CHAPTER 4:
DOCUMENTING
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Learning Objectives:
• The Student will able to know the concept of:
• Read and evaluate data flow diagrams
• Read and evaluate systems flowcharts
Reading Systems Documentation
• 1. Reading - Data flow diagrams.
• 2. Reading - Systems flowcharts.
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
• Data flow diagrams (DFDs):
• Show business processes, flows of data within those
processes, and the sources and storage of the data
required for the process.
• Depict systems components.
• Data flows among components, and the sources.
• Destinations.
• Storage of data.
• Use a limited number of symbols.
Data flow diagrams (DFDs):
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
• Context diagram: Least detailed picture of a system that
defines the process being documented and shows the
data flows into and out of the process to external entities.
• External entities: Those entities (i.e., persons, places, or
things) outside the system that send data to, or receive
data from, the system.
Context diagram
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
• Physical data flow diagram (DFD): Graphical
representation of a system showing the system’s internal
and external entities, and the flows of data into and out of
these entities.
• Specifies where, how, and by whom a system’s processes
are accomplished.
• Internal entity: An entity within the system that
transforms data.
Physical data flow diagram (DFD):
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
• Logical data flow diagram (DFD): Graphical
representation of a system showing the system’s
processes (as bubbles), data stores, and the flows of data
into and out of the processes and data stores.
• Specifies what activities the system is performing.
• Logical DFDs portray a system’s activities.
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
• Balanced: When two DFDs have equivalent external data
flows.
• Only balanced sets of DFDs (i.e., a context diagram, a
logical DFD, and a physical DFD) are correct.
• Top-down partitioning: The successive subdividing
(exploding) of logical DFDs.
Reading Data Flow Diagrams
Reading Systems Flowcharts
• Systems flowchart: Graphical representation of a
business process, including information processes, as
well as the related operations processes (people,
equipment, organization, and work activities).
• Presents a logical and physical rendering of the who,
what, how, and where of information and operations
processes.
• Depicts the sequence of activities performed as business
events flow through the process.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Reading Systems Flowcharts
• Common Systems Flowcharting Routines
• The following slides show several common ways of
showing processing using system flowcharting.
• Note the way the columns are set up to communicate the
flow of activities between processing entities.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Enter document into
computer via keyboard, edit
input, record input.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
User queries the
computer.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Update data
store.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Key and key verify
data.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Enter journal in
manual
accounting
system.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Enter journal in
manual
accounting
system.
Reading Systems Flowcharts
Pick and ship
goods
SUMMARY
• Common techniques used to describe and analyze
business processes are documentation tools, such as:
• Narratives
• Tables of entities and activities.
• DFDs.
• Systems flowcharts.
• Each technique has its own purpose, strengths, and
weaknesses.
• End of Presentation
