Data Modeling Theory and Practice Review

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(More customer reviews)To me, this book's value is a bit like children being warned not to accept lollies from strangers; it's a pity we even have to give such warnings, but it's absolutely essential we do. I wish to congratulate Simsion for bravely tackling a subject of much heated controversy, and in a manner that obviously reflects both a solid practitioner's hard-won lessons, but that is supported by rigorous academic research.
So what's this important message? Simply that data modelling is a creative exercise, where multiple "solutions" may be generated, each with relative merits. The importance lies in practitioners consciously and deliberately generating alternatives. Without this open-minded view, I have personally witnessed heated debates where one modeller defends his/her model because they know it can be made to work, and therefore assumes anything different must be "wrong". But even more significantly, modellers may stop looking as soon as one "workable" model is tabled, and hence miss out on alternatives that may prove beneficial in a given business context.
And why is it even controversial? Apparently, some academics teach data modelling that way. Maybe because it's easier for them to have one "correct" answer to a problem so marking assignments is easier? Or maybe that was what they were taught, and any students who pass through their ranks and end up teaching without encountering real-world modelling may perpetuate?
One warning, though. This book is not the first text to be read by those interested in data modelling. I would recommend Simsion & Witt's "Data Modelling Essentials for such people, followed by one of many excellent books on "patterns". David Hay got the patterns topic going in the data modelling community, and Len Silverston's two volume series has taken it much further. And the object-oriented community also has contributions to make on patterns.
A minor criticism - Simsion largely dismisses the use of the Unified Modeling Language's class modelling notation, in part arguing that "Class diagrams are intended to represent data structures which might be directly implemented using an object-oriented database" and goes on to correctly note the struggle of such databases to gain significant database market share that their vendors initially might have predicted. I would simply comment that there is a difference between using a subset of the class modelling syntax to represent what is truly a data model, as compared to using class modelling notation to represent classes which, in some cases, may never have "persistence" i.e. may never have their data values stored in a database of any kind. And even if class diagram notation is used (some might say misused?) just to represent a data model, I have seen this approach used quite effectively. So on this point, it looks like Simsion and I have slightly different views. But at the very heart of his book, he encourages open debate on alternative views, with the understanding that all views may have something to contribute.
So let's thank Simsion for offering his views, and encouraging others to offer theirs. Well done, it's a great reference book (probably not easy reading for those not exposed to research styles - but don't let that put you off), and one that hopefully bridges the gap between academics and practitioners, and gives the practitioners "permission" to be creative as most know is the way to generate alternative solutions for consideration.

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DATA MODELING THEORY AND PRACTICE is for practitioners and academics who have learned the conventions and rules of data modeling and are looking for a deeper understanding of the discipline.The coverage of theory includes a detailed review of the extensive literature on data modeling and logical database design, referencing nearly 500 publications, with a strong focus on their relevance to practice.The practice component incorporates the largest-ever study of data modeling practitioners, involving over 450 participants in interviews, surveys and data modeling tasks.The results challenge many longstanding held assumptions about data modeling and will be of interest to academics and practitioners alike.Graeme Simsion brings to the book the practical perspective and intellectual clarity that have made his Data Modeling Essentials a classic in the field.He begins with a question about the nature of data modeling (design or description), and uses it to illuminate such issues as the definition of data modeling, its philosophical underpinnings, inputs and deliverables, the necessary behaviors and skills, the role ofcreativity, product diversity, quality measures, personal styles, and the differences between experts and novices.Data Modeling Theory and Practice is essential reading for anyone involved in data modeling practice, research, or teaching.

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Data Quality Assessment Review

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(More customer reviews)My business, Northwest Database Services, has cleaned clients' data for over 20 years. In all that time I've only met two or three people who do this kind of work professionally on a regular basis. (Our conventions are small.)
With this in mind, it is easy to see why I was so pleased and surprised to find someone had written a book about the subject; especially as thoughtful and insightful a one as Quality Data Assessment.
Arkady Maydanchik brings years of experience and first-hand knowledge to the table, while organizing it into a logical, sequential and, most important, understandable manual. This book goes into the typical causes of data degradation as well as how to find it and begin the process of fixing it.

