Conceptual schemas with abstractions - Making flat conceptual schemas more comprehensible

被引:33
作者
Campbell, LJ
Halpin, TA
Proper, HA
机构
[1] ASYMETRIX CORP,BELLEVUE,WA
[2] QUEENSLAND UNIV TECHNOL,FAC INFORMAT TECHNOL,COOPERAT INFORMAT SYST RES CTR,BRISBANE,QLD 4001,AUSTRALIA
关键词
conceptual data modelling; schema abstraction; ORM; ER; NIAM;
D O I
10.1016/0169-023X(96)00005-5
中图分类号
TP18 [人工智能理论];
学科分类号
081104 ; 0812 ; 0835 ; 1405 ;
摘要
Flat graphical, conceptual modeling techniques are widely accepted as visually effective ways in which to specify and communicate the conceptual data requirements of an information system. Conceptual schema diagrams provide modelers with a picture of the salient structures underlying the modeled universe of discourse, in a form that can readily be understood by and communicated to users, programmers and managers. When complexity and size of applications increase, however, the success of these techniques in terms of comprehensibility and communicability deteriorates rapidly. This paper proposes a method to offset this deterioration, by adding abstraction layers to flat conceptual schemas. We present an algorithm to recursively derive higher levels of abstraction from a given (flat) conceptual schema. The driving force of this algorithm is a hierarchy of conceptual importance among the elements of the universe of discourse.
引用
收藏
页码:39 / 85
页数:47
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