Conceptual Modeling

Ahmed Ezzat Labib

Introduction

 Modeling is a useful approach to describe aspects of a

system.
 Modeling is used as the basis for a simulation to describe
some information about a system.
 Model can say so much more than words alone,
because it helps to describe the parts of the system, and
how they relate to each other.
 Such a model is often called a conceptual model,
because it is intended to describe the concepts behind
the system.
Introduction

 Conceptual models, by their nature, are designed for

people that are not already familiar with the system.
 A conceptual model is designed to give some insight
into the system and how it might work.
 The conceptual model helps to describe the idea
(concept) behind the system
1. What the system is intended to do, and
2. How it will be accomplished
without letting the technical details get in the way.
Conceptual Model

 Two requirements for conceptual models:

1. They should be readable—and understandable—by humans.
2. The second is that they should describe the concept behind the
system.
 The model should describe the different parts of the
system, how they are connected, and what function
they perform.
Conceptual Model

 Conceptual models may take the form of:

1. Textual descriptions: or specific information technology formats
such as Extensible Markup Language (XML).
2. Graphical representation: specific image elements - such as
shapes, connecting lines, specific layouts etc. - will each be
used to convey some specific information about the system
being described.
Simple example of a conceptual model
System Concepts

 Conceptual models are described as a way to capture

and describe the concept behind a system.
 This might be a dynamic system— such as an engine, or
a vehicle, or a processing plant.
 A Dynamic System is a collection of different parts that
work together to transform some input into the system,
into some output from the system.
System Concepts –
Examples of Dynamic Systems
1. An engine transforms energy of some form (fuel,
electricity, etc.) into a different form of energy (such as
mechanical work).
2. A vehicle can transform some input (batteries, engine
output) into movement (the vehicle, as a system,
accepts gasoline as an input, and then produces
movement for the passengers and cargo).
3. A processing plant accepts some materials as input and
produces some products as output.
System Concepts –
Examples of Static Systems
1. Human Organizations: they exist to do work, where
each part (in relationship to some of the other parts)
produces something useful.
 A useful conceptual model of a human organization could be as
simple as an organization chart.
 It shows the different parts of the system (the different
departments and working groups) and how they are connected.
System Concepts –
System Parts Types
 Three different types of parts:
1. Objects (the identifiable “things” that make up the system)
2. Processes (the operations that take time and involve
change)
3. Relations (how these different parts are organized together
in the system)
System Concepts – Objects
Mars Rover Example
 The rover itself is the system, and in the conceptual
model of the system, objects might include: solar panels,
power plants, wheels, sensors, robotic arms, and
communicators.
 Each of these things does something different—they
may be related to other objects, or may rely on those
other objects for input, control, or output, but they each
have their own individual purpose for being in the
system.
System Concepts – Processes
Mars Rover Example
 The wheel assemblies together are responsible for the
process of movement.
 The power plant is responsible for the process of turning
electricity from the solar panels into potential energy for
the wheel assemblies.
 And the solar panels are responsible for turning sunlight
into electricity.
 Each of these is a process, and by identifying them in a
conceptual model, the modeler helps to give the
concept of the system in a clear and meaningful way.
System Concepts – Processes

 When a modeler considers processes, there are a

couple of features that the modeler should consider:
1. The name of the process,
2. What allows the process to begin,
3. What causes the process to end, and
4. The effect of the process.
System Concepts – Processes
Mars Rover Example
 The “electricity generation” process. (Name)
 The starting condition of that process is when there is
sunlight on the solar panel. (beginning the process)
 The ending conditions of that process might be two
different ones:
 First, when there is no longer any sunlight, and
 Second could be when the batteries are full. (Ending the process)

