Chapter 9

Using Data Flow Diagrams

Systems Analysis and Design

Kendall and Kendall
Fifth Edition
Major Topics
Data flow diagram symbols
Data flow diagram levels
Creating data flow diagrams
Physical and logical data flow diagrams
Partitioning
Event driven modeling
Use case and data flow diagrams
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-2
Data Flow Diagrams
One of the main methods available for
analyzing data-oriented systems
DFDs emphasize the logic underlying
the system
The systems analysts can put together
a graphical representation of data
movement through the organization

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-3

Advantages of the Data Flow
Diagram Approach
Four advantages over narrative
explanations of data movement
Freedom from committing to the technical
implementation too early
Understanding of the interrelationships of
systems and subsystems
Communicating current system knowledge
to users
Analysis of the proposed system
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-4
Basic Symbols
Four basic symbols are
A double square for an external entity--a
source or destination of data
An arrow for movement of data from one
point to another
A rectangle with rounded corners for the
occurrence of transforming process
An open-ended rectangle for a data store

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-5

External Entities
Represent people or organizations
outside of the system being studied
Shows the initial source and final
recipient of data and information
Should be named with a noun,
describing that entity
C ustom e r

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-6

External Entities
External entities may be
A person, such as CUSTOMER or STUDENT
A company or organization, such as BANK
or SUPPLIER
Another department within the company,
such as ORDER FULFILLMENT
Another system or subsystem, such as the
INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-7

Processes
Represent either: 1 2
C usto m er
A whole system A dd N ew
C ustom er
Inqu iry
S ubsystem
A subsystem
Work being done, an activity
Names should be in the form verb-
adjective-noun
The exception is a process that represents
an entire system or subsystem
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-8
Data Stores
Name with a noun, describing the data
 Data stores are usually given a unique
reference number, such as D1, D2, D3
 Include any data stored, such as:
A computer file or database
A transaction file C u sto m er
D1
A set of tables M aste r

A manual file of records

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-9
 N e w C u stom e r

Data Flow C u stom er R e cord

Shows the data about a person, place,

or thing that moves through the system
Names should be a noun that describes
the data moving through the system
Arrowhead indicates the flow direction
Use double headed-arrows only when a
process is reading data and updating
the data on the same table or file
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-10
Developing Data Flow
Diagrams
Use the following guidelines:
Create the context level diagram, including
all external entities and the major data
flow to or from them
Create Diagram 0 by analyzing the major
activities within the context process
Include the external entities and major data
stores
Create a child diagram for each complex
process on Diagram 0
Kendall & Kendall 9-11
Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc.
Creating Data Flow Diagrams
Detailed data flow diagrams may be
developed by
Making a list of business activities
Analyzing what happens to an input data
flow from an external entity
Analyzing what is necessary to create an
output data flow to an external entity

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-12

Creating Data Flow Diagrams

(Continued)
Examining the data flow to or from a data
store
Analyzing a well-defined process for data
requirements and the nature of the
information produced
Unclear areas of a data flow diagram
should be noted and investigated

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-13

Data Flow Diagram Levels
Data flow diagrams are built in layers
The top level is the Context level
Each process may explode to a lower
level
The lower level diagram number is the
same as the parent process number
Processes that do not create a child
diagram are called primitive
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-14
Context Level Data Flow
Diagram
Contains only one process, representing
the entire system
The process is given the number zero
All external entities are shown on the
context diagram as well as major data
flow to and from them
The diagram does not contain any data
stores
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-15
Diagram 0
Diagram 0 is the explosion of the
context level diagram
Should include up to 7 or 9 processes
Any more will result in a cluttered diagram
Processes are numbered with an integer
The major data stores and all external
entities are included on Diagram 0

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-16

Child Diagrams
Each process on diagram zero may be
exploded to create a child diagram
Each process on a lower-level diagram
may be exploded to create another
child diagram
These diagrams found below Diagram 0
are given the same number as the
parent process
Process 3 would explode to Diagram 3
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-17
 3 .2 5 .2 . 7
E dit C a lculate

Child Diagrams C ustom er C ustom er

D isc ount

Each process is numbered with the

parent diagram number, a period, and a
unique child diagram number
Examples are:
3.2 on Diagram 3, the child of process 3
5.2.7 on Diagram 5.2, child of process 5.2
On Diagram 3, the processes would be
numbered 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and so on
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-18
Child Diagrams
External entities are usually not shown
on the child diagrams below Diagram 0
If the parent process has data flow
connecting to a data store, the child
diagram may include the data store as
well

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-19

Child Diagrams
A lower-level diagram may contain data
stores not shown on the parent process,
such as
A file containing a table of information
(such as a tax table)
A file linking two processes on the child
diagram
Minor data flow, such as an error line,
may be included on a child diagram
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-20
Child Diagrams
An interface data flow is data that are
input or output from a child diagram
that matches the parent diagram data
flow
Processes that do not create a child
diagram are called primitive processes
Logic is written for these processes

