution or invested
for the implementation of an I.S in other to optimize benefits. Information is
the bases of communication within an organization and is closely link in the
decision making process it is a factor of productivity and competitiveness and
therefore has a greater value in the achievement of an organization objective it
is essential for an organization to have a good information system

I. DEFINITION OF CONCEPT

The information is a concept that may seem abstract it is therefore important

to define separately the two term that makes it
a. SYSTEM :
A system is set of interrelated element within a larger set , it can
be define as the set of component or element organize together to
facilitate the flow of information, material or energy. The
enterprise system is compose of employees, article , services ,
storage location etc. between these element are relationship that
describe a link between them.
b. INFORMATION:
Information is the meaning we give to construct (set of idea,
images, thought , inside) that serve to represent realities .In fact
information is use to represent object action situation, to confirm
or correct previous information to reduce uncertainty in decision
or to apply them. Information is use to make a decision and is the
result as the same time.it is obvious that it is essential to manage
the information for the good proceeding for the activities of an
organization because without information management a
manager cannot take decision and he cannot major the effect of it
decision , moreover the chances that employees do not perform
the action required in the performance of their duties, timeliness
is much greater without information management . information is
both a resource and wealth that is why treating it contribute to
the achievement of the objective of the organization.

Classif Critici
y ze

Has Has
right context

Information

Has a
contex A form

Has
size
A cost Has
Value

Fig Representation of information in an organization

 The definition of LAUDON K is as follows
A information system is a set of interrelated component that
collect information, store and share it to assist in decision making,
coordination and control within the organization. According to
Hugues ANGOT and information is a complex network of
structured relationship involving machines and procedure with
purpose of generating orderly flow of relevant information from
internal and external sources to the company and intended to
serve as a basis for decision making .
AN information system can generally be define as a set of organize
element that can generate data collect, store, process and
distribute information often through information technologies and
communication, computer , digital tablets.

II. SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS OF AN I.S WITHIN AN ENTERPRISE

The analysis or systemic approach is the study of all element an their
interaction. Companies or organization behave systemically. According to
this vision the information system of an organization can be divided in to
three sub system : The piloting system , information system and the
operating system.
a. THE PILOTING SYSTEM (P.S): it is also called the management
control or decision , it is at the head of all organization and
include many functions: regularization, decision and
coordination. It is the P.S that manages the operating system
does the control and fixes the object and take decisions. The
manager administrate the activities and take decision
concerning them , he is therefore the main actor of the piloting
system. In case the system study has sub systems .each
subsystem is manage by a delegated manager and each
subsystem is subject to an appropriate operation system. The
association of the different sub system contribute to form the
piloting system of the role . the primary purpose of a piloting
system is to provide key information on the status and the
progression the activities secondly to create a common
repository for the company recognize and accepted by all base
on indicator and a precise vocabulary . thirdly to motivate
 delegate by the stimulating effect of regular visualization of
the progression toward the agree objective. Fourthly to
facilitate reporting by the rapid availability of a clear summary
of data representing the activity and the progress toward the
assign objective .
When perfectly adapted it is a guarantee of time saving quality and
anticipation, the manager is alerted in good time so that he can for example
detect malfunctions as soon as they appear and before they turn into a crises.

b. THE OPERATING SYSTEM(O.S): it is also called the

technological physical or production system. It is as the base of
all organization because it is he or the O.S perform the
transformation. It role is to
- Receive the information receive by the P.S via the I.S.
- Perform the task in trusted to the O.S.
- Generate information in the direction of the P.S via the
I.s.
- Cover all the function related to the companies own
activity.

CONSTRAINT CONSTRAINTS

Piloting system Decision flow

Physical flow
Operating system

Fig: interaction of piloting system/Operating

sytem
c. The Information System : the I.S intervein between the O.S and the
P.S . it provide the necessary operation to activities information
essential to management of the organization.
In summary the decision system or the piloting system exploit the
information that circulate and organizes the functioning of the system.
Information is then send to the operating system which is responsible for
carrying out the task entrusted to it . it in turn generate information that
is collected store, process and transferred to the decision making system
 of the piloting system. Which can thus control deviation and act
accordingly

External enviroment

Piloting(decision) system
coordination objectives (members of
the direction)

Threated information
decision

Information System
External - Collect Information
information - Stores  data toward
- Treats the exterior
- Transform

collected infomation

input flow
output flow
Operating system
- Production action
- (set of the executing personel)

Fig: Interation between ps/os/os

 III. FUNCTIONS OF AN INFORMATION SYSTEM:

The I.S has two dimensions that of the organization that transform undertake
communicate and record information then that of the computer system
artificial object conceived by man that allows the generations. The acquisition
the treatment the storage the transmission and the return of the information
to the service of the management of the extended enterprise . the function
aspect of the information system can be describe as five major function
a) Generate data : the static point of an information is the data to wish we
apply a sense such that it exist and can be use for more or less
commendable use depending on the context of the environment
b) Collect information : the collection of data result from the day to day
activities of an organization which involve recording the generated data
the information system does not produce information by it self it must
take information somewhere . there are two possibilities . the first is that
information is produce by human, the second is that information is
directly transmitted by another information system.
c) Store information : This implies a transfer of data over time . the
storage make it possible to ensure the durability of an information.it
guarantee a durable and reliable storage. The privilege media of
information today are the disc of computers the dbms is a funder mental
component of the I.S however paper remain a very use medium in
companies and the preservation of the paper alcalde is some time a
legal obligation.
d) Process information : to be exploitable information undergoes
treatment (EX salting of order by date and customers calculation of the
amount to be paid classification summary etc)
e) This treatment can either be manual or automatic . for example for the
sale of air line ticket knowing the number of ticket is insufficient the
information system will calculate the number of site remaining on each
flight so as not to sell a higher number of ticket than the available.
f) Transfer information : information should be transferred to the right
person . This transfer of information can be done by the oral form by
paper support or by digital medium.

