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Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) : Information System and The Processes and Data Stores Within A System

DFDs graphically represent the flow of data through a system using four symbols: processes, data stores, external entities, and data flows. DFDs can be decomposed into lower levels of detail and must balance inputs and outputs at each level. There are rules for drawing and structuring DFDs to model systems at varying levels of abstraction, from the current physical implementation to new logical and physical designs. DFDs help analyze system requirements and design system components and data flows.

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Agrippa Mungazi
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355 views

Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) : Information System and The Processes and Data Stores Within A System

DFDs graphically represent the flow of data through a system using four symbols: processes, data stores, external entities, and data flows. DFDs can be decomposed into lower levels of detail and must balance inputs and outputs at each level. There are rules for drawing and structuring DFDs to model systems at varying levels of abstraction, from the current physical implementation to new logical and physical designs. DFDs help analyze system requirements and design system components and data flows.

Uploaded by

Agrippa Mungazi
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data flow diagrams (DFD)

DFD is a graphical representation of the flow of data through an information system Graphically illustrate movement of data between external entities and the processes and data stores within a system Four symbols are used to depict data flow, data store, process and the origin/destination Data flow diagrams can be decomposed Data Flow Diagramming Rules Basic rules that apply to all DFDs Inputs to a process are always different from outputs Objects always have a unique name In order to keep the diagram uncluttered, you can repeat data stores and sources/sinks on a diagram

Data Store
Depicts data at rest May represent data in o File folder o Computer-based file o Notebook o The name of the store as well as the number are recorded in between lines

Data Store rules Data cannot be moved directly from one store to another Data cannot move directly from an outside source to a data store Data cannot move directly from a data store to a data sink Data store has a noun phrase label

Process
o Depicts work or action performed on data so that they are transformed, stored or distributed o Number of process as well as name are recorded.

Registration

Process rules No process can have only outputs (this could be a miracle) No process can have only inputs (black hole) A process has a verb phrase label

Data Flow
Depicts data that are in motion and moving as a unit from one place to another in the system. Drawn as an arrow Select a meaningful name to represent the data Data Flow rules A data flow has only one direction of flow between symbols A fork means that exactly the same data goes from a common location to two or more processes, data stores or sources/sinks A join means that exactly the same data comes from any two or more different processes, data stores or sources/sinks to a common location A data flow cannot go directly back to the same process it leaves A data flow to a data store means update A data flow from a data store means retrieve or use A data flow has a noun phrase label

Source/Sink
o Depicts the origin and/or destination of the data o Sometimes referred to as an external entity o Drawn as a square symbol o Name states what the external agent is. Source/Sink rules Data cannot move directly from a source to a sink A source/sink has a noun phrase label

Definitions
Context Diagram A data flow diagram (DFD) of the scope of an organizational system that shows the system boundaries, external entities that interact with the system and the major information flows between the entities and the system

Level-O Diagram
_ A data flow diagram (DFD) that represents a systems major processes, data flows and data stores at a high level of detail

Decomposition of DFDs
Functional decomposition Act of going from one single system to many component processes Repetitive procedure Lowest level is called a primitive DFD Level-N Diagrams A DFD that is the result of n nested decompositions of a series of sub processes from a process on a level-0 diagram

Balancing DFDs

When decomposing a DFD, you must conserve inputs to and outputs from a process at the next level of decomposition. This is called balancing Fig 1 and fig 2, we have the same inputs and outputs _ No new inputs or outputs have been introduced _ We can say that the context diagram and level-0 DFD are balanced Four Different Types of DFDS Current Physical _ Process label includes an identification of the technology (people or systems) used to process the data _ Data flows and data stores are labelled with the actual name of the physical media on which data flow or in which data are stored Current Logical _ Physical aspects of system are removed as much as possible _ Current system is reduced to data and processes that transform them

Four Different Types of DFDS


Current Logical Physical aspects of system are removed as much as possible Current system is reduced to data and processes that transform them New Logical _ Includes additional functions _ Obsolete functions are removed _ Inefficient data flows are reorganized New Physical _ Represents the physical implementation of the new system Current physical

Guidelines for Drawing DFDs


Completeness
DFD must include all components necessary for system Each component must be fully described in the project dictionary or CASE repository Consistency The extent to which information contained on one level of a set of nested DFDs is also included on other levels Timing Time is not represented well on DFDs Best to draw DFDs as if the system has never started and will never stop.

Iterative Development _ Analyst should expect to redraw diagram several times before reaching the closest approximation to the system being modelled Primitive DFDs _ Lowest logical level of decomposition _ Decision has to be made when to stop decomposition Rules for stopping decomposition _ When each process has been reduced to a single decision, calculation or database operation _ When each data store represents data about a single entity _ When the system user does not care to see any more detail _ When every data flow does not need to be split further to show that data are handled in various ways _ When you believe that you have shown each business form or transaction, on-line display and report as a single data flow _ When you believe that there is a separate process for each choice on all lowest-level menu options

Summary
Data flow diagrams (DFD)

Symbols Rules for creating Decomposition Balancing


Current Physical Current Logical New Logical New Physical

Four different kinds of DFDs

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