Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Each depicts the same business area but uses a different set of symbols. Which form works
best? It depends on the audience. The data modeler can get very creative with the form used
to explain an application's information landscape.
C
ONFIRMING AND
D
OCUMENTING
D
IFFERENT
P
ERSPECTIVES
The reason we do data modeling is to confirm and document our understanding of different
perspectives. A data model is a communication tool. Think of all of the people involved in
building even a simple application: business professionals, business analysts, data model-
ers, data architects, database developers, database administrators, developers, managers,
etc. People have different backgrounds and experiences and varying levels of business
knowledge and technical expertise. The data model allows us to confirm our knowledge of
the area and make sure people see the information landscape similarly or, at a minimum,
have an understanding of the differences that exist.
A data model can describe a new information landscape, or it can describe an information
landscape that currently exists. This figure contains the new and existing areas where data
modeling can be leveraged:
