ABSTRACT
Graphical diagrams help communicate data sources and flow and the tasks involved in data processing. Creating the diagrams helps identify what processing may be needed, and after the study, the diagrams, at a high level, document what was done. This chapter describes two common diagramming notations and aids the reader to create data flow and workflow diagrams for research projects. Computers are commonly used for data processing tasks. Process diagramming is complicated by the intertwined nature of humans and computers in data processing. Data flow is the movement of data. Data flow diagrams (DFDs) provide a way to document and visualize the movement of data and operations on data. Workflow is the sequence of steps in a work process. Workflow diagrams are often called process diagrams or flowcharts. A workflow diagram (process diagram or flowchart) is a graphic depiction of the steps or activities that constitute a process.
