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Data Flow Diagram

This document provides an overview of data flow diagrams (DFDs). It discusses key elements of DFDs including processes, data flows, data stores, and different levels of DFDs from context level down to level 2. It provides tips for creating DFD fragments, organizing them into a level 0 diagram, and decomposing the level 0 DFDs. The document also covers validating the DFDs and common errors to avoid.

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jaheimwilliams1990
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82 views

Data Flow Diagram

This document provides an overview of data flow diagrams (DFDs). It discusses key elements of DFDs including processes, data flows, data stores, and different levels of DFDs from context level down to level 2. It provides tips for creating DFD fragments, organizing them into a level 0 diagram, and decomposing the level 0 DFDs. The document also covers validating the DFDs and common errors to avoid.

Uploaded by

jaheimwilliams1990
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data Flow Diagrams

Slide 1 PowerPoint Presentation for Dennis & Haley Wixom, Systems Analysis and Design
Copyright 2000 © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reading a DFD

Slide 2
DFD Elements

Slide 3
DFD Shapes from Visio
Visio 5.x Visio 2000

Slide 4
DFD – Practical Example
Launched Dec. 11, 1998, the Climate Orbiter plunged too steeply
into the Martian atmosphere Sept. 23, 1999, and either burned up
or crashed. In an initial failure report released Oct. 15, 2000 the
review board blamed the navigation error on a communications
foul-up between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and prime
contractor Lockheed Martin.

Slide 5
Structured English
Common Statements Example

Action Statement Profits = Revenues - Expenses


Generate Inventory - Report
Add Product record to Product Data Store

If Statement IF Customer Not in Customer Data Store


THEN Add Customer record to Customer Data Store
ELSE Add Current-Sale to Customer’s Total-Sales
Update Customer record in Customer Data Store

For Statement FOR all Customers in Customer Data Store


Generate a new line in the Customer-Report
Add Customer’s Total-Sales to Report-Total

Case Statement CASE


If Income < 10,000: Marginal-tax-rate =
10%
If Income < 20,000: Marginal-tax-rate =
20%
If Income < 30,000: Marginal-tax-rate =
31%
Slide 6 If Income < 40,000: Marginal-tax-rate =
35%
Key Definition
• Decomposition is the process of
modeling the system and its components
in increasing levels of detail.
• Balancing involves insuring that
information presented at one level of a
DFD is accurately represented in the
next level DFD.

Slide 7
Context Diagram
• Shows the context into which the business
process fits
• Shows the overall business process as just
one process
• Shows all the outside entities that receive
information from or contribute information to
the system

Slide 8
Relationship Among DFD levels

Slide 9
Decomposition Diagram

Slide 10
Level 0 Diagram
• Shows all the processes that comprise the
overall system
• Shows how information moves from and to
each process
• Adds data stores

Slide 11
Level 1 Diagrams
• Shows all the processes that comprise a single
process on the level 0 diagram
• Shows how information moves from and to each of
these processes
• Shows in more detail the content of higher level
process
• Level 1 diagrams may not be needed for all level 0
processes

Slide 12
Level 2 Diagrams
• Shows all processes that comprise a single process
on the level 1 diagram
• Shows how information moves from and to each of
these processes
• Level 2 diagrams may not be needed for all level 1
processes
• Correctly numbering each process helps the user
understand where the process fits into the overall
system

Slide 13
Data Flow Splits and Joins
• A data flow split shows where a flow is broken into its
component parts for use in separate processes
• Data flow splits need not be mutually exclusive nor use all
the data from the parent flow
• As we move to lower levels we become more precise about
the data flows
• A data flow join shows where components are merged to
describe a more comprehensive flow

Slide 14
Alternative Data Flows
• Where a process can produce different data given
different conditions
• We show both data flows and use the process
description to explain why they are alternatives
• Tip -- alternative data flows often accompany
processes with IF statements

Slide 15
Your Turn
• At this point in the process it is easy to lose track of
the “big picture”.
• Describe the difference between data flows, data
stores, and processes.
• Describe in your own words the relationship
between the DFD and the ultimate new application
being developed.

Slide 16
Creating Data Flow
Diagrams

Slide 17 PowerPoint Presentation for Dennis & Haley Wixom, Systems Analysis and Design
Copyright 2000 © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Integrating Scenario Descriptions
• DFDs generally integrate scenario
descriptions
• Names of use cases become processes
• Names of inputs and outputs become data
flows
• Combining “small” data inputs and outputs
into a single flow

Slide 18
Steps in Building DFDs
• Build the context diagram
• Create DFD fragments for each scenario
• Organize DFD fragments into level 0
• Decompose level 0 DFDs as needed
• Validate DFDs with user

Slide 19
DFD Fragment Tips
• All process names must be verb phrases
• Maintain organization’s viewpoint in naming
processes
• Layouts often place
• processes in the center
• inputs from the left
• outputs to the right
• stores beneath the processes

Slide 20
A DFD Fragment Example

Slide 21
DFD – Common Errors

Black Hole
Gray Hole

Miracle
Slide 22
DFD – Packet Concept

Slide 23
A Second DFD Fragment Example

Slide 24
Level 0 Tips
• Generally move from top to bottom, left
to right
• Minimize crossed lines
• Iterate as needed
• The DFD is often drawn many times before
it is finished, even with very experienced
systems analysts

Slide 25
Composite & Elementary Flows

Slide 26
Tips for Level 1 and Below
• Sources for inputs and outputs listed at higher level
• List source and destination of data flows to
processes and stores within each DFD
• Depth of DFD depends on overall system
complexity
• Two processes generally don’t need lower level
• More than seven processes become overly
complex and difficult to read

Slide 27
Flows to & from Data Stores

Slide 28
Illegal Data Flows

Slide 29
Validating the DFD
• Syntax errors
• Assure correct DFD structure
• Semantics errors
• Assure accuracy of DFD relative to
actual/desired business processes
• User walkthroughs
• Role-play processes
• Examine lowest level DFDs
• Examine names carefully
Slide 30

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