Data model

A data model organizes data elements and standardizes how the data elements relate to one another.

Since data elements document real life people, places and things and the events between them, the data model represents reality, for example a house has many windows or a cat has two eyes.

Computers are used for the accounting of these real life things and events and therefore the data model is a necessary standard to ensure exact communication between human beings.

Data models are often used as an aid to communication between the business people defining the requirements for a computer system and the technical people defining the design in response to those requirements.

They are used to show the data needed and created by business processes.

Data models are useful in managing risk.

A data model can be sometimes referred to as a data structure, especially in the context of programming languages.

Data models are specified in a data modeling notation, which is often graphical in form.

Data models are often complemented by function models, especially in the context of [[Enterprise model|enterprise models].

External links

• Data model @ Wikipedia