ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
Assignment 1
Modelling Information Systems-ITD122
Assignment 1 Handout- Individual
Information System Modelling with ORM Model
Due Date: 11:59 PM, Friday 23 August 2019
Weight: 30%
INSTRUCTIONS
The following tasks are to be attempted:
• Please attempt all the three (3) tasks. Marks are as indicated.
• This is an individual assignment.
• Do not forget to include your name (full name as appears in your ID cards) in your final reports.
• You can use Microsoft Word drawing tools or Microsoft Visio. MS Visio is a very good option
but this is not part of the standard software packages used at QUTIC (not available at any lab).
The following are FREE web-based systems that can use Visio file formats and do all the same
type of stuff:
https://www.draw.io/
https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/usecase/education
• There are three parts for this assignment (you must complete all parts and submit them as one
word document/report. Please also zip and submit other source files/original models e.g. drawing
as .xml, .vsd or .html via Blackboard just in case we need to refer to the original files.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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SCENARIO
An Australian software retailer, SoftMart, maintains an information system to help with invoice and stock control. It
has recently opened for business and has made only a few sales so far. The details of the software items it has in stock
are shown. The software items are standardly identified by item codes, but also have unique titles. There are exactly
three software categories, identified by codes (SS = spreadsheet, DB = database, WP = word processor). The full
names of these categories are not recorded. The list price of an item is the normal price at which the item is currently
sold. However, SoftMart may sell an item at less than the current list price (e.g., SoftMart may give a discount for
bulk orders or to favored clients, and the list price itself may change with time). There is no rule to enable the unit
price (i.e., the actual price charged for a copy of an item) to be derived from the current list price.
Itemcode Title Category Stock
Qty Listprice
B123 Blossom 123 SS 8 799.50
DL DataLight DB 10 700.00
DB3 Database 3 DB 5 1999.99
Q Quinquo SS 6 400.00
SQL+ SQL plus DB 4 1890.50
TS TextStar WP 5 500.00
WL WordLight WP 10 700.00
Customers are identified by a customer number, but the combination of their name and address is also unique. For
simplicity, customer name is treated as a single character string, and so is address. Customers have at most one phone
number recorded. The next table shows customer details.
Customer# Name Address Phone
001
002
003
Starcorp
Eastpac
Dr I.N. Stein
5 Sun St, St Lucia 4067
30 Beach Rd, Sandgate 4017
7 Sesame St, St Lucia 4067
37650000
26911111
?
Customer details may be recorded before the customer places an order. Once an order is placed, the items are issued to
the customer together with an invoice. At the time the database snapshot was taken for the output reports, only four
invoices had been issued. When a customer pays for the items listed in an invoice, the date of payment is recorded. The
following table lists the payments so far. Each invoice is identified by its invoice number. Every invoice is paid in full
or not at all.
Invoice# Date Paid
0501 10/07/88
0502 20/07/88
0503 unpaid
0504 unpaid
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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The four actual invoices are shown. The invoice header giving the address of SoftMart is not stored. An invoice
includes a table of one or more rows, called "invoice lines". Each invoice line lists details about the order of one or
more units (copies) of a software item. For simplicity, assume that on a given invoice the same item can appear on only
one invoice line. For each invoice line, the item code, title, quantity of units ordered, and unit price are listed.
The total charge for the invoice line is displayed as a subtotal. The total charge for the whole invoice is displayed as the
amount due.
SoftMart, 46 Gallium Street, Brisbane 4001
invoice#: 0501 date: 07/03/88
customer#: 001 customer name: Starcorp
address: 5 Sun St, St Lucia 4067
Item code Title Qty ordered Unit price Subtotal
total amount due: $12956.75
SoftMart, 46 Gallium Street, Brisbane 4001
invoice#: 0502 date: 07/03/88
customer#: 002 customer name: Eastpac
address: 30 Beach Rd, Sandgate, 4017
Item code Title Qty ordered Unit price Subtotal
total amount due: $3600.00
SoftMart, 46 Gallium Street, Brisbane 4001
invoice#: 0503 date: 07/10/88
customer#: 001 customer name: Starcorp
address: 5 Sun St. St Lucia 4067
Item code Title Qty ordered Unit price Subtotal
Q Quinquo 4 350.00 1400.00
total amount due: $1400.00
SoftMart, 46 Gallium Street, Brisbane 4001
Invoice#: 0504 date: 07/20/88
customer#: 003 customer name: Dr I.N. Stein
address: 7 Sesame St, St Lucia 4067
Item code Title Qty ordered Unit price Subtotal
B123
Blossom 123
DataLight
1
1
799.50
700.00
799.50
700.00
total amount due: $1499.50
Schematize this scenario, including uniqueness and mandatory role constraints. Identify a LineItem or invoice line by
using the invoice number and the item code. If a fact type is derivable, include its derivation rule.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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TASK 1 (15 Marks)
Your task is to design an information model that suggests an effective and efficient way for storing SoftMart’s
data. As you are an expert in ORM, you decide to develop an ORM model.
