Communicating Database Design: A Case Study Using the Object Role Modelling (ORM) Method

Abstract

After forty years of database development it is still difficult to communicate database design to project-related people who lack relevant IT knowledge. In an IT project set up to create a database application for phenology data within the overall LWF (Long Term Forest Research) project the Object Role Modelling (ORM) method was introduced in order to overcome this difficulty and to establish a common basis for communication between IT experts and all other project-related people. One of the aims of the project was to evaluate the use of the ORM method for future projects. The application and usefulness of this modelling method, which operates on the conceptual level, was to be evaluated against two main criteria, namely, whether the ORM method leads to better communication among project- related people and how easily the ORM method can be used in future projects.