Overview

The design representation of how a system will work forms the input specification for the final stage of building the system. Some developers find it too easy to move straight from analysis to development, skipping design. This is a bad move, since by producing a clear design "spec," time spent in configuring and testing the system at later stages can be greatly reduced. By design I mean the definition of how the WFMS or groupware system will operate within its implementation environment. For example, the design must include the architecture of the system; how security will be implemented; methods for entry, storage, retrieval and display of data and how this is achieved through the user interface.

How you approach the design of a groupware or workflow system will vary greatly according to the package you are using to implement your chosen solution. In this description of design we are not considering design of a new WFMS or groupware system, but design for an implementation based on an existing product. Note though, that many products require considerable tailoring and configuration before use. Given this, many of the comments also apply to a custom made system developed from scratch.

In This Chapter

We start by reviewing what is involved in designing the architecture of the system, that is, what arrangement of hardware and software components is required. Key elements of system design are then considered. These include user interface design, security and specific issues for the design of modules of...