Layered Data Flow Diagram for Software Engineering

Layered Data Flow Diagram for Software Engineering

1. Introduction

Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) are a traditional visual representation of the information flows within a system. A DFD is a visual representation of the flow of information for a process or a system, and it shows how data enters and leaves the system, what changes the information, and where data is stored. The purpose of a DFD is to show the scope and boundaries of a system as a whole. DFDs provide a graphical representation of the system that aims to be accessible to computer specialists and non-specialist users alike, and the models enable software engineers, customers, and users to work together effectively during the analysis and specification of requirements.

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2. Uses of Hierarchical Data Flow Diagrams

DFDs can be used to model a perspective of the system that is most readily understood by users – the flow of information through the system and the activities that process this information. Higher-level DFDs are partitioned into low levels, hacking more information and functional elements. Levels in DFD are numbered 0, 1, 2 or beyond. There are three levels in the data flow diagram, which are 0-level DFD, 1-level DFD, and 2-level DFD.

The level 0 data flow diagrams are the most basic, and they do not provide every little detail of the information or the structure; instead, it gives a broad view that can easily be understood. It is also known as a context diagram. It’s designed to be an abstraction view, showing the system as a single process with its relationship to external entities. It represents the entire system as a single bubble with input and output data indicated by incoming/outgoing arrows. The level 1 data flow diagrams provide more information than the Level 0 DFDs. It shows the general overview of the system. The single process node from the level 0 diagram is split into subprocesses in a level 1 data flow diagram. Additional data flows and data stores will be required as these processes are added to the diagram. The level 2 data flow diagrams are way too detailed, where processes from Level 1 DFDs are further broken down into more chunks. The objective is to create a map of every little detail of the system to help the engineers understand and work on it.

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3. Drawing of Hierarchical Data Flow Diagram

The main components or symbols in the data flow diagram include rectangles, circles, and arrows, as well as short text labels. The data flow diagrams can range from simple, even hand-drawn process overviews to multi-level and in-depth that go deeper into how data is processed. The standard symbols for DFDs are derived from the electric circuit diagram analysis.

While creating a data flow diagram, there are a few thumb rules to remember:

• Data cannot directly flow between two entities; it must flow from entity to process and vice versa.

• Data cannot directly flow between two data stores; it must flow from the data store to a process and vice versa.

• The diagram must include one input data flow and one output data flow.

• All the processes in the system must be linked to a minimum of one data store or any other process.

To create a data flow diagram in software engineering, one must align the inputs and outputs, remember that each process must have an input and output, start mapping out the structure by creating a level 0 DFD with a single process, increase the diagram level by adding more details like processes, data flows, and data stores, label the diagram, add some shapes and lines or arrows to illustrate the whole structure, and add more details where needed.

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4. Summary

A hierarchical data flow diagram is a type of data flow diagram that is divided into several layers, each unique to a specific process or data function. The levels in a hierarchical data flow diagram are numbered 0, 1, 2, or beyond. The higher-level data flow diagrams are partitioned into lower levels, revealing more information and functional elements. The level 0 data flow diagrams are the most basic, and they do not provide every little detail of the information or structure; instead, they give a broad view that can easily be understood. The level 1 data flow diagrams provide more information than the Level 0 DFDs, showing a general overview of the system. The level 2 data flow diagrams are way too detailed, where processes from Level 1 DFDs are further broken down into more chunks. The objective is to create a map of every little detail of the system to help the engineers understand and work on it.