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Data Flow Diagram Tutorial/Lab Exercise

A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is also known as a Process Model. Process Modeling is an analysis technique used to capture the flow of
inputs through a system (or group of processes) to their resulting output. The model is fairly simple in that there are only four types of
symbols process dataflow e!ternal entity data store. An e!ample can be found on page "#$ in our te!tbook. The %ane and &arson
&ymbol technique is employed there.
Process Modeling is used to 'isually represent what a system is doing. (t is much easier to look at a picture and understand the essence than
to read through 'erbiage describing the acti'ities. &ystem Analyst after talking with 'arious users will create )*) diagrams and then show
them to users to 'erify that their understanding is correct. The process models can be created to represent an e!isting system as well as a
proposed system.
The following clarifies what each symbol in Process Modeling represents+ the information is taken from out te!tbook on pages "#,-"#..
/
Process An acti'ity or a function that is performed for some specific reason+ can be manual or computeri0ed+ ultimately each process
should perform only one acti'ity
Data Flow single piece of data or logical collection of information like a bill
Data Store collection of data that is permanently stored
External Entity A person organi0ation or system that is e!ternal to the system but interacts with it
1e aware of the basic rules for Process Modeling/
". A series of data flows always starts or ends at an e!ternal agent and starts or ends at a data store. 2on'ersely this means that a series
of data flows can not start or end at a process.
3. A process must ha'e both data inflows and outflows.
4. All data flows must be labeled with the precise data that is being e!changed.
#. Process names should start with a 'erb and end with a noun.
5. )ata flows are named as descripti'e nouns.
$. A data store must ha'e at least one data inflow.
,. A data flow can not go between an e!ternal agent and a data store but a process must be in between.
6. A data flow can not go between to e!ternal agents but a process must be in between.
.. A data flow can not go between to data stores but a process must be in between.
"7. 8!ternal agents and data flows can be repeated on a process model in order to a'oid lines crossing but do not repeat processes.
A Context Model is done first when completing the process models for a system. (t represents the system with a single process and then
shows the e!ternal agents with which the system interacts. A conte!t diagram is often named the name of the system and does not start with a
'erb as do other processes. Typically data stores are not part of a conte!t model since these would be internal to the system. 1y creating the
conte!t model first the system analyst focuses on the outward communications and e!changes and later the inward communications and
e!changes.
After the conte!t model is created the process is e!ploded to the ne!t le'el to show the ma9or processes in the system. )epending upon the
comple!ity of the system each of these processes can also be e!ploded into their own process model. This continues until the goal of each
process accomplishing a single function is reached. 1ecause of this approach the conte!t model is referred to as :e'el 7 (;ero) )*) the ne!t
as :e'el " )*) etc.
To better understand this technique let<s look at an e!ample case and create a :e'el 7 and maybe a :e'el " process models for it.
2A&8/
Te !ur!ose o" te #$EE% &C$ES $E&L EST&TE S'STEM is to assist agents as tey sell ouses( Sellers contact te agency)
and an agent is assigned to el! te seller com!lete a L*ST*%# $E+E,EST( *n"ormation about te ouse and lot ta-en
"rom tat re.uest is stored in a "ile( Personal in"ormation about te sellers is co!ied by te agent into a sellers "ile(
/en a buyer contacts te agency) e or se "ills out a 0,'E$ $E+,EST( E1ery two wee-s) te agency sends !ros!ecti1e
buyers &$E& $E&L EST&TE L*ST*%#S and an &DD$ESS C$2SS $EFE$E%CE L*ST*%# containing actual street addresses(
Periodically) te agent will "ind a !articular ouse tat satis"ies most or all o" a s!eci"ic buyer3s re.uirements) as
indicated in te 0,'E$3S $E+,*S$EME%TS ST&TEME%T distributed wee-ly to all agents( Te agent will occasionally
!otoco!y a !icture o" te ouse along wit 1ital data and send te M,LT*PLE L*ST*%# ST&TEME%T (MLS) to te
!otential buyer(
/en te buyer selects a ouse) e or se "ills out an 2FFE$ tat is "orwarded troug te real estate agency to te
seller) wo res!onds wit eiter an 2FFE$ &CCEPT&%CE or a C2,%TE$2FFE$( &"ter an o""er is acce!ted) a P,$C4&SE
&#$EEME%T is signed by all !arties( &"ter a P,$C4&SE &#$EEME%T is notari5ed) te agency sends an &PP$&*S&L
$E+,EST to an a!!raiser) wo a!!raises te 1alue o" te ouse and lot( Te agency also noti"ies its "inance com!any
wit a F*%&%C*%# &PPL*C&T*2%(
*irst we will do the conte!t diagram or :e'el 7 )*). &tart by identifying all the e!ternal agents and the data flows from them to the system.
=ou will then need to open Microsoft<s >isio software and select new diagram type of data flow model diagram under the software category.
&elect the e!ternal interfaces and process and place them on your page.
To determine the data flows it may help to create an 8'ent ?esponse :ist. *or our case it would look something like this.
EVENT LIST
Event Description
Trigger (*n!uts) $es!onses (2ut!uts)
&eller enter into agreement to ha'e
agency sell house
:isting ?equest 2reate :isting
2reate &eller
1uyer initiates contact with agency
about buying a home.
1uyer ?equest Area ?eal 8state :isting
Address 2ross ?eference
Multiple :isting &tatement
1uyer<s ?equirement
&tatement
1uyer makes offer on house. @ffer @ffer )ocument
&eller accepts buyer<s offer. Purchase Agreement Aotari0ed Purchase
Agreement
&eller makes counteroffer to seller. 2ounteroffer 2ounteroffer document
Agency sends a request to a
appraiser to ha'e house appraised.
Appraisal ?equest Appraisal of Bouse report
Agency notifies financial company
of opportunity to finance house.
*inancing Application *inancing Program @ffer
These e'ents become the data flows on the conte!t diagram. Ae!t you are ready to add the data flows to your diagram.
1e sure and use the connector tool as ( demonstrate in class to do your data flows instead of dragging that ob9ect onto the page. (f you don<t
do this you will not carry those data flows o'er when you e!plode to the ne!t le'el of diagram. =our top le'el should look something like
this/
To create the :e'el " )*) you must select the process and click on )*) then Aew )etail Page.
This new page automatically brings forward the data flows and their connected interfaces. This helps keep track as you focus now on the
internal processes of the system.
(f you ha'e time continue and create the :e'el " )*) for the internal functioning of the %reen Acres ?eal 8state &ystem.

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