5-Dfd-1.pptVIP

Process Modelling Data Flow Diagrams Data flow diagrams model the flow of data into, through, and out of an information system: show the processes that change or transform data show the movement of data between processes represent a system as a network of processes which transform data flowing between them Data Flow Diagrams Data flow diagrams (DFDs): a well-known process modelling technique easily understood a good communication tool model both manual and automated processes Components of a DFD 1. Process transforms incoming data flows into outgoing data flows each process has a unique number and name Eg: 1. Process name each process using a verb and a noun phrase eg. calculate price check customer details accept supplier delivery the name of a process should describe what the process does avoid vague names where possible e.g. process data 2. Data Flow a data flow represents data in motion, moving from one place in the system to another describes a packet of data or data that moves together: a data flow may consist of many individual, related pieces of data that move together to a common destination name each data flow using a noun, or noun phrase eg. customer order the name of a data flow should describe the contents of the data packet the name should include as much information as possible about the data flow, eg.customer payment rather than payment 3. Data Store a data store represents a collection of data flows at rest each data store has a unique name the name should describe the contents of the data store a data store may represent many different types of physical locations of data a data store may be a temporary or a permanent repository of data The Data Store different notations Data flows to and from a data store can remain unlabelled if all attributes in the store are moving, i.e. if an entire data packet (or packets) is going into or out of the data store 4. External Agent (Source/Sink) an external agent represent