Data Flow Diagram

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

This Data Flow Diagram (DFD) shows how data moves through a process or system.

It is called a data flow diagram (DFD). It uses symbols like rectangles, circles, and arrows, as well as short text labels, to show where data comes from, where it goes, and how it gets there.

There are simple, even hand-drawn data flowcharts that show how a process works. There are also more detailed, multi-level DFDs that show how data is handled. They can be used to figure out how an existing system works or how to make a new one.

All the best diagrams and charts can often “say” things that words can’t, and they can be used by both technical and nontechnical people, from a developer to the CEO, to show how things work.

People still use them even after all these years. When it comes to visualizing interactive, real-time, or database-based software or systems, they aren’t as good as they used to be.