Process Modeling

 Graphically represent the processes that

capture, manipulate, store, and distribute
data between a system and its environment
 Models
 DFDs -- Process, Data & Externals
 ERDs -- Data Structure -- no Process
 Process Logic and Timing
Process Modeling
Deliverables

 Context DFD (Not in D/2000)

 DFD of current physical system
 DFD of current logical system
 DFD of new logical system
 Adequate descriptions of each DFD
component (Oracle Repository)
DFD Mechanics

Process

Data store

Source/Sink

Data flow
 Context Level DFD

Customer 0
Order
Food Order
CUSTOMER Food KITCHEN
Ordering
System
Receipt

Management
Reports

RESTAURANT
MANAGER

Figure 8.4, p284

 Level Zero (First Level) Diagram
Customer 1
Order
Receive & Food Order
CUSTOMER Transform
Customer KITCHEN
Receipt Food Order

Inventory
Data
Goods
Sold
2 3

Formatted
Update Update Inventory Data D2
Formatted Goods Sold Inventory Inventory File
Goods File File
Sold Data

D1
Goods Sold File
Daily Goods Sold Amounts 4 Daily Inventory Depletion
Amounts
Produce
Management Management Reports RESTAURANT
Reports MANAGER

Figure 8.5, p285

DFD Rules -- Process

A. No process can have only outputs

B. No process can have only inputs
Every Process has Input & Output
C. (1) Use Verb phrase labels for the
lowest level (Basic Function Module -
a BFM has no explosion)
(2) Use xxx Process for the others
 DFD Rules -- Process
Incorrect Correct

A.

B.
DFD Rules -- Data Store

D. Data cannot move directly from one data

store to another data store
E.Data cannot move directly from an outside source
to a data store
F. Data cannot move directly to an outside sink
from a data store
One end of a Data Flow must be a Process

G. Use a Noun phrase label (Entity Name)

DFD Rules -- Source / Sink

H. Data cannot move directly from a

source to a sink. It must be moved by
a process.

I. Noun phrase label. (External)

Contents are Entities - one Primary

DFD Rules -- Data Flow

J. A data flow has only one direction of flow between

symbols; a data flow may flow in both
directions to and from a data store (usually two
symbols)
K.A fork in a data flow means that exactly the same
data goes to two different processes or data stores.
L. A join in a data flow means that exactly the same
data comes from two different processes and data
stores.
 DFD Rules -- Data Flow
Incorrect Correct
J.

K.

L.
DFD Rules -- Data Flow

M. A data flow cannot go directly back to

the same process it leaves
N. A data flow to a data store means
create, update or delete
O. A data flow from a data store means
retrieve or use
P. Use a Noun phrase label. Contents are
attributes of entities and data items
Other DFD Issues

 Decomposition (Explosion)
 Explode a single process into
subprocesses
 Balancing (the Great Circle Rule)
 Conserve all process inputs and
outputs when decomposing a
process
 Decomposition of 4.0

Daily Goods Sold

Amounts 4.1 Inventory Data
4.2

Daily Inventory Access

Goods Sold Aggregate
Depletion Amounts Goods Sold
& Inventory
Data & Inventory
Goods Sold Data
Data

Aggregated
Data

4.3

Management
Prepare Reports
Management
Reports

Figure 8.8 and 8.7, p289

 Decomposition of 4.3

4.3.1 4.3.2

Aggregated Data Management

Format Formatted Data Print Reports
Management Management
Reports Reports

Figure 8.9, p290

Balance - Context Level

0
A B
Source 1 Sink 1
System
 Unbalanced DFD
1
A
Source 1

C
Formatted Formatted
A C
Source 2 2
B Sink 1
DFD Rules -- Advanced
Rules
R. The inputs to a process must be
sufficient to produce the outputs
S. At the lowest level of DFDs, new data
flows may be added to represent data
that are transmitted under exceptional
conditions (e.g., error messages).
T. To avoid having data flow lines cross
each other, you may repeat data stores or
sources / sinks on a DFD.
DFD Guidelines

 Completeness
 Consistency
 Timing
 Iterative Development
Primitive DFDs -- BFM
Level

 Single database operation - update, retrieve,

create, delete
 Single other process function -- input or
output data; calculate; decision
 Process for each option or choice
 Data flow split to each use set
 User and Analyst are satisfied
 Element of Personal Choice