Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Practice Exam

A data flow diagram (DFD) provides a technical perspective that emphasizes how data moves through a system, as well as the specific data stores involved. It details the data inputs, outputs, processes, and flows between various components within the system, allowing for a deeper understanding of the internal processing of information. In contrast, a context diagram offers a high-level overview of the system by illustrating the system as a single process and showing how it interacts with external entities, such as users or other systems. This means that while the context diagram simplifies the overall relationship and boundaries of a system, the data flow diagram delves into the specifics of how data is processed internally. While a context diagram provides a broad understanding of system interactions, the DFD's focus on the data flows and repositories allows for analyzing and understanding the system's operational dynamics in detail, making it a technical tool for understanding system architecture and data management.