Analysis simple means to study or examine the structure of something, elements, and system requirements in detail, and methodical way. Structured analysis and Object-oriented analysis both are important for software development and are analysis techniques used in software engineering. But both are different from each other.
Structured Analysis and Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA) are two software development methodologies that are used to design and develop software systems. While they have some similarities, they differ in a number of key ways.
Structured Analysis:
- Focus on processes: Structured Analysis focuses on the processes involved in a software system, modeling them as a series of connected steps.
- Top-down approach: Structured Analysis follows a top-down approach, breaking down complex systems into smaller, simpler parts that can be more easily understood.
- Data-centered: Structured Analysis focuses on the data that a software system manipulates, modeling it as data flows between processes.
- Emphasis on functional decomposition: Structured Analysis emphasizes the functional decomposition of a software system into smaller, independent functions.
Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA):
- Focus on objects: OOA focuses on the objects involved in a software system, modeling them as instances of classes that encapsulate both data and behavior.
- Bottom-up approach: OOA follows a bottom-up approach, building complex systems from smaller, simpler objects that can be more easily understood.
- Object-centered: OOA focuses on the objects that make up a software system, modeling their relationships and interactions.
- Emphasis on object-oriented design patterns: OOA emphasizes the reuse of objects and object-oriented design patterns, reducing the amount of code that needs to be written and improving the quality and consistency of the software.
In conclusion, Structured Analysis and OOA are both valuable software development methodologies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The choice of which to use depends on the particular requirements and constraints of a software project.
1. Structured Analysis :
Structured analysis is a method of development that allows and gives permission to the analyst to understand and know about the system and all of its activities in a logical way. It is simply a graphic that is used to specify the presentation of the application.
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2. Object-Oriented Analysis :
Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA) is a technical approach generally used for analyzing and application designing, system designing, or even business designing just by applying object-oriented programming even with the use of visual modeling throughout the process of development to just simply guide the stakeholder communication and quality of the product. it is actually a process of discovery where a team of developers understands and models all the requirements of the system.
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Difference Between Structured and Object-oriented analysis :
| Structured Analysis | Object-Oriented Analysis |
| The main focus is on the process and procedures of the system. | The main focus is on data structure and real-world objects that are important. |
| It uses System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology for different purposes like planning, analyzing, designing, implementing, and supporting an information system. | It uses Incremental or Iterative methodology to refine and extend our design. |
| It is suitable for well-defined projects with stable user requirements. | It is suitable for large projects with changing user requirements. |
| Risk while using this analysis technique is high and reusability is also low. | Risk while using this analysis technique is low and reusability is also high. |
| Structuring requirements include DFDs (Data Flow Diagram), Structured Analysis, ER (Entity Relationship) diagram, CFD (Control Flow Diagram), Data Dictionary, Decision table/tree, and the State transition diagram. | Requirement engineering includes the Use case model (find Use cases, Flow of events, Activity Diagram), the Object model (find Classes and class relations, Object interaction, Object to ER mapping), Statechart Diagram, and deployment diagram. |
| This technique is old and is not preferred usually. | This technique is new and is mostly preferred. |
Advantages of Structured Analysis:
- Clear and straightforward: Structured Analysis is a clear and straightforward methodology that is easy to understand and implement.
- Top-down approach: The top-down approach of Structured Analysis makes it easy to identify the high-level functions and processes involved in a software system, and to break them down into smaller, more manageable components.
- Emphasis on data: Structured Analysis places a strong emphasis on the data that a software system manipulates, making it easier to understand the relationships between data and processes.
- Well-suited for small to medium-sized systems: Structured Analysis is well-suited for small to medium-sized systems, where the focus is on breaking down complex systems into simpler, more manageable components.
Disadvantages of Structured Analysis:
- Limited scalability: Structured Analysis is limited in its scalability, and may become cumbersome when dealing with complex, large-scale systems.
- Lack of object orientation: Structured Analysis does not provide the object orientation and encapsulation benefits of OOA, making it more difficult to manage and maintain large systems over time.
- Limited ability to model complex relationships: Structured Analysis has a limited ability to model complex relationships between objects, making it less suitable for modeling large, complex systems.
Advantages of Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA):
- Reusable code: OOA enables the creation of reusable objects and design patterns, reducing the amount of code that needs to be written and improving the quality and consistency of the software.
- Scalability: OOA is more scalable than Structured Analysis, making it better suited for large, complex systems.
- Object orientation: OOA provides the benefits of object orientation, including encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, making it easier to manage and maintain large systems over time.
- Better modeling of complex relationships: OOA enables better modeling of complex relationships between objects, making it better suited for modeling large, complex systems.
Disadvantages of Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA):
- Steep learning curve: OOA can be more difficult to understand and implement than Structured Analysis, especially for those who are not familiar with object-oriented programming.
- Bottom-up approach: The bottom-up approach of OOA can make it difficult to understand the high-level functions and processes involved in a software system, and to break them down into smaller, more manageable components.
- Emphasis on objects: OOA places a strong emphasis on objects, making it more difficult to understand the relationships between data and processes.
