1. Systems Analysis & Design
CSUN Information Systems
Systems Analysis & Design
Process
Modeling
IS 431: Lecture 4

2. System Modeling Process Modeling with Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
what’s the system doing
Data Modeling with Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
what’s data of the system
Object Modeling with Unified Modeling Language (UML)
what and why (logic of the system)
IS 431 : Lecture 4

3. Why System Modeling
To better understand the system: opportunities for simplification, optimization (BPR)
To communicate the desired structure and behavior of the system (business requirements: data/information & functions/processes)
To visualize and control the system architecture (blueprint)
To manage risks in development process
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4. When Process Modeling Strategic systems planning
Enterprise process models illustrate important business functions.
Business process redesign
“As is” process models facilitate critical analysis (Current System).
“To be” process models facilitate improvement (Proposed System).
Systems analysis
Model the existing/current system including its limitations (logical DFD)
Model the target/proposed system’s logical requirements (processes and data flows needed regardless of how the system will be implemented- logical DFD)
Model candidate technical solutions (physical DFD)
Model the target technical solution (physical DFD)
IS 431 : Lecture 4

5. Process Modeling Logical vs. Physical Models
System and Process Concepts
Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)
Elements of a DFD
Rules and Procedures in DFD
Examples and Case Studies
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6. Logical vs. Physical Models
Logical models show WHAT a system is or does. They are independent of any technical implementation.
Physical models show not only what a system is or does, but also HOW the system is (to be) physically and technically implemented. They reflect technology choices.
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7. Why Logical System Models
Logical models remove (political, emotional) biases resulted from the way the system is currently implemented, or the way that any one person thinks the system might be implemented.
Logical models reduce the risk of missing business requirements in cases one is too preoccupied with technical results (premature technical solutions).
Logical models allow the communication with end-users in nontechnical or less technical languages (charts, diagrams).
No additional notes
IS 431 : Lecture 4

8. Process Modeling with DFD
Process Modeling is a technique for organizing and documenting the structure and flow of data through a system’s processes, and the logic, policies, and procedures to be implemented by a system’s processes.
A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a graphical tool to depict the flow of data through a system and the work or processing performed by that system.
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9. Why DFD
Language description is subject to interpretation, it may omit crucial info.
Graphical description of the flow of data within an organization with DFD.
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10. System Concept
A system exits by taking input from the environment , transforming (processing) this input, and release an output
A system may be decomposed (exploded) into subsystems
A subsystem has its own input and output
Output of one subsystem may become the input of other subsystems
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11. Systems & Subsystems
INPUT
OUTPUT
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12. Systems & Processes
A system is a process. It addresses a business function.
A process is work / action performed on, or in response to, incoming data flows or conditions.
A process (function) can be decomposed into sub-processes (sub-functions, tasks)
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13. System Decomposition
No additional notes
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14. Decomposition Diagram
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15. Functional Decomposition Diagram
No additional notes.
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16. Event Decomposition Diagram
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17. Data Flow Diagrams
DFD documents a business function/activity/task of a system as a process.
DFD describes how data is manipulated within and at the boundaries of the system.
DFD shows detail of the interdependency among processes of the system, movements of data or info among the processes.
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18. Data Flow Diagrams ...
Logical DFD describes the flow of information of a system
Physical DFD describes how an information system is physically implemented (who does what by what means)
Gane/Sarson vs. Demarco/Yourdon Notations
Gane/Sarson set define clearly logical and physical symbols
Gane/Sarson set considering process performance in terms of input/output, could be used in BPR.
Don’t mix up 2 sets of notations
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19. Elements of a DFD External Entity Data Flow Process Data Store
DE MARCO & YOURDON NOTATIONS
External Entity
Data Flow
Process
Data Store
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20. Elements of a DFD External Entity Data Flow Process Data Store
GANE & SARSON NOTATIONS
External Entity
Data Flow 3 3
Pay Bill
Process
Pay Bill
AP Clerk
(Logical)
(Physical)
Data Store
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21. External Entities
An External Entity is a provider (source) or receiver (sink) of data and info of the system.
An External Entity is NOT part of the system: the externality depends on how the system is defined.
SUPPLIER
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22. External Entities …
An external entity (agent) defines a person, organization unit, or other organization that lies outside of the scope of the project but that interacts with the system being studied.
External agents define the “boundary” or scope of a system being modeled.
As scope changes, external agents can become processes, and vice versa.
Almost always one of the following:
Office, department, division inside the business but outside the system scope.
An external organization or agency.
Another business or another information system.
One of system’s end-users or managers
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23. Data Stores A Data Store is a storage of data: it contains information
Accounts Receivable
A Data Store is a storage of data: it contains information
Physical storage is immaterial : it can be a filing cabinet, book, computer file
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24. Data Stores … A data store is an inventory of data.
A data store is “data at rest” compared to a data flow that is “data in motion.”
Almost always a data store for one of the following:
Persons (or groups of persons): e.g., customer
Places: e.g, cash register
Objects: e.g., product
Events (about which data is captured): e.g., sales
Concepts (about which data is important): e.g., discount
One can identify data stores with REAL (Resources-Events-Agents-Locations) framework
Data stores depicted on a DFD store all instances of data entities (depicted on an ERD)
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25. Data Flows
DELIVERY SLIP
A Data Flow represents a movement of data (info) among processes or data stores
A Data Flow does NOT represent a document or a physical good: it represents the exchange of information in the document or about the good
A Data Flow represents an input of data to a process, or the output of data from a process.
A data flow may also be used to represent a Creation, Reading, Updating, or Deletion (CRUD) of data in a file or database (called a data store).
A composite data flow (packet) is a data flow that consists of other data flows (delivery slip has customer info, address, product info etc.)
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26. Processes 1
Pay Bill
A Process is a work or action performed on input data flow to produce an output data flow
Use a verb to label the action performed by the process (not the name of person or department who does it as in physical DFD)
A Process must have at least one input data flow and at least one output data flow.
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27. Types of Logical Processes
Function: a set of related and ongoing activities of a business: e.g., sales.
Event (or transaction, activity): a logical unit of work that must be completed as a whole (as part of a function): e.g., collect payment.
Elementary Process (or primitive process, task): a discrete, detailed activity or task required to respond to an event. Usually, several such tasks must be completed to respond to an event, e.g, update new info, calculate payment, create notice…
No additional notes
IS 431 : Lecture 4