IV. The resources of an IS

The is composed of a set of interactive elements between them in particular:
  The materials (servers, computer, printers, scanners etc.).
 Software (system programs, application programs, security programs etc.).
 The data banks: they are organized collection of data used by an application
software’s(eg data base) .
 Telecommunication and networks (intranet, extranet and internet)
 Human resources (IT engineer, IT managers, IT users)
 Procedures and policies: they are usage specifications operations, maintenance,
online help, user manuals, procedures manuals, payment manuals, order documents
often in electronic forms,email manuals etc.).

Assignment : deifferent between internet,extranet and intranet.

Assignment: different between application program and security program
Application program: it is acomprehensive self contained program that perform
a particular function for the user.
Some example of application of Appliation program are
Email
Web browser
Game
Graphix software and other
V. CORE PRINCIPAL TYPE OF I.S:
1) The transaction processing system (TPS) : it execute and record
transaction daily associated with perfectly identifying events. The
task resources and objective manage by this system are pre-defined
and structured within formalize processes where action are specify to
the different actors. This system are vital for the company because a
failure can seriously disrupt the operation of an organization or even
its environment (customers suppliers etc ) or even its environment by
the domino effect . This system produce a large amount of data that
can be exploited by other systems.
2) The management information system (MIS): It provide managers with
indicator and report on the short term efficiency of the organization
this system are oriented almost explicitly toward internal events. They
aggregate in indicators and periodic report and also in data from basic
transaction of the DBS. This system provide answers to routine
question that have being define as a priority the decision support
system DSS. It help to take decisions about problem that are not pre-
determine in advance. This system rely on data from the TPS and the
MIS and also from external information. This system are interactive in
the sense that they are designed so that users can change the basic
assumptions ask new question and enter new data.
 3) The information system for data (ISD): it is system for senior
managers often design for an individual they use data for multiple
level and resources . they are expensive

ISL

MIS DSS

TPS

Fig: Interaction between the IS

We can also have other IS such as the

corperation assistance system(CAS): It facilitate the cooperation between different users of
an organization (communication and co-organization) this system are base on information
and communication technologies to transfer data in different forms (text sound images etc)
and coordinate certain activities of the company.
Knowledge management support system (KMSS): it facilitate the process of creating
storing transferring and applying knowledge of an organization. Most business face
competitive problem from their treatment it merges in knowledges a know how which is
important to memorize for the sake of the feature activities. This system are therefore
design to formalize and capitalize the knowledge of an organization.

VI. SECURING THE IS: Information security is about protecting all data access for
whatever purposes Wikipedia define the security of IS as follows “ all technical
organizational legal and human resources put in place conserve restores and
guaranteeing the information system of am organization”. Data is the wealth of a
company because they are . information system relies as a rule in
computer system they include: telecommunication data, Analog point
,IP(internet protocol) voice, and in some in cases paper data.
Such system learn themselves to a variety of threat that can alter or destroy the information
(information integrity) or to reveal to third parties who should not be aware of it
(Information confidentiality ) or for example to undermined it availability (system
availability). Some of this threat can also indirectly cause significant financial damages . the
main real threat to which information system can be confronted are
- Malicious software : it as software design to harm or abuse
resources on a system opening the door with intrusion or altering
data. Personal data may be collected without the knowledge of the
users and be use for malicious or commercial purposes
- An attacker: it is person who manages to break into a system
legally or not an access to data or programs which does not
concern him.
- A disaster : it can be theft , fire water damage.
The security of information system , must be address in a global context :
- Network security :
- Security of the Operating system:
- Telecommunication security:
- Application security :
- Information security:
- Data security:
- Physical security:
Most of the threat are due to human error of negligent for this purpose physical must also
be taken in the same way as the security of the equipment in other to avoid certain disasters
the security must therefore be develop at the level of the information system directory
because it concern all the user of the system.

Chapter 2: Fundamental principle of modeling .

I. INTRODUCTION:
Modeling is the foundation state of data base design process it concern in abstraction the
real problem threat to make a reformulation that will find a solution in the technological
framework of a DMS . the company is a complex system in in which a lot of information flow.
Without a device to control this flows the company can quickly be out dated and no longer
work with a satisfactory quality of service. A method of analysis therefore exist to formalize
the preliminary stages of development of an IS to make this development more faithful to
customers threat.

Definition of concept:
1) MODEL: Models form the basics of the development of IS. It is an abstract and
simplify representation of an entity of the real world in other to describe explain or
predict it .
2) Modelling: It consist in creating a virtual representation of reality in other to
highlight the point of interest . modelling is therefore the act of representing our
 concept and the object o f reality. The design phase require method to put in place a
model on which we will rely.
Depending on the nature or size of the project. A modelling method must be chosen and
therefore use as far as we are concern we will interested on the merise method.
II. The merise approach.
II.1 Definitions:
Merise standing for “METHODE DETUDE ET DE REALISATION INFORMATIQUE
POR LES SYSTEMES DENTREPRISE” merise is a methode analysis, structural
design and realization of computer system. Wildly use in French companies it is
base on the separation of data and treatment to be perform in several conceptual
and physical model it goal is to come up with an information system . merise
combine analysis and design with the realization of information system other
word merise allow the realization of a project in an organize and structured way .
the data and the treatment are distinct.
II.2 HISTORY:

II.3 THE PURPOSE OF MERISE:

The purpose of this method is to standardize the processes use to designed
computerize information system. Merise is a method with tools (schema) and
has a user manual it allocate modelling data on one hand and modelling
treatment on the other.

