Steve Hoberman

William Kent

Data and Reality gracefully weaves the disciplines of psychology and philosophy with data management to create timeless takeaways on how we perceive and manage information.

A Timeless Perspective on Perceiving and Managing Information in Our Imprecise World

Data and Reality

Read today's business headlines and you will see that many issues stem from people not having the right data at the right time. Data issues don't always make the front page, yet they exist within every organisation. We need to improve how we manage data -- and the most valuable tool for explaining, vaildating and managing data is a data model. This book provides the business or IT professional with a practical working knowledge of data modelling concepts and best practices. This book is written in a conversational style that encourages you to read it from start to finish and master these ten objectives: Know when a data model is needed and which type of data model is most effective for each situation; Read a data model of any size and complexity with the same confidence as reading a book; Build a fully normalised relational data model, as well as an easily navigatable dimensional model; Apply techniques to turn a logical data model into an efficient physical design; Leverage several templates to make requirements gathering more efficient and accurate; Explain all ten categories of the Data Model Scorecard®; Learn strategies to improve your working relationships with others; Appreciate the impact unstructured data has, and will have, on our data modelling deliverables; Learn basic UML concepts; Put data modelling in context with XML, metadata, and agile development.

A Practical Guide for Business and IT Professionals

Data Modeling Made Simple

Donna Burbank

Data Modeling Made Simple with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8 will provide the business or IT professional with a practical working knowledge of data modeling concepts and best practices, and how to apply these principles with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8. You’ll build many CA ERwin data models along the way, mastering first the fundamentals and later in the book the more advanced features of CA ERwin Data Modeler. This book combines real-world experience and best practices with down to earth advice, humor, and even cartoons to help you master the following ten objectives: 1. Understand the basics of data modeling and relational theory, and how to apply these skills using CA ERwin Data Modeler 2. Read a data model of any size and complexity with the same confidence as reading a book 3. Understand the difference between conceptual, logical, and physical models, and how to effectively build these models using CA ERwin’s Data Modelers Design Layer Architecture 4. Apply techniques to turn a logical data model into an efficient physical design and vice-versa through forward and reverse engineering, for both ‘top down’ and bottom-up design 5. Learn how to create reusable domains, naming standards, UDPs, and model templates in CA ERwin Data Modeler to reduce modeling time, improve data quality, and increase enterprise consistency 6. Share data model information with various audiences using model formatting and layout techniques, reporting, and metadata exchange 7. Use the new workspace customization features in CA ERwin Data Modeler r8 to create a workflow suited to your own individual needs 8. Leverage the new Bulk Editing features in CA ERwin Data Modeler r8 for mass metadata updates, as well as import/export with Microsoft Excel 9. Compare and merge model changes using CA ERwin Data Modelers Complete Compare features 10. Optimize the organization and layout of your data models through the use of Subject Areas, Diagrams, Display Themes, and more Section I provides an overview of data modeling: what it is, and why it is needed. The basic features of CA ERwin Data Modeler are introduced with a simple, easy-to-follow example. Section II introduces the basic building blocks of a data model, including entities, relationships, keys, and more. How-to examples using CA ERwin Data Modeler are provided for each of these building blocks, as well as ‘real world’ scenarios for context. Section III covers the creation of reusable standards, and their importance in the organization. From standard data modeling constructs such as domains to CA ERwin-specific features such as UDPs, this section covers step-by-step examples of how to create these standards in CA ERwin Data Modeling, from creation, to template building, to sharing standards with end users through reporting and queries. Section IV discusses conceptual, logical, and physical data models, and provides a comprehensive case study using CA ERwin Data Modeler to show the interrelationships between these models using CA ERwin’s Design Layer Architecture. Real world examples are provided from requirements gathering, to working with business sponsors, to the hands-on nitty-gritty details of building conceptual, logical, and physical data models with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8. From the Foreword by Tom Bilcze, President, CA Technologies Modeling Global User Community: Data Modeling Made Simple with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8 is an excellent resource for the ERwin community. The data modeling community is a diverse collection of data professionals with many perspectives of data modeling and different levels of skill and experience. Steve Hoberman and Donna Burbank guide newbie modelers through the basics of data modeling and CA ERwin r8. Through the liberal use of illustrations, the inexperienced data modeler is graphically walked through the components of data models and how to create them in CA ERwin r8. As an experienced data modeler, Steve and Donna give me a handbook for effectively using the new and enhanced features of this release to bring my art form to life. The book delves into advanced modeling topics and techniques by continuing the liberal use of illustrations. It speaks to the importance of a defined data modeling architecture with soundly modeled data to assist the enterprise in understanding of the value of data. It guides me in applying the finishing touches to my data designs.

