Online Sytem Enrollment System

Developing an online system requires a series of tests and revision to ensure that the system effectively works. To illustrate the development of the system, a simplified version of the spiral life-cycle model was used. The spiral model combines the iterative nature of rapid prototyping in which the researchers established an understanding of the system and its objectives as well as its functionality, ability to accommodate change, constraints, and other alternatives in achieving those objectives. In the specification phase, the researchers defined the system requirements, conducted cost analysis, and defined some theories and concepts such as the Patterned Recognition Approach and Negotiation Approach. Following the specification phase was the design phase in which the researchers made a blueprint of the system to make the implementation phase much easier. The implementation phase is the actual development of the system. After implementing the system, the post-delivery maintenance phase followed. The researchers distributed a copy of the system to the enrollment officers for them to test the functionality of the system. For any changed requirements, the specification phase up to the post-delivery maintenance phase was repeated. When all requirements were fully satisfied, the researchers proceeded to the retirement phase.

Figure 1. A Simplified Version of the Spiral Life – Cycle Model
In the study, the researchers used the Data Flow Diagram, which is a diagrammatic representation of the information flows within a system showing how information enters the system and leaves the system, what changes the information and where information is stored. Data Flow Diagrams show the passage of data through the system by using 5 basic constructs: Data Flows, Processes, Data Stores, External Entities, and Physical Resources, [Kendall, 2005]. The diagram would easily show the processes that would be done by the system and the other elements or entities that are involved.