Data Modelling
Data modeling is the technique used in the documentation of information in a software system. It is merely a skeleton representation of how information in a system database is arranged and how it is ranked and flows (“Data Modeling: Conceptual vs. Logical vs. Physical Data Model,” 2020). It is merely an expression of the business requirements of the company involved. Data models, in essence, maybe of three main types. These include conceptual models. Logical models and physical models. Whereas the conceptual model identifies mainly the highest relationship between the entities involved, the logical one gives more details without presenting their implementation in the database. The physical model outlines how the database will be built. The given diagrams are a representation of two critical models. Diagram one represents the conceptual model, whereas picture 2 represents the logical model.
In the present case, a database system used by a retail car company s portrayed. According to the conceptual model, the employer and the employee meet at the company branch. From this company branch, the sales are made. These are the vital elements of a conceptual model of data modeling. In such a system, only the vita entities of the organization are shown in the model developed. The relationships between them are also clearly pointed out in the development. The attributes and primary keys are never specified, as well. The second diagram is a representation of a logical model. The layout, observably, is more detailed. Besides presenting the necessary identification of the entities involved in the rental car business, it also offers some more details about each of the entities. Firstly, the model displays the entities and the relationships that happen between them. The attributes ad primary keys are also specified, including foreign keys. This model also includes the normalization. In the presented example, the entities include inventory, employees, branches, and sales. These remain the same in both models. However, in the logical model, the entities are backed up with specific attributes. In this case, for example, the inventory entity is characterized by attributes like vehicle make number, model codes, descriptions of the cars, and rental prices. The other bodies also have specific characteristics.
A data model is essential for any company or business. In the context of the rental car business, the model displays the vital elements of the business – the primary entities involved—these herein, including the inventory, the employees, the branches, and sales. The relationship between these entities is rather complicated. The employer and the employee interact mainly at the branch offices of the business. At the same branch office, the customers make purchases. So, the branch becomes the central entity in the relationship because all interactions and transactions happen there.
In the case of small businesses, the usefulness of data modeling cannot be understated. Primarily, it is a template that is observed by the company in the planning and allocation of resources (Wiener et al., 2020). This way, the business can cut down the costs and achieve a faster time value. The management of the company can also understand their business operation better and improve the systems and processes within the business (“What Is Data Modeling (And Why Is It Essential)?” 2020). This understanding reduces the company’s complexity and, in the process, reduces the risks involved in the business. Thus, the market can collaborate well with others too. These benefits of careful data modeling through correct approaches allow companies to make better returns in their transactions.
References
Data Modeling: Conceptual vs. Logical vs. Physical Data Model. Online.visual-paradigm.com. (2020). Retrieved 15 July 2020, from https://online.visual-paradigm.com/knowledge/visual-modeling/conceptual-vs-logical-vs-physical-data-model/.
What Is Data Modeling (And Why Is It Essential)? Cloverdx.com. (2020). Retrieved 15 July 2020, from https://www.cloverdx.com/blog/what-is-data-modelling-and-why-is-it-essential#:~:text=Data%20modeling%20is%20a%20technique,they%20underpin%20your%20business%20processes.
Wiener, M., Saunders, C., & Marabelli, M. (2020). Big-data business models: A critical literature review and multiperspective research framework. Journal of Information Technology, 35(1), 66-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268396219896811