The Data Model Resource Book, Volume 3: Universal Patterns for Data Modeling

Chapter 9. Using the Patterns

After reviewing the patterns, you are likely at the point where you are asking, "How do I use, apply, and/or implement these patterns in my enterprise?" This question is hard to answer because the answer often includes the words "it depends." The answer is different if it is asked by a person developing a data model for a prototype system than by someone developing a data model for a data warehouse. Even two people both developing data models may use the patterns in different ways because both of the people have different views of what a data model is or have different audiences to whom they are presenting them!

In each of the preceding chapters, we showed the strengths and weaknesses of each pattern at different levels of generalization and let the user of the patterns decide which pattern to use given their special circumstances. For example, someone creating a conceptual data model and presenting it to business people may choose to use the level 1 patterns because the strengths of those patterns suit that circumstance. Someone creating a data model for a data warehouse that needs to have a flexible design may apply level 3 patterns because the strengths of that level of patterns suits that particular need. For example, that type of pattern can generally accommodate the wide variety of data requirements of the source systems feeding the data warehouse.

This chapter shows how the patterns that we discussed in the previous chapters can be used to create ...