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Process Modeling

Process modeling is a formal representation of business system operations, illustrating processes and data flow. The document focuses on Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs), which depict system functions and data movement, and outlines general rules and naming guidelines for creating DFDs. Additionally, it includes a case study of a video rental store to demonstrate the application of context diagrams and DFDs.

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10 views16 pages

Process Modeling

Process modeling is a formal representation of business system operations, illustrating processes and data flow. The document focuses on Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs), which depict system functions and data movement, and outlines general rules and naming guidelines for creating DFDs. Additionally, it includes a case study of a video rental store to demonstrate the application of context diagrams and DFDs.

Uploaded by

dreamy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Process Modeling

What is process modeling?


A process model is a formal way of representing how a business system operates.
It illustrates the processes or activities that are and how data moves among them.

There are many different process modeling techniques in use today.


We will be focusing on one of the most commonly used techniques called Data flow
diagramming.
DFD (Data Flow Diagrams)
"DFD” is a structured, diagrammatic technique for showing the functions performed
by system and the data flowing in to, out of, and within it”.

Another way of looking at it is that, in SSADM, DFDs are used to answer the
following data-oriented questions about a target system:
 What processing is done?
 When?
 How?
 Where?
 What data is needed?
DFD notations

Name
Example
General Data Flow Rules

 Entities are either 'sources of' or 'sinks' for data input and outputs - i.e.
they are the originators or terminators for data flows.
 Data flows from Entities must flow into Processes.
 Data flows to Entities must come from Processes.
 Processes and Data Stores must have both inputs and outputs.
 Inputs to Data Stores only come from Processes.
 Outputs from Data Stores only go to Processes.
DFD Naming Guidelines
External Entity  Noun
Data Flow  Names of data
Process  Verb phrase
a system name
a subsystem name

Data Store  Noun/ Verb phrase


Example:
External Entities

Known as 'External sources/recipients, are things (eg: people, machines,


organizations etc.) which contribute data or information to the system or
which receive data/information from it.
Context Diagrams
Focus on how external entities interact with your system.
It’s the most basic form of a data flow diagram, providing a broad view of the
system and external entities in an easily digestible way.
Because of its simplicity, it’s sometimes called a level 0 data flow diagram.
Steps in creating a Context Diagram
1. Establish the boundaries of your system.
2. Identify and enumerate the external entities and factors.
3. Understand data flows and the impact of each external entity.
4. Create your Context Diagram.
Context Diagram/Level 0 diagram
Video-Rental LTD case study
Video-Rental LTD is a small video rental store. The store lends videos to customers for a fee, and purchases its
videos from a local supplier. A customer wishing to borrow a video provides the empty box of the video they
desire, their membership card, and payment – payment is always with the credit card used to open the customer
account. The customer then returns the video to the store after watching it.

If a loaned video is overdue by a day the customer's credit card is charged, and a reminder letter is sent to them.
Each day after that a further card is made, and each week a reminder letter is sent. This continues until either the
customer returns the video, or the charges are equal to the cost of replacing the video. New customers fill out a
form with their personal details and credit card details, and the counter staff give the new customer a
membership card. Each new customer's form is added to the customer file. The local video supplier sends a list of
available titles to Video-Rental LTD, who decide whether to send them an order and payment. If an order is sent
then the supplier sends the requested videos to the store. For each new video a new stock form is completed and
placed in the stock file.
Context diagram
Level 1 - DFD
Level 2- DFD

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