Abstract:

Agile Data Modeling

This presentation will examine two strong trends in development these days: agile data modeling and refactoring of databases. Both are intended as evolutionary development approaches. For the sake of definition, an evolutionary method is one that is both iterative and incremental in nature, and an agile method is evolutionary and highly collaborative in nature. Refactoring, as originally defined by Martin Fowler, uses a small change to source code to improve its design without changing its semantics. Refactoring is now being applied to databases.
 
Changes to database semantics imply a change in or addition to business rules or requirements. Whenever a semantic change is involved, logical data modeling is involved.
 
This presentation will examine the implications of these approaches to the discipline of data modeling.
 
It will ask the question, haven't professional data modelers always defined data modeling as iterative, incremental and evolutionary? Or have they? If so, then what is so different about agile approaches? Are they real, and do they add real value, or are they simply a justification of the attitude that "we never have time to do it right but we always have time to do it over!"?
 
The presentation will take an honest look at data modeling practices, and an equally honest look at agile methods, and will compare the two by contrasting the pros and cons of each approach.
 
It will also take a look at current development trends. How much new development do we do anyway? How much is major maintenance, and how much is minor maintenance?
 
Finally, the presentation will recommend some changes that can be made to data modeling practices to make them more agile - without sacrificing the characteristics of a good data model. It will address the types of change that can be made to a data model. It will address how to do designs that don't have to be changed. How can you incorporate change into a data model from the start? It will address how to validate a data model before it goes into production (or even into system test) to ensure it will work successfully when its feet hit the floor and can even survive months if not years error-free.

Speaker Bios for:
 
Tom Haughey

Tom Haughey is considered one of the four founding fathers of Information Engineering in America. He has specialized in data management since 1983 in both consulting and training. He has focused on practical and rapid development methods. For over two decades he has been delivering successful data management solutions in the area of information architecture, business intelligence, master data management, database, data modeling, data warehousing and OLTP (On-line transaction processing). He has worked in many industries such as insurance, consumer products, finance, government and pharmaceutical. His courses on data management, data warehousing, and rapid development have been delivered to Fortune 1000 companies around the world. He has worked on the development of seven different CASE tools, over 40,000 copies of which have been sold to date. He was formerly Chief Technology Officer for the Pepsi Bottling Group and Director of Enterprise Data Warehousing for Pepsico. He was also formerly Vice President of Technology for Computer Systems Advisers, who marketed the CASE tools called POSE and SILVERRUN. He wrote his own CASE tool in 1984. He formerly worked for IBM for 17 years as a Senior Project Manager. He is an author of many articles on Data Management, Information Engineering and Data Warehousing, and has contributed to DMReview's Ask The Experts Column.

Directions to: Chubb Insurance
15 Mountain View Road
Warren, NJ 07059

Open a printer friendly pdf file, of directions to Chubb Insurance.

FROM NORTH:
NJ Turnpike South to Exit 14 onto I-78 West.
I-78 West to Exit 33 - Make a left at light at top of ramp.
Stay in left lane.
At second traffic light make a left onto Mountain View Road.
See on site directions below.
 
FROM SOUTH:
NJ Turnpike North to Exit 10 onto I-287 North.
Take I-287 North to I-78 East (toward Newark).
Take I-78 East to Exit 33 (first exit once on I-78).
Ramp exit is 4 lanes, use second lane from right.
Make right turn at light at top of ramp into the left lane.
At next light (only a few hundred feet after turn), make a left onto Mountain View Road.
See on site directions below.
 
FROM THE WEST:
Take I-78 East to Exit 33.
Ramp exit is 4 lanes, use second lane from right.
Make right turn at light at top of ramp into the left lane.
At next light (only a few hundred feet after turn), make a left onto Mountain View Road.
See on site directions below.
 
FROM THE EAST:
Take I-78 West to Exit 33.
Stay to the left on the exit ramp.
Make left turn at light at top of ramp into the left lane.
At second light (only a few hundred feet after turn), make a left onto Mountain View Road.
See on site directions below.
 
ON SITE DIRECTIONS:
Once on Mountain View Road go straight and you will drive into Chubb & Son. Once you see the guardhouse move over to the left of the Guardhouse.
Obtain parking card.
Proceed around to Parking Lot F or G.
Once you've parked you will see a small building (Engineering), go to the right of it, and follow walkway to the back of the large building. The meeting will be held in the Classroom area, to the left, just inside the rear doors.

Upcoming Events:
Mark your calendars now for these upcoming DAMA New Jersey meetings.
 

DAMA New Jersey 2010 Events

January 29th 2010		Agile Data Modeling Tom Haughey   location: Chubb Insurance, Warren, NJ
December 9th 2009		Next-Generation Investments in Metadata Dr. Peter Aiken   location: Chubb Insurance, Warren, NJ
October 19th 2009		DAMA Day 2009 Data Governance and MDM in the Real World Gwen Thomas, Malcolm Chisholm, Michele Koch   location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Clark, NJ
April 24th 2009		The Convergence of SOA and Business Intelligence Robert Abate   location: Chubb Insurance, Warren, NJ
February 19th 2009		Metadata and Business Intelligence: Approaches, Relationships and Tools used for Effective Information Deep Sogani, BI Practice Lead and Rajeev Kumar, Director Enterprise Information Management, PPC   location: PwC, Florham Park, NJ

Any ideas for a topic or event? Let us know!  Your input is important to us!

 

Member Discounts and Education opportunities:

Enterprise Data World
formerly: DAMA International Symposium and Wilshire Meta-Data Conference
San Francisco, CA
March 14-18, 2010
DAMA Rate - Up to $250 discount plus
for every two paid registrants from your team the 3rd team member attends for free.

Advanced Data Modeling
Alec Sharp
Orlando, FL
February 24-26, 2010
$200. discount for DAMA members if registered by Jan. 16, 2009

Data Modeling and Data Management in a SOA Environment
Tom Haughey
Clark, NJ
February 8, 2010
DAMA Rate $595

Data Modeling for MDM
Malcolm Chisholm
Clark, NJ
February 1, 2010
DAMA Rate $595

Other Education Events:
Travel or Education Budget Impacted by the Economy?

Besides attending DAMA NJ meetings there are a number of user groups that offer face to face and virtual meetings at little or no charge. Many conferences offer the opportunity to purchase conference proceedings from events at a lower price than the cost of registration.
 
NYEMUG (NY ERwin Modeling User Group) for further info please email carol.lehn@pepsi.com"
 
SEEMUG (South East Enterprise Modeling User Group)for further info please email dan.dechichio@raymondjames.com
 
MDM University offers webinars related to MDM and data quality.
 
Meta-Data Professional Organization (MPO) offers webinars and teleconferences on metadata and related topics.

The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management (1st ed,)
Authored by DAMA International, published by Technics Publications, LLC, and edited by Mark Mosley, this dictionary will promote a standard set of data management terms within the field of Information Technology (IT).

  Please visit www.dama.org for additional information regarding
product discounts and training classes