Another point to consider is system diagrams – a visual model of a system, its components, and their interactions. With supporting documentation, it can capture all the essential information of a system's design. There are many variations of diagramming styles, but all attempt to articulate the interaction between humans and computer systems. System diagrams can be used as thinking tools. By studying a system diagram, you can discover problems and shortcomings of the design it represents, and at the same time, construct a final document that will capture the entire design. Thus, system diagrams should be constructed during the design process, and used as the basis for refining and specifying various aspects of the system:
There are many methods for developing a system diagram, but I recommend starting with a pencil and paper or a whiteboard before jumping into the software to build a system diagram. The reason is that thinking about systems at first can...