 Finally, the effect of the process would be to generate

electricity. (effect of the process)
System Concepts – Relations
Mars Rover Example
 In the Mars rover, there is an object called the robotic
arm.
 There is a relation between the power plant and the
robotic arm, showing that generated power goes to the
robotic arm.
 It might be useful to indicate on that relation, that the
power only goes to the robotic arm when it is activated
by some control.
Conceptual Modeling Types
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
 ERD is a graphical model captures information about
the various entities (objects) in a system, and then
relates them to each other, with some definition given to
the relationship.
 In addition, the model also has the ability to illustrate the
parameters for each entity that give it definition.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
 The three basic elements that can be shown in an ERD
are:
1. the Entity, which is illustrated by a rectangle,
2. The Attribute (used to describe what possible parameters an
entity might have) which is illustrated by an oval in the diagram
and connected to an entity by a line, and
3. The Relation, which describes the particular relation that exists
between different entities, and is illustrated by a diamond on a
connecting line between two entities.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
ERD – Mars Rover Example
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
 ERD is not suited for showing dynamic behavior, so while
the relations might indicate a possibility for a process to
occur, there is no specific provision for representing
processes, the passage of time, or other dynamic
aspects of the modeled system in action.
 The ERD exists to illustrate the conceptual entity types in
a system, and how they relate to each other.
 ERD is frequently used as the basis for a relational data
model.
Example
 DHL prides itself on having up-to-date information on the processing
and current location of each shipped item. To do this, DHL relies on
a company-wide information system. Shipped items are the heart of
the DHL product tracking information system. Shipped items can be
characterized by item number (unique), weight, dimensions,
insurance amount, destination, and final delivery date. Shipped
items are received into the DHL system at a single retail center.
Retail centers are characterized by their type, uniqueID, and
address. Shipped items make their way to their destination via one
or more standard DHL transportation events (i.e., flights, truck
deliveries). These transportation events are characterized by a
unique scheduleNumber, a type (e.g, flight, truck), and a
deliveryRoute.
 Please create an Entity Relationship diagram that captures this
information about the UPS system. Be certain to indicate identifiers
and cardinality constraints.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Use-Case Diagram
 A use-case diagram is a graphic model that is useful for
describing the concepts of how a user will interact with
a system.
 That interaction may be that the user is operating or
enabling the system, or that the user is giving some
information or resources to the system, or some other
interaction.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Use-Case Diagram
 The elements of a use-case diagram include the User
(Actor) (which may represent a human user, or even
some other system), which is represented in the system
as a stick figure.
 The System is represented in a use-case diagram as a
box, which contains a number of different ovals. The box
is the boundary of the system, and it illustrates this by
keeping the users outside the box, while all the ovals
inside the box.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Use-Case Diagram
 The Ovals represent certain actions, or processes, that
the user becomes part of when they interact with the
system.
 The ovals, representing processes, are sometimes
connected to each other, representing the output of
one process which may serve as the input to another
process, or some other relationship.
 Finally, all of the process ovals, and sometimes the
relations between them and also between the actors
and the ovals, are labeled describing the Relationship.
Conceptual Modeling Types –
Use-Case Diagram – Mars Rover Example
Example

 Suppose we want to develop software for an alarm clock.

 The clock shows the time of day. Using buttons, the user can set the
hours and minutes fields individually, and choose between 12 and
24-hour display. It is possible to set one or two alarms. When an
alarm fires, it will sound some noise. The user can turn it off, or
choose to ’snooze’. If the user does not respond at all, the alarm will
turn off itself after 2 minutes. ’Snoozing’ means to turn off the sound,
but the alarm will fire again after some minutes of delay. This
’snoozing time’ is pre-adjustable.
 Identify the top-level functional requirement for the clock, and
model it with a use case diagram.
 Problem
 A university registrar’s office maintains data about the
following entities: courses, including number, title, credits,
syllabus, and prerequisites; course offerings, including course
number, year, semester, section number, instructor(s),timings,
and classroom; students, including student-id, name, and
program; and instructors, including identification number,
name, department, and title. Further, the enrollment of
students in courses and grades awarded to students in each
course they are enrolled for must be appropriately modeled.
 Construct an E-R diagram for the registrar’s office.
 Dead line: 18 March 2023, will collect in The lecture
 Your answer in a HAND WRITTEN format with YOUR NAME AND
YOUR MAJOR.