Data Modeling Made Simple with CA ERwin Data Modeler r8

Chris Bradley

Did you ever try getting Business and IT to agree on the project scope for a new application? Or try getting the Sales & Marketing department to agree on the target audience? Or try bringing new team members up to speed on the hundreds of tables in your data warehouse -- without them dozing off? You can be the hero in each of these and hundreds of other scenarios by building a High-Level Data Model. The High-Level Data Model is a simplified view of our complex environment. It can be a powerful communication tool of the key concepts within our application development projects, business intelligence and master data management programs, and all enterprise and industry initiatives. Learn about the High-Level Data Model and master the techniques for building one, including a comprehensive ten-step approach. Know how to evaluate toolsets for building and storing your models. Practice exercises and walk through a case study to reinforce your modelling skills.

A Handbook for Aligning the Business with IT Using High-Level Data Models

Data Modeling for the Business

Did you ever try getting Businesspeople and IT to agree on the project scope for a new application? Or try getting Marketing and Sales to agree on the target audience? Or try bringing new team members up to speed on the hundreds of tables in your data warehouse — without them dozing off? Whether you are a businessperson or an IT professional, you can be the hero in each of these and hundreds of other scenarios by building a High-Level Data Model. The High-Level Data Model is a simplified view of our complex environment. It can be a powerful communication tool of the key concepts within our application development projects, business intelligence and master data management programs, and all enterprise and industry initiatives. Learn about the High-Level Data Model and master the techniques for building one, including a comprehensive ten-step approach and hands-on exercises to help you practice topics on your own. In this book, we review data modeling basics and explain why the core concepts stored in a high-level data model can have significant business impact on an organization. We explain the technical notation used for a data model and walk through some simple examples of building a high-level data model. We also describe how data models relate to other key initiatives you may have heard of or may be implementing in your organization. This book contains best practices for implementing a high-level data model, along with some easy-to-use templates and guidelines for a step-by-step approach. Each step will be illustrated using many examples based on actual projects we have worked on. Names have been changed to protect the innocent, but the pain points and lessons have been preserved. One example spans an entire chapter and will allow you to practice building a high-level data model from beginning to end, and then compare your results to ours. Building a high-level data model following the ten step approach you’ll read about is a great way to ensure you will retain the new skills you learn in this book. As is the case in many disciplines, using the right tool for the right job is critical to the overall success of your high-level data model implementation. To help you in your tool selection process, there are several chapters dedicated to discussing what to look for in a high-level data modeling tool and a framework for choosing a data modeling tool, in general. This book concludes with a real-world case study that shows how an international energy company successfully used a high-level data model to streamline their information management practices and increase communication throughout the organization—between both businesspeople and IT. Data modeling is one of the under-exploited, and potentially very valuable, business capabilities that are often hidden away in an organization’s Information Technology department. Data Modeling for the Business highlights both the resulting damage to business value, and the opportunities to make things better. As an easy-to follow and comprehensive guide on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of data modeling, it also reminds us that a successful strategy for exploiting IT depends at least as much on the information as the technology. Chris Potts, Corporate IT Strategist and Author of fruITion: Creating the Ultimate Corporate Strategy for Information Technology One of the most critical systems issues is aligning business with IT and fulfilling business needs using data models. The authors of Data Modeling for the Business do a masterful job at simply and clearly describing the art of using data models to communicate with business representatives and meet business needs. The book provides many valuable tools, analogies, and step-by-step methods for effective data modeling and is an important contribution in bridging the much needed connection between data modeling and realizing business requirements. Len Silverston, author of The Data Model Resource Book series

