Problems and Exercises Solutions

1. Using the example of a retail clothing store in a mall, list relevant data flows, data stores,
processes, and sources/sinks. Observe several sales transactions. Draw a context diagram and
a level-0 diagram that represent the selling system at the store. Explain why you chose certain
elements as processes versus sources/sinks.
A suggested context diagram and level-0 diagram are provided below.

Problem and Exercise 1

Context Diagram

Payment 0
Customer Point of Sale Store Manager
Management Report
Receipt System
 Problem and Exercise 1
Level-0 Diagram

Receipt 1
Customer Transform
Customer Sales Data
Payment Purchase

Goods Sold
Inventory Data

2 3 4
Update Goods Update Update Sales
Sold File Inventory File Total File

Formatted Goods Sold Amount Formatted Inventory Amount Formatted Sales Total Amount

Goods Sold File Inventory File Sales Total File

Inventory
Amounts

Sales Totals

5
Goods Sold Amounts Produce Management Report
Management
Reports Store Manager
2. Choose a transaction that you are likely to encounter, perhaps ordering a cap and gown for
graduation, and develop a high-level DFD, or context diagram. Decompose this to a level-0
diagram.
A suggested context diagram and a level-0 diagram are provided below.

Problem and Exercise 2

Context Diagram
Problem and Exercise 2
Level-0 Diagram
Receipt
0
Cap & Gown
Student Cap & Gown Purchase Request Order Entry Cap and Gown Order
Company
System
Receipt
Cap and Gown Order Cap & Gown
Student
Company

Cap & Gown Purchase Request

3
1 Valid Order Information 2 Inventory Data Update
Validate Order Finalize Order
Inventory File

Inventory Status

Inventory File Formatted Inventory Data

4. Choose an example like that in Problem and Exercise 2, and draw a context diagram.
Decompose this diagram until it doesn’t make sense to continue. Be sure that your diagrams are
balanced, as discussed in this chapter.
Students may choose a variety of situations to use for the nth level data flow diagrams for this answer.
Basically, students should continue the process of decomposition until they have reached the point
where no sub-process can logically be broken down further (i.e., each process meets the definition of a
primitive process). See the level-1 data flow diagram for this exercise, which shows a sample
decomposition of the process titled Finalize Order from the level-0 data flow diagram provided for
Problem and Exercise 3. The (italicized) labels for processes and sources/sinks without borders
represent the origin or destination of flows that pass between this subsystem and other system
components. Note that the Goods Sold File is a potential black hole, or should possibly be treated as a
sink.
 Problem and Exercise #4
Level-1 Diagram
5.

Cap & Gown

Validate Order
Company

Cap and Gown Order

2.3
2.1 2.2
Receipt Receipt Generate
Generate Log Goods Sold
Information For
Receipt Data
Shipping

Goods Sold Data Inventory Data

Valid Order Information

Goods Sold File Update Inventory File

Validate Order

Refer to Figure 5-22, which contains drafts of a context and a level-0 DFD for a university class
registration system. Identify and explain potential violations of rules and guidelines on these
diagrams.
Some errors and peculiarities in these diagrams include:

 In the level–0 diagram, the data store, Class Roster, does not have the data flow,
Scheduled Classes, flowing into it, rather this data flow connects processes 2 and 3, thus
these DFDs are not balanced.
 Process 1 appears to accomplish nothing since its inflow and outflow are identical; such
processes are uninteresting and probably unnecessary; it is possible that this process will
become interesting when it is decomposed, where validation and error handling processes
might appear.
 Process 2 does not appear to need Course Request as input in order to perform its
function, as implied by its name.
 Some students may also wonder if process 3 has input sufficient to produce its output; for
example, where are prior class registrations kept so that process 3 can determine when a
course is full?

6. Why should you develop both logical and physical DFDs for systems? What advantage is there
for drawing a logical DFD before a physical DFD for a new information system?
Physical data flow diagrams help you better understand the people and/or computer systems that are
used in the overall system’s processing. Logical data flow diagrams help you better understand the
essence of the system, the data and the processes that transform them, regardless of actual physical
form. Further, the new logical data flow diagrams can then show any additional functionality necessary
in the new system, to indicate which, if any, obsolete components have been eliminated, and any
changes in the logical flow of data between system components, including different data stores. The
data flow diagrams for the new physical system can then be constructed with the data flow diagrams for
the new logical system as a guide.
7. This chapter has shown you how to model, or structure, just one aspect, or view, of an
information system, namely the process view. Why do you think analysts have different types of
diagrams and other documentation to depict different views (e.g. process, logic, and data) of an
information system?
The various views (e.g., process, logic, data) of an information system each have their own unique
characteristics and provide the most relevant information to different information system specialists.
This variety is best understood, expressed, and managed by using diagrams and documentation that
are specifically tailored for each view of the system. For example, data flow diagrams are useful for
capturing the flow of data through business processes, but they are not useful for describing the forms
and relationships among data. As information systems become larger and more complex, it becomes
even more important to use the right tool and technique to develop each component of an information
system. One technique that captured all aspects of an information system model on one diagram or in
one notation would likely be too complex for systems professionals to handle.

8. Consider the DFD in Figure 5-23. List three errors (rule violations) on this DFD.
Three major errors in Figure 5-23 are:

 Process 1.0 (P2) has only inputs, making it a “black hole.”

 Data flow DF5 should not move directly from source E1 to data store DS1 without first
going through a process.
 Data flow DF1 should not move directly from source E1 to sink E2 without first going
through a process.
 Other peculiarities (such as Process 1.0 has label P2 and the data store has only a label,
not a number) are only that, not errors.

9. Consider the three DFDs in Figure 5-24. List three errors (rule violations) on these DFDs.
These diagrams show the decomposition of process P1 on the level-0 diagram. Three particular logical
errors in Figure 5-24 are:

 The data store DS1, not DS2, should be represented on the level-1 diagram.
 Data flow DF3 should be an outflow on the level-1 diagram, and data flow DF6 should not
be on the level-1 diagram.
 Process P1.4.2 has no inputs and is thus a “miracle.”

10. Starting with a context diagram, draw as many nested DFDs as you consider necessary to
represent all the details of the employee hiring system described in the following narrative. You
must draw at least a context and a level-0 diagram. In drawing these diagrams, if you discover
that the narrative is incomplete, make up reasonable explanations to complete the story. Supply
these extra explanations along with the diagrams. (The Projects, Inc. narrative is provided in the
textbook.)
A suggested context diagram and level-0 diagram are provided below.
 Problem and Exercise #10
Context-Level Diagram

Interview Schedule
Engineering
Applicant
Manager

Qualified Applicant’s Application

Blank Non-Disclosure Form

Completed Non-Disclosure Form Interview Evaluation

0
Hiring System
Completed Application Job Description

Hiring Decision Letter

Problem and Exercise #10

Level-0 Diagram

Blank Non-Disclosure Form

Completed Non-Disclosure Form

1 5
Completed Receive Purge Year-Old
Application Application Purge Notice Applications
Applicant
Valid Application

Year-Old Applications

Applications

Applications Related to Job Descriptions

Applications for Interview

6
3
Interview Schedule Create
Choose for

New Employee
Employee
Interview
Record

Data
Hiring Decision
Qualified Applicant’s Application

Job
Descriptions
Employees

Approved Job Description

2 Relevant Job Description 4
Receive Job Evaluate and Hiring Decision Letter
Description Hire

Job Description
Interview Evaluation
Engineering Applicant
Manager

11. a. Starting with a context diagram, draw as many nested DFDs as you