A glossary model is a model that describes the names and
abbreviations that an organization allows for data objects. A glossary
model also defines prime words (such as Employee or Company), class
words (such as Name or Employee ID), and modifiers (such as First
or Annual).
Sometimes, when working with various people on the same project,
data object naming varies. Where one data architect might refer to
sales entities as SALES_x, another data modeler might prefer SLS_x.
Over time, the system becomes difficult to understand, and the inconsistency
can spread across systems, causing confusion, longer application development
times, or even the inability to make the connection between two fields
that mean the same thing in two different systems.
To avoid this problem, you should develop a set of naming standards
early in the data design process. Naming standards help you and other
people in your organization look at your data in a consistent manner,
so that you all get the same meaning. With the workbench, you can
create a set of rules that all data modelers should follow, and the
workbench can automatically create names of some of the data objects
(such as relationships) for you.
A glossary model is a model that describes the names and abbreviations
that an organization allows for data objects. Data object naming standards
promote a common understanding of data, since you use the same name
conventions across the entire organization. You can use glossary models
to enable sharing of data across organizational boundaries and reduce
data redundancy through the consolidation of synonymous and overlapping
data elements.
When you name a data object, you need to take into account two
items: semantic rules and format. Semantically, glossary model objects
include prime words, class words, and modifiers:
- Names
- Names are what you use to describe abbreviations, prime words,
class words, and modifiers. You can use common language, such as Account
Name or Employee ID Number to describe these types of data.
- Abbreviations
- Abbreviations are the standard abbreviations that you want to
use for data objects in the model. For example, your organization
wants to use the EMPLOYEE abbreviation and the EMP alternate abbreviation
to specify data objects that model employee-related information.
- Prime words
- Prime words are words that represent the business concept about
which data is being collected. Prime words are nouns that describe
the subject area of the data. For example, the LOAN prime word specifies
that all data objects that use this prime word are related to the
loan.
- Class words
- Class words are words that identify a distinct category or classification
of data. For example: RATE, NAME
- Modifiers
- Modifiers are words that further qualify or distinguishes the
prime and class words. It helps make the object name clear and unique,
and it can help restrict the meaning of the class and prime words.
For example: NEXT, FIRST
You can use a glossary model in the following ways:
- During the analysis of a data model, to determine whether the
model adheres to naming standards
- During data model object modification in the Properties view,
to provide content assistance when specifying object names
- During the creation of a mapping model, to allow the discover function
to more easily relate source and target elements
- During data model transformation, to determine how to name transformed
data objects
In addition to glossary model entries, data object naming standards
are specified on the Preferences page. These
preferences are also used during data model analysis.
Using the workbench, you can:
- Create a glossary model by using a template
- Create a blank glossary model
- Copy and paste glossary model definitions from other Windows based spreadsheet programs, such
as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel
- Import glossary metadata to the workbench by using the WebSphere® MetaBroker® for Rational® Data Architect
Glossary models are stored in data design projects. You can share
one glossary model among multiple data design projects. A glossary
model file has the extension *.ndm.