ER/Studio Universal Data Models

The Challenge of Building it Right First Time

Designing and building data models for organizations of any size, can be a trial and error process, even for the most experienced data management professionals. Changes in data sources, data volumes, systems, users and organizational structures will impact existing designs and compromise best practices. Data modelers and architects face three distinct challenges:

• Support evolving demands for business information, quickly and accurately
• Ensure continuously high performing data models with low risk of error
• Communicate and collaborate best practice data modeling throughout an organization

Activities such as extending data modeling to different functional areas within an organization are at risk of delayed value while optimal and accurate data architectures are developed, tested and improved.

ER/Studio Universal Data Models help data professionals reduce development time, improve consistency and standardization while achieving high quality models

The Universal Data Models (UDMs) have been developed by a team of experienced data modelers, led by Len Silverston. The templates have been refined based on hundreds of implementations and are laid out for easy navigation, including full attributes and detailed definitions for every attribute. They make sophisticated data models more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses that previously had to forego them due to budget or IT constraints. The models are available for nine different subject areas as a complete and integrated corporate model, and seven industry-specific add-ons.

The UDMs available for ER/Studio reduce development time and ensure quality. The templates arm users with a powerful set of data models and data warehouse designs that jump-start database development projects. They include proven models for common business functions such as ordering and managing products, handling shipments, invoicing, accounting and budgeting, managing human resources, contact management and project management. New models can be laid out and categorized into subject data areas with ER/Studio's easy-to-use format, reducing data model development and maintenance time by an average of 60 percent, as well as improve the quality of existing data models. Users can save even more time with the industry-specific extensions for Healthcare, Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Banking, Investments & Financial Services, Insurance, Professional Services and Travel.

The Universal Data Models enable users to be consistent with other organizations and improve quality assurance by referencing hundreds of integrated, "best practice" models. UDM customers can refer to a standard, proven source for models that are easily able to handle conflicting opinions regarding data modeling. All of the models contain a full set of entities, relationships, attributes and detailed definitions. The models are also a great resource for enterprise data modeling, master data management, data warehouse, data governance, data quality, data dictionary standardization and any effort where data models can help.

System Requirements

• ER/Studio 7.1 or higher
• 2MB storage per Subject Area Model
• 10MB storage per Industry-Specific Model or Integrated Corporate Model