Confessions of a relationship censorer
Managing relationships on a complex data model can challenge the most seasoned data architect. I hate crossing lines and lines with convoluted paths. That is why relationship lines put me, an anal...
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Fitting a square VARCHAR in a round hole
VARCHAR and CHAR datatypes are attractive. On the surface they offer flexibility and accommodate a variety of textual data. There is another side to VARCHAR that data architects need to be mindful of....
View ArticleHow to improve your data modeling
Several weeks back I blogged about things gone bad in database design. It has gotten considerable discussion on LinkedIn. A common theme emerged that is not a surprise. Many data architects find...
View ArticleData Architects as Patternmakers
I was raised in an industrial Midwestern city in the midst of the steel and auto industries. My father owned a neighborhood bar in the shadows of the foundries. Many of his patrons were patternmakers....
View ArticleFive deadly sins of data architects in the agile world
My first encounter with agile was in the late 90s in a DAMA Chicago discussion forum. Data modeling experts and self-proclaimed experts vigorously debated the evils and benefits of agile design on the...
View ArticleFive things you may think you are not doing
It’s easy to fall into a comfortable repeatable work life. It is ingrained in my work philosophy to structure, standardize, componentize and reuse as much as possible. That seems a logical thought...
View ArticleIf I only knew then what I know now
I see myself as a pretty forward thinking person. It doesn’t mean that I don’t think about the past. My life experiences have taught me valuable lessons. The occasional flashback to the past is a good...
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The shift of the data architect’s paradigm
If you want small changes in your life, work on your attitude. But if you want big and primary changes, work on your paradigm.– Stephen Covey Reflecting back on last week’s Enterprise Data World, the...
View Article10 Random questions on Tom’s mind
I keep my eyes open for things that pertain to the data world. I jot them down in a list of possible blog topics. This morning I took a look at the ever-growing list and decided to take ten items and...
View ArticleBeyond the anatomy of a definition
Each of us has parts of our job that we like more than other job duties. Metadata happens to top my list of likes. I see myself as a pretty thorough documenter of model objects. Definitions are the...
View ArticleIf you can see it, you can solve it
Sometime during the past month, I read or heard “If you can see it, you can solve it”. I have not been able to get that little phrase out of my mind. Maybe that is because my career focuses on the...
View ArticleCommon data architect conundrums
I have lived with a myriad of database conventions over the years. Some of my employers’ standards have been dictatorial and unyielding in the enforcement of datatype and naming conventions. Others...
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The strategy of hoarding pens and data
This morning my page-a-day calendar asked me to draw something that makes me happy. It was cold and snowy outside. I had a few minutes. I was thinking of warmer days. My inner creative self took on the...
View ArticleTom’s top 10 ERD peeves
An outsider’s view of data modeling is the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD). It is the data architect’s deliverable that finds itself on team member walls. This graphical presentation is the snapshot...
View Article5 important data modeling questions
I was one of those kids. Grade school teachers more than once had a talk with my mother about Tom asking too many questions. Things remain unchanged today. When I need to know something, I ask...
View ArticleHard data management
Data management is hard. Don’t let any vendor tell you they have tools that will set you free to life on a beach while your data program magically runs itself. Tools can automate pieces of your data...
View ArticleWhat I learned as a data architect
One of the things I like most about data is the challenges that it presents. From my early school days, I have loved math, analyzing everyday things, and finding creative solutions. I love and thrive...
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