Application of Structured Analysis Design Technique on a Pathology

Process

MOHAMED NAJEH LAKHOUA1, FATMA KHANCHEL2

National Engineering School of Carthage,

University of Carthage,

TUNISIA

domains experts, analysis and modeling business processes in a pathology department is certain. The objective of

this paper is to present an application of the Structured Analysis Design Technique (SADT) method in the medical

framework. Then, we present the application of this method in a case study of a pathology process. Thus, the

authors underline the need for system analysis of a pathology process.

Key-Words- Pathology process, SADT method, system analysis, medical framework.

Received: July 9, 2022. Revised: September 25, 2023. Accepted: October 8, 2023. Published: October 16, 2023.

system operations and the interactions of staff to

effectively build and use modeling for analysis, design,

and communication of systems in the manufacturing

industry.

essential characteristics: temporal evolution of the

system components and the system-environment

interaction. Indeed, the complexity of relations

between a system and its environment is especially

verified in the domain of process conduct.

which was designed by Ross in the 1970s, [1], was

methods in particular pathology processes and second,

we present the SADT method used in the design and

communication of systems in the manufacturing

industry. In section three, we present the application of

this method in a case study of a pathology process.

Then, we underline the need for system analysis of a

pathology process. Finally, the last section presents the

conclusion and future work.

Force's Integrated Computer-Aided Manufacturing

(ICAM) program's IDEF group of analysis and design

methods, [10].

supporting tools, several computer programs

implementing SADT methodology have been

Fig. 1: Top-down, modular, and hierarchical decomposition of SADT.

of the hierarchy, the overall purpose of the system is

shown, which is then decomposed into components-

subactivities. The decomposition process continues until

there is sufficient detail to serve the purpose of the

model builder. SADT/IDEF0 models ensure

consistency of the overall modeled system at each level

of the decomposition, [13], [14], [15], [16], [17].

represent system activities and their interrelationships,

but they do not show direct logical and time

dependencies between them. SADT defines an

activation as the way a function operates when it is

inputs to generate some of its outputs. Thus, for any

preconditions and postconditions are logical expressions

of ICOM codes, where each ICOM code identifies a

single control, input, output, or mechanism arrow for

that particular box. When an ICOM arrow does not

participate in activation, it is simply omitted from the

precondition. Similarly, when some of the outputs of a

box are produced during activation, the ICOM codes for

The model of the pathology process that we propose

means to represent the different activities of the

pathology process and to consider it like an information

system. The number, the complexity, and the

interference of information exchange taken in the study

of a model need a systemic approach defining the limits

of the process (through establishing communication

work, related processes, and outcomes.

Recall that the techniques such as SADT are semi-

formal. As a consequence, for the same subject,

different correct models can be built without having to

know with certitude which model is the good or, at

least, the best. This kind of model allows users

sufficient freedom in its construction and so the

subjective factor introduces a supplementary dimension

for its validation. That is why the validation step on the

whole necessitates the confrontation of different points

of view.

As to the SADT technique, users can follow rules or

recommendations to the level of the coherency of the

model, such as the distinction between the different

complementary means to check the coherency of

centigrams is a confrontation between centigrams and

datagrams, which is not possible in our case.

For the SADT box, there is the function (verb to

infinitive) and around this box, the associated data are

specified of which the nature (input, output, control, or

mechanism) appears directly.

Conceptual Modeling (CM) has gained a lot of attention

in recent years and it is generally agreed that CM is the

most important phase of a simulation study. Despite its

significance, there are many techniques that can assist

in developing well-structured and concise conceptual

models.

The complexity of the pathology process and the

References

[1] D.T. Ross, Structured Analysis (SA): A language

for communicating ideas, IEEE Transaction On

Software Engineering, 3(1), 1977, pp. 16-34.

[2] D.T. Ross, Applications and Extensions of

SADT, IEEE Computer, 18(4), 1985, pp. 25–34.

[3] P. Jaulent, SADT un langage pour communiquer,

IGL Technology, Eyrolles, Paris, France, 1989.

[4] M.N. Lakhoua, The Need for systemic analysis

and design methodology of the medical

[14] D. Marca, Augmenting SADT to develop

computer support for cooperative work,

Proceedings 13th International Conference on

Software Engineering, 1991.

[15] A. Soltani, T. Battikh, I. Jabri, M.N. Lakhoua, A

new expert system based on fuzzy logic and

image processing algorithms for early glaucoma

diagnosis, Biomedical Signal Processing and

Control, Vol. 40, February 2018, pp. 366–377.

[16] M.N. Lakhoua, J. Ben Salem, M.F. Karoui,

System Analysis and Information System

Development of a Smart Grid, Independent

Journal of Management and Production, Volume

13, Issue 5, 2022.

Contribution of Individual Authors to the Creation

of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting Policy)

- Mohamed Najeh Lakhoua wrote and he was

- Fatma Khanchel has participated in the design of the

No funding was received for conducting this study.

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)