Question

Create a two-level Data Flow Diagram. create the following,

-A top-level Context Diagram, which shows the overall system and external entities
interactions

-A level 0 (zero) diagram, which shows how the entities interact with the main processes
in the system

Problem Description

A landscaping company currently has no software systems or experience using a software
system, everything is achieved using paper methods currently. The landscaping company must
track their customers, including each customers schedule for when their landscaping needs
servicing, what services need to be performed each time and need to ensure the system takes
care of sending invoices and tracking payments received. The landscaping company would also
like to be as efficient as possible, making sure they schedule customers who live close to each
other on the same day. This would save gas and time, to not have to drive far between
customers. A daily map of their route would be an excellent benefit to help with efficiently as
well.

The company has 5 employees. One employee does in office work (answering the phone,
handling invoices, billing and payments). The other 4 employees perform the actual work in
two teams (pairs) to complete the landscaping jobs for the day.

The system required will be internal to the company, meaning there is no public interface for
customers to interact with.

Answer 1

A two-level Data Flow Diagram for this landscaping company begins with a Context Diagram showing the company's system as a single process and then a Level 0 Diagram detailing main subprocesses such as Customer Management, Job Scheduling, Invoice Processing, and Payment Tracking.

Step-by-step explanation:

To create a two-level Data Flow Diagram (DFD) for a landscaping company, you would start with a Context Diagram, which is the top-level view of the system. This diagram would show the company as a single process and detail the external interactions with entities like customers, suppliers, and employees. Entities would send data to and receive data from the landscaping company system.

Next, you would create a Level 0 DFD, which breaks down the single process shown in the Context Diagram into multiple subprocesses. For the landscaping company, these might include Customer Management, Job Scheduling, Invoice Processing, and Payment Tracking. Each of these main processes would show more detailed interactions with external entities and with each other, demonstrating the flow of data within the system. For instance, the Job Scheduling process would take into account customers' locations to optimize routes, thus saving time and gas.

While this landscaping company doesn't have a software solution in place yet, the Level 0 DFD would help visualize how the new system will manage crucial functions like tracking customer schedules, services, invoices, and payments, as well as optimizing daily routes for efficiency.