Process-Oriented Design

4. Process Design Activities

The steps in process design are transform (or transaction) analysis, develop a structure chart, design the physical database, package program units, and write program specifications. Each of these steps is discussed in this section. 

Since both transform and transaction analysis might be appropriate in a given system, the first activity is to identify all transactions and determine if they have any common processing. This activity can be done independently from the DFD and functional analysis, or it can be done as a side activity while you are doing functional analysis as the primary activity. If you cannot tell which is more appropriate, do a rough-cut structure chart using both methods and use the one which gives the best overall results in terms of coherence, understandability, and simplicity of design.