Data Flow Diagrams

Introduction
SSADM
What is a Data Flow Diagram?
Why do we use DFDs?
Levelling
Conventions
Decomposition and Abstraction
The Elements
Process and Data Stores
Outside Entity
Data Flow
The Levels
Rules
The Procedure for Constructing DFD’s
The Document Flow Diagram
The Context Diagram
Draw the external entities and data stores
Level 1 Physical DFD - Complete
 S.S.A.D.M.
• S.S.A.D.M. - Structured
Systems Analysis and
Design Method
• Uses different techniques
to model a system
– Data Flow Diagrams
– Entity Relational Model
(Logical Data Stores)
– Normalisation
 What is a Data Flow
Diagram?
• Known as DFDs
• A way to model a real
world situation
• They are the interface
between the real world
activities and an
understanding of how this
can be converted into a
computer system.
Why do we use DFDs?
• It is a way of taking the
physical view and
converting it into a logical
view.
• The physical view - all
documents involved
• The logical view - the data
they contain
• Their main purpose is to
communicate with the user,
the analyst’s understanding
of the scope of the required
system
 Levelling
• DFDs are expanded or
decomposed into levels.
• Separating each process
into sub processes
• Uncovers more and more
detail
 Conventions
Balancing
Process at lower level should
have identical data flows if
they flow out of a process
Modelling Data Stores
Only use DATA STORES used
within this process on the
diagram
Numbering
1 - 1.1 - 1.1.1
1.2 - 1.2.1
Labels
Should carry as much meaning
as possible
 Decomposition and
Abstraction

• Decomposition - Divide
and subdivide into
manageable size
problems
• Abstraction -
Concentrate on the
important issues and
ignore the irrelevant
 The Elements
The four main elements of
DFDs notation
 Data Flows, with a label
to indicate what data is
flowing
 Processes, that handle
the data
 Data stores, within the
system (diary, filing
cabinet or computer
file)
 Outside entities,
outside sources of data
 Process and Data
Stores
A process is made up of

Destination
(Place or Name)
Process Number

Process
description Should
be descriptive,
starting with a
verb.
Data Stores

Can be M for manual Name of

or D for computer M1 Store
base data stores.
 Outside Entity
Is anything outside the
system that is of interest to
the system. Can be a
person, a company or
another system.
Customer
a

Outside entity shows the

Name and a lowercase
alpha character is used to Customer
a
uniquely identify it.

If an outside entity is
repeated for the
purpose of neat layout
a line is added across
the top.
 Data Flow
Is shown by a line with an
arrowhead, indicating the
direction of the flow of
data. Each data flow
should be named to
indicate what data is being
passed. Nouns or
adjectives only no verbs
are permitted.
 The Levels
• Context - Overview -
contains only one process
• Level 1 - Utilises all four
elements
• Level 2 - A breakdown of a
level 1 process
• Level 3 - A breakdown of a
level 2 process
• There is no rule as to how
many levels of DFD that
can be used.
 Rules
Sequence not important - getting the Process
correct is
• Context or Level 0 - Identifies
the system/ boundary/External
Links
• Level 1 - Overview of function
• Level 2 - Breakdown to
Understand
Hard to know where to stop
Rule of Thumb
If there are more than 8 data
flows break it
Process of Identifying major
Processes
 The Procedure for
Constructing DFD’s
 Draw a document flow diagram
of the current situation
 Draw a systems boundary
around the agencies that are
part of the system
 Draw a Context Diagram
 Identify processes in the system
 Complete the level 1 Current
Physical DFD
 The Document Flow Diagram

The task of modelling a business

situation can be daunting at first. It is
best to start with something simple
such as a document flow diagram.

Production Supplier
Planning
Delivery
Production Note
Plan Purchase
Order

Supplier Details Update Form

Delivery Note
Stock Control Purchasing
Material Requirements List

Stock
Withdrawal
Note Bill of
Materials

Design
Factory
 The Context Diagram
 You decide which agencies are to be
part of the system that you are
examining.
 These agencies fall inside the system
boundary and are reduced to one box in
the centre.
 This is a Context Diagram

a b
Production
Planning Supplier

Production Delivery
Plan Note

e Stock Control Supplier Details Update Form

c
Bill of Materials Delivery Note
Design Maintain Material Requirements List Purchasing
Stock System

Stock
Withdrawal
Note

d
Factory

(Lejk & Deeks)

 All data flows going into the
system must be received by a
process.
 All data flows going out of the
system must be generated by
process.
 The first task is therefore to
identify these processes:
1 Stock clerk

Maintain
planned call-off

2 Stock clerk

Maintain
stock cards

3 Stock clerk

Prepare
material reqmnts
list
 Draw the external entities and
data stores.

1 Stock clerk
a
M1 Bill of materials
Production Maintain
Planning planned call-off

M2 Stock cards
b

Supplier

c 2 Stock clerk

Factory Maintain
stock cards

3 Stock clerk
d
Prepare
Purchasing
material reqmnts
list
 Level 1 Physical DFD - Complete
Finally draw in the data flows to give a
completed diagram. Note that a data flow
must have a process at the end .

1 Stock clerk
a B O M details
Production
M1 Bill of materials
Production Maintain
Planning Plan
planned call-off
Planned call-off
details M2 Stock cards
b

Supplier
Delivery note Stock details

c 2 Stock clerk

Factory Maintain
Stock stock cards
withdrawal note
Stock details
Updated
supply details

Delivery 3 Stock clerk

d note
Prepare
Purchasing Material requirements material reqmnts
list list
(Lejk & Deeks)
 Hairdressing Salon Level 1
Physical DFD
1 Receptionist
New client
Register details
Appointment
Existing client
Appointment details
details M1 Client card index
Confirmation
Request Appointment
details
Confirmation
Details
M2 Appointment diary

Confirmation of
a
arrival
Client Appointment
details 2 Receptionist

Confirm Appointment Change of

arrival details
hairstyle etc.

Change of
hairstyle etc.
3 Hairdresser/Rcptnst
(Lejk & Deeks)
Conduct
appointment

(Lejk & Deeks)

 Process 3 Level 2

3 Hair/Reception

Client
a Clie
a 3.1 Hairdresser
Appointment Details
Conduct Appointment
Hair Details M2 Diary

3.2 Hairdresser

Inform Reception

Change of Hair Details

3.3 Receptionist

Complete Appointment M3 Client Card

 Naming of DFD
processes
Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
2 2.2 2.1.1
1
Process Elementary
Man 2.1 2.1.1 process
Sub Sub - Sub descriptions.
Process Process
Decision trees
Overall 2 Decision table
Process Process
Process 2.2 Structured
English
Sub 2.1.2
Process
3 Sub - Sub
Process
Process
Man 2.3
Sub
Process

There must be consistency between levels, with

all the data appearing on the higher level DFD.
If a data store is used only for one process it is
placed with that process. Outside entities are
always shown outside the boundary of a lower
level DFD process, even if they only
communicate with that one process.
 Summary

SSADM
What a DFD is & Why
we use them
The different
conventions
What the elements are
Example

Next Week:- Entity

Relational Model