II.4 THE THREE CYCLE OF THE MERISE APPROACH:

By definition a cycle is a series of phenomenon that are constantly renew in given
other. The development process of merise falls within three cycles. This cycle or
axis are LIFE CYCLE, THE DECISION CYCLE ,ABSTRACTION CYCLE

a) LIFE CYLCE OR TIME AXISE: A life cycle is a set of stages of development of the
product from its conception (design) to it disappearance or consumption. The
life cycle is the most structuring part of development. It is he who defined the
steps or the method. It is on the time scale that we live to the point of
departure to the operation of the system through it creation maturity and
maintenance . it is the detail of each modelling phase . the life cycle is divided
into three periods in which we find the following step
1) A MASTER PLAN: it is a tool for piloting and constant adjustment of the
evolution of the information system. It is the strategic vision of the
 organization . this is where the object is decided . a project must be
registered in the general objective of the companies , because it usually
involve a staff before a long period of time.this is the reason why it is
necessary for an organization even before starting a project to defined it
intention with the middle term (1 to 3 years) it is this medium term action
plans that are called the master plans. It generally include the definition of
the field of study planning of the development of each domain a variation
of material and human resources and implementation of the method.
2) THE PRELIMINARY STUDY: the main purpose of the preliminary studies is
to plan the operation and prepare the coming intervention . it is expected
that it will be in trusted to a person who has the commercial relationship
with the client and who will be charge of coordinating the various parties
involve. The following are taken into accounts :
- Proposal of solution and general evaluation of the needs of a
project degrees and type of automation, the cost, delays and
stages, advantages and constraints. Any technical difficulty will
have to be integrated as well
3) DETAIL STUDY : the detail study aim to complete the description of the
solution once the datail study file has being validated by the project
owner it constitute the specification for the production or maintenance of
the application. In case of modification or changes to the specification
during the development phase of the detail study it is important it is kept
up to date. Here we take into accounts . the complete specification of the
information general design and detail design (model, algorithms, data).
4) THE TECHNICAL STUDY: it is the phase of adaptation of the design to the
selected technical architecture while describing and documenting the
functioning of each unit of the software. It deliverable technical study file .
the preparation of the technical study file start when the design has being
validated by the piloting committee. The objective of a technical study file
are
- Provide a complete a detail information of a software in the target
technical environment of the application.
- predicable performance and application security.
5) REALIZATION OF SOFTWARE : This the operational phase of creating the
information system. It is lead by the project manager in relation with the
project .this phase start with the reception and functional and technical
specifications and end with the completion of the information system .
Here , we write the program (algorithms) set the data base and do the
test and do the test.
6) COMMISSIONING : At this level we make sure that the work is in
conformity with the expectation of the users. And to make sure that in it
installation and it use is carry out correctly .So far as the project manager
know the project he has to developed he is the one in charge of installing.
Commissioning is about installing solutions user training and testing. This
phase this phase result in the user manuals.
7) MAINTENANCE: We have three form of maintenance.
 - THE CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE: Correct errors that was not
detected in previous phases.
- ADAPTIVE MAINTENANCE : Must take care of changing and
adapting the software to appearance of the new constraints.
- PERFECTIVE MAINTENANCE: Aid at optimizing the software
performance

MASTER PLAN It is the defintition of

the general orientation development of the IS

PRELIMINARY Proposes and

STUDY Evaluate the technical solution of the domain of

DETAIL STUDY

Technical STUDY

SOFTWARE
REALIZATION

COMMISSIONING

MAINTENACE
THE DECISION CYCLE :
The decision cycle ( in V) represent all the choices that must be maid during the life cycle.
It allow iteration to be performed by making the sequence of steps non sequential the
unique test makes it possible to complete the production step. The inergration test are done
in the design phase and the functional test are done in the analysis phase. At the end of the
preliminary study it may also be decided to stop the project

Life cycle Decision cycle

1. Master plan Decision it taken by the direction of the enterprise on the orientations of
the project
2. Preliminary study Decision is taken by the direction of a given domain on the choice of the
solution, the budget, the deadlines etc.
3. Detail study It concerns the Agreement of the users on the functional specifications
4. Technical study It Concern the Agreement of the project manager and or the architect on
the technical specification.
5. The realization It Concerns the Agreement of the group of development on the analysis
and design documents.
6. Deliverable It concerns the Final agreement of the users on the solution/needs in the
realization environment
7. Commissions It concerns the agreement of the users on the solution/needs in the
realization environment
8. Maintenance Concern the decision of a director to correct or not a problem given by the
users

Fig: The decision cycle in MERISE

THE ABSTRACTION CYCLE:

The abstraction cycle is divided into 4 module
- Conceptual
- Organizational
- Logical
- Physical Level
THE CONCEPTUAL LEVEL:
It expresses fundamental management choices (Search for stable element regardless
of the means to be implemented their constraints and their organization). It answers to the
question what.
THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL:
It expresses the organizational choices of human an material resources particularly
throw the definition of actors and work station. It answers to the Who, Where, When.
THE LOGICAL LEVEL:
 It expresses the choice of means an computing resources regarding their precise
technical characteristics. This is the level of the relational model ( relational database ) the
class diagram and the sequence diagram. It answers to the question How.
THE PHYSICAL LEVEL:
It reflect the technical choices and take into accounts their specificities. This is the
level of coding

