Identification of Actors – Payment Processor System
In the Payment Processor System, identifying the actors is an essential step in low-level and high-level system design. These actors represent users or external systems that interact with the system to initiate, manage, or receive information about payment transactions. The goal of identifying actors is to understand who performs what actions and what the system expects from each stakeholder.
Below is a detailed explanation of the key actors involved in a payment processing system:
1. Customer
Description:
The customer is the end-user who initiates the payment transaction while purchasing goods or services from the merchant. The customer provides payment details and expects a successful and secure transaction.
Responsibilities:
- Provide payment credentials (e.g., card details, bank info).
- Authorize the payment.
- Receive confirmation of payment success or failure.
2. Merchant
Description:
The merchant is the business entity or service provider that sells goods or services and integrates the payment processor into their platform to accept payments from customers.
Responsibilities:
- Initiate a payment request to the processor.
- Display success/failure messages to the customer.
- Handle order fulfillment based on payment status.
- Request refunds or dispute chargebacks if needed.
3. Payment Gateway
Description:
The payment gateway is an intermediary service (external actor) that securely transmits payment information between the payment processor and financial institutions.
Responsibilities:
- Forward payment requests to banks or card networks.
- Return authorization status (approved/declined).
- Ensure secure data handling and encryption.
4. Issuing Bank
Description:
The bank or financial institution that issued the payment method (credit/debit card or bank account) to the customer.
Responsibilities:
- Verify the customer’s identity and account status.
- Check for sufficient funds or credit.
- Approve or reject the transaction.
5. Acquiring Bank
Description:
The bank that works on behalf of the merchant to receive and settle funds from the payment processor.
Responsibilities:
- Receive funds from the issuing bank.
- Transfer the amount to the merchant’s account.
- Handle reconciliation and settlements.
6. System Administrator (Internal Actor)
Description:
The administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining the payment processing system, including settings, compliance, and performance.
Responsibilities:
- Monitor system operations and performance.
- Configure fraud detection rules.
- Manage user roles and permissions.
- Generate and review system reports.
7. Fraud Detection System (External Actor)
Description:
A third-party or internal component that monitors transactions to detect suspicious behavior and prevent fraudulent activity.
Responsibilities:
- Analyze transaction patterns and behaviors.
- Flag or block suspicious payments.
- Alert the merchant or admin in case of high-risk transactions.
8. Reporting and Analytics Tool (Optional Actor)
Description:
An external or internal tool used by merchants or admins to visualize and analyze transaction data.
Responsibilities:
- Fetch and present real-time data.
- Generate insights on customer behavior and transaction trends.
- Assist in business decision-making through reports.
