Structured analysis and design technique

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For the chemical reaction SADT, see Self Accelerating Decomposition Temperature

Structured Analysis and Design Technique — SADT is a Software Engineering technique for describing systems as a hierarchy of functions.

Techniques

SADT uses two types of diagrams: activity models and data models. It uses arrows to build these diagrams.

The Semantics of Arrows

For activities:

Inputs enter from the left and represent data or consumables that are needed by the activity.
Outputs exit from the right and represent data or products that are produced by the activity.
Controls enter from the top and represent commands which influence the execution of an activity but are not consumed.
Mechanisms identify the means, components or tools used to accomplish the activity. Represents allocation of activities.

For data:

Inputs are activities that produce the data.
Outputs consume the data.
Controls influence the internal state of the data.

SADT is a method based in systems theory. Also see IDEF0.

SADT is available as a commercial CASE tool under the name IDEF0.

External links

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