28. Context Diagram Define the boundary of the system
Identify the external entities
No detail on processes and data stores of the system
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29. Decomposition of Context Diagram
Context Diagram P N
Level-0 Diagram M D1 1 3 P 2
Level-1 Diagram N
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30. DFD Building Procedure
Context Diagram
Identify the system and its boundaries (the context)
Identify external entities (providers, receivers of system info)
Identify external data flows (input, output)
Note: the whole system itself is a process (it receives input and transforms it into output) doing a business function
Doesn’t show processes and/or data stores here
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31. DFD Building Procedure …
Level-0 DFD
Identify what is being done between each input and its corresponding output
Identify the processes (functions of the system)
Identify external data flows between external entities and processes
Identify information storages for reference/record keeping (data stores)
Identify internal data flows between processes and data stores
Level-1 DFD’s
Sub-processes (activities or tasks) of Level-0 processes (system functions)
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32. Rules in DFD Building
Rule 1 : Unique label for each symbol to avoid confusion
Rule 2 : Use an action VERB to label a process (because a process is an action !!!)
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33. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 3 : Must be one process associated with each data flow … M M
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34. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 3 : Must be one process associated with each data flow … M N M N
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35. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 3 : Must be one process associated with each data flow.
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36. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 4 : Shaded corner must appear in ALL occurrences of a duplicated symbol in a same diagram on the same page.
CUSTOMER
1.0 D3
Accounts Receivable
CUSTOMER
3.0 D3
Accounts Receivable
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37. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 5 : No process without output data flow (black hole !!!)
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38. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 6 : No process without input data flow (miracle !!!)
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39. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 7 : No need for routing (without transforming) a data flow with a process (non value-added activity !!!)
Info A
Info A
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40. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 8 : Identical input, output data flows for parent and child processes (but the child processes can have their own throughputs) . Balance Check.
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41. Rules in DFD Building ... M Context Diagram P N M 1 2 P 3 N
Level-0 Diagram
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42. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 9 : Data flows cannot split by themselves
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43. Rules in DFD Building ... Rule 9 : Data flows cannot split …
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44. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 10 : A data packet can combine many data elements being transmitted at the same time to the same destination
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45. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 11 : Double-headed arrows are forbidden [in- flow (update) and out-flow (extract info) of a data store carry different information]
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46. Rules in DFD Building ...
Rule 12 : Data flow can NOT go backward to a previous process in Level-0 (Today’s output can’t go back to yesterday’s work !!!)
Notes: Show any branching decision / loop in Level-1
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47. DFD Example
Personal Finance System
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48. Classical / Top-Down Structured Analysis
Draw top-down physical DFDs to represent the current physical implementation of the system including its limitations.
Convert the physical DFDs to their logical equivalents.
Draw top-down logical DFDs that represent an improved system.
Describe all data flows, data stores, policies, and procedures in a data dictionary or encyclopedia.
Optionally, mark up copies of the logical DFDs to represent alternative physical solutions.