Manual IS

LEVE PRE DATA TREATE

Data collection L OCCUPATION MENT
Expression of needs delimition of the 1 WHAT? conceptual conceptual
studied field What
to we
want
Operational Model Draw to do
Draw the
the LDM
CDM PDM
and 2 Who? logical organizational
Conceptual Model …
CMT When?
Where?
How?
Computer IS 3 What physical operational
Draw the ODM and are the
Organizational Model
OMT means

Fig: The abstraction Cycle

e) The main models of software life cycle:

in the field of computer science and particular in the field of software
development the term software life cycle is a procedure for the development of the
software from its conception to its disappearance in other words it allow to move from the
idea of a software to its regular use till when it become outdated as a procedure the life
cycle of a software is compose of different stages . in general it comprises at least the
following stages.
o The need analysis
o The general designed
o The detail designed
o The codification
o The test (integration ,unit test)
o The documentation
o The deployment
o The maintenance and the evolution.
The sequence and presence of each of these activities ( ) in the life cycle depend on
the choice of the life cycle model (LCM) between the client and the development
 team . there are several life cycle model which include the cascade, the V life cycle ,
the spiral life cycle, the incremental life cycle .

1. The Cascade Life Cycle:

The cascade model define sequential phases at the end of each of which
document are produce to verify compliance or conformity before moving up
to the next step. Here we go to the next phase only if the formal phase is
considered satisfactory

Prelimanary study Analysis report

Need analysis

General Design

Detail Design

Coding

Integration

Installation

Exploitation &
Maintenance
It is represented by a V whose descending branch contain all the stages of the project test
design and the descending branch all the stages of the project testing.
The tip of the V representing the concrete realization of the project

One could thus simply deduce that the two branches (Ascending and descending branch )
are only documentation . Each step in a branch correspond to a step on the other branch.
That is a design step correspond to a test step which is specific to eat. To such an extend. A
step of test can be elaborated as soon the corresponding design phase is completed
independently of the rest of the project.
 Need Analysis Exploitation
Specification User manuald
book

Specification Validation test

Fonctional Functional test
Specificaiton

General design Integration test

Project skeleton Integration test
document

Detail design Unit test

Details Unit test Document
specification

Coding
Development

Fig : The V life cycle model

The spiral Life Cycle: the spiral model is model of software development cycle that
take the various stages of the V life cycle by implementing successive version. This cycle
start by proposing a product more and more complete. There spiral cycle put more emphasis
or risk management than the cycle In V. there are four phases in the spiral cycle.
a) DETERMINATION OF OBJECTIVE ALTERNATIVE AND. CONSTRANT
b) RISK ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE.
c) DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF THE CHOOSEN SOLUTION
d) REVIEW OF RESULT AND VERIFICATION OF THE NEXT CYCLE.
 deliverables
Validation test Risk analysis
Need analysis
Integration test

specification
Unit test

Coding Design of the architecture

Detailed design

Fig Spiral life cycle

1> Determination of objective

2> Identification and reduction of risk
3> Development and test
4> Planification of the next iteration

ITERATIVE AND INCREMENTAL LIFE CYCLE:

With the iterative life cycle any thing start with the expression of needs. The clients
explain what we want knowing that this need can be modified later in the process then
restart the iterative process itself with the drafting of the specification followed by the
development then the validation (test) and finally an evaluation of the work which will serve
as starting point for the information. Then for the next cycle the difficulties encountered
and the functionalities abandon are taken into account. At the end of the validation will
move to the deployment of the deliverables (a version of a software or even
documentations)
For the incremental life cycle the project is divided into increments. An increment is a
piece of the project each increment (addition, modification, extension) each increment
increases new functions and is tested as a final product. It has an evolutive architecture that
is the first version is the core the following version are base on the existing version and
extend the architecture. Each version give rise to a complete life cycle

Expression of Development

Specification Validation
 needs

Deploymemt

Fig: Iterative life cycle

The Y cycle :
The Y life cycle is base on the 2TYUP process three branches
- The functional branch
- The technical branch
- The realization branch
Here we must first finish with the functional branch then the technical branch and the result
of the study of the two branches lead us to the realization branch

Functional BRanch Technical Branch

Capture of functional
Capture of technical needs
needs Technialconstraints
Functional
Constrain

Analysis GENRIC DESIGN

 Prototype

THE Y LIFE CYCLE

Assignment: Difference and similarities between all the life cycle:

Assignment: Difference and similarities between uml and merise:

