Modern Systems Analysis
and Design
Chapter 7
Structuring System Process
Requirements
Fall 2025-2026
American University of Madaba
Process Modeling
Graphically represent the processes that capture, manipulate, store,
and distribute data between a system and its environment and among
system components.
Utilize information gathered during requirements determination.
Processes and data structures are modeled.
Chapter 7 2
Deliverables and Outcomes
Context data flow diagram (DFD)
Scope of system
DFDs of current physical system
Adequate detail only
DFDs of current logical system
Enables analysts to understand current system
DFDs of new logical system
Technology independent
Show data flows, structure, and functional requirements
of new system
Thorough description of each DFD component
Chapter 7 3
Data Flow Diagramming Mechanics
Represent both physical and logical information systems
Only four symbols are used
Useful for depicting purely logical information flows
DFDs that detail physical systems differ from system
flowcharts which depict details of physical computing
equipment
Chapter 7 4
Definitions and Symbols
Process: work or actions
performed on data
(inside the system)
Data store: data at rest
(inside the system)
Source/sink: external
entity that is origin or
destination of data
(outside the system)
Data flow: arrows
depicting movement of
data
FIGURE 7-2: Comparison of DeMarco and Yourdon and Gane and Sarson DFD symbol sets
Chapter 7 5
Developing DFDs
Context diagram is an overview of an organizational
system that shows:
the system boundaries.
external entities that interact with the system.
major information flows between the entities and the
system.
Note: only one process symbol, and no data stores shown
Level-0 diagram is a data flow diagram that represents a
system’s major processes, data flows, and data stores at a
high level of detail.
Processes are labeled 1.0, 2.0, etc. These will be
decomposed into more primitive (lower-level) DFDs.
Chapter 7 6
Context Diagram
FIGURE 7- 4 Context diagram of Hoosier Burger’s food-ordering system
Chapter 7 7
Level-0 Diagram
FIGURE 7-5
Level-0 DFD of
Hoosier Burger’s
food-ordering
system
Chapter 7 8
Data Flow Diagramming Rules
There are two DFD guidelines that apply:
The inputs to a process are different from the outputs of
that process.
Processes purpose is to transform inputs into
outputs.
Objects on a DFD have unique names.
Every process has a unique name.
Chapter 7 9
Data Flow Diagramming Rules
TABLE 7-2 Rules Governing Data Flow Diagramming
Chapter 7 10
Data Flow Diagramming Rules
TABLE 7-2 Rules Governing Data Flow Diagramming
Chapter 7 11
Decomposition of DFDs
Functional decomposition is an iterative process of
breaking a system description down into finer and finer detail.
Creates a set of charts in which one process on a given
chart is explained in greater detail on another chart.
Continues until no subprocess can logically be broken
down any further.
Primitive DFD is the lowest level of a DFD.
Level-1 diagram results from decomposition of Level-0
diagram.
Level-n diagram is a DFD diagram that is the result of n
nested decompositions from a process on a level-0 diagram.
Chapter 7 12
Level-1 DFD
Level-1 DFD shows the
sub-processes of one of the
processes in the Level-0
DFD.
This is a Level-1 DFD for
Process 4.0.
Processes are labeled 4.1, 4.2,
etc. These can be further
decomposed in more primitive
(lower-level) DFDs if necessary.
FIGURE 7-8
Level-1 diagram showing the decomposition of Process 4.0 from the level-0 diagram for
Hoosier Burger’s food-ordering system 13
Level-n DFD
Processes are labeled Level-n DFD shows the
sub-processes of one of
4.3.1, 4.3.2, etc. If this is
the processes in the Level
the lowest level of the n-1 DFD.
hierarchy, it is called a
This is a Level-2 DFD for
primitive DFD. Process 4.3.
FIGURE 7-9: Level-2 diagram showing the decomposition of Process 4.3 from the
level-1 diagram for Process 4.0 for Hoosier Burger’s food-ordering system 14
Balancing DFDs
Conservation Principle: conserve inputs and outputs to a
process at the next level of decomposition
Balancing: conservation of inputs and outputs to a data
flow diagram process when that process is decomposed to
a lower level
Balanced means:
Number of inputs to lower level DFD equals number of
inputs to associated process of higher-level DFD
Number of outputs to lower level DFD equals number of
outputs to associated process of higher-level DFD
Chapter 7 15
Balancing DFDs
(a) Context diagram
1 input This is
1 output unbalanced
because the
(b) Level-0 diagram process of the
context diagram
has only one
input but the
Level-0 diagram
2 inputs has two inputs.
1 output
FIGURE 7-10 An unbalanced set of data flow diagrams 16
Balancing DFDs
Data flow splitting
is when a composite (a) Composite data flow
data flow at a higher
level is split and
different parts go to
different processes
in the lower level
DFD.
The DFD remains (b) Disaggregated data flows
balanced because
the same data is
involved, but split
into two parts.