Complete the drawing of the ORM conceptual schema proposed below for the universe of discourse
specified in the scenario on pages 2-3 by performing steps 1-5 of the Conceptual Schema Design Procedure.
Use only those entity types and value types proposed below (do NOT introduce new entity/value types).
Customer (.Nr)
CustomerName Invoice (.Nr) Date (.DMY)
UnitPrice (AUD:)
Item (.Code)
was issued to
Address PhoneNr
ListPrice (AUD:) Category (.Code)
Quantity
ItemTitle “LineItem”
Step 1: Transform familiar examples into elementary facts and apply quality checks.
List all the deep structure sentences that you can identify based on the familiar examples mentioned in the
scenario. For example:
“ The Invoice with InvoiceNr ‘0501’ was issued to the Customer with CustomerNr ‘001’ ”.
Step 2: Draw the fact types and apply a population check.
Use the deep structure sentences from Step 1 to draw fact types. As an example, consider the only binary fact
type shown in the diagram above. Note that this fact type is introduced based on the example deep structure
sentence proposed in the description of Step 1.
Perform a population check by populating identified fact types with the fact instances captured in the deep
structure sentences. This can be accomplished by drawing fact tables.
For all the identified fact types discuss/demonstrate that they are indeed elementary by performing all the
necessary split and join operations on sample populations.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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Step 3: Check for entity types to be combined and note any arithmetic derivations.
Discuss in text if it does or does not make sense to combine any of the entity types proposed in the diagram.
In this discussion do not exceed the word limit of 300 words.
Introduce TWO arithmetically derivable fact types in your ORM model. You can use mathematical notation
or textual description to specify derivation rules.
Step 4: Add uniqueness constraints.
Introduce all the uniqueness constraints in your ORM model that you can identify based on the scenario.
For each introduced uniqueness constraint, briefly explain the rationale behind your decision to include it in
the model.
Step 5: Add mandatory role constraints.
Introduce all the mandatory role constraints in your ORM model that you can identify based on the scenario.
For each introduced mandatory role constraint, briefly explain the rationale behind your decision to include it
in the model.
TASK 2 (10 Marks)
Suggest an additional piece of information that SoftMart can store in an information system by extending the
ORM model obtained as your answer to Task 1. Your extension should introduce 3-4 fresh entity/value
types and several fact types to the model.
For example, one can propose to keep information about partially paid invoices that get paid in several
transactions. This extension would require introduction of a fresh entity type called Transaction.
For your extension, implement and discuss steps 1-5 of the Conceptual Schema Design Procedure by
following the guidelines proposed in Task 1.
In your final report, present your answers and extended model separately from the one you developed for
Task 1.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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TASK 3 (5 Marks)
We learnt that an information system (IS) is an integrated set of elements or components, for collecting,
storing, manipulating, processing and disseminating data, and for delivering information, knowledge and
digital products. A model is a simplified representation of a real world or an envisioned phenomenon, e.g., an
object, process or system that serves a particular purpose for a target audience. Modelling is about finding a
compromise between model accuracy and effort required to develop the model. Modelling is both an art and
a science, and abstractions are elementary operations of modelling. Now, answer the following questions:
A) What is Information Systems Modelling? (2.5 Marks)
B) Discuss the purpose of ORM conceptual schema design. (2.5 Marks)
Note: Please consult the information on QUT Library resources (for complete guide to citation, referencing and
academic writing) for avoiding plagiarism.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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Submission:
This has to be submitted via Blackboard submission box before between 11:59 PM, Friday 23 August 2019.
