MGMT7020 Chap.6 System Modelling and Rich Pictures
System Modelling and Rich Pictures
Six methods for capturing requirements
Siau and Wang compare three systems development diagrams, use case, rich picture and entity-relationship, with three cognitive mapping methods, concept mapping, repertory grid and causal mapping, and conclude that no single method fits every situation.
Drawing rich pictures
Berg and Pooley show how rich-picture icons carry meaning through context, emotion and artefacts, and why fair representation of every stakeholder matters.
The chapter ends with choosing methods for a records replacement.
Why modelling sits in a project management week
System modelling appears in Week 3 alongside risk and change because misunderstood requirements are one of the main sources of both. A method that surfaces disagreement early, such as a rich picture or a concept map, reduces the goal changes that later damage projects.
Methods such as use cases and ER diagrams then pin down what the system must do and hold.
Common errors on this topic
Students sometimes name a method without saying what it cannot show, or treat a rich picture as a decorative drawing rather than a tool for surfacing tensions.
Another frequent slip is drawing the picture from one group's point of view, which Berg and Pooley show can lead a team to a confident answer to the wrong problem.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Information modelling in requirements management
- 02
Use case, rich picture and ER diagrams
- 03
Concept mapping, repertory grids and causal maps
- 04
Stillings' five aspects of evaluation
- 05
Strengths and weaknesses by method
- 06
Rich picture icons and principles
- 07
Combining methods
Worked example · free
Choose a method for each of three modelling needs
- 1(a) A rich picture: life-like and quick to read, but the most subjective to draw.
- 1(b) An ER diagram: shows entities, relationships and keys, but cannot show procedures.
- 1(c) A use case diagram: shows actors and their main tasks, but omits process detail.
Key terms
- Information Modelling
- The part of requirements management that captures user needs and makes system complexity understandable.
- Use Case Diagram
- A diagram of actors, the use cases they perform and the system boundary.
- Entity-Relationship Diagram
- A data model showing entities, their relationships, attributes and keys.
- Repertory Grid
- A method that elicits how people compare elements on their own bipolar constructs.
- Causal Map
- A diagram of cause-and-effect assertions joined by directed links.
- Synecdoche
- A familiar sign standing for a whole object or idea, such as a knife and fork for a food court.
System Modelling and Rich Pictures FAQ
Which modelling method is best?
Siau and Wang conclude none is best for every situation. Each has strengths and weaknesses, so the choice depends on what the audience needs to see, and practitioners should combine methods where possible.
Why draw a rich picture before writing requirements?
Drawing forces priorities, lets people see their own role, marks the system's scope and exposes worries and conflicts. The conversation while drawing often matters more than the final picture.
Do rich pictures have standard symbols?
No fixed notation exists. Berg and Pooley found recurring icon types and shapes, such as jagged marks for conflict and hard rectangles for artefacts, but recommend icons suited to the domain and chosen by the group.
What are the steps in drawing a use case diagram?
Siau and Wang describe four: find the actors, find the use cases, briefly describe each use case, and describe the model as a whole. The steps need not be followed strictly in order and often run at the same time.
How long does a rich picture session take?
Berg and Pooley report that a rich picture workshop rarely needs more than twenty to twenty-five minutes. The value lies in the discussion while drawing, so involve every relevant stakeholder group rather than one artist.
What are the parts of a repertory grid?
Elements, the items being compared; constructs, the bipolar dimensions participants use to compare them; and links, the ratings that connect each element to each construct. Changing one part has chain effects on the others, which makes the grid harder to modify.
Exam move
Make a one-line card for each of the six methods: building blocks, best use, main weakness. Then draw a quick rich picture of a situation you know and check it against the drawing principles. For each method, also learn the one situation in which you would not use it.
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