learning aim d

• Forms of information


  • Written descriptions
  • Tables
  • Charts
  • Diagrams
  • Storyboards
  • Infographics
  • Dashboards
• Information may be presented in a number of different ways
• Information flow diagrams (IFD)


  • Show how information flows through a system or organisation including:
  • People / users of the system
  • How information flows between organisations and also how information flows between different areas of an organisation
• How to create information flow diagrams

  1. Use squares for key parts of the system such as people or departments

  2. Use arrows to show how the information flows around the system

  3. Remember to label the arrow with what information is being transferred
• Worksheet 1 - Now complete Task 1
• Data flow diagrams


  • Show:
  • Who or where the input data comes from
  • How data flows around the system
  • How the data is processed
  • What data is stored
  • Who or where data from the system is output to
• Symbols used in data flow diagrams

  • A person, organisation or another system which sends or receives information
  • A process or function, sometimes but not necessarily numbered
  • A file or database
  • Data or information flow shown by the direction of the arrow
• A simple data flow diagram in a fast food restaurant

  • Customers use a touch screen to place their order
  • The amount to pay is displayed on the screen
  • The order is sent to the kitchen
• Process


  A process or function, sometimes but not necessarily numbered
• Entities


  A person, organisation or another system which sends or receives information
• Worksheet 1 - Do Tasks 2 to 5
• • An information flow diagram (IFD) shows:
  • Users / people involved in a system
  • How information flows around the system
• Symbols used in an IFD

  • Squares for key parts of the system such as people or departments
  • Arrows to show how the information flows around the system
• A data flow diagram (DFD) shows:

  • The entities (people, users and other systems)
  • Data flow within a system
  • The processes to the data that take place
  • The data stores (files or databases) used in the system
• Symbols used in a DFD

  • A person, organisation or another system which sends or receives information
  • A process or function, sometimes but not necessarily numbered
  • A file or database
  • Data or information flow shown by the direction of the arrow
• Morning routines


  1. What do you do in the morning once you have woken up

  2. What steps do you take?

  3. What decisions do you make?
• Morning routine


  1. If it's the weekend sleep for another two hours

  2. Otherwise, take off duvet

  3. Go to bathroom

  4. Have shower

  5. Brush teeth

  6. If it's a school day find school uniform

  7. Get dressed
• Flowcharts


  • A clearer way to present the steps required
  • Easy to understand
  • Less likely to be misunderstood than a list of text
• Flowchart


  1. Brush teeth

  2. If it's a school day find school uniform

  3. Get dressed

  4. Have breakfast
• Flowchart symbols


  • Start
  • Input/Output
  • Process or calculation
  • Decision
• Flowchart symbols


  • Input phone number
  • Add 10 points to the score
  • Tax = income * 20%
  • Display total tax due
• Flowchart symbols


  • Start or End
  • Input or output
  • Process
  • Decision
• According to the flowchart, when can you pick up food you have dropped?
• How would you adapt the five-second rule?
• Now complete Task 1 and Task 2 on Worksheet 2
• Real uses for flowcharts


  • Fire procedures
  • Customer complaints
  • Manufacturing defects
  • Procedures to help employees do their day to day work
• Variables


  • Allow us to store a number or text in a flowchart
  • Often used in calculations
  • Calculations will always be in a process box
  • Can input or output what is stored in the variable
• Flowchart finds how much a student will spend on food and drink each week

  1. total = 0

  2. count = 0

  3. count = count + 1

  4. total = total + count
• The statement count = count + 1 means "Add 1 to the variable called count"
• What will be output from this flowchart?
• Now complete Task 3 and Task 4 on the worksheet
• Flowcharts


  • A form of notation used to express the steps in an activity
• Symbols used to represent:

  • Start / End
  • Input / Output
  • Process
  • Decision
• Situations where a company may want to use a flowchart

  • Fire procedures
  • Customer complaints
• Computer system


  All the hardware and software required to perform the required tasks
• Components of a simple computer system

  • Input
  • Processing
  • Output
• Input devices


  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
• Output devices


  • Printer
  • Display
• Components of a computer system

  • Input devices
  • Processor
  • Hard disk
  • Printer
  • Display
  • Router (for Internet access)
• Drawing a system diagram

  1. Identify key components

  2. Put key components onto the diagram

  3. Connect the components to form a system

  4. Add appropriate labels to components / connections