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Steps For Preparing DFD Level Zero Diagrams
Steps For Preparing DFD Level Zero Diagrams
1. Read narrative. If you need to write the narrative, interview the client.
2. In the narrative, identify the entities and activities.
3. Identify internal and external entities. (External entities do not perform
information processing activities that are included in the narrative at hand.)
4. Identify activities for each internal entity (look for verbs).
5. Make the table of entities and activities.
6. Number each activity consecutively.
7. Identify data flows in table of entities and activities. (Data flows are activities
that do not involve information processing—data are simply moved from one
process bubble to another, or from a process to an external entity. Sends, receives,
and transmits are examples of data flows.)
8. Draw the context diagram.
Draw one circle summarizing the entire process. Add a descriptive label. Add
the external entities. Draw and label data flows to and from external entities.
9. Identify error routines in table of entities and activities. Remove from table.
10. Put activities that are left in chronological order.
11. Remove data flows and follow steps 9 and 10 to produce the second table of
entities and activities. Data flows will become the flow lines of the dfd.