Data Flow Modelling

Introduction to DFDs
What is a Data Flow Model ?
What is a Data Flow Diagram ?
 A means of documenting the flow of
data through a system.

 It is a graphical technique which helps:

 Provide the analyst in the development with an
understanding of the system.
 Convey the analyst’s ideas to others.
Introduction to DFD’s
•A DFD is a diagrammatic representation of the
information flows within a system showing:
How the information enters and leaves the system;
What changes the information;
Where information is stored.

•Data Flow Diagrams are an important technique for

systems analysis and design.
What does a DFD give us ?
 Boundary definition

 Checking the completeness of analysis

 Basis of system design

 Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
• Maps the route of data around a system

Data Source and Sink

Data Store

Flow Line

Process
 is easy to understand and communicate
 does not show procedures and control as a
flowchart does
 Data Flow Modeling
Customer
Customer
 Modelling the way that data flows
Customer and
within a system Order Details
 Looks at data in terms of
 Processes (which transfer data 11 Accounts
Accounts
from one form to another)
 Data Stores (which are places
Check
CheckCustomer
Customer
where data is held) Details
Detailsand
andCreate
CreateOrder
Order
 External Entities (objects from

which data comes, or objects Valid Order Details

which receive data)
D1
D1 Orders
Orders
 Data Flows (routes by which

the data can flow)

 External Entities
An External Entity is whatever or whoever donates
information to the system or receives information from it.

An external entity may be a user of the system, an

external organization, a computer system, or any other
source or recipient of information.
 A Process

A process transforms or manipulates data

within the system. Processes are represented
by rectangles on a Data Flow Diagram.

Each process box contains the name of the

process, an identifier, and possibly a location.
Process Boxes
 The process name describes the
process performed on the data received by
the process.
 Process identifiers are numerical.
 The location of the process is used to denote
either -
 The place where the process is performed
 Or the member of staff responsible for performing
the process.
 Process Box Components
Location

Identifier 1 Manager

Process New
Name Customer
Data Stores

A data store is where information is held within the

system.

A data store is represented on a DFD by an open-

ended box.

D1 Student Details
 Data store Components

Identifier D1 Student Details

Description of Data Store

Data Flows

 A package of information flowing between objects

on the Data Flow Diagram.

 Represented by a line and an arrow to denote the

direction of the information flow.

 Labeled with the name or details of the

information represented by the data flow.
Example - Data Flows
A 1 Manager
Customer
Customer Name Process New
Customer

Customer
Name

D1 Customer
Details
 Basic rules for a DFD

 Data does not flow directly between

processes
 Data does not flow directly between
data stores
 Data cannot be transferred directly
from store to sink or source to store
External entity  Data store

A
Customer

D1 Student Details
Data store  Data store

D1 Student Details

D3 Course Details
Drawing Data Flow Diagrams
 Identify
 main inputs & outputs
 processes
 data flows

 Draw Data Flow Diagram

 associate data stores
 internal data flows
Example
A 1 Academic
Student
Student Details Process New
Student

Student
Details
D1 Student
Details
 Checking Data Flow Diagrams ?

 Every process must have at least one data flow

coming from it and two data flow flowing into it.

 Every external entity and data-store must have at

least one data flow either coming from it, or
flowing into it.

 For every data flow either its source is a process

or its sink is a process.
 Types of DFDs
 A physical DFD represents HOW things are
happening.
It contains the problems of the current system, and is
people or machine dependent.
It tends to contain redundant data stores/ processing.
It tends to mention names of departments, people,
forms, devices used and where data is stored

 A logical DFD is extracted from a physical DFD. It is a

logical representation of the system, which indicates WHAT
the system accomplishes.
It is implementation-independent: it focuses on the flow of
data between processes without regard to the specific
devices, storage location or people in the system.
 How to get a DFD
Create the context diagram (Level 0),
which shows the external interfaces with
the outside world, i.e. the global view of
a system.
0
Order form Picking notes
Customer Invoice Warehouse
Sales &
Cheque Accountancy Dispatch note
System
 How to get a DFD

DFD Level 1

Order form 1 Sales Dept. Picking notes

Process Order

Customer Warehouse
Invoice
Cheque Dispatch note
2 Accounts Dept.
Prepare Invoice
How to get a DFD
Ensure all data flows are given a name

“A DFD cannot be considered to be

completed unless all data flows and
functions have been given a meaningful
name”

Add Data Stores where needed

Example - Supermarket DFD
 A supermarket uses point of sale bar code
scanners at their checkout tills. The bar
code on the product is scanned and is then
checked to see if it is valid. If it is a valid
bar code then the stock database is
updated and an entry for that product is
printed on the till receipt. If it is an invalid
bar code then an alarm will sound on the
checkout till and the operator will need to
deal with the problem.
 Draw the processes on the Supermarket
Data Flow Diagram below.