From strategic to conceptual information modelling A method and a case study

This paper presents a method that models Enterprise Information Architecture with the objective of integrating overall Enterprise Architecture Modeling frameworks such as TOGAF. The method, called SIRE (Strategic Information Requirements Elicitation), includes elicitation and modeling of strategic information requirements, that are an abstraction level higher than traditional conceptual level. Elicitation is based on a framework that identifies information classes in enterprises, by using two logical categories, Information Domains and Information Types. Specifically the paper considers the method by which SIRE schemata are mapped and transformed into Entity Relationship schemata, using a set of predefined rules and an open source tool. The method is validated by a real life case study. The novelty of the approach is its universality. Furthermore it shortens times and is very easy understood by user managers. Background: modeling techniques for enterprise information architecture Enterprise information is traditionally modelled on two abstraction levels, logical and conceptual. The former is represented by Relational models [2] and the latter by Entity Relationship (ER) for databases and Dimensional Fact Model (DFM) [3] for data warehouses. Each abstraction level targets a specific community: logical level, that is closer to implementation, targets Database Administrators (DBA) and implementation engineers, while conceptual level, that is more abstract and semantically richer, targets analysts. However, even conceptual models fall short to address the overall enterprise information architecture, that is a key for IT strategic planning. We call this additional level “strategic level” and related information requirements “strategic information requirements”. At this level, we assume that modelling should provide a 1 University of Pavia, Department of Informatics and Systems, Pavia, Italy [email protected] , [email protected]