Month Year Issue

April 2000 Issue: 13

Journal of Conceptual Modeling
www.inconcept.com/jcm

Analysis Problem: Solution
By Dr. John K. Sharp

A	B	C	D
a1	b1	c1	d1
a1	b2	c1	d2
a2	b1	c2	d3

Analysis results (only tables and keys are needed):

Two tables exist: AC and ABD (or BCD).

Keys exist over A and C in AC and over AB and D in ABD (or over BC and D in BCD).

Here is the real world example that this problem was developed from:

Requisition R14569 contains line number 2 of purchase order PO55432 which is transaction 11334231.

The rules are:

A requisition number identifies a requisition.
A purchase order number identifies a purchase order.
A purchase order line number and a purchase order number identify a purchase order line.
A transaction number identifies a transaction.
A requisition number is for one and only one purchase order.
A purchase order number is for one and only one requisition.
A purchase order line is for one and only one transaction.
A transaction is for one and only one purchase order.

Dr. John Sharp is the founder and principal consultant for Sharp Informatics.Before starting Sharp Informatics in 1997 he was employed by Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM for 18 years. While at Sandia he held staff and management positions in all areas of information technology, including analysis, design, implementation, maintenance, information architecture, data administration, and information technology research. He has worked closely with Prof. Shir Nijssen of The Netherlands to improve the NIAM analysis methodology. Dr. Sharp is the creator of the first information analysis procedure known to be mathematically precise.This procedure reformulates the usual (imprecise and inaccurate) statements and examples from a subject area into verified fact types. The output of this productivity enhancing process (a set of information requirements) is compatible with all the latest and most productive database application creation tools. John is the editor of the international standard for conceptual schemas. He has co-chaired two international conferences on natural language modeling and he has presented numerous papers and seminars at professional conferences.

Contact information:

Dr. John Sharp
Sharp Informatics
1604 Vassar SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
sharp@sharp-informatics.com
505-243-1498
fax 505-248-0345
http://www.sharp-informatics.com