Towards a Framework for Schema Quality in the Schema Integration Process

In this paper we analyze and discuss schema quality in the schema integration process. In doing so, we apply a framework for evaluating the quality of a conceptual schema (e.g. conceptual database schema). In our analysis we combine quality factors and quality metrics with the schema integration process, which is often described as having four distinct phases: pre-integration, comparison of the schemata, conforming the schemata and merging and restructuring. As its main contribution, the paper offers not only new insights on how to improve the quality of the integration process but also a suggestion that the definition of a high quality schema differs between the phases in the schema integration process.