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Data Modeling (Entity Relationship Diagram) : Farrokh Alemi, PH.D

This document discusses data modeling using entity relationship diagrams. It explains that entity relationship modeling involves abstracting business processes into database requirements, modeling system requirements with entities and relationships, and using SQL to access the data. Key aspects covered include identifying entities from fields, describing entities, assigning entities according to rules, identifying relationships between entities, and documenting relationships. The goal is to logically represent the data and satisfy future users of the database.

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cute_122
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49 views19 pages

Data Modeling (Entity Relationship Diagram) : Farrokh Alemi, PH.D

This document discusses data modeling using entity relationship diagrams. It explains that entity relationship modeling involves abstracting business processes into database requirements, modeling system requirements with entities and relationships, and using SQL to access the data. Key aspects covered include identifying entities from fields, describing entities, assigning entities according to rules, identifying relationships between entities, and documenting relationships. The goal is to logically represent the data and satisfy future users of the database.

Uploaded by

cute_122
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data Modeling

(Entity
Relationship
Diagram)
Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D.
Overview of the Course
1. Abstract business process into database
requirements
2. Model system requirements into a database,
and
3. Use Standard Query Language to gain access
to the data. 
Entity
• Divide the list of fields into entities. 
– Each entity will represent a table
– Each field in the table is an attribute of the
entity
• An entity is something that has an
independent, separate, or self-contained
existence. 
Entities Describe Data
Classes
Name Type Def. Logical Data Types
String Data Types

Binary Data Types

Numeric Data Types


Entity
Date/Time Data Types

1..n

Attribute

Data
Name Def. Constr.
Type
Shared Features Suggest
Entities
• Examine common features of the fields. 
– "Patient's first name," "Patient's last
name" and "Patient's birthday"
suggest an entity called "Patient." 
– "Type of diagnosis" and "Name of
diagnosis" suggest an entity called
"Diagnosis." 
• Make sense to others
• Entity names should imply what it is
about
Naming of Entities
• "Create a name that is unambiguous
• Use the minimum number of words
• Do not use physical characteristics of
the database
• Do not use abbreviations
• Do not use words that restrict the data
• Do not use words that suggest two
concepts
• Use singular form of the name."
Describing an Entity
• Always include a brief description of the
entity. 
– Set up expectations about fields  
• The entity "Patient" may be defined
as: "The clients in the court
diversion program who have
mental illness. Information about
the patients need to be kept in
order to track if their court ordered
treatment is working and has been
followed."
Rules for Assigning Entities
• No two entities should be about the same
things. 
– For example, calling one entity "Patient" and
another "Client" may create both confusion
and inefficiency. 
Rules for Assigning Entities
• Do not assign the same field in two different
entities. 
– Patient's name belongs to the "Patient“
entity and not to “Diagnosis” entity.

Satisfy the intuitions


of future users
of the database 
Rules for Assigning Entities
• Make sure that time based events are
separated from time independent fields. 
– A patient's diagnoses does not belong to the
entity "Patients" but to “Visits.”
Rules for assigning entities
• If several entities share the same fields, see if
you can partition the shared fields into a
separate entity. 
– Create a new entity called "Person" and
keep shared fields in it.  Then if an
employee falls ill or is seen in the court,
their name does not need to be entered
several times once as an employee, next as
a patient and last as a court client. 
Rules for Assigning Entities
• Include look-up entities as you proceed. 

Look up table
Main entity
Review & Revise Entities
• Review the fields within entities for
completeness. 
– Many entities suggest new fields that have
not been thought about. 
• Review again to see if the fields fit new entities
• Share the list with organizational members
• Documentation
– a name, a description, a statement of why it
is important to track the entity, and a list of
fields that belong to it
Entity Relationships
• Implied in the very definition of the entity. 
• Three types of relationships:

– One to one
– One to many
– Many to many
• How one entity is mapped into another is also
referred to as cardinality of the entity

Cardinality
defined
Cardinality Follows
Business Rules
Many to Many Relationships
Reveal New Entities
Display of Relationships

Shows a Shows
relationship cardinality
Display of Relationships

Shows a Names the


relationship relationship
Documentation of Relationships
• Name of both entities
• The verb phrase that describes the semantics
of the linkage
• The cardinality of the linkage

All relationships
must be documented before
proceeding to the physical
design of the database

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