Process Modeling

Chapter 6

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 Key Definitions
Process model
A formal way of representing how a business
system operates
Illustrates the activities that are performed and
how data moves among them
Data flow diagramming
A common technique for creating process
models

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 Key Definitions
Logical process models describe
processes without suggesting how they
are conducted
Physical process models provide
information that is needed to build the
system

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

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 Elements of a DFD

• Process - An activity or function performed for a specific

business reason, Manual or computerized
• Data flow - A single piece of data or a logical collection of data.
Always starts or ends at a process
• External entity - A person, organization, or system that is
external to the system but interacts with it.
• Data Store - A collection of data that is stored in some way.
Data flowing out is retrieved from the data store. Data flowing
in updates or is added to the data store

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 Naming and Drawing DFD Elements

Process

Data flow

Data store

External
entity
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Using a DFD to Define Business Processes

 Business processes are too complex to be shown on a

single DFD
 Decomposition is the process of representing the system in a
hierarchy of DFD diagrams
• Child diagrams show a portion of the parent diagram in
greater detail
 Decomposition
Decomposition is the System Decomposition
act of breaking a
system into its
component
subsystems,
processes, and
subprocesses. Each
level of abstraction
reveals more or less
detail.
Decomposition Diagrams

A decomposition
diagram or
hierarchy chart
shows the top-
down, functional
decomposition of
a system.
 Key Definition
Balancing involves insuring that information
presented at one level of a DFD is accurately
represented in the next level DFD.

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 Reading a DFD

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 Relationship among Levels of DFDs
Context diagram

Level 0 diagram

Level 1 diagram

Level 2 diagram

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 Context Diagram
First DFD in every business process
Shows the context into which the business
process fits
Shows the overall business process as just
one process (process 0)
Shows all the external entities that receive
information from or contribute information to
the system
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 Level 0 Diagram
Shows all the major processes that comprise
the overall system – the internal components
of process 0
Shows how the major processes are
interrelated by data flows
Shows external entities and the major
processes with which they interact
Adds data stores
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 Level 1 Diagrams
Generally, one level 1 diagram is created for every
major process on the level 0 diagram
Shows all the internal processes that comprise a
single process on the level 0 diagram
Shows how information moves from and to each of
these processes
If a parent process is decomposed into, for example,
three child processes, these three child processes
wholly and completely make up the parent process

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 Level 2 Diagrams
Shows all processes that comprise a single process
on the level 1 diagram
Shows how information moves from and to each of
these processes
Level 2 diagrams may not be needed for all level 1
processes
Correctly numbering each process helps the user
understand where the process fits into the overall
system

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 Your Turn
At this point in the process it is easy to lose track of
the “big picture”.
Describe the difference between data flows, data
stores, and processes.
Describe in your own words the relationship
between the DFD and the ultimate new application
being developed.

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Common Process Errors on DFDs
Illegal Data Flows
 Process Descriptions
Text-based process descriptions provide more
information about the process than the DFD alone
If the logic underlying the process is quite complex,
more detail may be needed in the form of
Structured English
Decision trees
Decision tables

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 CREATING DATA FLOW
DIAGRAMS

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 Integrating Scenario Descriptions
DFDs start with the use cases and
requirements definition
Generally, the DFDs integrate the use cases
Names of use cases become processes
Inputs and outputs become data flows
“Small” data inputs and outputs are
combined into a single flow

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 Steps in Building DFDs
Build the context diagram
Create DFD fragments for each use case
Organize DFD fragments into level 0 diagram
Decompose level 0 processes into level 1 diagrams
as needed; decompose level 1 processes into level 2
diagrams as needed; etc.
Validate DFDs with user to ensure completeness
and correctness

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 Creating the Context Diagram
Draw one process representing the entire
system (process 0)
Find all inputs and outputs listed at the top of
the use cases that come from or go to
external entities; draw as data flows
Draw in external entities as the source or
destination of the data flows

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 A Context Diagram Example

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 Creating DFD Fragments
Each use case is converted into one DFD fragment
Number the process the same as the use case
number
Change process name into verb phrase
Design the processes from the viewpoint of the
organization running the system

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 Creating DFD Fragments
Add data flows to show use of data stores as
sources and destinations of data
Layouts typically place
processes in the center
inputs from the left
outputs to the right
stores beneath the processes

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 A DFD Fragment Example

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 Creating the Level 0 Diagram

Combine the set of DFD fragments into one

diagram
Generally move from top to bottom, left to right
Minimize crossed lines
Iterate as needed
DFDs are often drawn many times before being
finished, even with very experienced systems
analysts

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 A Level 0 DFD Example

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 Creating Level 1 Diagrams (and Below)

Each use case is turned into its own DFD

Take the steps listed on the use case and depict each
as a process on the level 1 DFD
Inputs and outputs listed on use case become data
flows on DFD
Include sources and destinations of data flows to
processes and stores within the DFD
May also include external entities for clarity

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 Creating Level 1 Diagrams (and Below)
When to stop decomposing DFDs?
Ideally, a DFD has at least three processes
and no more than seven to nine.

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 Validating the DFD
Syntax errors – diagram follows the rules
Assure correct DFD structure
For each DFD:
Check each process for:
A unique name: action verb phrase; number; description
At least one input data flow
At least one output data flow
Output data flow names usually different than
input data flow names
Between 3 and 7 processes per DFD

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 Validating the DFD
For each DFD:
Check each data flow for:
A unique name: noun; description
Connects to at least one process
Shown in only one direction (no two-headed arrows)
A minimum number of crossed lines
Check each data store for:
A unique name: noun; description
At least one input data flow
At least one output data flow
Check each external entity for:
A unique name: noun; description
At least one input or output data flow

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 Validating the DFD
Across DFDs:

Context Diagram:
Every set of DFDs must have one Context Diagram

Viewpoint:
There is a consistent viewpoint for the entire set of DFDs
Decomposition:
Every process is wholly and complete described by the
processes on its children DFDs
Balance:
Every data flow, data store, and external entity on a higher level
DFD is shown on the lower level DFD that decomposes it
No data stores or data flows appear on lower-lever DFDs that do
not appear on their parent DFD

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 Validating the DFD
Semantics errors – diagram conveys correct
meaning
Assure accuracy of DFD relative to
actual/desired business processes
Examine lowest level DFDs to ensure consistent
decomposition
Examine names carefully to ensure consistent use
of terms

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 A Quick Review of Decomposition for
Holiday Travel Vehicle Sales System

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 Holiday Travel Vehicle Sales System Context
Diagram

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 HTV Record Offer DFD Fragment

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 HTV Evaluate Offer DFD Fragment

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 HTV Take Delivery of Vehicle DFD Fragment

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 Level 0 DFD for HTV

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 Level 1 DFD for HTV Record Offer process

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 Level 1 DFD for CD Selections Process 1:
Take Requests

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 Exercise
Draw a level 0 data flow diagram
(DFD) for the dentist office system in
the previous chapter.

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 Summary
The Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is an essential
tool for creating formal descriptions of business
processes.
Use cases record the input, transformation, and
output of business processes and are the basis
for process models.
Eliciting use cases and modeling business
processes are critically important skills for the
systems analyst to master.
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