You can't even begin to fix your data until you have a clear picture of what's going on "in there", so data assessment is the first and maybe the most important step in achieving data consistency and reliability. If your work involves data assessment, migration creation or maintenance, you should have this book on your shelf. It's that simple.
But wait, there's more. This is just the first volume in a set of data assessment and cleaning processes, tips, tricks and tools books that will be forthcoming. I'm told that the second volume in this series will be published in October 2008. I know it sounds incredibly geeky, but I can hardly wait.


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Imagine a group of prehistoric hunters armed with stone-tipped spears. Their primitive weapons made hunting large animals, such as mammoths, dangerous work. Over time, however, a new breed of hunters developed. They would stretch the skin of a previously killed mammoth on the wall and throw their spears, while observing which spear, thrown from which angle and distance, penetrated the skin the best. The data gathered helped them make better spears and develop better hunting strategies.Quality data is the key to any advancement, whether it is from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. Or from the Information Age to whatever Age comes next. The success of corporations and government institutions largely depends on the efficiency with which they can collect, organize, and utilize data about products, customers, competitors, and employees. Fortunately, improving your data quality does not have to be such a mammoth task.DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT is a must read for anyone who needs to understand, correct, or prevent data quality issues in their organization. Skipping theory and focusing purely on what is practical and what works, this text contains a proven approach to identifying, warehousing, and analyzing data errors.Master techniques in data profiling and gathering metadata, designing data quality rules, organizing rule and error catalogues, and constructing the dimensional data quality scorecard.David Wells, Director of Education of the Data Warehousing Institute, says "This is one of those books that marks a milestone in the evolution of a discipline. Arkady's insights and techniques fuel the transition of data quality management from art to science -- from crafting to engineering. From deep experience, with thoughtful structure, and with engaging style Arkady brings the discipline of data quality to practitioners."

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How Work Gets Done: Business Process Management, Basics and Beyond Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, I have to admit I am not objective about this review. Artie Mahal is a good friend and we have worked together developing the methodology he describes in this book. That said, I'll be as objective as I can.
Artie began his process journey at Mars North America, when his boss asked him to take charge of a business process change project. He went on to become the head of BPM at Mars North America, to train process change agents throughout the corporation, and to help the company become a mature process-focused organization. When Artie retired from Mars North America he formed his own consulting company and also joined with BPTrends Associates. While at BPTrends Associates he has worked with Roger Burlton, me and others to develop the BPTrends Associates Methodology. We refer to the methodology as a "best practices" methodology because we did not set out to create a new methodology, but simply to structure the existing business practices that have developed over the past thirty years into a consistent, systematic framework that companies can use to solve process problems.
Artie's contribution to the development of the methodology has been significant, but much more significant, to my mind, has been his contribution to our training and consulting practice. Artie's extensive experience at Mars guarantees his ability to help organizations when they begin to develop their own process resources. He's been there and done it, and can tell you about the problems they had and how they overcome them. And, in the past few years, he's consulted with lots of other companies and learned about their problems and guided them through the beginnings of their own process journeys.
To my mind, however, Artie's greatest strength is as an instructor. Artie Mahal is one of the most knowledgeable and gifted instructors I have known. He brings an unbeatable combination of enthusiasm, empathy, knowledge, and energy to his classes. His students learn; but more important, they catch a spark and become enthusiastic about what they can do with the ideas Artie provides.
BPTrends Associates is currently working on a Methodology Handbook that will systematically document all of the steps and techniques we teach in the BPTrends Associates Methodology. Naturally, when I got Artie's book I looked to see whether he would be preempting our Handbook. Artie certainly does describe the BPTrends Associates approach, but he does so in his own friendly and enthusiastic way. This is not a methodological handbook - this is a book that is very like a conversation with Artie. He's sits you down, talks to you about the kinds of problems you will likely encounter and then suggests what kinds of approaches you should consider.
A quick glance at the contents will give you a feeling for the scope of the book:
1.Enterprise Business Model
2.Business Process Hierarchy
3.Business Process Blueprint
4.Anatomy of a Process
5.Process Knowledge
6.Business Models
7.Process Configuration
8.BPM Methodology
9.BPM Competencies
10.BPM Services
11.Software Tools
12.NewAge Foods Business Process Case Study
Everything is here - goals and strategies, alignment, scope diagrams, cause-effect diagrams, flow diagrams, process measures, redesign strategies and ideas about how to roll out a process. The focus is clearly on redesigning a broken process and the example walks readers through the steps of doing just that. But it does much more because it provides Artie's stories and his suggestions along the way.
When I first started writing books, I used to worry about who my audience was. (Publishers always ask you that.) After awhile I realized that my audience was myself: I write books to organize and explain things to myself. At the beginning of the book, Artie talks about being asked by his manager to take over a major process redesign project and looking for a guru to help him - and meeting Roger Burlton. Well, that was many years ago, and Artie has become a guru in his own right. I believe he has written this book to be the book he would have bought to help him when he was first given that assignment at the beginning of his career.
If you have ever wished you had a very practical friend who could sit down and talk you through just what's involved in improving how work gets done at your organization, this is the book!
I expect this is the book I will be recommending to those who are new to process work for the foreseeable future.


