Hierarchical INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT Prepared by Alvin D

Hierarchical INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT Prepared by: Alvin D. Bernardo

Hierarchical Input Process Output (HIPO) - an attempt to provide programmers with better structured tools for dealing with systems - flow-charting technique that provides a graphical method for designing and documenting programs.

- is a tool for planning and/or documenting a computer program. A HIPO model consists of a hierarchy chart that graphically represents the program’s control structure and a set of IPO (Input-Process-Output) charts that describe the inputs to, the outputs from, and the functions (or processes) performed by each module on the hierarchy chart.

Strengths, weaknesses, and limitations • Using the HIPO technique, designers can evaluate and refine a program’s design, and correct flaws prior to implementation. • Users and managers can easily follow a program’s structure. The hierarchy chart serves as a useful planning and visualization document for managing the program development process.

Concepts • A completed HIPO package has two parts. A hierarchy chart is used to represent the top-down structure of the program. For each module depicted on the hierarchy chart, an IPO (Input. Process-Output) chart is used to describe the inputs to, the outputs from, and the process performed by the module.

TYPES of HIPO Visual Table Of Contents (VTOC) – chart shows a hierarchy in which level of detail increases from the top of the chart to the bottom, moving from general to specific. This is called Top–Down Development

TYPES of HIPO Input – Process – Output (IPO) - chart shows the processing activity for any given module in the Visual Table Of Contents. 1. IPO Overview Diagram – shows the general sequence of step 2. IPO Detailed Diagram – detailed VTOC chart

TYPES of HIPO Warnier – Orr Diagram - named after Jean Domique Warnier and Ken Orr. - the diagram resembles a Visual Table of Content placed on its side. The major or general modules are listed at the left of the page, while the right shows the detailed modules.

Examples of VTOC

Example of IPO Chart