Control flow diagram

A control flow diagram (CFD) is a diagram to describe the control flow of a business process, process or review

Control flow diagrams were developed in the 1950s, and are widely used in multiple engineering disciplines. They are one of the classic business process modeling methodologies, along with flow charts, data flow diagrams, functional flow block diagram, Gantt charts, PERT diagrams, and IDEF.

A control flow diagram can consist of a subdivision to show sequential steps, with if-then-else conditions, repetition, and/or case conditions. Suitably annotated geometrical figures are used to represent operations, data, or equipment, and arrows are used to indicate the sequential flow from one to another.

There are several types of control flow diagrams, for example:

In software and systems development control flow diagrams can be used in control flow analysis, data flow analysis, algorithm analysis, and simulation. Control and data are most applicable for real time and data driven systems. These flow analyses transform logic and data requirements text into graphic flows which are easier to analyze than the text. PERT, state transition, and transaction diagrams are examples of control flow diagrams.

A flow diagram can be developed for the process control system for each critical activity. Process control is normally a closed cycle in which a sensor provides information to a process control software application through a communications system. The application determines if the sensor information is within the predetermined (or calculated) data parameters and constraints. The results of this comparison are fed to an actuator, which controls the critical component. This feedback may control the component electronically or may indicate the need for a manual action.

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