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Rediscover how your organization works and where it can be improved by using simple, yet powerful techniques!
How Work Gets Done will provide the business or IT professional with a practical working knowledge of Business Process Management (BPM). This book is written in a conversational style that encourages you to read it from start to finish and master these objectives:
Learn how to identify the goals and drivers important to your organization and how to align these with key performance measures
Understand how business strategies, business policies, and operational procedures need to be connected within a Business Process Architecture
Know the basic building blocks of any business process - Inputs, Outputs, Guides, and Enablers
Learn how to create a BPM Center of Excellence in your organization
Acquire the skills to establish a BPM methodology addressing Enterprise-level, Process-Level, and Implementation-Level priorities
Learn how to build a Process Competency Framework encompassing all BPM stakeholders
Obtain the knowledge to improve a process step-by-step with easy to use techniques and templates such as swimlanes and flowcharts

How Work Gets Done is a clear, concise, and well-navigated journey into the world of Business Processes and Business Process Management. From a practical introduction through advanced topics around methodology and competencies, it is suitable for business process newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike. It should be required reading at all levels of every organization. Eugene Fucetola - Global Application Messaging and Integration, Operations Manager, Mars Information Services

If you have always wished you had a very practical friend who could sit down and talk you through just what is involved improving how work gets done at your organization, this is the book!Paul Harmon - Executive Editor, Business Process Trends and Chief Methodologist, BPTrends Associates

Artie Mahal has done something that was thought to be impossible - produce an easily readable book about business process management. He paints pictures with words, offers many easy-to-grasp analogies, and stimulates with simplifying charts of complex concepts. Leon Fraser- Lecturer, Rutgers Business School

Chapter Listing:

Chapter 1 - Enterprise Business Model
Chapter 2 - Business Process Hierarchy
Chapter 3 - Business Process Blueprint
Chapter 4 - Anatomy of a Process
Chapter 5 - Process Knowledge
Chapter 6 - Business Models
Chapter 7 - Process Configuration
Chapter 8 - BPM Methodology
Chapter 9 - BPM Competencies
Chapter 10 - BPM Services
Chapter 11 - Software Tools
Chapter 12 - NewAge Foods Business Process Case Study

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recrEAtion: Realizing the Extraordinary Contribution of Your Enterprise Architects Review