 CHAPTER 3: Method of analysis and design of information

system(IS)
Introduction at a time where information is no longer consider only as an operational
resource but also as a strategy resource for the company its IS becomes a factor of
differentiation compare to its competitors. Its is by it culture and its powerful information
system that the company can adapt to it competitive environment .
Merise is method use to build a computerize information system which is efficient
flexible and adapted to the organization like any other method of analysis and designed of
an IS merise include: MODEL (concept and rule of representation a language , vocabulary
and rule of syntax ) a Process( level and stages ) , TOOLS( Power AMC,win designed). In the
frame of our course we will study the following model
1. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF COMMUNICATION(CMC)
2. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF TREATMENT(CMT)
3. THE CONCEPTAULA DATA MODEL(CDM)
4. THE LOGICAL DATA MODEL(LDM)
5. THE ORGANIZATION MODEL OF TREATMENT(OMT)
6. THE PHYSICAL DATA MODEL(PDM)
1) THE CONCEPTION MODEL OF COMMUNICATION:
1.1) DEFINITION:
The CMC is generally the only model use in this complex. It aims to
represent all information exchange provided by an organization . Either with the internal or
external environment of an organization. The fundamental concept of CMC is the message. It
helps to describe the flow of activities it represent the relationship between the internal and
external system to the company. Because each function correspond to a purpose of the
company. The flow of information of the existing system is listed and recorded .
1.2) CONCEPT:
Several concept related to the conceptual model of communication
are useful and are defined below.
These are:
-The field of study or activity of the organization
- The actor
-The information flow
I. A field of study: is a subset of an organization that is studied separately from the IS
it is defined by the function of the person analysis the flow of information within an IS . it
delimitate the study to one or more specific activities with a company and must always be
clearly defined before stating the analysis of the information flow. The organization must be
broken down into areas of activity to reduce the complex modelling of an organization.
The division can be done on the bases of the major function or
activities of the organization for example: sale management, staff manageament , parking
management etc. each domain is consider autonomous with it own operating system it own
piloting system and its own information system. The IS of the organization is then define as
the set of IS of each domain.
The ACTOR: An actor is a sender or receiver of an information flow related to an activity
within the IS of an organization in other word an actor is an entity human or material
(involved in the IS)
Depending on the case it may be a category of person, a service, a
direction or the IS of another organization. An actor receive a flow of information that allow
him to act by transforming the information and returning one or more other information
flow to other actors. The actors can be:
- Persons: customers , accountant etc
- Services: The secretariat the accountant department
- Machines: A bash reader that act as an extant control etc
-
The are two type of actor:
 - The internal actors: they are part of the field of study
example the sale department the accounting department
etc it is represented by an ellipse or circle

Name of actor

Fig the internal actor

- The external Actor: They are not part of the domain but
they interact with the internal actors of the domain ex
customers suppliers etc, and external actor is represented
by a circle or ellipse with dotted lines.

Information flow : it refers to a transfer of information between two IS actors. It goes from a
source actor (sender) to a goal( receiver) it is represented by an arrow whose orientation
indicate the direction of flow of information. We can identify different categories of flow eg
the physical flow , the financial flow etc, this flow must be explain in the form in the form of
information flow we are only interested in flows that involve at least one internal actor. The
flow can intervein in a determined other that can be noted to facilitate reading this
chronological other is not necessarily cinematics because some flow can be issued at the
same time and have the same other number. A flow can be conditional in the sense it occurs
when a condition is fulfill . in this case we can note this condition in quotation

Internal
actor

CMC:
 The CMC represent the actor an the arcs (direction) of communication between the
actors for its constructions .it will be wise to respect the following step.
The first step of this model is to isolate the system by delimitating it. It is therefore
necessary to define a system an the external element (external actor) with which it
exchange information flow. The second step is to split the organization into entities call
internal actors. The last step is the analysis of information flow (ie the definition of the
process.
The scrupulous respect of these steps is essential to build the CMC.
1.4 Formalism of the CMC:
The formalism of these models is base on the base on the understanding of two
diagrams that consist of : the context diagrams and the flow diagram of conceptual
flow model.
a) CONTEXT DIAGRAM: the purpose of the context diagram is to represent the flow
of information between the organization study and the external actors in other
words the context diagram is the schema that represent all the flow exchange
between the system an its partners. It does not take into accounts the detail of
the various internal actors of the organization to consider only the company. The
organization or field of study is represented by a rectangle

Flow_name

Client

Fig: context diagram.

b) THE FLOW DIAGRAM OR CONCEPTUAL FLOW MODEL:
This diagram complete a context diagram by decomposing the organization
into a series of internal actors. It allow to schematize all actors and all flows exchange within
them. It is also used to explained the operation of a company it other to allow its
improvement. More over it is a key for refining analysis and find all others actor and flows of
the activity therefore It can detect redundancy or inconsistencies in the flow of information.
 flow
Field of
Internal actor 1 study
External Actor flow 2
flow_4

flow_3
Internal actor 2

Fig: Flow Diagram

Exercise : At the Cameroun bank cooperation (CBC) the process of managing information of
the bank credit card is as follows. An applicant wishing to obtain a visa card must make a
request to it account manager. The card is not granted if the applicant is not a customer of
the bank. Every day the credit card office receive the demand, identifies, processes, classifies
and forward them to the card management service for verification of the conformity of the
information send by the customers. At the end of the month he is in charge of ensuring that
the list of applicant is send in the international center for banking card (ICBC) for
establishment .
As soon as the bank receive all the card from the center( usually 4 weeks after the request)
the card office send to the customer through it account manager a notice of availability and
a notice of withdrawal of the bank of the annual subscription. The customers then withdraw
his card and sign an acknowledgement if after 2 month the card has not been remove it is
destroy .
Task:
Represent the context diagram and the flow diagram

4. notifies applicant of card availability

6. withdraw the card

1) Make card
request

VISA
APPLICANT 1.1) Card rejected
1.2) CAMEROUN BANK COOPERATION(CBC)
4) notifies withdrwal of annual subscription
 2) Sebd
applicant
demands

