March 2002        Issue: 24

Journal of Conceptual Modeling
www.inconcept.com/jcm

Solution for the January 2002 Analysis Problem:
by Dr. John Sharp

 

A

B

C

D

E

a1

b1

c1

d1

e1

a1

b2

c1

d1

e1

a1

b1

c1

d2

e1

a1

b1

c1

d1

e2

a2

b4

c1

d4

e4

a1

b5

c2

d5

e5

a3

b3

c3

d1

e1

a1

b1

c4

d3

e1

a1

b1

c5

d1

e3

Analysis results (only tables and keys are needed):

 Two tables exist: BDEC and BA

 Key exists over BDE in BDEC and B in BA

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

Joe Smith identified by 555-44-1111 worked 84 hours on project P4 in January.

 

The rules are: 

A social security number identifies a person.

A social security number, project number, and month identifies that a person project month.

A person has a name.

A person project month has an hours worked. 

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

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