Summary
As we have seen throughout this chapter, modeling is a process used to agree, plan, and develop a database design and a means to navigate and explore it to gain greater insight into the underlying business context. Every new project must pass through the four modeling stages, whether formally recognized or not. But even for existing databases that have not been adequately documented, reverse engineering is an effective mechanism to work backward from a database to uncover its business meaning.
The design journey starts with conceptual modeling—a collaborative process that involves business and data teams working together to understand the core elements that underpin business operations and how they interact. Conceptual models favor simplicity over detail—making them accessible to team members of all backgrounds and helping steer conversations to converge at a shared understanding of the business model.
After conceptual modeling, the data team can add further...
