Customer Reviews

Case*Method: Entity Relationship Modelling

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is an excellent introduction to the subject of data modelling. Although it is a brief book, it covers thoroughly all of the relevant issues of data modelling, including subtypes and arcs, and gives useful hints on how to gather the information necessary for developing a data model during the analysis phase of a project. It has three more bonuses: a section describing common mistakes on models, some assorted models of frequently used patterns (organization hierarchies, bill of materials, etc) and an appendix describing how to convert the conceptual model to SQL statements. This is the only book you need to learn data modelling.

I don't know why there are not more reviews on this book. I read this book when I first started my 12-year career in the database industry. And to tell you the truth, there is only one other book I have ever needed (regarding database design) -- "The Data Warehouse Toolkit" (Kimball) -- only because Data Warehouse design is much different than the design theories in this book.

This book teaches you ways to design any database, and model any business -- what questions to ask users, what an entity really is, how you define it, how to tell a difference between an entity and an attribute, how to model relationships between entities, how to model "types" in a database. If you an learn the principles in this book, you will quickly become an expert in database design.

Buy this book -- you will not need another. And if you are building a data warehouse, buy this book first, so you understand the difference between OLTP design and data warehouse design.

This was also my first book in Data Modelling and though its been almost 10 years ago since I picked up my copy, I still have not seen many better on the shelves since in its category: intro to data modeling via ER diagraming (IE notation)
Though I no longer need to refer to this book any longer, it was certainly the first and best of the first books read in the subject and it speedily had me on my way to more advanced topics and eventually becoming an expert ER modeller.
I was so impressed by the book I eventually joined Oracle.. alas Barker had moved on but his case*method books haven't lost a step in so long a time..

I have to concur with the other five star reviews on Barker's book. I spent hours in a Borders evaluating which book to buy to learn Entity-Relationships. This was the book I picked and I never regretted it. All other data modeling books make far more sense after reading Barker's first two chapters.

I work in the Information Technology Section for the Department of Natural Resources. This review is for the book Case* Method: Tasks and Deliverables by Richard Barker ISBN 0-201-41697-2.

I have been using Richards book on Case Methodology for years as a guideline for project management and planning. There has been many methodologies introduce to the department through out the years, but we keep coming back to the concepts and tactics outlined in this book to help keep things organized and on track. I have found his concepts have proven themselves through time as a good template to follow. I am looking forward to reviewing your books Case*Method: Entity Relationship Modelling as well as Storage Area Networking Essentials.
Keep up the good work that has a timeless application and relevance.

Prospective buyers should be aware ERM is a mistake. It is a vastly oversimplification of actually modelling, being incapable of representing many fundamental features of any relational model and even being misleading.

ER diagrams OTOH are nice for drafting and presentation purposes. Just don't confuse them with a real model.

... scintilating reading! I keep a copy near me at all times