CAPE Information

Technology
U2_M1_O6
Data Flow Diagrams
Lecturer: Juanna McKenzie-Joseph

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 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)
● A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a graphical representation of the "flow" of data
through an Information System. It differs from the flow chart as it shows the
flow of data through processes instead of hardware.
● DFDs shows how data is processed by a system in terms of inputs and
outputs.
● DFDs consist of four basic components that illustrate how data flows in a
system:
○ Entities
○ Processes
○ Data Stores
○ Data Flows
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 Entities (External)
● An entity is the source or destination of data within a DFD.
● The source in a DFD represents these entities that are outside the context of
the system but interacts with the system.
● Entities triggers motions by providing data (source) to the system, receiving
data/information (sink) from it.
● Entities are often represented as rectangles.
● Entities:
○ Labels should be noun phrases
○ Source Entity supplies data to the system
○ Sink Entity that receives data from the system
○ Must be connected to a process by a data flow
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 Entity Example

● A vendor issues an invoice.

● A customer submitting an order and then receiving a bill from the
system.

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 Processes
● Processes is the manipulation/work that transforms data, based on the
business/organization rules. In other words, a process receives an input and
generates an output.
● Process names are simple verbs and data flow names, Submit Payment/Get
Invoice and usually describes the transformation.
● Processes can be drawn as circles or a segmented rectangle on a DFD, and
include a process name and process number.
● Process:
○ Labels should be simple verb phrases
○ Receives input data and produces output
○ Can have more than one outgoing data flow or more than one incoming
data flow
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 Processes con’t
● Performs computations (eg. calculate grade point average)
● Make decisions (eg. determine availability of ordered products)
● Sort, filter or otherwise summarize data (eg. identify overdue invoices)
● Organize data into useful information (eg. generate a report or answer a
question)
● Trigger other processes (eg. turn on the furnace or instruct a robot)
● Use stored data (eg. create, read, update or delete a record)

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Process Example

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 Data Store (Internal)
● A Data Store is where a process stores data between processes for later
retrieval by that same process or another one. Files and tables are
considered data stores.
● Data Store names (plural) are simple but meaningful, such as Customers,
Orders, Products.
● Data Stores are usually drawn as a rectangle with the right hand side
missing and labeled by the name of the data storage area it represents.
● Data Stores
○ Labels should be noun phrases
○ Must have at least one incoming and one outgoing data flow

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Data Store Example

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 Data Flow
● Data Flow is the movement of data between the entity, the process, and
the data store.
● Data Flow portrays the interface between the components of the DFD.
● The flow of data in a DFD is named to reflect the nature of the data used
(these names should also be unique within a specific DFD).
● Data Flow is represented by an arrow, where the arrow is annotated with
the data name.
● Data Flow can represent flow between process and data store by two
separate arrows.

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Data Flow Example

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 DFD Rules
All flow must begin with and end at a processing step. This is quite logical,
because data can't transform on its own without being processed.

An entity cannot provide data to another entity without

some processing occurred.

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 DFD Rules con’t
Data cannot move directly from an entity to a data store without being processed.

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 DFD Rules con’t
Data cannot move directly from a data store without being processed.

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 DFD Rules con’t
Data cannot move directly from a data store to another without being processed.

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DFD Errors
● Black Holes - A processing
step with input flows but no
output flows.
● Miracles - A processing
step may have output flows
but no input flows.

● Grey Holes - A processing

step may have outputs that
are greater than the sum of
its inputs

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 Levels of Data Flow Diagrams
● DFD levels are numbered 0, 1 or 2 and occasionally go to even Level 3 or
beyond.
● The necessary level of detail depends on the scope of what you are trying
to accomplish.

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 DFD Level 0 (Context Level)
● DFD Level 0 is also called a Context Diagram. It’s a basic overview of the
whole system or process being analysed or modeled.

● It is designed to be an at-a-glance view, showing the system as a single

high-level process with its relationship to external entities, it shows a single
process and no data stores (storage).

● It should be easily understood by a wide audience, including stakeholders,

business/data analysts and developers.

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DFD Level 0 (Context Level)

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DFD Level 1
DFD Level 1 provides a
detailed breakout of pieces
of the Context Level
Diagram.

The main process/function

in the Context Diagram is
broken down into
sub-processes

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 DFD Level 2

DFD Level 2 goes a step

further into parts of level 1.

