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System and Data Modelling Tools 1

The document discusses several modelling tools for systems and data including context diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure charts, and decision trees. Context diagrams represent the entire system as a single process and identify data entering and leaving the system. Data flow diagrams describe how data moves through a system and can be broken down into multiple levels.

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eric.myzhou
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19 views

System and Data Modelling Tools 1

The document discusses several modelling tools for systems and data including context diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure charts, and decision trees. Context diagrams represent the entire system as a single process and identify data entering and leaving the system. Data flow diagrams describe how data moves through a system and can be broken down into multiple levels.

Uploaded by

eric.myzhou
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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System and data

modelling tools
We cover the following modelling
tools:
• Context diagrams (Level 0 Data flow
diagrams)
Modelling • Data flow diagrams
tools • Structure charts
• Data dictionary
• Storyboard
• Decision trees (and decision tables)
Context diagrams represent the entire system as a single
Context process. They do not attempt to describe the processes
within the system; rather they identify the data entering
diagrams or and the information leaving the system together with its
source and its destination (sink).

Level 0 Data
The sources and sinks are called “external entities”. As is
Flow implied by the word external, these entities are present
within the system’s environment. Context diagrams are
really top-level data flow diagrams and are often known
Diagram as level 0 data flow diagrams.
Format of
a context
diagram
• Squares are used to represent each of the external entities.
• Common examples of external entities include users, other
organisations and other systems. These entities are not part of the
system being described, as they do not perform any of the system’s
processes.
• The entire system is represented using a circle, with labelled data
flow arrows used to describe the data and its direction of flow

Rules between the system and its external entities. Data flows from each
source into the system, and data (information) flows from the
system to each sink.
• Each data flow label should clearly identify the nature of the data
using simple clear words. Remember each data flow describes
data not a process, for example if a user enters a password then an
appropriate data flow label would be “User password”, not “Enter
password”.
Example
Example
• Squares are used to represent each of the external entities.
• Common examples of external entities include users, other
organisations and other systems. These entities are not part of the
system being described, as they do not perform any of the system’s
processes.
• The entire system is represented using a circle, with labelled data
flow arrows used to describe the data and its direction of flow

Rules between the system and its external entities. Data flows from each
source into the system, and data (information) flows from the
system to each sink.
• Each data flow label should clearly identify the nature of the data
using simple clear words. Remember each data flow describes
data not a process, for example if a user enters a password then an
appropriate data flow label would be “User password”, not “Enter
password”.
Data flow diagrams describe the path data takes
through a system. No attempt is made to indicate the
timing of events. Think of a DFD as a railroad map:
it shows where the train tracks are laid, but it does not
Data Flow give the timetables.

Diagrams As all processes alter data then the data leaving or output from a

(DFDs) process must be different in some way to the data


that entered or was input into that process. This is
what all processes do; they alter data in some way.
To represent the data moving between processes we use labelled
data flow arrows. The label describes the data and the direction
of the arrow describes the movement. Processes are represented
using circles. The label within the circle describes the process. As
processes change data the labels used should imply some action
– verbs should be used, such as create, update, collect, to
emphasise that some action is performed.

The final symbol used on DFDs represents data stores. A


data store is where data is maintained prior to and after it
Data Flow has been processed. In most cases a data store will be a
file or database stored on a secondary storage device,
Diagrams however it could also be some form of non-computer
storage such as a paper file within a filing cabinet. An open
rectangle together with a descriptive label is used to
(DFDs) represent data stores.

As data stores are simply collections of data they cannot


perform processing, therefore all data flow arrows
heading into and out of a data store must be connected
to a process. A process is required to write or read data to
and from a data store.
A level 1 data flow diagram expands the single process (or
system) from a context diagram into multiple processes. A
series of Level 2 DFDs are drawn to expand each level 1 DFD
process into further processes. Level 3 DFDs similarly
expand each level 2 process and so on. A series of
Data Flow progressively more and more detailed DFDs refine the
system into its component sub-processes. Eventually the
Diagrams lowest level DFDs will contain processes that can be solved
independently. Breaking down a system’s processes into
smaller and smaller sub-processes is known as ‘top-down
(DFDs) design’.
Level 1
DFD
Level 2 DFD
• All processes must have a different set of inputs and outputs.
• All lower-level DFDs must have identical inputs and outputs as the
higher-level process they expand.
• External entities and data stores can be reproduced on lower-level DFDs.

DFD • External entities must be present on context diagrams (level 0 DFDs) but
are optional on lower-level DFDs.
• Data flows into and out of a data store must be connected to a process.
summary They can never directly connect to an external entity or another data
store.
• A single output data flow can be the input to multiple other processes.
• Labels for processes should include verbs that describe the action taking
place.

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