System design aids and CASE tools: What should a system design aid primarily help analysts and designers accomplish?

Introduction / Context:
Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) and system design aids support analysts in moving from problem understanding to implementable specifications. While documentation, code generation, and nice GUIs are valuable, the primary mission is rigorous analysis of processes and data.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Analysis spans activities/processes (what the system does) and data (what the system stores/manipulates).
• The tool should improve model quality and stakeholder alignment.
• Secondary benefits include documentation and, in some tools, code scaffolding.

Concept / Approach:
The core utility is enabling clear, correct models: process models (DFD/BPMN), data models (ER diagrams), state models, and interaction diagrams. These guide later design, testing, and maintenance. Documentation and code generation flow from accurate models; without solid analysis, generated artifacts can amplify mistakes.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Standards (e.g., UML, BPMN) and CASE suites emphasize modeling first; documentation exports and code stubs are ancillary.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Documentation only: Insufficient if analysis is weak.
• Generate code: Useful, but dangerous without correct models.
• Using a GUI: An interface trait, not a primary goal.

Common Pitfalls:
Letting auto-generated artifacts substitute for thinking; skipping data/process modeling and jumping to screens and code.

Final Answer:
help analyse both data and activities