Conceptual Modeling
Links - Conceptual Modeling
Revised Dec 2 2008:: many new links
A Spot of Philosophy
Conceptual modeling has two disticnt aspects: one os concepts and the other is modeling. That may sound trivial, but within that statemnt are complexities and important consequences. One can be come almost mysitcal about it.
Link - OASIS Universal Business Language
From the document:
The OASIS Universal Business Language (UBL) is intended to help solve these problems by defining a generic XML interchange format for business documents that can be extended to meet the requirements of particular industries. Specifically, UBL provides the following:
A library of XML schemas for reusable data components such as “Address,” “Item,” and “Payment” — the common data elements of everyday business documents.
Definition of a Model
Definition of Model
At the core of conceptual modeling is the idea of a model. The Wikipedia defines a model as "an abstract (or actual) representation of an object or system from a particular viewpoint". [ Note: this definition has changed, but I still like the old version ]
There are three parts to the definition above - an object or system, a representation and a viewpoint. It is critical to understand the role of each element of a model.
Conceptual Modeling
"Well, remember that what an ideology is, is a conceptual framework with the way people deal with reality. Everyone has one. You have to -- to exist, you need an ideology. The question is whether it is accurate or not. And what I'm saying to you is, yes, I found a flaw."
- Alan Greenspan
"This model will be a simplification and an idealization, and consequently a falsification."
- Alan Turing
