What are the two orientations of Dataflow Diagrams?

• A. Horizontal (Source to Target) and Vertical (Through Procedures).
• B. Diagonal and Circular
• C. Forward and Backward
• D. Internal and External

Answer: (A)

Dataflow diagrams are laid out to guide how you read the flow of data. The two common orientations describe the direction you place data as it moves through the system. Horizontal orientation shows data moving from sources toward targets, typically left to right, illustrating end-to-end data movement. Vertical orientation emphasizes data passing through a sequence of processing steps or procedures, highlighting how data is transformed step by step. These choices help readability and don’t change the underlying relationships in the diagram.

Other options don’t fit as standard orientations: diagonal or circular shapes aren’t the conventional layout directions for DFDs; forward and backward describe directionality rather than a formal layout orientation; internal and external refer to the types of entities or data stores, not how the diagram is oriented.