{"id":48085,"date":"2012-05-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-05-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/an-intro-to-logic-trees-and-structured-programming\/"},"modified":"2017-11-23T13:04:21","modified_gmt":"2017-11-23T13:04:21","slug":"an-intro-to-logic-trees-and-structured-programming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/2\/28552\/it-business\/enterprise-applications\/an-intro-to-logic-trees-and-structured-programming","title":{"rendered":"An Intro to Logic Trees and Structured Programming"},"content":{"rendered":"
Business systems and processes function according to business rules and regulations from within a specific business domain. The dynamic nature of every business environment consists of internal and external influences, such as keeping up with competition and changes in laws and regulations. That’s why it’s vital for business analysts, project managers, and key decision-makers to understand the variety of ways in which logic modeling and structured programming can work to improve business operations.\n<\/p>\n
How? By creating and producing process specifications, an organization is able to obtain a precise description of how it’s doing today, and what needs to be accomplished. These specifications also validate the system design (including data flow diagrams<\/a> and the data dictionary<\/a>), and reduces process ambiguity.\n<\/p>\n The methods available for documenting and analyzing the logic of structured decisions include structured English<\/a>, decision tables and decision trees<\/a>. Business analysts may use these methods to identify the requirements of current and future business stakeholders and convert these requirements into specifications that will guide the construction of IT-based business solutions. Let’s take a look.\n<\/p>\n A logic model presents a picture or a narrative of how processes communicate with one another. In other words, it’s an illustration of a sequence of cause-and-effect relationships that are both going down the same path to achieve the same end results. The purpose of logic modeling is to communicate the underlying theory or set of assumptions that a program may conclude regarding why the program will work or why the solution being used is the best solution to the identified problem or issue. Whether a logic model depicts itself through diagrams, flow sheets, graphically, or through a narrative, each form conveys relationships between contextual factors and programmatic inputs, processes and outcomes.<\/p>\n Logic models can be used to show why an initiative is important, what results it will produce, and what actions and causes are expected to lead to the desired results. This all serves as the basis for determining whether planned actions are likely to lead to the desired results.\n<\/p>\n It is very common for people to confuse logic models with action plans. While the differences are subtle, they are also very important to understand and identify. An action plan is a team leader or manager\u2019s guide for carrying out a project; a logic model illustrates the changes or effects that may occur as a result of the originally structured plan or recreation of the plan. Action plans are used to show a set of program objects and a timeline or projected outline, such as a launch media campaign or some type of outreach project. Basically, an action plan is a guide for the actual implementation and running of a project that is created after<\/em> the logic model is in place.<\/p>\n Process specifications are the methods available for documenting and analyzing the logic of structured decisions. This includes structured English, decision tables and decision trees. Process specifications are created for primitive processes and some higher-level processes on a data flow diagram<\/a>. (These can also be referred to as minispecs<\/em> because they are a small portion of the total product specifications). Process specifications reduce process ambiguity, allow an individual or an organization to obtain a precise description of what is accomplished, and validate the system design, including data flow diagrams and the data dictionary.\n<\/p>\n Process specifications are not created for physical input or output processes, processes that represent simple data validation, or for processes in which prewritten code already exists. Process descriptions may exist on a form or within a computer-aided software engineering <\/a>(CASE) tool repository. Specifications explain the decision-making logic and formulas that transform process input data into output. Process logic is best represented through structured English, decision tables, decision trees, through specified formulas or algorithms, or through any combination of the above.\n<\/p>\n Structured English is based on structured logic. It is used when process logic involves formulas or iteration, or when structured decisions are not too complex. Structured English is used to express all logic in terms of sequential structures, decision structures, iterations and case structures. This modified form of English is used to specify the logic of information processes by using a subset of English vocabulary to express process procedures. There are no specific standards set to carry out a structured English model. Usually, each analyst or project lead will have its own methodology, but every model consists of action verbs and noun phrases with no adverbs or adjectives.<\/p>\n Structured English is used to represent processes in a shorthand manner that is relatively easy for users and programmers alike to read and comprehend. Sequence, condition and repetition are all included in the process of creating a structured English model. Structured English is a technique used to describe algorithmic procedures and may sometimes be an alternative to flow charts. It is an effective communication tool that is used to clarify the logic and relationships found among human languages.\n<\/p>\nLogic Modeling<\/span><\/h2>\n
Don’t Confuse a Logic Model with an Action Plan<\/span><\/h2>\n
Process Specification<\/span><\/h2>\n
Modeling Logic with Structured English<\/span><\/h2>\n
Modeling Logic with Decision Tables<\/span><\/h2>\n