FIGURE 7-11:Example of data flow splitting
17
Balancing DFDs: More DFD Rules
18
Four Different Types of DFDs
Current Physical
Process labels identify technology (people or systems) used
to process the data.
Data flows and data stores identify actual name of the
physical media.
Current Logical
Physical aspects of system are removed as much as possible.
Current system is reduced to data and processes that
transform them.
New Logical
Includes additional functions.
Obsolete functions are removed.
Inefficient data flows are reorganized.
New Physical
Represents the physical implementation of the new system.
19
Guidelines for Drawing DFDs
Completeness
DFD must include all components necessary for system.
Each component must be fully described in the project
dictionary or CASE repository.
Consistency
The extent to which information contained on one level of a
set of nested DFDs is also included on other levels
Timing
Time is not represented well on DFDs.
Best to draw DFDs as if the system has never started and
will never stop.
Iterative Development
Analyst should expect to redraw diagram several times
before reaching the closest approximation to the system
being modeled. 20
Guidelines for Drawing DFDs
Primitive DFDs
Lowest logical level of decomposition
Decision has to be made when to stop decomposition
Rules for stopping decomposition
When each process has been reduced to a single decision,
calculation or database operation
When each data store represents data about a single entity
When the system user does not care to see any more detail
When every data flow does not need to be split further to show
that data are handled in various ways
When you believe that you have shown each business form or
transaction, online display and report as a single data flow
When you believe that there is a separate process for each choice
on all lowest-level menu options 21
Using DFDs as Analysis Tools
Gap Analysis is the process of discovering discrepancies
between two or more sets of data flow diagrams or
discrepancies within a single DFD.
Inefficiencies in a system can often be identified through
DFDs.
Chapter 7 22
Using DFDs in BPR
23
Using DFDs in BPR
24
Electronic Commerce Application:
Process Modeling using Data Flow
Diagrams
Process modeling for Pine Valley Furniture’s Webstore
Completed JAD session.
Began translating the Webstore system structure into data
flow diagrams.
Identified six high-level processes.
25
Electronic Commerce Application:
Process Modeling using Data Flow
Diagrams
26
FIGURE
7-22
Level-0
data flow
diagram
for the
WebStore
27
Data Dictionary
• A data dictionary, or data repository, is a central
storehouse of information about the system’s data
• An analyst uses the data dictionary to collect,
document, and organize specific facts about the
system
• Also defines and describes all data elements and
meaningful combinations of data elements
A data element, also called a data item or field, is the
smallest piece of data that has meaning
Data elements are combined into records, also called
data structures
A record is a meaningful combination of related data
elements that is included in a data flow or retained in a
data store
28
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Data
Elements
You must document
every data element in
the data dictionary
The objective is the
same: to provide clear,
comprehensive
information about the
data and processes
that make up the
system
29
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Data Elements
The following attributes usually are recorded and
described
Data element name and label
Alias
Type and length
Default value
Acceptable values - Domain and validity rules
Source
Security
Responsible user(s)
Description and comments
30
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Data Flows
The typical attributes are as follows
Data flow name or label
Description
Alternate name(s)
Origin
Destination
Record
Volume and frequency
31
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Data Stores
Typical characteristics of a data store are
Data store name or label
Description
Alternate name(s)
Attributes
Volume and frequency
32
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Processes
Typical characteristics of a process
Process name or label
Description
Process number
Process description
33
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Entities
Typical characteristics of an entity include
Entity name
Description
Alternate name(s)
Input data flows
Output data flows
34
Data Dictionary
Documenting the Records
Typical characteristics of a record include
Record or data structure name
Definition or description
Alternate name(s)
Attributes
35
Data Dictionary
• Data Dictionary Reports
– Many valuable reports
• An alphabetized list of all data elements by name
• A report describing each data element and
indicating the user or department that is responsible
for data entry, updating, or deletion
• A report of all data flows and data stores that use
a particular data element
• Detailed reports showing all characteristics of
data elements, records, data flows, processes, or
any other selected item stored in the data dictionary
36
Process Description Tools
A process description documents the details of a functional
primitive, which represents a specific set of processing
steps and business logic
Modular Design
Based on combinations of three logical structures,
sometimes called control structures, which serve as
building blocks for the process
Sequence
Selection
Iteration - looping
37
Process Description Tools –
Structured English
Must conform to the following rules
Use only the three building blocks of sequence, selection,
and iteration
Use indentation for readability
Use a limited vocabulary, including standard terms used
in the data dictionary and specific words that describe the
processing rules
Might look familiar to programming students because it
resembles pseudocode
The primary purpose of structured English is to describe the
underlying business logic
38
Process Description Tools –
Structured English
39
Process Description Tools -
Decision Tables
Shows a logical structure, with all possible combinations
of conditions and resulting actions
It is important to consider every possible outcome to
ensure that you have overlooked nothing
Can have more than two possible outcomes
Often are the best way to describe a complex set of
conditions
40
Process Description Tools –
Decision Trees
41