System Analysis and Design Documentation: Flowchart and DFD

Management Information Systems

Daniel Haryanto, S.Kom, MM daniel@pmbs.ac.id

Systems Documentation
Documentation
include describe

explain how IS operate

Input Process Output

Narratives Flowcharts

Other written communication

Common methods: Flowcharts and Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)

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Flowcharting
Definition A graphical representation of some part of an information system s stem
Snapshot of an IS

Flowcharts classifications

y Systems flowcharts Program flowcharts Document flowcharts Process flowcharts Schematic flowcharts
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Benefits of Flowchart

1. 2.

3.

Promotes understanding of a process Identifies problem areas and opportunities for process improvement Provides a way of training employees
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Flowcharting Conventions
Flowcharts should be read from top to bottom and left to right Flowcharts should have plenty of white space Flowcharts should have a title Flowcharts should be organized in columns that depict areas of responsibility Documents involved in a business process should h h ld have a clear origin and a clear l i i d l termination Rough drafts of flowcharts should be discussed by people involved in the process
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Flowcharting Symbols
Terminal points Data records Input/output Action or process Manual input

Flow

Decision

Document

Manual operation

Off-line storage

Multidocument

Direct access storage device

Description or comment

On-page connector

Off-page connector
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Flowcharting Example
Annie, please document the paperwork involved in acquiring office supplies from companys Central Supplies Department !! Annie explains the process as follows: Reordering supplies requires a requisition request. When I need more stationary, for example , I fill out two copies of a Goods Requisition Form (GRF). I send the first copy to central supplies and file the second copy here in the office.
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Flowcharting Example
Annies Working Process
Requesting Department Central Supplies Department
A

Goods Requisition Form (GRF)

A File

Goods Requisition Form (GRF)

Flowcharting Example
University Library

The process of ordering textbooks in a university library begins with faculty deciding which textbook they want to use. use They communicate relevant information about the textbook to the administration officer. Then the administration officer prepares a standard university book requisition form in three copies: For requesting FM For the administration office For the library y The library then prepares Purchase Orders for textbook publishers. Each PO has three copies: For the publisher For the library Continue For the accounting department
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Flowcharting Example
University Library (contd)

When the publisher sends the books, the library staff p p prepares two copies of a receiving report p g p One is filled to indicate that the goods were received The second is forwarded to the accounting department The publisher sends a billing statement (invoice) directly to the accounting department. Once all documents have been matched and verified, the accounting department writes a check or sends an electronic funds transfer to the publisher. The library staff then sort the books and stock the shelves.
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Flowcharting Example
FACULTY Start Prepare book requisition form ADMINISTRATION OFFICE LIBRARY Prepare PO 3 4 ACCOUNTING PUBLISHER 1

Select textbook

Purchase orders

Match and verify documents 1

Prepare books and invoice

Send textbook information

N Book requisition forms 2

Verified document

Send invoice

Textbook information A

Receive R i books

3 A Send books

Receiving reports A N 4

Make payment

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Data Flow Diagramming

DFD primarily used in the systems development process

Example
As a tool for analyzing an existing system As a planning aid for creating a new system

Emphasizes specific data and what is being done to them The diagram reveals

The data flows into and out processes Rules to process data The stores of data The external entities
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DFD Symbols
Process
Process

transforms data inflows into data outflows labeled with verb phrases refers to the data itself labeled with noun phrases any person or organization yp g outside the boundary of an information system a place where data can be kept labeled with noun phrases
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Data Flow
Data flow

External entity
External Entity

Data Store

Data Store

DFD Conventions
All processes should have unique names The inputs to a process should differ from the outputs to a process Any single DFD should not have more than about seven processes No process can have only inputs. If an object has only outputs, then it must be an external entity Data cannot be moved directly from one data store to another data store
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DFD Conventions
Data cannot move directly from an external entity to a data store or vice versa Data of any concern to the system cannot move directly from an external entity to another external entity A data flow has only one direction between symbols A data flow cannot go directly back to the same process it leaves A data flow can go directly into a data store and vice versa
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Leveled Sets of DFDs

DFD

hierarchical set of diagrams.

Each diagram in the set is a decomposition of the g p preceding diagram.

Begins with a context diagram Context Diagram

The top level of DFD The entire information system is a process (process name is a system name) The process is related to systems external entities and data stores Very helpful in establishing the systems boundaries
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DFD Example
Timbaktu Open Universitys registration processing system has been in operation for over a decade. It serves the registrar, the students, the registration clerk, and the instructors. At the time of registration, students turn in a course request sheet, which is p processed by the system to develop course schedules that are to y y p be reviewed and approved by the registration clerk. A copy of the students approved course schedule is given to the student. The system also generates class lists for instructors and a summary enrollment report for the registrar. The registration processing system has four specific processes: prepare course schedules, approve course schedules, prepare class listings, and prepare reports. The system uses six data stores: course request data course status data student data data, data, data, course schedule data, student schedule data, and registration data. Process 1.0 prepare course schedules, has three subprocesses: enter and edit course data, process course request data, and process student schedules. Prepare a context diagram, a level-zero DFD, and a level-one DFD for process 1.0.
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DFD Example (contd)

Context Diagram for a registration processing system
Student Registration clerk

Course request sheets

Approved course schedules

Approved course schedules

Registration processing system

Course schedules

Registrar

Summaries of class enrollments

Class listings Instructor

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DFD Example (contd)

Level-zero DFD relating to the class registration process
Student Course request sheets 1.0 Prepare course schedules Course status data Student schedule data Approved course schedules Course status data Student data Student data 2.0 Approve course schedules Course schedules Student class data Registration data Student class data Summaries of class enrollments Registrar 19 4.0 Prepare reports Course request data Course request data Course request data Course schedule data Course schedule data Updated Student schedule data Student schedule data 3.0 Prepare class listings Class listings Instructor

Registration clerk

Course schedules

Approved course schedules

Approved course schedules

Student

DFD Example (contd)

Student

Level-one DFD for preparing course schedules for the student registration system Course schedule data Course
request sheets 1.1 Enter and edit course data Course request data Edited course request data Edited course request data Course schedule data

Course status data Course status data

1.2 Process course request data

Student data Updated student schedule data Student schedule data 1.3 Process student schedule Student schedule data Student data

Course schedules 20

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DFD-Flowcharts Comparisons
Characteristics Symbols Organization Data Flow Diagram Four Leveled sets, each depicting more detail than the last Processes are numbered in the following formats: Level zero, 1.0; Level 1, 1.1; Level two, 1.1.1, and so on Focus on data and how they move between business processes, external entities, and data stores Lines represent data, they are labeled with noun phrases Many Columns representing p y areas of responsibility Numbers are used for on and off-page connectors, not for processes Concerned with data, but also with documents and processing tools Lines represent movement between processes, areas of responsibility, and the like; they are not labeled
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Flowchart

Numbers

Focus

Use of "lines"

DFD-Flowcharts Comparisons
Receive Payment
Customer

Customer Mail payment

Mailroom Payment docs Check and remittance advice

Payment

1.0 10 Receive Payment

Data Flow Diagram

Flowchart
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