ABSTRACT
Elements are the smallest components in a composite entity. They are the basic building blocks used to build products. We do not break an element down into its constituent parts. Requirements are the first prerequisite before we can begin software design. Software requirements are classified into the core functionality requirements, which come from the users, and the ancillary functionality requirements, most of which need to be defined by the software design team. The six major branches of software design are core functionality design, ancillary functionality design, presentation of information, receiving inputs, conversion process, and delivering outputs. Then, there are 20 elements of software design. Data are classified as data processed by the computers as numeric data, alphanumeric data, and control data. Taking another viewpoint, data are classified into parameter data, master data, and transaction data. Then, taking the source of data into consideration, we classify them as hard disk data, keyboard data, internet data, network data, and system data. We need to understand all these because we need to receive as well as deliver data and information from and to these sources. All these aspects are discussed in this chapter.
