computer science

Merise

Merise is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Merise rather than just read about it. In short: Merise (French: [mə.ʁiz]) is a general-purpose modeling methodology in the field of information systems development, software engineering and project management. First introduced in the early 1980s, it was widely used in France, and was developed and refined to the point where most large French governmental, commercial and industrial organizations had adopted it as their standard methodology.

Key takeaways

Merise belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Merise to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Merise from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Merise (French: [mə.ʁiz]) is a general-purpose modeling methodology in the field of information systems development, software engineering and project management. First introduced in the early 1980s, it was widely used in France, and was developed and refined to the point where most large French governmental, commercial and industrial organizations had adopted it as their standard methodology. Merise proceeds to separate treatment of data and processes, where the data-oriented view is modelled in three stages, from conceptual, logical through to physical. Similarly, the process-oriented view passes through the three stages of conceptual, organizational and operational. These stages in the modelling process are paralleled by the stages of the life cycle: strategic planning, preliminary study, detailed study, development, implementation and maintenance. It is a method of analysis based on the entity-relationship model. By using Merise, you can design tables with relations to make a relational database.

See also SSADM UML Entity-relationship model

References D. Avison, "MERISE: A European Methodology for Developing Information Systems", European Journal of Information Systems, Jan. 1991, p. 183‑191 Quang, P.T., Chartier-Kastler, C. (1991), Merise in Practice, translated by D. E. and M. A. Avison Macmillan, Basingstoke, . René Coletti, Arnold Rochfeld, Hubert Tardieu, La methode MERISE: Principes et outils (Paperback - 1983) Frédéric LE, Yves Tabourier, Hubert Tardieu, Actes de la 3ème conférence «Comparative Review of Information System design methodologies - International federation for Information Processing» (CRIS-IFIP, Working Group 8.1), Amsterdam (Hollande), 1986 Cha Ni Wong, La Fortuna: Prinsipyo ug Teorya Jeralgene S. Macabinta: Study of Information Systems, 2008

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Merise

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Merise claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Merise before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Merise ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Merise

In research: Merise appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Merise in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Merise is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Software development process, Software engineering stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Merise outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Merise in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Merise means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Merise out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Merise in simple terms?

Why does Merise matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Merise?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Merise.