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-21

Data Flow Diagram Errors
The following conditions are errors that
occur when drawing a data flow
diagram:
A process with only input data flow or
only output data flow from it
1 2

A dd A dd
New New
C u sto m e r C u sto m e r

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-22

Data Flow Diagram Errors

Data stores or external entities are

connected directly to each other, in any
combination
C u sto m e r D1 C u sto m e r

V e n do r D2 V e n do r M a ste r

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-23

Data Flow Diagram Errors
Incorrectly labeling data flow or objects
Examples are
Labels omitted from data flow or objects
Data flow labeled with a verb
Processes labeled with a noun
Too many processes on a data flow
diagram
Nine is the suggested maximum

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-24

Data Flow Diagram Errors
Omitting data flow from the diagram
Unbalanced decomposition between a
parent process and a child diagram
The data flow in and out of a parent
process must be present on the child
diagram

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-25

Logical Data Flow Diagrams
Logical data flow diagrams show how
the business operates
They have processes that would exist
regardless of the type of system
implemented

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-26

Data Flow Diagram
Progression
The progression of creating data flow
diagrams is
Create a logical DFD of the current system
Next add all the data and processes not in
the current system which must be present
in the new system
Finally derive the physical data flow
diagram for the new system

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-27

Logical Data Flow Diagrams
Advantages
Advantages of logical DFDs are
Better communication with users
More stable systems, since the design is
based on a business framework
Increased understanding of the business
by analysts
The system will have increased flexibility
and be easier to maintain
Elimination of redundancy
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-28
Physical Data Flow Diagrams
Physical data flow diagrams show how
the system operates or how the new
system will be implemented
Physical data flow diagrams include
Clarifying which processes are manual and
which are automated
Describing processes in greater detail
Sequencing processes in the order they
must be executed
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-29
Physical Data Flow Diagrams
Physical data flow diagrams include
Temporary data stores and transaction files
Specifying actual document and file names
Controls to ensure accuracy and
completeness

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-30

CRUD
Physical data flow diagrams include
processes for adding, reading,
changing, and deleting records
CRUD is an acronym for Create, Read,
Update, Delete
A CRUD matrix shows which programs
or processes add, read, update, or
delete master file records
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-31
Transaction Files
Master or transaction files are used to
link all processes that operate at
different times
They are required to store the data
from the process that creates the data
to the process that uses the data

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-32

Triggers and Events
An input flow from an external entity is
sometimes called a trigger, since it
starts activities
Events are activities that happen within
the system

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-33

Event Driven Data Flow
Diagrams
Another approach used to create a data
flow fragment is to analyze events,
which are summarized in an event table
Events are either
External, coming from outside the system,
or
Temporal, which occur at fixed times

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-34

Event Tables
An event table is used to create a data
flow diagram by analyzing each event
and the data used and produced by the
event
Every row in an event table represents
a unique activity and is used to create
one process on the data flow diagram

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-35

Use Case and Data Flow
Diagrams
Creating a use case is another approach
used to develop a data flow diagram
A use case is used to create a data flow
diagram by providing a framework for
obtaining processes, input, output, and
data stores required for user activities
A use case shows the steps performed
to accomplish a task
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-36
Use Case
The major sections of a use case are
Use case name
Description
Trigger
Trigger type
Input name and source
Output name and destination
Steps performed
Information required for each step
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-37
Partitioning
Partitioning is the process of analyzing a
data flow diagram and deriving a series
of manual procedures and computer
programs
A dashed line is drawn around a group
of processes that are included in each
computer program or manual procedure

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-38

Manual Procedures
A manual procedure is performed by
people
Manual processes have manual input
and manual output
Computer processing not used with
manual processes

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-39

Batch Processes
If the data flow into and out of a
process is entirely computer
information, the process is called a
batch process
Batch processes do not require any
human intervention
A job stream is several separate
programs running back-to-back, usually
a series of batch processes
Kendall & Kendall 9-40
Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc.
User Interface
A user interface represents a screen, a
data entry operation, a report, or some
other means for persons to interact with
a computer
It occurs when the data flow links a
manual and an automated process

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-41

Reasons for Partitioning
The reasons for partitioning a data flow
diagram into separate computer
programs are
Different user groups should have different
programs
Processes that execute at different times
must be in separate programs
Processes may be separated into different
programs for security
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-42
Reasons for Partitioning
Similar tasks may be included in the
same program
Several batch processes may be
included in the same program for
efficiency
Several processes may be included in
the same program or job stream for
consistency of data
Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-43
Using Data Flow Diagrams
Data flow diagrams can be used for
several different purposes:
Unexploded data flow diagrams are useful
to identify information requirements
Exploded data flow diagrams can be used
for presentation, education, and gathering
feedback information from users

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-44

Using Data Flow Diagrams
DFDs may be used to analyze the
system to ensure that the design is
complete
DFDs are used to partition the system
into programs
Data flow diagrams can be used for the
system documentation

Kendall & Kendall Copyright © 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 9-45