Logical Design Documentation

From ER/Studio Data Architect
Jump to: navigation, search

Go Up to Logical Design Concepts

To ensure your ideas are understandable, document the meaning of your entities, relationships and attributes. A well-documented data model is easier to maintain and will probably find greater use in your organization.

Provide a definition for each entity in the logical model, even when their meanings seem obvious. Sometimes, this can reveal an incomplete design or logical inconsistencies. In addition to defining the entities, define all attributes in your logical design. Detailed documentation is invaluable to database developers and administrators who need to understand the design at its most basic level.

In addition to defining entities and attributes, you should also define the relationships in the logical model. Since relationships are used to enforce business rules, it is especially important to document their meaning. Relationships can be defined using verb phrases, names, and definitions. Verb phrases can clarify the business rules that govern the interaction between a pair of entities, while a name and definition can provide additional details about the relationship.

See Also