© 1986 by British Computer Society
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Entity Model Clustering: Structuring A Data Model By Abstraction
1 James Martin Associates, Spa House, 17-19 Worple Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4JS, UK and School of Industrial and Business Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, 2 British Rail Board, Information Systems and Technology, Churnet House, Carrington Street, Derby, UK
Entity models are increasingly being used in the development of computer systems as an aid to the comprehension and documentation of the data in an organisation. Entity modelling can aid the understanding of an organisation's data, both computerised and non-computerised, for the strategic benefit of the organisation and as an aid to communications within and across its boundaries.
In the past there have been many problems with the use of entity relationship diagrams (the diagrams which result from entity modelling) either due to a lack of detail, or through too much detail in too small a space. Thus the models have not been entirely suitable for their intended purpose or for most other purposes. This paper discusses an approach to structuring an entity model as an aid to information management within an organisation. The technique, called entity model clustering, was developed jointly by Whitbread & Co Plc and Thames Polytechnic. It is simple in concept, has a sound basis and has been applied on a large scale in Whitbread since June 1983.
The benefits of entity model clustering to the organisation, for end-user computing, to the information systems department, and to the entity modelling process are discussed.
Received June 1984.
* James Martin Associates, Spa House, 17-19 Worple Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4JS and School of Industrial and Business Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry
Whitbread & Co plc, Business Services Dept, Whitbread Court, Letcombe St, Reading
¶ Now Strategy Manager, British Rail Board, Information Systems and Technology, Churnet House, Carrington Street, Derby