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

Silverston c06.tex V2 - 11/21/2008 3:09am Page 285

Status Category Pattern 285

What Are the Weaknesses of the Pattern?

The weaknesses of this pattern are:

It does not effectively illustrate the specific data needs regarding what

types of status classifications are required. It says only that status types

can be classified into any number of categories and that there may be

any number of different ways to categorize the status types and status

type categories. This allows data modelers a lazy way to ‘‘catch all’’ the

different status categories that could exist for a status type without hav-

ing to examine which categories are needed and what the requirements

are for each categorization. Different categories may have different rules

or attributes associated with them. These need to be analyzed and under-

stood even if you model using this pattern.

This pattern does not specify different attributes or relationships for

specific STATUS TYPE CATEGORY(s). If this is needed, you could

use the Level 2 Classification Pattern instead of the Level 3 Classification

Pattern.

Synopsis

This pattern is significant because it describes how STATUS TYPE(s) may

be members of one or more different categories. For example an ‘‘Order

Confirmed’’ status type may be a member of an ‘‘Order Fulfillment’’ STATUS

TYPE CATEGORY. The same ‘‘Order Confirmed’’ status may also be a member

of an ‘‘Order Schedule’’ STATUS TYPE CATEGORY.

It can ...