Promoting Standards With Data Model Templates

by Donna Burbank
July 8, 2008

With data model patterns, unique attributes can still be added. For instance, a jeweler may need to add a ring size attribute to his customer table, but the standard attributes, such as name and address, would be standard. Just like the dressmaker, a database developer can take a particular pattern and alter it to meet a specific need.

Applying Templates

Before beginning any development or refactoring effort, the database developer should try and use standard pattern templates wherever possible—both industrywide and in the organization. Although many of the large standard models may seem overwhelming, remember that you may need only a subset of the full model; that makes it more manageable and cost-effective. Some vendors are even beginning to offer scaled-down standard models focused around particular subject areas, such as customer, product or specific functional areas such as accounts receivable, human resources, etc. Several published models come with pre-built data models you can load into popular data modeling tools.

Some such models are sold by subject area (orders, invoicing, accounting and budgeting, etc.) or as a superset for an entire organization. In addition, industry-specific models are available for the finance, healthcare, and telecommunications industries, among others. Some of these models start with a price tag as low as just more than $1,000 so even small- and medium-size businesses can afford them. Larger organizations often choose larger, higher-priced models such as IBM’s financial services model, which normally come with consulting costs for implementation, but can still show value in the long-run for large companies that can afford the upfront cost.

It’s also important to reuse standard objects. Even data artifacts that are truly unique to your organization should be reused between various projects in the company. Implementing a common modeling tool with a repository for collaboration and data artifact sharing is an important step to reusing core objects and achieving standard structure and definition of those objects. Most quality modeling tools offer repositories that let you easily share core entities in this way.

As more companies embrace the idea of standard templates for common objects, they’ll become more efficient and find it easier to share consistent information.