Software design is a process to conceptualize the software requirements into

software implementation. It takes the user requirements as challenges and

tries to find optimum solution. While the software is being conceptualized, a
plan is chalked out to find the best possible design for implementing the
intended solution.

Multiple Variants Of Software Design

• Structured Design
• Function Oriented Design
• Object Oriented Design
Software Design Approaches
There are two generic approaches for software designing:
Top down Design
This starts with a generalized model of system and keeps on defining
the more specific part of it. When all components are composed the
whole system comes into existence.
Top-down design is more suitable when the software solution needs to
be designed from scratch and specific details are unknown.
Bottom-up Design
Bottom-up strategy is more suitable when a system needs to be
created from some existing system, where the basic primitives can be
used in the newer system.
Both, top-down and bottom-up approaches are not practical
individually. Instead, a good combination of both is used.
Software Design Approaches
There are two generic approaches for software designing:
Top down Design
This starts with a generalized model of system and keeps on defining
the more specific part of it. When all components are composed the
whole system comes into existence.
Top-down design is more suitable when the software solution needs to
be designed from scratch and specific details are unknown.
Bottom-up Design
Bottom-up strategy is more suitable when a system needs to be
created from some existing system, where the basic primitives can be
used in the newer system.
Both, top-down and bottom-up approaches are not practical
individually. Instead, a good combination of both is used.
Software analysis and design includes all activities, which help the
transformation of requirement specification into implementation.

Data Flow Diagram

Data flow diagram is a graphical representation of data flow in an
information system. It is capable of depicting incoming data flow, outgoing
data flow and stored data.

Data Flow Diagrams are used to:

• Show where data comes from and goes
• Show which activities transform data
• Show which outputs are stored in the system
• Show which output are utilized by other activities or entities
DFD Notations
DFD Components

• EXTERNAL ENTITIES
• PROCESSES
• DATA STORES
• DATA FLOWS
DFD Components

• Entities - Entities are source and destination of information data. Entities

are represented by rectangles with their respective names.
• Process - Activities and action taken on the data are represented by
Circle or Roundedged rectangles.
• Data Storage - There are two variants of data storage - it can either be
represented as a rectangle with absence of both smaller sides or as an
open-sided rectangle with only one side missing.
• Data Flow - Movement of data is shown by pointed arrows. Data
movement is shown from the base of arrow as its source towards head
of the arrow as destination.
DFD Components
• Entities - Entities are source and destination of information data. Entities
are represented by rectangles with their respective names.
• Process - Activities and action taken on the data are represented by
Circle or Round edged rectangles.
• Data Storage - There are two variants of data storage - it can either be
represented as a rectangle with absence of both smaller sides or as an
open-sided rectangle with only one side missing.
• Data Flow - Movement of data is shown by pointed arrows. Data
movement is shown from the base of arrow as its source towards head
of the arrow as destination.
Context Diagram
The context diagram is the most abstract data flow representation of a
system. It represents the entire system as a single bubble. This bubble is
labeled according to the main function of the system.

Level 1 DFD
To develop the level 1 DFD, examine the high-level functional
requirements. If there are between 3 to 7 high-level functional
requirements, then these can be directly represented as bubbles in the
level 1 DFD.
Context Diagram
LEVEL 0
LEVEL 0
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 1
Types of DFD
Data Flow Diagrams are either Logical or Physical.

Logical DFD - This type of DFD concentrates on the system process and flow of data in
the system. For example in a Banking software system, how data is moved between
different entities.
Physical DFD - This type of DFD shows how the data flow is actually implemented in the
system. It is more specific and close to the implementation.
Types of DFD
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Steps:

1. Create a list of activities

2. Construct Context Level DFD
(identifies external entities and processes)
3. Construct Level 0 DFD
(identifies manageable sub process )
4. Construct Level 1- n DFD
(identifies actual data flows and data stores )
5. Check against rules of DFD
DFD Naming Guidelines

• External Entity  Noun

• Data Flow  Names of data
• Process  verb phrase
• a system name
• a subsystem name

• Data Store  Noun

Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Lemonade Stand Example
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example Steps:
The operations of a simple 1. Create a list of activities
lemonade stand will be used
• Old way: no Use-Case Diagram
to demonstrate the creation
of dataflow diagrams. • New way: use Use-Case Diagram
2. Construct Context Level DFD
(identifies sources and sink)
3. Construct Level 0 DFD
(identifies manageable sub processes )
4. Construct Level 1- n DFD
(identifies actual data flows and data stores )
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 1. Create a list of activities

Think through the activities

that take place at a lemonade
stand.
Customer Order
Serve Product
Collect Payment
Produce Product
Store Product
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 1. Create a list of activities

Also think of the additional

activities needed to support
the basic activities.
Customer Order
Serve Product
Collect Payment
Produce Product
Store Product
Order Raw Materials
Pay for Raw Materials
Pay for Labor
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 1. Create a list of activities

Group these activities in

some logical fashion,
possibly functional areas.
Customer Order
Serve Product
Collect Payment

