DA Language Symbols

The Describe Anything diagramming language is composed of only three elements: Systems, Flow and Interfaces.

Systems and interfaces are of a specific type which is expressed by respective symbol variants.

To increase visual expressiveness any allusive image can be used instead of a system symbol. In this case the type information must be conveyed by other conventions – if needed for clarity, machine interpretation or systematic analysis.

The following sections describe the basic, standardized symbols.

1. Systems are drawn as named ellipses.
2. Flows are drawn as named unidirectional arrows.
3. Interfaces are drawn as small named symbols.

1. External Systems are drawn as rectangles.
2. Actors are drawn as stick figures. They are a variant of external systems.
3. Storages are drawn as two parallel horizontal lines

Information interfaces are drawn as circles.

Energy in/outlets are drawn as symbolized flashes.

Matter in/outlets are drawn as squares.

System in/outlets are drawn as semicircles.

Action handles are drawn as open rectangles.

1. Collectors bundle or fan out Flows and are drawn as medium sized circles.
2. Notes are drawn as rectangles with the upper right corner folded and contain comment text.
3. Associations are drawn as dashed lines. They connect notes to other symbols.