Advanced Data Modeling

After gaining some practical experience, data modelers encounter situations such as the enforcement of complex business rules, handling recurring patterns, dealing with existing databases or packaged applications, and other issues not covered in introductory data modeling classes. This highly participative workshop provides approaches for many difficult data modeling situations, as well as techniques for improving communication between data modelers and subject matter experts. Topics will be covered with a discussion of the issue, a review of guidelines and examples, a workshop exercise, and a group solution and debriefing.

Three main themes will be explored:

The technical side of data modeling - getting better at modeling difficult situations
The human side of data modeling - improving processes and communication skills
Developing and using data models in new ways

Objectives

On workshop completion, participants will be able to spot various advanced situations as they arise in their own modeling assignments, and deal with them efficiently and effectively.
Understand meaningless identifiers – rationale and limitations
Understand how to deal with reference data and the “types vs. instances” problem
Understand using multi-way associations and relationship constraints to handle complex rules
Understand advanced normal forms - resolving circular relationships and cyclic dependencies
Understand how to model time, history, and time-dependent business rules
Understand analytic data structures – building star schema or dimensional models from ER models
Understand roles, generalization (subtyping,) and aggregation – when to use them, and when not to
Understand how to implement lists, trees, and networks with recursive relationships:
Understand how to model difficult rules by combining subtyping and recursion
Understand how to reverse-engineer a conceptual data model from packaged or legacy applications
Understand how to develop a first-cut data model from business artifacts (forms, reports, screens, etc.)
Understand how to use data modeling to select, implement, and live with packaged applications
Understand how to prepare and deliver a data model review presentation
Learn the seven deadly sins of data modeling, and the top ten behaviors of great modelers

Duration 2 days

Who Should Attend

Business analysts, application developers, data modeling specialists, database administrators, and anyone else with substantial data modeling experience who needs additional skills

Prerequisites:

Practical experience with data modeling

Course Format Lecture, group discussion, exercise

Instructor Alec Sharp