ICBC

3) Delivers
card

FIG: CONTEXT DIAGRAM withdraw

1. Send request
Accounts
manger
Applicatant
1.1 card rejected
2. Deposit
demand

) Notifies withdrawal of annual

subcription
Withdrawals card Credit card office

3) forward demand

4. send applicants demand

ICBC
Card management
5. delivers cards service

FIG: flow diagram CBC card ostension process

1.5 THE FLOW MATRIX:

the flow diagram can be represented by a square matrix called a flow matrix. It is matrix that
present in columns and line the actor involve in the diagram. The flow are represented at the
intercession of rows and columns it can be schematize as follows

w
Actor Actor Actor Actor
1 2 3 4
Actor 1 / Flow 1 - Flow 2
 Actor 2 Flow 3 / - Flow 4
Actor 3 - Flow 5 / -
Actor 4 - Flow 6 Flow 6 /

Row: The sender actor

Column: The receiver actor
Flow: It shows the intersection between the receiver and the sender

Exercise :
Draw the flow matrix of the above description

Applicant Accounts Credit card Card ICBC

manager office management
service
Applicant \ 1 Send - - -
request
7 withdraw
card

Accounts 1.1 request \ 2. deposit - -

manager rejected demand
8. Notifies
withdrawal of
annual
subscription
Credit card office
withdrawal

Credit card - - \ 3. -
officer forward
demand
Card - - - \ 4 send
management applicant
demand

ICBC - - - \

5 delivers
card
 Flow diagram provide a clear view of the project. It is often through a CMC diagram
that a project with the merise method begins. This model allows a clear definition of the IS
and give a good idea on the companies structure. It business role and the various inter
service articulation.

II Conceptual model of treatment :

Definition : The conceptual model of treatment is use to process the dynamic , the IS that is
operation that are perform according to events this model therefore makes it possible to
schematically represent the activity of an IS without referring to organization choices or
means of executions . it allow you to simply define what should be or what should be done.
It build mainly by the answer to the questions what to do according to an event and what so
we want to obtain. The CMT is deduce from the CMC in that it represent a zoom of the CMC
it purpose is to open each domain or sub domain identify by the CMC so as to define the
operation maid in this area or domain in other words the conceptual model of treatment
show how an actor in the organization react when he receive the message and the different
operation he performs.

CONCEPTS:
1) Events : an events is a situation whose appearance triggers one or more action within
the organization. An event translate.
- A choice a decision a request(ex decision to pay an invoice,
choice of a new supplier, arrival of an order t the
commercial service, presentation request to a hotel rom,
notice of payment of a balance etc).
- A change of state in a system ( the arrival of the end of the
month 10 PM etc)
Two type of event are distinguish according to the appearance pattern: external and internal
event.
- External event are event from the exterior of a study IS. The
occur randomly. And external event can only be an input of
an operation never in result as for internal event they are
generated by threat specific to the field of study. An
internal event always appears the first time as result of an
operation.
We can also have the resulting event when they are intended for an external actors
(example customer invoice supplier call bank cheques or time event when it is related to the
duration the period the date ( example delay, end of month, beginning of weak, 10 min etc)
NB: an event is always at he origin of one or more operation or result of one operation.

FORMALISM:

EVENT
NAME
EXAMPLE:

The event “ end of the month “ triggers the pay role operations of the company., the
event out of stock or shortage of stock triggers the replenishment process

2) THE OPERATION: an operation refers to the set of processes ( phases ) performed in

respond to an event. An operation is trigger by a single event or by a synchronize
association ( synchronization ) of several event an operation takes place without
waiting the external factors . it is set to be uninterruptible . this assumes that at the
time of the triggering of the operation, all the data necessary for the treatment are
known to the operator. This means that the progression of an operation cannot be
interrupted or suspended as soon as it is activated by an additional external event.
An operation reflect management choices and not organization choices. An operation
can be considered as a process and leads to at least one result. It content can be
analyze in the form of a structured set of actions an operation is represented by a
verb or a noun (example prepare the order or preparation of the order)
No Operation name

A1
A2
.
.
.
.
.
An

THE RESULT:
A result may be a document a message a new state of the IS ( new situation new
data) created by an operation which can itself play the rule of an event an external
result information information sent out of the IS invoice of a customer. An internal
result is the new state of the IS ( e.g order of preparation )

SYNCHRONIZATION: the synchronization of an operation correspond to the condition

on the event triggering the operation. This is a Boolean (and / or ) that translate the
management rule that event must follows to triggers an operation. The combination
of several event and their synchronization condition will be done using the logical
operator and in particular the AND the OR in the case of the AND it marks that an
event already present must wait for one or more other events. In the case of the or
it marks that the present of the one of the trigger event can allow the operation to
be realize that is either one or the other event can trigger a process.

NB: synchronization require the presence of multiple trigger event also the
synchronization symbol is left blank in the case of a single event if all incoming
 events are link by the same operator, the operator should be include in the
synchronization symbol in this case to manipulate the event more easily we must
assign an alphabetic code also called SYNCHRO-CODE

Synchro code

1 AND 2

Or

Logical
operator

5) The emission rule: an emission rule makes it possible to decide which result will
trigger according to the event of the operation and defined the condition that
must be fulfill for an event to be issued. The emission rule or condition can be
numerous an emission rule can give rise to several result among this condition or
rule we can have;

 Always: it means the operation is always perform.

 Yes/Ok/Valid: it means the operation has been carry out successfully.
 Not/Ok/Not valid: the operation has not been well perform or even perform

(<,>,<=,>=,=,….)

CONCEPT
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CMT
  Eliminate organizational element who how where.
 Find the trigger event and their timing roles.
 Find the synchronization roles
 Give the actions in a chronological order
 Identify the result and their emission roles.

