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What Is DFD

Data and Process Modelling Techniques are essential for systems analysts to create logical models that illustrate how processes transform data into information. The Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a key tool used to represent the flow of data within a system, highlighting major processes and interactions with external entities. The document outlines the components of DFD, levels of DFD, and procedures for drawing them, emphasizing the importance of clarity and organization in system analysis.

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8 views6 pages

What Is DFD

Data and Process Modelling Techniques are essential for systems analysts to create logical models that illustrate how processes transform data into information. The Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a key tool used to represent the flow of data within a system, highlighting major processes and interactions with external entities. The document outlines the components of DFD, levels of DFD, and procedures for drawing them, emphasizing the importance of clarity and organization in system analysis.

Uploaded by

bishnumager555
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DATA AND PROCESS MODELLING TECHNIQUES

➢ Data and Process Modelling Techniques are used by systems


analyst during system analysis to depict how various processes of
a system transform data into useful information in graphical form.
➢ Output of process modelling activity is a logical model that
supports business operations and meets requirements of managers
and users.
➢ A logical model shows what the system must do, regardless of
how it will be accomplished physically.
➢ System analyst may use one or more of the following traditional
and structured analysis tools to represent system data and process
graphically.
1. System flow chart
2. Data flow diagram (DFD)
3. Data dictionary
4. Decision tree
5. Decision table
What is DFD?
➢ DFD stands for Data Flow Diagram.
➢ DFD is used to show the flow of data through software system.
➢ DFD is a graphical or pictorial representation of logical flow of
data.
➢ Main advantage of DFD is that it provides a logical model of the
system that shows what a system does rather than how it is being
done.
➢ Aim is to clarify system requirements and identify major
processes, transformations of data, data stores and external
entities to ensure developed model is accurate and easy to
understand.
➢ DFD is also known as bubble charts as it consists of a series of
bubbles joined by lines.
Components of the DFD
o External Entity: It provide the data to your software or
consume data through it.
➢ External entity is a source or destination of data.
➢ It can be files, departments, person, vendors, customer, other
information systems etc.
➢ External entities show the system boundaries and how a system
interacts with outside world.

o Process: It take data and convert it into information.

➢ Process is the people or procedures involved in the system that


are used to transform data.
➢ It receives input data, processes it and produces output.

o Data Flow:
➢ It shows the flow of data incoming or outgoing.
➢ Data flow is a path that shows movement of data from one
process and to another process in a system from origin to
destination.
o Data stores: This is your database or files where we store data

Some important notes

➢ Data cannot flow from one data store to other directly.


➢ Data cannot flow between two external entities.
(A process should involve between)

Data store cannot sink or source only


➢ Sink all data coming in
➢ Source all data going out (possible for level 2)

➢ No black hole process


➢ No miracle

Level of DFD
➢ Level 0 DFD or Context diagram
➢ Level 1 DFD
➢ Level 2 DFD
PROCEDURE FOR DRAWING A DFD:
STEP 1
➢ Represent the whole system by a single process and identify its
input and outputs.
➢ This is known as context diagram or zero level DFD.
➢ A context DFD is a top level view of a system that shows
boundaries and scope of the system.
➢ To draw context level DFD put a single process symbol in the
centre which represents the entire system. Then place external
entities around the central process symbol and use data flows to
connect entities to it.
➢ Data stores are not being used in context diagram because these
are internal to the system.
➢ Information about names and contents of external entities and
data flows are collected during fact gathering process.
Level 0 DFD or Context diagram

STEP 2
➢ Context diagram shows the most general view of a system which
contains only one process.
➢ To know more details about the system next level of DFD are
drawn.
➢ To draw next level of DFD, identify major processes of the
system and draw DFD considering these major processes only
and also identify inputs and outputs for each and every major
process.
➢ This is known as top level DFD or first level DFD.

Level 1 DFD
STEP 3
➢ After identification of major processes in first level DFD, an
analyst has to identify processes from first level DFD which can
be further expanded.
➢ Analyst then draws DFD of a particular process identified with
expansion. This is known as exploded DFD or Expanded DFD.

Level 2 DFD

GENERAL RULES FOR DRAWING DFD


➢ Processes should be uniquely named and numbered
➢ Data flows within the system must be named
➢ Context DFD must fit on the single page
➢ Process name in the context DFD should be the name of the
system
➢ Do not cross the lines

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