Question

Develop a sequence diagram showing the interactions involved when a student registers for a course in a university. Courses may have limited enrollment, so the registration process must include checks that places are available. Assume that the student accesses an electronic course catalog to find out about available courses.

Short answer

Identify actors, map interactions in sequence, and ensure availability check.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Actors and Objects

Begin by listing the primary actors and objects involved in the registration process. These include the Student, Course Catalog, Registration System, and Course.

Determine the Sequence of Events

Outline the events that occur during the course registration process. This begins with the student accessing the electronic course catalog, followed by searching for available courses, attempting to register, and finally receiving confirmation based on seat availability.

Draw the Lifelines

Create vertical lines for each of the identified actors and objects. These are known as lifelines and help visualize the interactions between each component.

Map the Interactions

Add arrows between lifelines to represent messages or interactions. Start with the Student sending a request to the Course Catalog to view available courses, followed by the Catalog returning course information to the Student.

Integrate the Registration Process

Illustrate the Student selecting a course and the Registration System checking the available seats. This involves the Student sending a registration request, the Registration System verifying seat availability, and updating records if successful.

Show Confirmation or Denial

Conclude the diagram with the Registration System sending a confirmation to the Student if the registration is successful, or a denial if the course is full.

Key concepts

Registration Process

The registration process for a course at a university is a crucial activity that involves several steps and interactions between different components. It begins when a student decides to sign up for a course and aims to ensure that the student is officially added to the course roster. The process typically follows these steps:

• Accessing the course catalog: Students start by looking through an electronic catalog, which provides details about various courses.
• Course selection: After exploring the catalog, students pick one or more courses they are interested in.
• Checking seat availability: Before a student can be registered, the system must verify if there are open seats in the desired course.
• Submitting the registration request: Students send a request to enroll in the chosen courses.
• Receiving verification: The system confirms or denies the registration based on seat availability.

The entire process ensures that courses are filled based on availability and maintains a record of student enrollments.

Actors and Objects

Actors and objects are essential components in a sequence diagram, especially for the course registration process. Let's break down their roles:

• Actors: These are the entities that interact with the system. In our context, the main actor is the Student, who initiates the course registration process by accessing the catalog and choosing courses.
• Objects: These represent the system components that the actors interact with. Important objects in the process include:
  • Course Catalog: It holds information about all courses offered and provides this data to students who request it.
  • Registration System: This is where the actual enrollment happens. It checks seat availability and processes registration requests.
  • Course: Represents individual courses that students wish to register for.

By understanding the actors and objects involved, one can better appreciate the flow and interconnectedness of the registration process.

Interaction Mapping

Interaction mapping is the technique of visualizing how actors and objects communicate during a process. This is a vital aspect of creating a clear and effective sequence diagram. During the registration process, the interactions begin with the Student sending a request to the Course Catalog. This request is essentially the Student asking to see which courses are available. The Course Catalog responds with the relevant course details. Once courses are chosen, the Student sends another interaction to the Registration System to check for seat availability. If seats are available, this system updates its records to include the student in the course. If not, the system must inform the Student that registration was unsuccessful. Mapping these interactions visually helps to clarify the sequence of actions and ensures all necessary communications between actors and objects are represented accurately.

Seat Availability Check

Checking for seat availability is a critical step in the registration process to ensure that students only register for courses that are not fully subscribed. This step involves:

• Sending an availability request: Once a student selects a course, the Registration System is queried to check whether seats are still available.
• Processing the response: If the system confirms space is available, it can proceed with the registration.
• Handling full capacity: If the course is full, the system sends a denial message to the student.

This check ensures fair access to courses and proper allocation of resources. By doing so, universities can manage enrollments efficiently, prevent overcrowding and maintain the quality of education.