Chapter 1 About This Book

Subject

This book describes the PowerDesigner Requirements Model environment. It shows you how to do the following:

Create requirements document views
Create traceability matrix views
Create user allocation matrix views
Define specific objects in a requirements model
Check a requirements model
Compare and merge requirements models
Link requirements with design objects (objects from other types of models)
Export requirements as design objects
Import design objects as requirements
Create and update an MS Word document from a requirements model
Insert a requirements model into an existing MS Word document
Create and update a requirements model from an MS Word document

Audience

This book is for anyone who wants to build a requirements model with PowerDesigner. It does not require any particular knowledge. For more information, see the Bibliography section at the end of this chapter.

Documentation primer

The PowerDesigner modeling environment supports several types of models:

Conceptual Data Model (CDM) to model the overall logical structure of a data application, independent from any software or data storage structure considerations
Physical Data Model (PDM) to model the overall physical structure of a database, taking into account DBMS software or data storage structure considerations
Object Oriented Model (OOM) to model a software system using an object-oriented approach for Java or other object languages
Business Process Model (BPM) to model the means by which one or more processes are accomplished in operating business practices
XML Model (XSM) to model the structure of an XML file using a DTD or an XML schema
Requirements Model (RQM) to list and document the customer needs that must be satisfied during a development process
Information Liquidity Model (ILM) to model the replication of information from a source database to one or several remote databases using replication engines
Free Model (FEM) to create any kind of chart diagram, in a context-free environment

This book only explains how to use the Requirements Model. For information on other models or aspects of PowerDesigner, consult the following books:

General Features Guide To get familiar with the PowerDesigner interface before learning how to use any of the models.

Conceptual Data Model User's Guide To work with the CDM.

Physical Data Model User's Guide To work with the PDM.

Object Oriented Model User's Guide To work with the OOM.

Business Process Model User's Guide To work with the BPM.

XML Model User's Guide To work with the XSM.

Information Liquidity Model User's Guide To work with the ILM.

Reports User's Guide To create reports for any or all models.

Repository User's Guide To work in a multi-user environment using a central repository.

Typographic conventions

PowerDesigner documentation uses specific typefaces to help you readily identify specific items:

monospace text (normal and bold)

Used for: Code samples, commands, compiled functions and files, references to variables.

Example: declare user_defined..., the BeforeInsertTrigger template.
bold text

Any new term.

Example: A shortcut has a target object.
small caps

Any key name.

Example: Press the enter key.

Bibliography

INCOSE (International Council on Systems Engineering) – http://www.incose.org/practice/techactivities/semanagement/rwg.aspx

Special thanks to Dr Gregory Abowd and his team, Jeffrey Corn (Manager), Travis Works (Architect), John Garrard (Programmer), Kesniel Acton (Technical Writer), and Dinesh Krishna (Quality Assurance), who designed the CyberFridge project – Copyright 2004, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0415, All Rights Reserved