As you enter the door of Merman’s, Annie Oaklea greets you warmly, saying, “I’m delighted with the work you have done on the data flow diagrams. I would like you to keep playing the role of systems analyst for Merman’s and see if you can eventually get a new information system for our costume inventory sewn up. Unfortunately, some of the terms you’re using don’t come off very well in the language of Shakespeare. Bit of a translation problem, I suspect.”

Clinging to Annie’s initial praise, you are undaunted by her exit line. You determine that a data dictionary based on the rental and return data flow diagrams would make a big hit. Begin by writing entries for a manual system in as much detail as possible. Prepare two data process entries, two data flow entries, two data store entries, one data structure entry, and four data element entries using the formats in this chapter. Portraying interrelated data items with preciseness will result in rave reviews. (Refer to Consulting Opportunity 7.1.)