Event Event
1 2

No Operation - name

ER1 ER 2

Result 1 Result
2

Assignment : Draw the CMT of the credit card obtention

Credit
exercise: card
deman
d
 No Treatment Rev

Verification of the client status

Valid. Non-valid

Protect
Appointment
Demand

3.0 Conception Data Model (CDM). The CDM describe the formal
way the data use by the IS and introduces the notion of entities properties identifiers
association and cardinalities.

3.1 Definition
The CDM is the static representation of the enterprise IS it aim to be represent in a
structure way the data that will be use by the IS . it is also a set of concepts and rule for
defining how to represent information in the computer system. It is base on two main
concepts :
 Entites and Association hence its second name entity
relationship model

3.2 CONCEPTS:
Entity:this is concret or abstract object that can be dinstinguist recognize and
characterized by its uniqueness. An entity can be

An abstract object such as a service an accounts etc

A place such as a region a country a town
A documentary object such as a contract and invoice etc

Attribute or property:
An attribute is a feature that describe an entity or an association. At the entity of
ssocaition level . each attribute has a domain that defines the set of possible values that can
be chosen for its (eg integer string , real, date , Boolean etc) the domain of an attribute
characterizes both the type of data . a domain can be an enumerated list, a numeric range or
alpha numeric string. An attribute cannot be shared by multiple entities or association

Entity-name

Property 1
//
/
/
/

Representation of an entity with its properties

NB:
An attribute is a data item which exclude, calculated or derived data. An entity an its
attribute must be consistence with each other.
The exist three time of properties.
 CALCULATED PROPERTIES: They are calculated according to
other properties example the students average.
Student average =  note * coef /  coef.
 CONCATENATE PROPERTY: This are properties compose of
other properties example.
Student name = (First name, Sec name).
 ELEMENTARY PROPERTIES: This are properties that are
neither calculated nor compose example first name, last
name, coefficient , sex etc.
Calculated properties must be remove from the CDM to review storage space. Concatenated
properties must also be remove to reduce search time.

IDENTIFIER: An identifier of an entity or association is constituted by one of its attribute.

Which must have a unique value for each entity or association in other words it allow to
know in a safe and unique way the set of properties that participate in an entity. It is
therefore impossible for the attribute constituting the identifier of an entity or association to
have the same value for two entities or two distinct association.
NB: for a better notation the attribute that constitute the identifier are underline and place
at the top.

Person
 SSN
F-Name
S-Name
Sex

Association or relationship. An association is link between one or many entities

FORMALISM:

ASSOCIATION – name
-Property -1
-Property -2

Association

EXAMPLE:

STUDENT Book
Matricule Bk-nb
-Stud- Fname -Bk- title
Borrow
-Stud S-name Date -Pg -nb
-Stud -Sex

CARDINALITIES :
Cardinalities are pairs of value found between each entity and its related association and
which translate business roles. A cardinality aim to describe the nature of each relationship.
The first number indicate the minimum cardinality the second indicate the maximum
cardinality.

Cardinality

Entity
id
ASSOCIATION – name
-Prop 1 (Min,Max) -Property -1
-Prop 2 -Property -2
NB: the minimum cardinality is always 0 or 1, If 0 meaning that the entity does not
participate in the association and 1 meaning that the entity participate in the association.
The maximum cardinality is always 1 or n, with “n” a positive integer often not specify
numerically due to lack of sufficient knowledge. But in some cases the letter “n” can be
replace by a value. The maximum cardinality of one means that the entity always participate
at most ones and the maximum cardinality “n” it participate at most a certain number of
time. The only cardinalities allow are therefore (0,1), (1,1), (0,N),(1,N).
ASSociation between entites

Entity-A
Entity-B
id (0,N)
-Prop 1 ASSOCIATION – name Prop-id
-Property -1 (0,N) -Prop A
-Prop 2
-Property -2 -Prop B
-Prop n
-prop-z

Min,Max cardinalities

3.3 Different types of association :

Depending on the number of participant we distinguish the
1. reflexive association. It makes its possible to associate an entity to itself. It is the
binary relationship that involve at least twice the
same entity. Person

id
-F name
-L name

Give-birth

2. BINARY ASSOCIATION : its is an association that link two entities

EXAMPLE ASSociation between entites

Entity-A
Id-person Company
(0,1) Company-
-Prop 1 Work
-Prop 2
(1,N) name
-Prop A
-Prop n
-Prop B
-prop-z
 3. Tertiary association : Its is an association that links three entities

Entity-2
Entity-1 (0,n) Id-person
Id-person (0,n) -Prop 3
-Prop 1 -Prop 5
-Prop 5

Association

(0,n)
Entity-3
Id-person
-Prop 2
-Prop 5
-

Tertiary Association:

4. THE N-ary assocaiation : this association links more than 3 entities.

3.4 RELIZATION OF A CDM :

Realizing a CDM require going through a set of well define set into two categories :
Direct Modelling and analysis modelling ( indirect modelling )
a) DIRECT MODELLING : it consist in identifiying from a description express in natural
language the entities and association by applying the following rules:
 Names become entities
 Verbs become association
Example :
A customer receive an invoice containing product

Invoices

Invoice-id
customer (1,1)
(1,N)
Cust-id
Cust-name
Receives

(1,N)

product
(0,N)
Prod_id contain
Prod_name

The model obtain by this method as shown in the example above are shown in the optimal
representation and it will be necessary to apply a validation and standardization phase
( elimination of situation that induce redundancy) to lead to a satisfactory solution.

