Data flow modeling
Data flow modeling
• Data storage
• open rectangle
Process
• In dataflow diagrams, a process refers to an action performed by either a machine or a human in
the system under consideration.
• The process involves both incoming (inputs) and outgoing data streams (outputs).
• The process transforms the contents of incoming data streams into outgoing data streams either
by changing the data it receives as input or by generating new information from it.
External
Process Data storage
object
The process can be Identifier
• An identifier is a number assigned to a process. Usually, processes are numbered sequentially from
number one through the flowchart from left to right.
• The description of the action includes the name of the process. When naming processes, the
simplest possible names in instruction form or descriptions of the purpose of the process are
used, e.g. 'Record a study attainment' or 'Visit a barbershop'.
• The physical location of the performance site is optional. In the logical description, attention is
often not paid to who performs the action or in what place the execution takes place. However, if
desired, the location can be indicated, for example, the name of the department or the role of the
employee.
Data storage T1 | Customer information
• A logical dataflow diagram doesn't commit to any physical implementation, so a data storage
doesn't mean a physical location or file.
• Processes can store or retrieve data in a data storage.
• Tietovarastossa tiedot eivät muutu ilman prosesseja.
• Data storage can be named CUSTOMER INFORMATION or ORDER INFORMATION, so that the
name can be used to deduce what kind of data the storage contains.
• Data storage is identified T and a number, to make it easier to refer to.
• The t and number are inside the data storage symbol on the left side and separated by a vertical
line from the data storage name.
External entity TUAS
• An external entity refers to things or people found outside the system under consideration.
• Examples of external entities can be a customer, a supplier or even a university of applied
sciences.
• External entities are called the source or object of information in relation to the system under
consideration.
• When the data flow begins with an external object, this external object is called the source.
• Similarly, when a data stream ends in an external object, that object is called an object.
Dataflow
Customer
Official T1 I Reservations
Arrival notification
Material ID Booking details
3.2
Material
3.1 Check
ID
Mark loan Reservations
returned
Material information
Loan information
T3 I Material register
T2 I Loans
Important
• Data flows cannot be modelled directly between external objects, because the operation of these
objects is not at the discretion of the system designer.
• Data flows cannot be modelled between data storages, because they are so-called. passive
components, whose data is processed only through processes.
• In a dataflow diagram, data flows can occur only between processes, between processes and data
storages, and between processes and external objects.
• If something goes into a data storage or process, something must also come from there, and vice
versa.
• If a data storage is used by only one specific process, the storage belongs within the process. This
data storage is not visibly modeled on parent charts.
Data flow diagram hierarchy
• Top level (0): context diagram
• External objects (ei ulkoisten olioiden välisiä liittymiä)
• External interfaces of the system to people, organizations, other systems as data flows
• The system is described as a single process
• The system is refined with Level 1 data flow diagrams
• Each process becomes either a new diagram or a mini-specification
• Interfaces to the lower level description come from the upper level
• Yields a more detailed and structured description of the system
• If necessary, continue to levels 2, 3, etc.
Different levels of dataflow diagram
Data flow diagram numbering convention
• External entities usually appear only in the context diagram (level 0) and up to the level 1
diagram.
payment
Customer
claim
invoice
delivery
order
Ordering system
Customer
payment
order
claim
delivery
invoice