Draw top-down physical DFDs that represent the target solution.
Draw top-down logical DFDs of current system
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49. Event-driven / Bottom-Up Structured Analysis
Draw a context DFD to establish initial project scope.
Draw a functional decomposition diagram to partition the system into subsystems.
Create an event-response or use-case list for the system to define events for which the system must have a response.
Draw an event DFD (or event handler) for each event.
Merge event DFDs into a system diagram (or, for larger systems, subsystem diagrams).
Draw detailed, primitive DFDs for the more complex event handlers.
Document data flows and processes in the data dictionary.
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50. Structured Analysis Diagram Progression …
No additional notes.
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51. Structured Analysis Diagram Progression …
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52. Structured Analysis Diagram Progression
No additional notes.
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53. Differences Between DFDs and Flowcharts
Processes on DFDs can operate in parallel (at-the-same-time)
Processes on flowcharts execute one at a time
DFDs show the flow of data through a system
Flowcharts show the flow of control (sequence and transfer of control)
Processes on a DFD can have different timing (daily, weekly, on demand)
Processes on flowcharts are part of a single program with consistent timing
No additional notes
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54. Data Conservation
Data conservation – the practice of ensuring that a data flow contains only data needed by the receiving process.
New emphasis on business process redesign to identify and eliminate inefficiencies.
Simplifies the interface between those processes.
Must precisely define the data composition of each data flow, expressed in the form of data structures (in Data Modeling).
No additional notes.
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55. Data to Process Matrix
No additional notes.
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56. Process to Location Association Matrix
No additional notes.
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57. DFD Case Studies WEPAY payroll processing
Personnel Evaluation at Perks Travel Co.
Accounts Receivable at Harper Printing
Receiving Function at Globe Appliances
To be discussed in-class
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58. Architecture Blueprints
Street Location
Context Diagram N E1 E2
© 2010 CSUN
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59. Architecture Blueprints
Level-0 DFD
Building Plan
1.0 E1 F3
2.0 F2 F1
3.0 E2
The building has 3 floors
The system has 3 functions
© 2010 D. CSUN
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60. Architecture Blueprints
Floor Plan for F1
Level-1 DFD for 1.0
1.0
Floor 1 has a big space for parking
Function 1 has a single task
No need for Level-1 (can get from Level-0)
No need for detail blueprint
© 2010 D. CSUN
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61. Architecture Blueprints
Level-1 DFD for 2.0
Floor Plan for F2
(1.0)
2.1
2.3
2.2
2.2
2.1
2.3
Floor 2 has 3 suites
(3.0)
Function 2 has 3 activities
© 2010 D. CSUN
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62. Architecture Blueprints
Level-2 DFD for 2.1
Suite Plan for 2.1
(1.0)
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.1
2.1.2
(2.2)
Suite 2.1 has 2 rooms
Activity 2.1 has 2 tasks
© 2010 D. CSUN
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63. 1.0 and 2.0 share the same data store D1
Linked Processes
1.0
1.0 D1
2.0
2.0
1.0 and 2.0 share the same data store D1
1.0 sends data to 2.0 63
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64. Conditional Branching
1.1
(EXTRA STEP)
2.1
(CONDITIONAL EXIT)
IF (Condition)
DO “1.2”
IF (Condition)
DO “2.2”
ELSE
DO “2.3”
1.2
2.2
1.3
2.3
(2.0)
(3.0)
Note: Show conditional branching in Level-1 DFD’s or lower.
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65. DFD Deliverables for a System Development Project
Current System (as-is)
Context Diagram
Logical Level-0 DFD
Logical Level-1 DFD’s (for multi-task functions)
(No Physical DFD for current system, unless the focus of the project is in security & control)
Proposed System (to-be)
Logical Level-0 DFD Level-0
Physical Level-0 DFD Level-0
Physical Level-1 DFD’s (for multi-task functions)
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66. “System” Flowchart aka. Document Flowchart
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67. Logical DFD using De-Marco Notations
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68. Physical DFD using De-Marco Notations
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