Data Flow Diagram

Dr Suganeshwari G
Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

• Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) are graphical representations of a system's processes and data
flow between them.

• They are essential tools in software engineering for understanding system functionality
and requirements.

• DFDs provide a visual and intuitive way to model how data moves within a system,
making them valuable for system analysis and design.

Dr Suganeshwari G
Importance
• DFDs clarify system requirements by illustrating how data flows through the system and identifying
interactions with external entities.

• Understanding data flow within the system is crucial for designing efficient and effective systems.

• DFDs facilitate system design and analysis by providing a structured representation of system
functionality, allowing stakeholders to identify potential issues and improvements.

Dr Suganeshwari G
Components
• Processes: Represent activities or functions performed by the system.

• Data Flows: Show the movement of data between processes, data stores, and external entities.

• Data Stores: Hold data persistently within the system.

• External Entities (Source/ Sinks): Represent sources or destinations of data outside the system.

Dr Suganeshwari G
Process

1.0

Grade Detail Grade Report

Produce
Grade
Report

• The work or actions performed on data so that

they are transformed, stored, or distributed.

• Process labels should be verb phrases!

Dr Suganeshwari G
Data Flow

2.1
Payment Detail

D1 Accounts
Post Invoice Detail Receivable
Payment

• A path for data to move from one part of the system to another.
• Data in motion!
• Arrows depict the movement of data.
• NO VERBS

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Data Store

D1 Students

• Used in a DFD to represent data that the system stores

• Data at rest!
• Labels should be noun phrases
• (NO VERBS)

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External Entity aka Source/Sink

• The origin or destination of data!

• This represents things outside of the system.
• Source – Entity that supplies data to the system.
• Sink – Entity that receives data from the system.
• The labels should be noun phrases!
Dr Suganeshwari G
General DFD Rules

YES NO
A process to another process

A process to an external entity

A process to a data store

An external entity to another external entity

An external entity to a data store

A data store to another data store

Dr Suganeshwari G
Advantages of DFDs
• Simple graphical techniques which are easy to understand
• Helps define the boundaries of the system
• Useful for communicating current system knowledge to users
• Explains the logic behind the data flow within the system
• Used as the part of system documentation file

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Levels of DFDs
• Models system as one process box which represents the scope of the system
• Identifies external entities and related inputs and outputs
• Additional notation - system box

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Level 1
• Gives overview of the full system
• Identifies major processes and data flows between them
• Identifies data stores that are used by the major processes
• Boundary of level 1 is the context diagram

Dr Suganeshwari G
Dr Suganeshwari G
Dr Suganeshwari G