4. Design

The finished design of a solution should contain:

• data structure (e.g. field names, data types and lengths, filenaming, folder structure schemes etc).
• how the data is to be acquired (what procedures and equipment will be needed?)
• data input procedures and equipment (e.g. keyboard? barcode reader? ICR/OMR?)
• interfaces (e.g. what will a data entry screen look like? Will people need to leave the main screen to access functions? How will menus be organised into commands and submenus? What shortcut keys will be used? Will you use a text box, listbox, combo box, tickbox for a particular item of data entry? What colour scheme will be used? What navigation scheme will be used? What icons represent what meaning? Will the layout of the data entry form help users enter data in the required order and the required format?
• control procedures - What validation rules will be used on what fields to check for data reasonableness, existence or format?) What will different error messages say? How can output be checked for accuracy (e.g. an average can be compared with the data items from which it was calculated). How can procedural errors or problems be detected? (e.g. an order may be cross-checked against the stock database to ensure the ordered item is in stock, or whether it needs to be backordered and the potential customer notified of the delay)
• what workloads and capacities the system must be capable of - e.g. storage capacities, number of transactions per hour, disaster-recovery abilities
• documentation and training requirements for different types of users
• validation and storage methods to be used
• how to produce the output (i.e. processing actions)
• procedures to be followed to use the solution
• backup requirements and procedures - what needs to be backed up, how often, how backups are stored, what backup scheme will be used?
• how the solution is to be tested to ensure it works properly - what needs to be tested? Functionality, presentation, usability, accessibility, communication of message. How will you test?

A  data flow diagram, is used to describe the flow of data through a complete data-processing system. Different graphic symbols represent the clerical operations involved and the different input, storage, and output equipment required. Although the flow chart may indicate the specific programs used, no details are given of how the programs process the data.
Gantt Charts is detailed timeline of events in a project laid out. In short it is a schedule of  Software Development Life Cycle.

Structure chart consist of a top-down description of a process and its sub-processes.

Data Dictionary - describes (for example) a database's fields, types, lengths, validation rules, formulae.