A Handbook for Aligning the Business with IT using High-Level Data Models

Jeff Harris 

Master erwin DM to deliver robust and precise designs for both operational and analytical projects. Steve and Jeff start from the basics, explaining data modeling concepts and how to get up and running with erwin DM (erwin DM). Through a hands-on approach, business analysts, data professionals, and project managers will learn step-by-step how to build effective conceptual, logical, and physical data models. Complete the stages in identifying essential business requirements, designing the logical data model, transposing those logical modeling objects into physical tables and columns, and even generating the implementation database scripts. This book contains seven parts. Part I provides a foundation in data modeling and Part II a foundation in erwin DM. Part III covers the design layer technique and its application using erwin DM, distinguishing conceptual, logical, physical, and operational data models. Part IV covers entities, domains, attributes, key groups, validation rules, default rules, and subject areas, along with how to implement them using erwin DM. Part V explains the physical data model and how to convert a logical data model to a physical data model in erwin DM. Become confident creating tables, columns, indexes, and views. Part VI reveals advanced features available within erwin DM, including user defined properties, naming standards, forward engineering, reverse engineering, complete compare, report designer, and the bulk editor. Part VII explains several important tools to use in combination with erwin DM, including erwin DM NoSQL, erwin Data Catalog, and erwin Data Literacy.

Data Modeling Made Simple with erwin DM

This is the seventh edition of the training manual for the Data Modeling Master Class that Steve Hoberman teaches onsite and through public classes. This text can be purchased prior to attending the Master Class, the latest course schedule and detailed description can be found on Steve Hoberman's website, stevehoberman.com. The Master Class is a complete data modeling course, containing three days of practical techniques for producing conceptual, logical, and physical relational and dimensional and NoSQL data models. After learning the styles and steps in capturing and modeling requirements, you will apply a best practices approach to building and validating data models through the Data Model Scorecard(R). You will know not just how to build a data model, but how to build a data model well. Two case studies and many exercises reinforce the material and will enable you to apply these techniques in your current projects. Top 10 Objectives 1. Explain data modeling components and identify them on your projects by following a question-driven approach 2. Demonstrate reading a data model of any size and complexity with the same confidence as reading a book 3. Validate any data model with key "settings" (scope, abstraction, timeframe, function, and format) as well as through the Data Model Scorecard(R) 4. Apply requirements elicitation techniques including interviewing, artifact analysis, prototyping, and job shadowing 5. Build relational and dimensional conceptual and logical data models, and know the tradeoffs on the physical side for both RDBMS and NoSQL solutions 6. Practice finding structural soundness issues and standards violations 7. Recognize when to use abstraction and where patterns and industry data models can give us a great head start 8. Use a series of templates for capturing and validating requirements, and for data profiling 9. Evaluate definitions for clarity, completeness, and correctness 10. Leverage the Data Vault and enterprise data model for a successful enterprise architecture.

Steve Hoberman's Best Practices Approach to Understanding and Applying Fundamentals Through Advanced Modeling Techniques

