DFD (Data Flow Diagram)
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ejppoornimaDFD (Data Flow Diagram)
Uploaded by
ejppoornimaDFD (Data flow diagram)
A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a diagrammatic representation of the information flows within a
system which showing how information enters and leaves the system, what changes the
information and where information is stored. So simply we can say data flow diagram (DFD) is a
graphical representation of the "flow" of data through an information system. In the year
1970s data-flow diagrams (DFDs) were introduced and popularized for structured analysis and
design. It views a system as a function that transforms the inputs into desired outputs.
Normally any complex system will not perform transformation in a "single step" and a data will
typically undergo a series of transformations before it becomes the output. So DFD tracks the
data from an original source, carries it through a process, and then flows it to a final destination.
DFDs are one of the most powerful and useful techniques available to the systems analyst.
Purposes of DFDs
Freedom from committing to the technical implementation too early
gathering feedback information from users
presentation
identify information requirements
Understanding of the interrelationships of systems and subsystems
Uses of DFDs
Used to analyze the system to ensure that the design is complete
Used to partition the system into programs
Used for system documentation
In designing a DFD the exact details of the process including issues such as timing, are not
factors. Here the focus is on the movement of data. But when we go through structure tools such
as algorithms and flowcharts, DFDs are often produced with increasing levels of detail. Data
flow diagrams have replaced flowcharts and pseudocode as the tool of choice for showing
program design.