B. Analysis or indirect modelling: here certain steps must be respected but for the sake of
comprehension we will summarize them in five funder mental steps .

 STEP 1: THE IDENTIFICATION OF ALL THE PROPERTIES OF THE IS TO BE

ANALYZED :
This step involve the establishment of the data dictionary and its purifications. The
data dictionary is an essential document for the construction of the CDM because it aim to
identify and collect all the elementary data ( or attribute) manipulated by the system and
strictly related to the domain study.
I. ESSTABLISHMENT OF THE DATA DICTIONARY: Designing the data dictionary
need the exploitation of document and interviews and all information strictly
necessary for the management of the field of activity to computerized and
exhaustive list of all the data use in an IS must be made and given a different
name for each field, all data are listed in a table for each data we must define
their type ( elementary calculated or concatenated).
The data dictionary is represented as follows ;

DATA DICTIONARY

No Data name Mnemonic Nature Type Length Observation

code
1 Identifier of Id-pers Elemtary AN 20 /
 a person (E)
2 Total Tot_inv Calculated ( N 30 /
invoice ca)
3 Date of DOB Elemetary Date 11
birth DD/MM/YYYY

II. PURIFICATION OR REFINEMENT OF THE DATA DICTIONARY : The purpose of

the purification is to clean all the attribute obtain in the previous verifying
that each data corresponds to a fragment of information indivisible and
independent of other data
NB: the must be no redundancy in the data dictionary . to do this it is necessary to review
one after the other and without pre-establish other. Each of the attribute of the data
dictionary and check the following points.
 Check synonyms: The same data use in two different term by two different actors.
 Check Homonyms: Two different data use under the same term by two different
actors.
 Check the direct dependencies : Data that can be obtain from other data (Example
unit price excluding VAT(value added tax), unit price including the VAT and VAT).
 Check indirect dependencies and calculated data: Data obtain by counting other data
( number of invoices )

 STEP 2 :DETERMINATION OF FUNCTIONAL DEPENDECIES: Here we will

realize the matrix of functional dependencies and the graph of functional
dependencies

a. The functional dependency matrix:

A functional dependency is an in interrelation between a link
data. Let A and B be attribute, information B depend
fnctionally on information A if an only if at a single value of A it
is possible to associate only one value of B. then we talk of
direct or elementary functional dependency. In other if we no
the value of A we can deduce is single of B but the reverse is
not true. If we no B we cannot deduce A. the first data is call
the source ( ) and the second is called goal (columns).
Source  Goal
Ie A  B

NB: in general all the propeties of an etity functionally depend

on the identifier Ex: Knowing the social security number
determines only one first name. that of the holder of the SSN.
On the other hand the first name does not determine any thing
because several people can have the same first name. this
functional dependency can be represented as follows.
 SSN  First_name.

When an information depend on several information, the

functional dependency is said to be compose. We note it with
a plus ( concatenation ) .Example: if we want to know the mark
obtain by a student on an exam it is necessary to know the
student matricul, the number of the module and the session he
passed.

Stud_Matricule + Num Module + NumSession  Value Note.

In the case where the information does not have a dependency then the
information depend functional on it self.
To find functional dependencies the trick is to find the identifier or key. To
create this matrix, we will only dill with elementary data. Coming from the data
dictionary.
METHOD: to complete this table consider each column of data if the is a
dependency between two data we enter the number one and the intersection.
Consider the following data dictionary related to a customers invoice

DATA TYPE CALCULATIO ELEMENTARY

N DATA
RULE
1 Enterprise-name Settings
Enterprise-address Settings
P.O-BOX Settings
Town Settings
2 Client_nb Elementary Client_nb
Client_name Elementary Client_name
Address_client Elementary Address_client
Invoice-nb Invoice-nb
Inv- date Inv- date
Product-id Elementary Product-id
Designation Elementary Designation
Unit price Elementary Unit price
Quantity Quantity

Client- Client- Ad- Inv-nb Inv- Prod-id designation Unit Qty

nb name client date price
Client-nb 1
Client- 1 1
name
Ad_client 1 1
Inv-nb
Inv-date
Prod-id
designation 1
Unit price
quantity

-For a client number is there only one customer name ?

Answer: YES, each customer have a different number same for his coordinate.

SIMPLIFYING THE FUNCTIONAL DEPENDECY MATRIX:

Empty columns are not kept in a table that is we delete colums which do
not contains the value 1. With regard to out example the matrix will be
simplify as follows

Client- Inv-nb Prod-id

nb
Client-nb 1
Client- 1 1
name
Ad_client 1 1
Inv-nb
Inv-date 1
Prod-id
designation 1
Unit price
quantity

THE FUNCTIONAL DEPENDENCY GRAPH:

This graph is a graphical representation of a set of functional dependencies
linking the properties in the domain of activity of the IS these properties are
obtain from the data dictionary

Sup-nb Art-code
 Sup name  Descrit
 Add-sup  Weight-Art
 Town-sup  Qty-Art
 +
Costprice

The sign “+” means that the data sub-nb and art-code need to be link
 STEP 3 : DETERMINING ENTITIES HIGHLIGHTING OBJECT OR GROUPING
ATTRIBUE TO IT FEATURES:

To determine the entities one must take into account the graph of functional
dependency.

 STEP 4: DETERMINATION OF THE ASSOCIATION.

 STEP 5 : DETERMINATION OF THE CARDINALITIES FROM THE ESTABLISH
ED BUISNESS ROLE :

TASK:
Draw the CDM of the CBC