Each submission must contain a declaration, signed by students, stating that he/she has viewed the final version
of the assignment that is to be submitted and that it is their original work (see Appendix A).
Sample structure for Assignment 1 report is provided below:
Cover page (include your full names, topic, date, etc…).
Answer to Task 1 which includes an ORM final model and the discussion of steps 1-5 of the
Conceptual Model Design Procedure that you have taken to develop the model.
Answer to Task 2 which includes an extended version of the ORM model developed as your answer
to Task 1 and a discussion of steps 1-5 of the Conceptual Model Design Procedure that you have taken
to develop the extension.
Answer to Task 3 (requires a good research on both topics)
Declaration by individual (see template in Appendix A)
LATE SUBMISSIONS
According to QUT policies, submissions past the deadline will NOT be marked, and will thus attract a mark
of 0/100. Therefore, you are strongly advised to submit your report, even if this is a draft only, by the due
date.
EXTENSIONS
According to QUT policies, an extension to the due date of the assignment may only be granted on
medical/compassionate grounds. All requests for extensions must be submitted via the QUTIC admin office
& in writing with appropriate documentation (e.g. a medical certificate clearly stating the actual condition, the
period of illness, and the length of the illness, etc.).
Reasons such as busy schedules, other commitments, machine downtime, unexpected work pressures,
interstate travels for work, unawareness of the due date of the assignment, corrupted discs etc. will not qualify
as a basis for requesting an extension. You need to allow some times for unexpected events to ensure you can
submit your assignment on time.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Any action or practice on your part which would defeat the purposes of assessment is regarded as academic
dishonesty. The penalties for academic dishonesty are provided in the Student Rules. For more information
consult the information on Blackboard and QUT Library resources for avoiding plagiarism.
GETTING FEEDBACK
The teaching team will be available to answer your questions about the assignment, but not to pre-mark
assignments. Lecturers and tutors will NOT read report drafts and review detailed models prior to the
submission of the assignment.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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GENERAL INQUIRIES
For specific content-related inquiries about your assessments, please contact your tutor.
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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Marking Scheme (Total Mark: 30)
The following marking scheme and criteria will be used as a basis for marking your reports.
• Parts of marks will be given for partly correct answers to the sub-tasks.
• No final diagram for task 1 will result in 35% penalty.
Total:
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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Task 2
10 Marks
Your answer to Task 2 will be marked according to the marking criteria of Task 1 & must show the 5 steps
of the Conceptual Schema Design Procedure. However, the final mark for Task 2 will be adjusted to 66% of
15 Marks to yield the maximum of 10 marks for Task 2.
To get pass marks for this section, students need to: introduce a few significant fact types (note: introducing
three or four simple value types is not sufficient. Students need to add at least two entity types), correctly
identify all entity types in the new proposal that can be combined, or an explanation as to why none of the
entity types from the diagram can be combined is provided, make sure most the introduced uniqueness and
mandatory constraints are correct and if possible introduce the required arithmetically derivable fact types
and/or value constraint. To get 6 or above students need to present a very sophisticated solution, that showcase
their skills.
Notes:
• Parts of marks will be given for partly correct answers to the sub-tasks.
• No final diagram for task 2 will result in 35% penalty.
Task 3
5 Marks
Question A: 2.5 Marks
Significant confusion and incorrect answers – (0 mark)
The answers are mostly correctly – (1 marks)
Clear and accurate answer– (2 marks)
Impressive answer (e.g. Complete and excellent explanation, references, diagrams, comparison,
demonstration and good research) – (2.5 marks)
Question B: 2.5 Marks
Significant confusion and incorrect answers – (0 mark)
The answers are mostly correctly – (1 marks)
Clear and accurate answer– (2 marks)
Impressive answer (e.g. Complete and excellent explanation, references, diagrams, comparison,
demonstration and good research) – (2.5 marks)
ITD122– Assignment 1 – Information Modelling with ORM (Semester 2, 2019)
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APPENDIX A – DECLARATION TEMPLATE
By submitting this assignment, I am aware of the University rule that a student must not act in a manner which
constitutes academic dishonesty as stated and explained in the QUT Manual of Policies and Procedures
(MoPP). I confirm that this work represents my individual effort. I have viewed the final version and declare
that it does not contain plagiarized material.
Full Name Student No. Signature