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(More customer reviews)RecrEAtion is an engaging and informative read that, like FruITion before it, models a new kind of conversation for Enterprise Architects and IT leaders to have with the business leaders in their organizations. The book follows the adventures of Simon, a newly hired VP of enterprise architecture at a New York-based global company, on his journey away from an IT-centric view of EA to one that is much broader, in some ways looser and definitely more business focused. As in life (or business), not everything in the book is spelled out - Simon has to do some interpreting and creative work along the way, and sometimes he messes up. Watching that process is in itself informative. Each chapter ends with observations by the author about some of the metaphors that have been presented; this is a nice mechanism to reinforce key messages (or to clue in readers who might not be paying close attention!). Two key themes are that enterprise architecture should be about improving business performance by understanding and influencing key business performance metrics, and that enterprise architecture should not be about establishing a fixed end state but rather should enable ongoing performance improvement - pretty radical ideas in some quarters!
The author definitely takes some artistic license with the pace at which things happen -- Simon accomplishes in one around-the-world trip to various business units what would in reality take months or years along with a lot more planning and finesse than Simon has at his command. But the book is not meant to be especially believable - it's meant to be enlightening and instructive, and that it is, in spades. It's also a book you can read in an afternoon. I highly recommend it.

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Join Simon on a quest to uncover the value of Enterprise Architecture (and it`s not what you think it is!)
Simon is a seasoned Enterprise Architect who joins a corporation in New York as their first-ever Vice President of Enterprise Architecture. On his very first day, he meets the global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who asks Simon What do you do? Simon`s reply triggers the CEO to respond in a way that our hero least expects. What follows is a journey across continents and oceans in which Simon uncovers the true meaning of Enterprise Architecture, who is doing it, and how successful they are.
On his travels, Simon teams up with senior executives around the world to integrate Enterprise Architecture into their strategies and business plans, and to innovate in the architecture of their enterprise. Everyone he meets has some wisdom to offer, and is looking for his in return. Finally, Simon has to make a choice between the kind of Enterprise Architect he used to be and the one he has become.
Join the characters in this sequel to the highly-acclaimed business novel fruITion, as they contribute to Simon`s journey and he makes his final choice. Share in his thoughts and experiences, and join the author in observing key messages along the journey.
Potts weaves another story of drama and intrigue which is a must read for any CEO or Enterprise Architect looking to design a business to achieve sustainable performance. As Enterprise Architects continue to discover their relevance and value-add, Potts lives up to his reputation by interrupting with a dose of common sense and challenging insights which will make business leaders pause and reflect.Chris ParkerSenior Vice President and CIO, LeasePlan Corporation
Just as the CIO has gained new responsibilities for more closely extracting business value from IT investments, the Enterprise Architect has acquired new and more strategic responsibilities for designing architectures which must also add value to the business. Chris Potts has once again laid out a needed roadmap for another critical IT function as it transitions from purely infrastructure design to a strategic executive partnership, advising the top management team on the shape and evolution of the architecture for the enterprise. It is his advice that comes none too soon as budgets are constantly decreasing, and we face increasing pressure from the creative destructive power of technological evolution. And Chris does it in his inimical story-telling approach that makes the comprehension of the concepts so accessible and fun. You feel like you are reading a thriller soon to be made into a movie. The book should be required reading for the CEO and all members of the executive team. Bravo, Chris!Dr. Andres FortinoAssociate Provost for Corporate Graduate Programs andIndustry Professor of Technology Management, Polytechnic Institute of New York University
RecrEAtion, Potts much-anticipated follow-up to fruITion, is second to none. Through a brilliant story as told by Simon the enterprise architect, Potts conveys the important message that an enterprise needs an enterprising and architecting culture to be successful as a coherent business. Architects in all sectors should read this book.Dr. John GotzeChief Editor, Journal of Enterprise Architecture, Partner, EA Fellows, and Founder, International Enterprise Architecture Institute

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Identification of Enterobacteriaceae Review

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(More customer reviews)edwawads and ewings identification of enterobacteriaceae

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The Lego Mindstorms NXT Zoo An Unofficial, Kid-Friendly Guide to Building Robotic Animals with the Lego Mindstorms NXT Review

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(More customer reviews)Here are some of my own models taken from the book. I hope you enjoy them.