Produce Product
Store Product

Order Raw Materials

Pay for Raw Materials

Pay for Labor

 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 2. Construct Context Level DFD
(identifies sources and sink)
Create a context level
diagram identifying the Context Level DFD
sources and sinks (users).
Sales Forecast
Order 0.0
CUSTOMER Lemonade Production Schedule EMPLOYEE
Customer Order Product Served System Pay
Serve Product Payment Time Worked
Collect Payment Received Goods
Payment
Purchase Order
Produce Product
Store Product VENDOR

Order Raw Materials

Pay for Raw Materials

Pay for Labor

 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 3. Construct Level 0 DFD
Create a level 0 diagram (identifies manageable sub processes )
identifying the logical Level 0 DFD
subsystems that may exist.
1.0
Sale
Customer Order Sales Forecast
Customer Order
Product Ordered
Serve Product
Payment
Collect Payment 2.0 Production
CUSTOMER EMPLOYEE
Production Schedule
Product Served
Produce Product
Received Goods Inventory
Store Product
3.0
VENDOR Procure- Order
Purchase Order
Order Raw Materials ment Decisions
Pay for Raw Materials Payment
Pay Time Worked

Pay for Labor 4.0

Payroll
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 4. Construct Level 1- n DFD
Create a level 1 (identifies actual data flows and data stores )
decomposing the processes Level 1 DFD
in level 0 and identifying
CUSTOMER
data stores.
Customer Order
ORDER
Request for Forecast
Customer Order
1.1
Serve Product Record
Collect Payment Order 1.3
Produce
Severed Order Sales
Produce Product Payment Forecast
Sales Forecast
Store Product
1.2
Receive PAYMENT
Payment
Order Raw Materials
Pay for Raw Materials

Pay for Labor

 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 4. Construct Level 1 (continued)
Create a level 1
decomposing the processes Level 1 DFD
in level 0 and identifying
Product Order
data stores.
ORDER
Customer Order 2.1
Serve Quantity Severed
Serve Product Product
Collect Payment RAW
Production
MATERIALS
Schedule
Produce Product 2.2
Store Product Produce Quantity Used
Product

INVENTORTY
Order Raw Materials Production Data
Pay for Raw Materials
2.3 Quantity Produced &
Store Location Stored
Pay for Labor Product
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 4. Construct Level 1 (continued)
Create a level 1
decomposing the processes Level 1 DFD
in level 0 and identifying Order Decision
PURCHASE
data stores. 3.1 ORDER
Produce
Purchase
Customer Order Order Quantity On-Hand
Serve Product RAW
Quantity MATERIALS
Collect Payment Received Received
Goods
3.2
Produce Product Receive
Items
Store Product RECEIVED
ITEMS
Payment Approval
Order Raw Materials
VENDOR
Pay for Raw Materials 3.3
Pay
Vendor
Pay for Labor
Payment
 Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Example 4. Construct Level 1 (continued)
Create a level 1
decomposing the processes Level 1 DFD
in level 0 and identifying Time Worked

data stores. 4.1 TIME CARDS

Record
Time
Customer Order Worked Employee ID
Serve Product EMPLOYEE
Collect Payment
Payroll Request
4.2
Produce Product Unpaid time cards
Calculate
Payroll
Store Product PAYROLL

Payment Approval
Order Raw Materials
4.3
Pay for Raw Materials Pay
Employe
e PAYMENTS
Pay for Labor
Payment
 Process Decomposition
1.1 1.2
1.0
Record Receive
Sale
Order Payment

2.1 2.2 2.3

2.0
Serve Produce Store
Production
Product Product Product

0.0
Lemonade
System
3.1
3.0 3.2 3.3
Produce
Procure- Receive Pay
Purchase
ment Items Vendor
Order

4.1 4.3
4.2
4.0 Record Pay
Calculate
Payroll Time Employe
Payroll
Worked e

Context Level Level 0 Level 1

 DFD Example: Bus Garage Repairs
• Buses come to a garage for repairs.
• A mechanic and helper perform the repair, record the
reason for the repair and record the total cost of all
parts used on a Shop Repair Order.
• Information on labor, parts and repair outcome is
used for billing by the Accounting Department, parts
monitoring by the inventory management computer
system and a performance review by the supervisor.
DFD Example: Bus Garage Repairs (cont’d)

• External Entities: Bus, Mechanic, Helper, Supervisor, Inventory

Management System, Accounting Department, etc.
• Key process (“the system”): performing repairs and storing
information related to repairs
• Processes:
• Record Bus ID and reason for repair
• Determine parts needed
• Perform repair
• Calculate parts extended and total cost
• Record labor hours, cost
DFD Example: Bus Garage Repairs
(cont’d)
• Data stores:
• Personnel file
• Repairs file
• Bus master list
• Parts list
• Data flows:
• Repair order
• Bus record
• Parts record
• Employee timecard
• Invoices
 Bus Garage Context Diagram
Bus

Mechanical Fixed
problem mechanical
to be repaired problems

Repair Supervisor
Helper Labor Bus summary
Repair
Process List of
System parts used Inventory
Labor Management
Labor, System
parts cost
details
Mechanic

Accounting
CSUB Burger’s Order Processing System

• Draw the CSUB Burger’s context diagram

• System
• Order processing system

• External entities
• Kitchen
• Restaurant
• Customer

• Processes
• Customer order
• Receipt
• Food order
• Management report