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Changing World, Fourth Edition
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Traditional versus Object-Oriented
Approaches

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Traditional Approach in this Chapter

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Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
 Graphical system model that shows all main
requirements for an IS in one diagram

 Inputs/outputs

 Processes

 Data storage

 Easy to read and understand with minimal

training

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Data Flow
Diagram
Symbols
(Figure 6-3)

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DFD Fragment Showing Use Case Look
up item availability from the RMO (Figure 6-4)

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DFD Integrates Event Table and ERD

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DFD and Levels of Abstraction
 Data flow diagrams (DFDs) are decomposed into
additional diagrams to provide multiple levels of
detail

 Higher-level diagrams provide general views of

system

 Lower-level diagrams provide detailed views of

system

 Differing views are called levels of abstraction

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Layers of
DFD
Abstraction
for Course
Registration
System
(Figure 6-6)

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Context Diagrams
 DFD that summarizes all processing activity for
the system or subsystem

 Highest level (most abstract) view of system

 Shows system boundaries

 System scope is represented by a single process,

external agents, and all data flows into and out of
the system
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DFD Fragments
 Created for each use case in the event table

 Represent system response to one event within a

single process symbol

 Self-contained models

 Focus attention on single part of system

 Show only data stores required in the use case

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Three Separate DFD Fragments for Course
Registration System

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Event-Partitioned System Model

 DFD to model system requirements using single process

for each use case/activity in system or subsystem

 Combines all DFD fragments together to show

decomposition of the context-level diagram

 Sometimes called “diagram 0”

 Used primarily as a presentation tool

 Decomposed into more detailed DFD fragments

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DFD Fragments for Course
Registration System

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Combining
DFD
Fragments to
Create
Event-
Partitioned
System
Model
(Figure 6-8)

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RMO Subsystems and Use Cases/Activities from
Event Table (Figure 6-10)

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RMO Activity-Data Matrix (CRUD)
(Figure 6-39)

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Context Diagram for RMO
Order-Entry Subsystem (Figure 6-11)

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Five Separate DFD Fragments for RMO
Order-Entry Subsystem (Figure 6-12)

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Decomposing DFD Fragments
 Most DFD fragments can be further described using
structured English

 Sometimes DFD fragments need to be diagrammed in

more detail

 Decomposed into subprocesses in a detailed DFD

 DFD numbering scheme

 Hierarchical decomposition
 DFD Fragment 2 is decomposed into Diagram 2

 Diagram 2 has processes 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

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Detailed
DFD for
Create
new order
DFD
Fragment
(Figure 6-14)

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Physical and Logical DFDs
 Logical model
 Assumes implementation in perfect technology
 Does not tell how system is implemented

 Physical model
 Describes assumptions about implementation
technology
 Developed in last stages of analysis or in early
design
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Physical
DFD for
Scheduling
Courses
(Figure 6-15)

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Evaluating DFD Quality
 Readable
 Internally consistent and balanced
 Accurately represents system requirements
 Reduces information overload – rule of 7 +/- 2
 Single DFD should not have more than 7 +/-2
processes
 No more than 7 +/- 2 data flows should enter or
leave a process or data store in a single DFD
 Minimizes required number of interfaces
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Data Flow Consistency Problems
 Differences in data flow content between a
process and its process decomposition

 Data outflows without corresponding inflows

 Data inflows without corresponding outflows

 Results in unbalanced DFDs

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Consistency Rules
 All data that flows into a process must
 Flow out of the process, or
 Be used to generate data that flows out of the
process

 All data that flows out of a process must

 Have flowed into the process, or
 Have been generated from data that flowed into
the process
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Unnecessary Data Input: Black Hole

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Process with Impossible Data Output:
Miracle

Should be 

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Process with Unnecessary Data Input
(Figure 6-18)

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Process with Impossible Data Output
(Figure 6-19)

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Documentation of DFD Components
 Lowest-level processes need to be described in
detail

 Data flow contents need to be described

 Data stores need to be described in terms of data

elements

 Each data element needs to be described

 Various options for process definition exist

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Structured English

 Method of writing process specifications

 Combines structured programming techniques

with narrative English

 Well-suited for lengthy sequential processes or

simple control logic (single loop or if-then-else)

 Ill-suited for complex decision logic or few (or no)

sequential processing steps

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Structured English Example (Figure 6-20)

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Process 2.1 and Structured
English Process Description (Figure 6-21)

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Decision Tables and Decision Trees
 Can summarize complex decision logic better than structured
English
 Incorporate logic into the table or tree structure to make
descriptions more readable

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Decision Tree for Calculating
Shipping Charges (Figure 6-24)

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Data Element Definitions
 Data type description
 String, integer, floating point, Boolean
 Sometimes very specific written description

 Length of element
 Maximum and minimum values
 Data dictionary – repository for definitions of data
flows, data stores, and data elements

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Data Element Definition Examples
(Figure 6-30)

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Components of a Traditional Analysis Model
(Figure 6-31)

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Information Engineering Models
 Focus on strategic planning, enterprise
applications, and data requirements of new
system

 Share features with structured system

development methodology

 Developed by James Martin in early 1980’s

 Thought to be more rigorous and complete than

the structured approach
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Information Engineering System
Development Life Cycle Phases

ISP BAA

Construction BSD
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Process Decomposition and Dependency
Models
 IE process models show three information types
 Decomposition of processes into other processes
 Dependency relationships among processes
 Internal processing logic
 Process decomposition diagram – represents
hierarchical relationship among processes at
different levels of abstraction
 Process dependency model – describes ordering
of processes and interaction with stored entities
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Process
Decomposition
Diagram for RMO
(Figure 6-34)

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Process Dependency Diagram (Figure 6-35)

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RMO Activity-Data Matrix (CRUD)
(Figure 6-39)

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Summary
 Data flow diagrams (DFDs) are used in combination with
event table and entity-relationship diagram (ERD) to
model system requirements
 DFDs model system as set of processes, data flows,
external agents, and data stores
 DFDs easy to read – graphically represent key features of
system using small set of symbols
 Many types of DFDs – context diagrams, DFD fragments,
subsystem DFDs, event-partitioned DFDs, and detailed
process DFDs

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Summary (continued)
 Each process, data flow, and data store requires
detailed definition
 Analyst may define processes as structured
English process specifications, decision tables,
decision trees, or detail process DFDs
 Detailed process decomposition DFDs used
when internal process complexity is great
 Data flows are defined by component data
elements and their internal structure (algebraic
notation)
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Summary (continued)
 Models from IE may supplement DFDs
 Process decomposition diagram (how processes
on multiple DFD levels are related)
 Process dependency diagram (emphasizes
interaction with stored entities)
 Location diagram (where system is used)
 Activity-location matrix (which processes are
implemented at which locations)
 Activity-data (or CRUD) matrix (where data is
used)

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