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Whether you're just beginning with your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set or are already an expert, you'll be inspired by these animal-like models that walk, crawl, hop, and roll!
The first part of the book introduces you to the NXT kit and reviews the parts you'll need in order to begin building. Next, you'll learn how to program with the NXT-G programming language, including how to make miniprograms called My Blocks that you can use to build larger programs. Finally, you'll learn how to build each robot and program it to act like its real animal cousins.

Learn to build and program the following robots:

Ribbit, a jumping frog
Bunny, a hopping rabbit
Sandy, a walking camel
Spiderbot, an eight-legged spider that avoids objects and walks forward and backward
Snout, a walking alligator that opens and closes its jaws
LEGOsaurus, a four-legged, plodding dinosaur
Pygmy, a walking elephant that raises and lowers its head
Polecat, a skunk on wheels that lifts its tail and shoots "darts"
Strutter, a peacock on wheels that turns and flutters its tail feathers

Troubleshooting tips help you avoid problems like misarranged gears and incorrect programming, while a list of Internet resources is included to help guide you in further exploration with the NXT. Teachers and home educators will appreciate an appendix with helpful suggestions for using the models in the classroom.

The models in this book have been tested repeatedly -- and built successfully -- by novice builders, so all you have to do is follow the directions and watch them go. Now, let the building begin! (Note: These specific models require additional NXT/TECHNIC parts. Check out the part lists at thenxtzoo(DOT)com.)

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The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Inventor's Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)This new edition of the Inventor's Guide provides everything one needs to get started with the current Lego Mindstorm's NXT 2.0 set, and importantly gives an organization to structure one's developing parts, assembly and programming knowledge through your increasing knowledge of this fascinating hobby. The authors are both widely published in the Lego NXT community and are engineers themselves with more than a decade each of involvement in this hobby. This extensive handbook begins with a clear and succinct introduction to everything you will find in your NXT 2.0 set, including parts and software installation. It then proceeds with a clear and well illustrated tutorial in constructing structures with the parts, beams and gears. A similar and non-threatening introduction to NXT-G programming follows. Chapter 10 provides a brief but clear introduction to a sound methodology to design and develop NXT robots and projects. The following chapters describe and give a tutorial background for 6 fascinating robotic projects concluding with an electro-mechanical printer similar to early personal computer plotters built entirely in the hardware and programming language of Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0. The appendices catalog the parts contained in the set and each of the elements of the NXT-G programming language giving a categorization that will allow one to organize their increasing knowledge.
I highly recommend this well-organized and exciting tutorial to anyone who wishes to learn this fascinating hobby, or to be given along with the set to provide the necessary knowledge to obtain the real benefits of the NXT 2.0 set.
--Ira Laefsky, MSE/MBA


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The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT 2.0 set offers hundreds of building elements, programming software, and powerful electronics that you can use to create amazing robots. But where do you begin?

This eagerly awaited second edition of the bestselling Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide is your key to designing, building, and programming robots with the NXT 2.0 set.

You'll learn practical building techniques, like how to build sturdy structures and use gears, and gain a solid understanding of the set's NXT-G programming language. A series of projects new to this edition offers step-by-step instructions for building and programming six robots, each of which can be built with just one NXT 2.0 set, including:

Inventor-Bot, a fast, simple, modular vehicle with treads
Sentry-Bot, a robot guard that shoots balls at intruders
Table-Bot, a vehicle that uses its antennae to avoid falling off a tabletop
The Jeep, a four-wheeled vehicle that avoids obstacles and follows lines
The Lizard, a large walking robot that uses the color sensor to detect and respond to different colored balls
The Printer, a stationary robot that uses a pen or marker to draw letters, words, and shapes on paper

Additional resources include the Piece Library, which contains basic information on the more than 80 types of LEGO pieces in the NXT 2.0 set, and the Quick Reference, which lists the 34 types of standard programming blocks. So go ahead. Grab your NXT 2.0 set, fire up your imagination, and see what you can invent with The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Inventor's Guide.

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