A structure chart (SC) in software engineering
Software engineering is a systematic engineering approach to software development.
A software engineer is a person who applies the principles of software engineering to design, develop, maintain, test, and evaluate computer software. The term ' ...
and organizational theory
Organizational theory refers to the set of interrelated concepts that involve the sociological study of the structures and operations of formal social organizations. Organizational theory also attempts to explain how interrelated units of organiz ...
is a chart which shows the breakdown of a system to its lowest manageable levels.IRS (2008) "Configuration Management" In: ''IRS Resources Part 2. Information Technology Chapter 27. Configuration Management''. Accessed aIRS.GOV
14 November 2008. No longer online 8 November 2009. They are used in
structured programming
Structured programming is a programming paradigm aimed at improving the clarity, quality, and development time of a computer program by making extensive use of the structured control flow constructs of selection ( if/then/else) and repetition (w ...
to arrange program modules into a tree. Each module is represented by a box, which contains the module's name. The tree structure visualizes the relationships between modules.
Overview
A structure chart is a top-down modular design tool, constructed of squares representing the different modules in the system, and lines that connect them. The lines represent the connection and or ownership between activities and subactivities as they are used in organization chart
An organizational chart, also called organigram, organogram, or organizational breakdown structure (OBS) is a diagram that shows the structure of an organization and the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs. The term ...
s.H. Fujita & V. Gruhn (2004). ''New Trends in Software Methodologies, Tools and Techniques''. Page 6.
In structured analysis
In software engineering, structured analysis (SA) and structured design (SD) are methods for analyzing business requirements and developing specifications for converting practices into computer programs, hardware configurations, and related manual ...
structure charts, according to Wolber (2009), "are used to specify the high-level design, or architecture, of a computer program
A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components.
A computer progra ...
. As a design tool, they aid the programmer in dividing and conquering a large software problem, that is, recursively breaking a problem down into parts that are small enough to be understood by a human brain. The process is called top-down design, or functional decomposition
In mathematics, functional decomposition is the process of resolving a functional relationship into its constituent parts in such a way that the original function can be reconstructed (i.e., recomposed) from those parts by function composition.
...
. Programmers use a structure chart to build a program in a manner similar to how an architect uses a blueprint to build a house. In the design stage, the chart is drawn and used as a way for the client and the various software designers to communicate. During the actual building of the program (implementation), the chart is continually referred to as "the master-plan".David Wolber (2009)Structure Charts
Supplementary Notes Structure Charts and Bottom-up Implementation: Java Version. Accessed 8 November 2009 A structure chart depicts * the size and complexity of the system, and * number of readily identifiable functions and modules within each function and * whether each identifiable function is a manageable entity or should be broken down into smaller components. A structure chart is also used to
diagram
A diagram is a symbolic representation of information using visualization techniques. Diagrams have been used since prehistoric times on walls of caves, but became more prevalent during the Enlightenment. Sometimes, the technique uses a three ...
associated elements that comprise a run stream or thread. It is often developed as a hierarchical diagram
A hierarchy (from Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important ...
, but other representations are allowable. The representation must describe the breakdown of the configuration system into subsystems and the lowest manageable level. An accurate and complete structure chart is the key to the determination of the configuration items (CI), and a visual representation of the configuration system and the internal interfaces among its CIs(define CI clearly). During the configuration control process, the structure chart is used to identify CIs and their associated artifacts that a proposed change may impact.
Structure chart construction
According to Wolber (2009), "a structure chart can be developed starting with the creating of a structure, which places the root of an upside-down tree which forms the structure chart. The next step is to conceptualize the main sub-tasks that must be performed by the program to solve the problem. Next, the programmer focuses on each sub-task individually, and conceptualizes how each can be broken down into even smaller tasks. Eventually, the program is broken down to a point where the leaves of the tree represent simple methods that can be coded with just a few program statements". In practice, see figure, first it is checked if a structure chart has been developed already. If so an expert needs to review it to ensure it represents the current structure and if not, updates the chart where needed..See also
* Computer-aided software engineering * System context diagram * Decomposition diagram *Function model In systems engineering, software engineering, and computer science, a function model or functional model is a structured representation of the functions ( activities, actions, processes, operations) within the modeled system or subject area.
* HIPO
* Structured Analysis and Design Technique
* Warnier/Orr diagram
* Work breakdown structure
A work-breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering is a deliverable-oriented breakdown of a project into smaller components. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the team's work int ...
References
Further reading
* Sarah Brooks (1981). "Structure Charts and Basic Programming". in: ''MATYC Journal'', v15 n2 p. 107-112 Spring 1981. * Tom DeMarco (1979). ''Structured Analysis and System Specification''. Prentice Hall. * Edward Yourdon (1999). ''Modern Structured Analysis'', Yourdon Press Computing Series, 1999,External links
Structure charts
Overview.
a series of examples.
Structure Charts
(.doc). {{Authority control Charts Systems analysis