Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
Overview
Data flow diagram (DFD) represents the flows of data between different processes in
a business. It is a graphical technique that depicts information flow and the transforms
that are applied as data move form input to output. It provides a simple, intuitive
method for describing business processes without focusing on the details of computer
systems. DFDs are attractive technique because they provide what users do rather than
what computers do.
Representation of Components
DFDs only involve four symbols. They are:
Process
Data Object
Data Store
External entity
Process
Transform of incoming data flow(s) to outgoing flow(s).
Data Flow
Movement of data in the system.
Data Store
Data repositories for data that are not moving. It may be as simple as a buffer or
a queue or a s sophisticated as a relational database.
External Entity
Sources of destinations outside the specified system boundary.
Relationship and Rules
Relationship
The DFD may be used for any level of data abstraction. DFD can be partitioned into
levels. Each level has more information flow and data functional details than the
previous level.
Highest level is Context Diagram. Some important points are:
1 bubble (process) represents the entire system.
Data arrows show input and output.
Data Stores NOT shown. They are within the system.
Diagram above is an example of Context Level DFD
Next Level is Level 0 DFD. Some important points are:
Level 0 DFD must balance with the context diagram it describes.
Input going into a process are different from outputs leaving the process.
Data stores are first shown at this level.
Diagram above show an example of Level 1 DFD
Next level is Level 1 DFD. Some important points are:
Level 1 DFD must balance with the Level 0 it describes.
Input going into a process are different from outputs leaving the process.
Continue to show data stores.
Diagram above show an example of Level 1 DFD
A DFD may look similar to a flow chart. However, there is a significant difference
with the data flow diagram. The arrows in DFDs show that there is a flow of data
between the two components and not that the component is sending the data that must
be executed in the following component. A component in DFD may not continue
execution when sending data and during execution of the component receiving the
data. The component sending data can send multiple sets of data along several
connections. In fact, a DFD node can be a component that never ends.
Rules
In DFDs, all arrows must be labeled.
The information flow continuity, that is all the input and the output to each
refinement, must maintain the same in order to be able to produce a consistent
system.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
DFDs have diagrams that are easy to understand, check and change data.
DFDs help tremendously in depicting information about how an organization
operations.
They give a very clear and simple look at the organization of the interfaces
between an application and the people or other applications that use it.
Weaknesses
Modification to a data layout in DFDs may cause the entire layout to be
changed. This is because the specific changed data will bring different data to
units that it accesses. Therefore, evaluation of the possible of the effect of the
modification must be considered first.
The number of units in a DFD in a large application is high. Therefore,
maintenance is harder, more costly and error prone. This is because the ability
to access the data is passed explicitly from one component to the other. This is
why changes are impractical to be made on DFDs especially in large system.
