Data Flow Diagram
An Example
Draw the DFD for a distance education university. The enrolment process works as
follows:
Students send in an application form containing their personal details, and their desired
course
The university checks that the course is available and that the student has necessary
academic qualifications.
If the course is available the student is enrolled in the course, and the university confirms
the enrolment by sending a confirmation letter to the student.
If the course is unavailable the student is sent a rejection letter.
1. Read the problem description carefully looking for:
people/organisations/things that supply information to or use information
from the system => external entities (EE)
actions/doing words/verbs => Processes (P)
movement/exchange of information/data between external entities to
processes, and processes to processes => data flows (DF)
store/record information/data => data stores(DS)
2. It often helps to walk through the system in its logical sequence; eg starting with an
external entity (source), add data flows, processes and data stores as the data provided
by the entity is manipulated by the system.
A student (EE) sends in an application form (DF) containing their personal
details, and their desired course
The university checks (P) that the course is available.
If the course is available the student is enrolled (P) in the course, and the
university confirms (P) the enrolment by sending a confirmation letter (DF) that
they are registered for the course to the student.
Or if the course is unavailable the student is sent a rejection letter (DF).
SOLUTION:
Context diagram
Highest level DFD.
Has a data flow, external entities, one process (system in focus) and no data
stores.
Shows the system boundary and interactions with external entities.
In this case:
External entity - Student
Process - Student Administration process application
Data Flows - Application Form, Confirmation/Rejection Letter
S tu d e n t A p p lic a t io n D e t a ils
S tu d e n t
A d m in is t r a t io n
S y s te m
C o n f ir m a t io n / R e je c t io n D e t a ils
System/Level 0 DFD
External entity - Student
Processes - Check available, Enroll student, Confirm Registration
Data Flows - Application Form, Course Details, Course Enrolment Details, Student
Details, Confirmation/Rejection Letter
Data Stores - Courses, Students.
1 .0
C heck
A p p lic a t io n
S tu d e n t C o u rs e C o u r s e D e t a ils
D e t a ils
A v a ila b le
A c c e p te d / C o u rs e s
R e je c t e d
S e le c t io n s
C o n f ir m a t io n / R e je c t io n D e t a ils
2 .0
C o u r s e D e t a ils
E n ro l
S tu d e n t
C o u r s e E n r o lm e n t D e t a ils
R e g is t r a t io n S tu d e n ts
D e t a ils
S t u d e n t D e t a ils
3 .0
C o n f ir m
R e g is t e r e d
