Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
7.1.4.2.
Do the business users have the correct skills to model?
Business users need to have two types of skills at their
disposal. The first should be a given. It relates to information
knowledge management. All data used must have a precise
meaning, the business objects' states must be well-described,
the data validation rules specified. If this knowledge is not
well grounded one should move quickly to the second skill,
that of data modeling. In fact, it is only by modeling that
business knowledge can be taken in hand.
Unfortunately, modeling skills are not recognized by
business users and are not common in companies. It can be
evaluated by the mastery of the knowledge modeling
procedures, in particular when it applies to the core business
itself, leaving to one side the organizational aspects such as
workflows (business process) and permission management. It
relates to semantic modeling, which will be covered in the
last part of this topic. Although this modeling calls for
specific Information System skills it is important that the
business users understand its use, as they must either carry
it out by themselves or request experts in the IT department
to collaborate with them in carrying it out.
The objective of semantic modeling is to represent in a
formal manner, in the form of knowledge modeling, the
business objects, their full descriptions and their inter-
relations. The use of a standard language is a defining
aspect. It has to be understood by all the players in charge of
the Information System and its underlying IT systems, both
business teams and IT experts. Rather than re-invent a
proprietary language, the industry standard should be used,
that is to say UML
2
or other DSL (Domain Specific
Language).
2
. Unified Modeling Language (UML) as standardized by the Object
Management Group (OMG).
