What is data modeling?

Data modeling is the process of creating a visual representation of either a

whole information system or parts of it to communicate connections between data
points and structures.

Types of data modeling

Data modeling has evolved alongside database management systems, with
model types increasing in complexity as businesses' data storage needs have grown.
Here are several model types:
• Hierarchical data models represent one-to-many relationships in a treelike
format. In this type of model, each record has a single root or parent which
maps to one or more child tables. This model was implemented in the IBM
Information Management System (IMS), which was introduced in 1966 and
rapidly found widespread use, especially in banking. Though this approach is
less efficient than more recently developed database models, it’s still used in
Extensible Markup Language (XML) systems and geographic information
systems (GISs).
• Relational data models were initially proposed by IBM researcher E.F. Codd
in 1970. They are still implemented today in the many different relational
databases commonly used in enterprise computing. Relational data modeling
doesn’t require a detailed understanding of the physical properties of the data
storage being used. In it, data segments are explicitly joined through the use of
tables, reducing database complexity.
Relational databases frequently employ structured query language (SQL) for data
management. These databases work well for maintaining data integrity and
minimizing redundancy. They’re often used in point-of-sale systems, as well as for
other types of transaction processing.
• Entity-relationship (ER) data models use formal diagrams to represent the
relationships between entities in a database. Several ER modeling tools are
used by data architects to create visual maps that convey database design
objectives.
• Object-oriented data models gained traction as object-oriented programming
and it became popular in the mid-1990s. The “objects” involved are
abstractions of real-world entities. Objects are grouped in class hierarchies, and
have associated features. Object-oriented databases can incorporate tables, but
can also support more complex data relationships. This approach is employed
in multimedia and hypertext databases as well as other use cases.
 • Dimensional data models were developed by Ralph Kimball, and they were
designed to optimize data retrieval speeds for analytic purposes in a data
warehouse. While relational and ER models emphasize efficient storage,
dimensional models increase redundancy in order to make it easier to locate
information for reporting and retrieval. This modeling is typically used
across OLAP systems.
Two popular dimensional data models are the star schema, in which data is organized
into facts (measurable items) and dimensions (reference information), where each fact
is surrounded by its associated dimensions in a star-like pattern. The other is the
snowflake schema, which resembles the star schema but includes additional layers of
associated dimensions, making the branching pattern more complex.

Conceptual data models

They are also referred to as domain models and offer a big-picture view of
what the system will contain, how it will be organized, and which business rules are
involved. Conceptual models are usually created as part of the process of gathering
initial project requirements. Typically, they include entity classes (defining the types
of things that are important for the business to represent in the data model), their
characteristics and constraints, the relationships between them and relevant security
and data integrity requirements. Any notation is typically simple.
Logical data models
They are less abstract and provide greater detail about the concepts and
relationships in the domain under consideration. One of several formal data modeling
notation systems is followed. These indicate data attributes, such as data types and
their corresponding lengths, and show the relationships among entities. Logical data
models don’t specify any technical system requirements. This stage is frequently
omitted in agile or DevOps practices. Logical data models can be useful in highly
procedural implementation environments, or for projects that are data-oriented by
nature, such as data warehouse design or reporting system development.

Physical data models

They provide a schema for how the data will be physically stored within a
database. As such, they’re the least abstract of all. They offer a finalized design that
can be implemented as a relational database, including associative tables that illustrate
the relationships among entities as well as the primary keys and foreign keys that will
be used to maintain those relationships. Physical data models can include database
management system (DBMS)-specific properties, including performance tuning.
Data modeling process
As a discipline, data modeling invites stakeholders to evaluate data processing
and storage in painstaking detail. Data modeling techniques have different
conventions that dictate which symbols are used to represent the data, how models are
laid out, and how business requirements are conveyed. All approaches provide
formalized workflows that include a sequence of tasks to be performed in an iterative
manner. Those workflows generally look like this:
1. Identify the entities. The process of data modeling begins with the
identification of the things, events or concepts that are represented in the data
set that is to be modeled. Each entity should be cohesive and logically discrete
from all others.
2. Identify key properties of each entity. Each entity type can be differentiated
from all others because it has one or more unique properties, called attributes.
For instance, an entity called “customer” might possess such attributes as a first
name, last name, telephone number and salutation, while an entity called
“address” might include a street name and number, a city, state, country and zip
code.
3. Identify relationships among entities. The earliest draft of a data model will
specify the nature of the relationships each entity has with the others. In the
above example, each customer “lives at” an address. If that model were
expanded to include an entity called “orders,” each order would be shipped to
and billed to an address as well. These relationships are usually documented
via unified modeling language (UML).
 4. Map attributes to entities completely. This will ensure the model reflects
how the business will use the data. Several formal data modeling patterns are in
widespread use. Object-oriented developers often apply analysis patterns or
design patterns, while stakeholders from other business domains may turn to
other patterns.
5. Assign keys as needed, and decide on a degree of normalization that
balances the need to reduce redundancy with performance
requirements. Normalization is a technique for organizing data models (and
the databases they represent) in which numerical identifiers, called keys, are
assigned to groups of data to represent relationships between them without
repeating the data. For instance, if customers are each assigned a key, that key
can be linked to both their address and their order history without having to
repeat this information in the table of customer names. Normalization tends to
reduce the amount of storage space a database will require, but it can at cost to
query performance.
6. Finalize and validate the data model. Data modeling is an iterative process
that should be repeated and refined as business needs change.

Benefits of data modeling

Data modeling makes it easier for developers, data architects, business
analysts, and other stakeholders to view and understand relationships among the data
in a database or data warehouse. In addition, it can:
• Reduce errors in software and database development.
• Increase consistency in documentation and system design across the enterprise.
• Improve application and database performance.
• Ease data mapping throughout the organization.
• Improve communication between developers and business intelligence teams.
• Ease and speed the process of database design at the conceptual, logical and
physical levels.

Data modeling tools

Numerous commercial and open source computer-aided software engineering
(CASE) solutions are widely used today, including multiple data modeling,
diagramming and visualization tools. Here are several examples:
• erwin Data Modeler is a data modeling tool based on the Integration
DEFinition for information modeling (IDEF1X) data modeling language that
now supports other notation methodologies, including a dimensional approach.
• Enterprise Architect is a visual modeling and design tool that supports the
modeling of enterprise information systems and architectures as well as
software applications and databases. It’s based on object-oriented languages
and standards.
• ER/Studio is database design software that’s compatible with several of today’s
most popular database management systems. It supports both relational and
dimensional data modeling.
• Free data modeling tools include open source solutions such as Open
ModelSphere.