Data Flow Diagram

Prepared By Orwah Aladaileh 1-1

Prepared By Orwah Aladaileh
What is Data Flow Diagram?
• Represents how data objects are transformed at they move
through the system.
• Data flow diagram (DFD) is the diagrammatic form that is
used.
• Considered by many to be an “old school” approach, but
continues to provide a view of the system that is unique—it
should be used to supplement other analysis model elements.
• Data flow diagrams can be divided into logical and physical.
The logical data flow diagram describes flow of data through a
system to perform certain functionality of a business. The
physical data flow diagram describes the implementation of
the logical data flow.

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DFD Symbols

External Entity

Process

Data flow

Data store

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External Entity
A producer or consumer of data

Examples: a person, a device, a sensor

Another example: computer-based system
Data must always originate somewhere
and must always be sent to something

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External Entity
• An external entity represents a source or destination of data outside the
system boundary.
• It is anything that interacts with the system but is not a part of the
system itself.
• External entities can be users, other systems, devices, or any entity that
exchanges data with the system.
• In a DFD, external entities are typically represented by rectangles.
• External entities are connected to processes in the diagram through data
flows, representing the exchange of data between the system and the
external entities.

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Process
A data transformer (changes input
to output)

Examples: compute taxes, determine

area, format report, display graph

Data must always be processed in some

way to achieve system function

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Process
Every process has a name that identifies the function it performs.
The name consists of a verb, followed by a singular noun.
Example:

• Apply Payment Notation

• Calculate Commission • A rounded rectangle represents a process
• Verify Order • Processes are given IDs for easy referencing

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Data Flow

Data flows through a system, beginning

as input and transformed into output.
base
compute
triangle area

height area

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Rule of Data Flow

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Other frequently-made
mistakes in DFD

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Data Store
Data is often stored for later use.

sensor #
sensor #, type,
look-up location, age
sensor
report required data
type,
location, age
sensor number

sensor data

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Data Store
• A data store represents a
repository of data within Data is often stored for later use.
the system boundary.
• It is used to store and
retrieve data needed by the sensor #
sensor #, type,
system. look-up location, age
• Data stores can be sensor
databases, files, or any report required data
other storage mechanism type,
where data is persisted. location, age
• In a DFD, data stores are sensor number
typically represented by
rectangles with double lines sensor data
on the sides.
• Data stores are connected
to processes.
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Data Store Notation
• Data can be written into a data
store, represented by a flow
connector flowing from the
'writer' of the data to the data
store.
• Data can be read from a data
store, represented by a flow
connector flowing from the
data store to the 'reader' of the
data.
• Examples of data stores include
Inventory, Accounts Receivable,
Orders, and Daily Payments.

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DFD levels and layers
❑ A data flow diagram can dive into progressively more detail by using
levels and layers, zeroing in on a particular piece.
❑ DFD levels are numbered 0, 1 or 2, and occasionally go to even Level 3
or beyond.

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DFD 0
❑ DFD Level 0 is also called a Context Diagram. It’s a basic overview of
the whole system or process being analyzed or modeled.
❑ It’s designed to be an at-a-glance view, showing the system as a single
high-level process, with its relationship to external entities.
❑ It should be easily understood by a wide audience, including
stakeholders, business analysts, data analysts and developers.

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DFD 1
❑ DFD Level 1
provides a more
detailed breakout
of pieces of the
Context Level
Diagram.
❑ You will highlight
the main functions
carried out by the
system, as you
break down the
high-level process
of the Context
Diagram into its
sub-processes.
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DFD 2
❑ DFD Level 2 then
goes one step
deeper into parts
of Level 1.
❑ It may require more
text to reach the
necessary level of
detail about the
system’s
functioning.

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 Guideline for Developing Data-
Flow Diagram
❖ Context Diagram - Level 0
•The context diagram must fit in one page.
•The process name in the context diagram should be the name of the information
system.
• For example, Grading System, Order Processing System, Registration System.
•The context level diagram gets the number 0 (level zero).
❖ No Cross Line in DFD
•One way to achieve this is to restrict the number of processes in a data-flow
diagram.

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 References

• Valacich, Joseph S. Essentials of systems analysis and design / Joseph

S.Valacich, Joey F. George, Jeffrey A. Hoffer.—5th ed.
• System Analysis, Design, and Development Concepts, Principles, and Practices
Charles S. Wasson ISBN-13 978-0-471-39333-7.
• https://www.lucidchart.com.
• https://sparxsystems.com/resources/tutorials/uml2/state-diagram.html

PREPARED BY: DR. RANEEM QADDOURA