DETERMINING THE STEPS THAT WILL SOLVE A PROBLEM - IPO ChartsOnce the inputs and outputs have been determined, the nature of the processing required can be considered. Processing transforms the inputs into outputs. The steps required to solve the problem are essentially a description of the processing that when implemented, will fulfil the requirements. For example, making a cup of coffee involves boiling the kettle, putting coffee in the cup, pouring in the boiling water, stirring, then if required adding milk and/or sugar and finally stirring again. The inputs are the boiling water, coffee, milk and sugar and the output is the cup of coffee. The processing transforms the ingredient inputs into the output cup of coffee.
IPO diagrams or charts are useful tools for describing the steps that when carried out will transform inputs into outputs. There are various methods for constructing IPO diagrams. For our present purpose the table format is particularly useful. This format allows a step-by-step description of the processing to be described. The inputs into the process are written beside the step where they are used. Similarly, as outputs are produced by a step they are written to the right.
Fig 4.3 shows an IPO Diagram describing our coffee example.
Tabular IPO diagrams are commonly used as documentation for programmers. The programmer uses this information to develop detailed algorithms and to then code the problem in a programming language.
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