Object Role Modeling (ORM): A Better Way to Do Data Modeling
Gordon Everest
Professor Emeritus, MIS & DBMS
Carlson School of Management
March 6, 2007
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Level: Intermediate
ORM is a better, richer way to do high-level, conceptual data modeling.  It is distinctly different from the more traditional, record-based schemes such as ER, Extended ER (EER), IDEF1X, IE, or UML.  It was originally developed by Shir Nijssen (called NIAM) and further enhanced by Terry Halpin.  ORM is now embodied in Microsoft's Visual Studio.net Enterprise Architect edition, and called VisioEA.  However, it is practically impossible to use that tool without some basic understanding of ORM.

This presentation covers:
  • The essence of ORM data modeling
  • Relationship of ORM to Object-Oriented Design and Development
  • Comparison of ORM to conventional record-based modeling schemes such as ER
  • Transitioning understanding from ER/Relational to ORM
  • The basic constructs of ORM - the elementary fact sentence with one predicate (a relationship) and one or more objects (the entities)
  • Representing a rich set of semantic constraints in ORM
  • Dependency, uniqueness (multiplicity/exclusivity), value sets, role populations, frequency, ring...
  • Graphical and verbal representations of an ORM model; abstractions in ORM
  • Mapping an ORM model to a Relational data model
  • Automatic generation of a fully normalized model from an ORM model
  • The place of ORM in a taxonomy of data modeling schemes
This talk is a must for anyone involved with logical data modeling. It behooves every data professional to consider the ORM data modeling scheme and to critically examine the claims made for it. Find out for yourself if it really is a better way to do data modeling.
Dr. Everest, Professor Emeritus of MIS and DBMS in the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.  With early "retirement", he continues to teach as an adjunct. His Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School entitled "Managing Corporate Data Resources" became the text from McGraw Hill, "Database Management:  Objectives, System Functions, and Administration" in 1986 and remained in print until 2002!  Gordon has been teaching all about databases, database management systems, database administration, and data warehousing since he joined the University in 1970. Students learn the theory of databases, gain practical experience with real data modeling projects, and with hands on use of data modeling tools and DBMSs.  Besides teaching about databases, he has helped many organizations and government agencies design their databases.  His approach transfers expertise to professional data architects within those organizations by having them participate in and observe the conduct of database design project meetings with the subject matter experts.  He is a frequent speaker at professional organizations such as DAMA.
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