If a process with a lot of

data flow linking between a
few external entities, that
particular process and the
associated entities are
extracted into a separate
DFD and the processes
refined.

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DFD Level 0 (Context Level)

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DFD Level 1

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DFD Level 2

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Categories of Data Flow
Diagrams (DFD)
There are two categories of data flow diagrams
Logical and Physical

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 Logical DFD
A logical data flow diagram focuses on the business and how the business
operates. It is not concerned with how the system will be constructed or
implemented, it focuses on the functions performed by the system such as, data
collection, data to information transformation and information reporting.

Physical DFD
A physical data flow diagram shows how the system will be implemented, the
hardware, software, files and people in the system. It is developed such that the
processes described in the logical data flow diagrams are implemented correctly to
achieve the goal of the business.

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Logical vs. Physical DFD

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 Logical DFD Example
Grocery Store Cashier:
● The customer brings the items to the register
● Prices for all items are looked up and then totalled
● Next, payment is given to cashier and customer is given receipt.

The logical DFD illustrates the processes involved without going into detail about the
physical implementation of activities.
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 Benefits of a Logical DFD
● A Logical DFD is drawn to present business information and centered on
business activities, which makes it an ideal communication tool to use in
communicating with project users.

● Logical DFD is based on business events and independent of particular

technology or physical arrangement, which makes the resulting system more
stable.

● Logical DFD allows analyst to understand the business being studied and to
identify the reason behind implementation plans.

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 Benefits of a Logical DFD
● Systems implemented based on Logical DFD will be easier to maintain
because business functions are not subject to frequent change.
● Very often, logical DFD does not contain data stores other than files or a
database, making it less complex than physical DFD and is easier to develop.
● Removes redundancies.
● Physical DFD can be easily formed by modifying a logical DFD.

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 Physical DFD
● A physical DFD shows that a barcode-the UPC PRICE code found on most
grocery store items is used.
● A physical DFD mentions manual processes such as scanning, explains that a
temporary file is used to keep a subtotal of items.
● The payment could be made by cash, check or debit card.
● Finally, it refers to the receipt by its name, CASH REGISTER RECEIPT

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 Benefits of a Physical DFD
● Clarifies which processes are manual and which are automated. Manual
processes require detailed documentation and automated process require
computer programs to be developed.
● Defines processes in more detail than logical DFDs; describes all steps for
processing of data.
● Sequences processes that have to be done in a particular order; activities
that lead to a meaningful result are described. Eg; update must be
performed before a producing a summary report.
● Identifies temporary data storage such as a sales transaction file for a
customer receipt (report) in a grocery store, are clearly described.

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 Benefits of a Physical DFD
● Logical DFDs describes actual file names and reports, so that the
programmers can relate those with the data dictionary during the
developmental phase of the system.
● Adds controls to ensure the processes are done properly, such as
conditions or validations of data that are to be met during input, update,
delete, and other processing of data.

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 DFDs Use Cases
DFDs are well suited for analysis or modeling of various types of systems in
different fields.
● DFDs in software engineering: DFDs got their main start in the 1970s.
DFDs can provide a focused approach to technical development in which
more research is done up front to get to coding.
● DFDs in business analysis: Business analysts use DFDs to analyze
existing systems and find inefficiencies. Diagramming the process can
uncover steps that might otherwise be missed or not fully understood.
● DFDs in system structures: Any system or process can be analyzed in
progressive detail to improve it, on both a technical and non-technical basis.

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 DFDs Use Cases
● DFDs in business process re-engineering (BPR): DFDs can be used to
model a better, more efficient flow of data through a business process.
BPR was pioneered in the 1990s to help organizations cut operational
costs, improve customer service and better compete in the market.
● DFDs in agile development: DFDs can be used to visualize and
understand business and technical requirements and plan the next steps.
They can be a simple yet powerful tool for communication and collaboration
to focus rapid development.

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 DFDs Notations
Pioneers of DFDs was Ed Yourdon and
Larry Constantine in late 1970s.

Additional contributing experts were:

● Tom Demarco
● Chris Gane
● Trish Sarson

Common Systems of Notations:

● Yourdon & Coad
● Yourdon & DeMarco
● Gane & Sarson

Difference: Yourdon-Coad-DeMarco uses

circles for processes. 36
 Sources
● Visual Paradigm
● GeeksforGeeks
● Lucidchart
● Study.com

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