Data Modeling Master Class Training Manual 7th Edition

Congratulations! You completed the MongoDB application within the given tight timeframe and there is a party to celebrate your application’s release into production. Although people are congratulating you at the celebration, you are feeling some uneasiness inside. To complete the project on time required making a lot of assumptions about the data, such as what terms meant and how calculations are derived. In addition, the poor documentation about the application will be of limited use to the support team, and not investigating all of the inherent rules in the data may eventually lead to poorly-performing structures in the not-so-distant future. Now, what if you had a time machine and could go back and read this book. You would learn that even NoSQL databases like MongoDB require some level of data modeling. Data modeling is the process of learning about the data, and regardless of technology, this process must be performed for a successful application. You would learn the value of conceptual, logical, and physical data modeling and how each stage increases our knowledge of the data and reduces assumptions and poor design decisions. Read this book to learn how to do data modeling for MongoDB applications, and accomplish these five objectives: Understand how data modeling contributes to the process of learning about the data, and is, therefore, a required technique, even when the resulting database is not relational. That is, NoSQL does not mean NoDataModeling! Know how NoSQL databases differ from traditional relational databases, and where MongoDB fits. Explore each MongoDB object and comprehend how each compares to their data modeling and traditional relational database counterparts, and learn the basics of adding, querying, updating, and deleting data in MongoDB. Practice a streamlined, template-driven approach to performing conceptual, logical, and physical data modeling. Recognize that data modeling does not always have to lead to traditional data models! Distinguish top-down from bottom-up development approaches and complete a top-down case study which ties all of the modeling techniques together. This book is written for anyone who is working with, or will be working with MongoDB, including business analysts, data modelers, database administrators, developers, project managers, and data scientists. There are three sections: In Section I, Getting Started, we will reveal the power of data modeling and the tight connections to data models that exist when designing any type of database (Chapter 1), compare NoSQL with traditional relational databases and where MongoDB fits (Chapter 2), explore each MongoDB object and comprehend how each compares to their data modeling and traditional relational database counterparts (Chapter 3), and explain the basics of adding, querying, updating, and deleting data in MongoDB (Chapter 4). In Section II, Levels of Granularity, we cover Conceptual Data Modeling (Chapter 5), Logical Data Modeling (Chapter 6), and Physical Data Modeling (Chapter 7). Notice the “ing” at the end of each of these chapters. We focus on the process of building each of these models, which is where we gain essential business knowledge. In Section III, Case Study, we will explain both top down and bottom up development approaches and go through a top down case study where we start with business requirements and end with the MongoDB database. This case study will tie together all of the techniques in the previous seven chapters. Nike Senior Data Architect Ryan Smith wrote the foreword. Key points are included at the end of each chapter as a way to reinforce concepts. In addition, this book is loaded with hands-on exercises, along with their answers provided in Appendix A. Appendix B contains all of the book’s references and Appendix C contains a glossary of the terms used throughout the text.

Building Well-Designed and Supportable MongoDB Databases

Data Modeling for MongoDB

Build a working knowledge of data modeling concepts and best practices, along with how to apply these principles with ER/Studio. This second edition includes numerous updates and new sections including an overview of ER/Studio’s support for agile development, as well as a description of some of ER/Studio’s newer features for NoSQL, such as MongoDB’s containment structure.

Adapting to Agile Data Modeling in a Big Data World

Data Modeling Made Simple with ER/Studio Data Architect

Creating a precise diagram of business terms within your projects is a simple yet powerful communication tool for project managers, data governance professionals, and business analysts. Similar to how the Rosetta Stone provided a communication tool across multiple languages, the Rosedata Stone provides a communication tool across business languages. The Rosedata Stone, called the Business Terms Model (BTM) or the Conceptual Data Model, displays the achievement of a Common Business Language of terms for a particular business initiative. With more and more data being created and used, combined with intense competition, strict regulations, and rapid-spread social media, the financial, liability, and credibility stakes have never been higher and therefore the need for a Common Business Language has never been greater. Appreciate the power of the BTM and apply the steps to build a BTM over the book’s five chapters: Challenges. Explore how a Common Business Language is more important than ever with technologies like the Cloud and NoSQL, and Regulations such as the GDPR. Needs. Identify scope and plan precise, minimal visuals that will capture the Common Business Language. Solution. Meet the BTM and its components, along with the variations of relational and dimensional BTMs. Experience how several data modeling tools display the BTM, including CaseTalk, ER/Studio, erwin DM, and Hackolade. Construction. Build operational (relational) and analytics (dimensional) BTMs for a bakery chain. Practice. Reinforce BTM concepts and build BTMs for two of your own initiatives alongside a real example.

Steve Hoberman

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