Data Model Patterns: A Metadata Map

Dave Hay’s latest book provides detailed metaschemas for the main concepts underlying the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture, incorporating recent proposals from the Business Rules Group. By covering this vast territory in an easy-to-read style, Dave provides a valuable resource that should be of interest to data modeling professionals. — Terry Halpin, Neumont University

In recent years, companies and government agencies have come to realize that the data they use represent a significant corporate resource, whose cost calls for management every bit as rigorous as the management of human resources, money, and capital equipment. With this realization has come recognition of the importance to integrate the data that has traditionally only been available from disparate sources.

An important component of this integration is the management of the “metadata” that describe, catalogue, and provide access to the various forms of underlying business data. The “metadata repository” is essential for keeping track both of the various physical components of these systems, but also their semantics. What do we mean by “customer?” Where can we find information about our customers?

After years of building enterprise models for the oil, pharmaceutical, banking, and other industries, Dave Hay has here not only developed a conceptual model of such a metadata repository, he has in fact created a true enterprise data model of the information technology industry itself.

– The book is comprehensive, in that it is based on the Zachman Framework for information architecture, encompassing the Business Owner’s, Architect’s, and Designer’s views, for all columns (data, activities, locations, people, timing, and motivation).
– The book is comprehensible, in that it provides a step-by-step description of model and is organized so that different readers can benefit from different parts;.
– The book takes advantage of the author’s vast experience modeling various other industries;
– The model provides a view of the world being addressed by all the techniques, methods and tools of the information processing industry (for example, object-oriented design, CASE, business process re-engineering, etc.).
– Indeed it presents many concepts that are not currently being addressed by such tools, but should be.

David C. Hay is founder of Essential Strategies, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping clients define corporate information architecture, identify requirements, and plan strategies for the implementation of new systems, including data warehouses. A pioneer in the use of standard data models for standard business situations, he is the author of the book Data Model Patterns: Conventions of Thought. Taking advantage of thirty years’ experience helping companies identify systems requirements, he is also the author of Requirements Analysis: From Business Views to Architecture. He is a member of DAMA International and the Oracle Development Tools User Group, and has spoken frequently at events sponsored by these groups and others.