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Software Engineering: Experiment No-8

The document outlines an experiment focused on modeling Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) in software engineering, aiming to help students identify external entities, data flows, and processes within a system. It explains the theory behind DFDs, including their graphical notations and the importance of context diagrams and balancing data flow. Students will learn to create context diagrams and decompose them into detailed levels while ensuring the integrity of data flow across different levels.

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Arwa Bohra
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9 views5 pages

Software Engineering: Experiment No-8

The document outlines an experiment focused on modeling Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) in software engineering, aiming to help students identify external entities, data flows, and processes within a system. It explains the theory behind DFDs, including their graphical notations and the importance of context diagrams and balancing data flow. Students will learn to create context diagrams and decompose them into detailed levels while ensuring the integrity of data flow across different levels.

Uploaded by

Arwa Bohra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IT3CO36: Software Engineering Experiment no- 8

Experiment Title: Modeling Data Flow Diagrams Page 1 of 5

1. Objective (s):
After completing this experiment, student will be able to:
 Identify external entities and functionalities of any system
 Identify the flow of data across the system
 Represent the flow with Data Flow Diagrams

2. Theory:
Data Flow Diagram

DFD provides the functional overview of a system. The graphical representation


easily overcomes any gap between ’user and system analyst’ and ‘analyst and
system designer’ in understanding a system. Starting from an overview of the
system it explores detailed design of a system through a hierarchy. DFD shows
the external entities from which data flows into the process and also the other
flows of data within a system. It also includes the transformations of data flow by
the process and the data stores to read or write a data.

Graphical notations for Data Flow Diagram

Term Notation Remarks

External entity Name of the external entity is written


inside the rectangle

Process Name of the process is written inside


the circle

Data store A left-right open rectangle is denoted


as data store; name of the data store is
written inside the shape
Data flow Data flow is represented by a directed
arc with its data name

Explanation of Symbols used in DFD

Department of Information Technology


Medi-Caps University
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IT3CO36: Software Engineering Experiment no- 8
Experiment Title: Modeling Data Flow Diagrams Page 2 of 5

Process: Processes are represented by circle. The name of the process is written
into the circle. The name of the process is usually given in such a way that
represents the functionality of the process. More detailed functionalities can be
shown in the next Level if it is required. Usually it is better to keep the number
of processes less than 7 [i]. If we see that the number of processes becomes
more than 7 then we should combine some the processes to a single one to
reduce the number of processes and further decompose it to the next level [2] .
External entity: External entities are only appear in context diagram[2]. External
entities are represented by a rectangle and the name of the external entity is
written into the shape. These send data to be processed and again receive the
processed data.
Data store: Data stares are represented by a left-right open rectangle. Name of the
data store is written in between two horizontal lines of the open rectangle. Data
stores are used as repositories from which data can be flown in or flown out to
or from a process.
Data flow: Data flows are shown as a directed edge between two components of a
Data Flow Diagram. Data can flow from external entity to process, data store
to process, in between two processes and vice-versa.

Context diagram and leveling DFD

We start with a broad overview of a system represented in level 0 diagram. It is


known as context diagram of the system. The entire system is shown as single
process and also the interactions of external entities with the system are
represented in context diagram. Further we split the process in next levels into
several numbers of processes to represent the detailed functionalities performed
by the system. Data stores may appear in higher level DFDs. Numbering of
processes : If process ‘p’ in context diagram is split into 3 processes ‘p1’, ‘p2’and
‘p3’ in next level then these are labeled as 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 in level 1 respectively.
Let the process ‘p3’ is again split into three processes ‘p31’, ‘p32’ and ‘p33’ in
level 2, so, these are labeled as 0.3.1, 0.3.2 and 0.3.3 respectively and so
on. Balancing DFD: The data that flow into the process and the data that flow out
to the process need to be match when the process is split into in the next level.
This is known as balancing a DFD.

Note :

Department of Information Technology


Medi-Caps University
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IT3CO36: Software Engineering Experiment no- 8
Experiment Title: Modeling Data Flow Diagrams Page 3 of 5

1. External entities only appear in context diagram i.e, only at level 0.


2. Keep number of processes at each level less than 7.
3. Data flow is not possible in between two external entities and in between
two data stores.
4. Data cannot flow from an External entity to a data store and vice-versa.
3. Outcome of Study:
After completing this experiment, students will be able to:
 Understand the concepts and purpose of Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs).
 Identify external entities, processes, data stores, and data flows in a
system.
 Create context diagrams (Level 0 DFDs) and decompose them into Level 1
and Level 2 DFDs.
 Model a system’s functional requirements clearly through DFDs.
 Ensure the balancing of data flow between different levels of DFD.

4. Output:
Context Diagram (Level 0 DFD):

Department of Information Technology


Medi-Caps University
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IT3CO36: Software Engineering Experiment no- 8
Experiment Title: Modeling Data Flow Diagrams Page 4 of 5

Level 1 DFD:

Optional Level 2 DFD :

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Medi-Caps University
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IT3CO36: Software Engineering Experiment no- 8
Experiment Title: Modeling Data Flow Diagrams Page 5 of 5

5. Some Sample questions:


1. What is a Data Flow Diagram? List its major components.
2. Explain the difference between a context diagram and a Level 1 DFD.
3. What is the importance of balancing in DFDs?
4. Explain the purpose of leveling in Data Flow Diagrams.

Department of Information Technology


Medi-Caps University
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