Templates from the Data Modeler's Workbench
This is part of the companion web site to my book, Data Modeler's Workbench, Tools and Techniques for Analysis and Design. Below is a list of ready-to-download templates that are discussed in my book, arranged in order of their appearance in the text. This will save you the time in recreating these from scratch. This book describes each of these in much more detail including how to use these and create them. Please refer to the Data Modeler's Workbench if you need more information on any of these.
- Project Meta Data Bingo Card. This is the highest level Bingo card. It is completed by putting a check in the appropriate column, depending on whether the type of meta data is of high, medium, or low priority in capturing.
- Data Model Meta Data Bingo Card. This Bingo card is the first level of detail in which we start to look at the content within the application.
- Subject Area Meta Data Bingo Card. This Bingo card is the first level of detail in which we start to look at the content within the application.
- Entity Meta Data Bingo Card. This Bingo card is relatively small because most of the meta-meta data, such as source and history information, have already been captured at the subject area level. You might want to call this card a Table Meta Data Bingo card when most of your players are technically oriented.
- Data Element Meta Data Bingo Card. This Bingo card is the most detailed of all. You will see a lot of the same information that you have seen in previous cards, such as name and definition. However, there are many types of meta data that only pertain to data elements, such as format and nullability information.
- The Definition Checklist. We use this checklist to determine the quality of subject area, entity, and data element definitions. It is broken down into five categories: clarity, completeness, accuracy, punctuation, and length. Under each category are detailed criteria.
- Data Modeling Phase Template. The template is divided into project sections, with the corresponding data modeling phase. It contains a description of each phase and the chapter(s) in which the topic is covered.
- Phase-to-Task-to-Tools Template. This template presents the detailed tasks required within each data modeling phase, along with the tools that can help assist with each of these tasks.
- Subject Area Effort Range. This contains by project the short, long, and average length of days in effort it would take to complete.
- Task Effort Template. This template takes the tasks we have come up with and assigns them a percentage.
- Subject Area Checklist. This tool is a complete list of subject areas within the new application, along with their definitions and synonyms or aliases. This provides a great starting point for further analysis.
- Subject Area CRUD Matrix. This tool contains the subject area gaps and overlap that can exist between your new application and existing applications. This is a powerful tool for scoping your application.
- In-the-Know Template. This tool identifies the people and documentation you will need as resources to complete your data modeling deliverables for this new application. This is a straightforward method to gain agreement on the resources you can tap for your data modeling activities.
- Subject Area Family Tree. This tool contains the source applications for each subject area and several other critical pieces of information. This clarifies from where the subject area data will come.
- Subject Area Grain Matrix. This tool captures the reporting levels for each measurement or fact subject area using a spreadsheet format. This offers a very easy-to-read document for validating reporting requirements.
- Data Element Family Tree. The Data Element Family Tree contains the complete list of data elements for the application; the sources and transformations for each; and several other key pieces of data element meta data, including definition and format.
- Data Element Grain Matrix. The Data Element Grain Matrix captures the reporting levels for each measurement or fact so that reporting requirements can be reviewed and validated.
- Data Quality Capture Template. This template shows the comparison between the meta data and some of the actual data for each data element.
- Data Quality Validation Template. This template provides a review and validation mechanism for the information on the Data Quality Capture Template. This tool contains the opinion of an expert about how good or bad the data within each data element actually is.