D1 Forms of notation GapFill

In order to display data and later information, and the processes and decisions made, we use different forms of notation. They can be written text and tables of data to show and explain information, or can form various diagrams to show and simplify the  boxesprocessesdata streamsmonitors and methods making complex issues easy to understand. The form of notation will depend on the context. Sometimes more than one form would be appropriate, at other times there is one best way of showing that data or process.

We can visually show the order that data is processed and stored in a system using a  flowchartdata flow diagramtablesystem diagram. Arrows around the system show  storesprocessesdata flowdecisions. We show the processes using rectangles with rounded corners. We can denote how the data is stored – if storage is on a computer, it’s stored as a D for digital. But if the data is written down by hand, for example in a paper log book, we use M for  measurablemessymanualmapped. Entities, represented in an oval, are  serverspeopledocumentscomputers, companies or departments that use the data.

 GraphsFlowchartsSystem diagramsData flow diagrams can be used to outline the stages of a task and use specific shapes to replicate decisions, processes and data. When data is inputted or outputted, we show this in a parallelogram. Data could be manually typed in by the  personcontrollerterminalcomputer, or be an output from a previous process, which are represented by a rectangle. Decisions are represented by a  diamondovalset of wavy linescircle. These charts are very good at showing simple systems, but as processes get more complicated, then they can be hard to interpret, especially by people who are do not know the symbols.

A  flowchartpage of textsystem diagramchart could be used to show processes used within a company. There is less standardisation for this type – for example no set layout or  symbolspeopleentitiesinfographics. You should, however, expect inputs  logiccomputersdisplaysprocesses and outputs.

Sometimes, we have some data that we’d like to display within a document. We can display the data in rows and columns, called a  chartdiagrampagetable. This is good for short summaries of data rather than page after page of numbers! Sometimes we want that data to be shown graphically so we can immediately see proportions, trends, patterns and anomalies. These are shown on a graph or  data flowsystemdiagramchart. For example, we could show the monthly sales of goods on a line or bar graph – much easier to visualise than a page of data!

Finally, we have  computerwrittendatanumerical information – words on a page that form sentences or paragraphs. Blocks of text in books, magazines, reports and technical manuals are all examples. Text can be used in conjunction with the other forms, for example to explain a process or draw attention to trends in charts using  wordsimagesinputsdiagrams.