Entity Relationship Diagram

Entity Relationship Diagram

An entity-relationship diagram refers to the chart used for visual representation of the existing relationship between different database entities. Entity-relationship diagrams model the company's requirements for data storage using three fundamental components that include: relationships, attributes, and entities (Bangui & Earp, 2011).

 First, entities represent places, people, items, places, and concepts. Second, attributes symbolize the descriptive information of an entity also referred to as the elements of computer data. On the other hand, a relationship is a representation of distinctive links between particular entities. These three components can be represented using a conceptual model, a physical model, or a logical model system. The complexity of such models ranges from one to the other.  For instance, a transformation to a physical model from a conceptual ERD leads to knowledge on the implementation of modeled information into a specified or chosen database.

Creating an Effective ERD

A proper design for a data storage system calls for a consideration of the efficiency and longevity. During the evaluation process of an ERD, there is a need for modeling of system designs that fulfills the vital business requirements. Some of the factors to be considered during the ERD creation include the stability of the model amidst shifting needs, the ability of the diagram to support all the necessary data required for storage, and the model’s ability to accommodate additional or new information requirements. Other factors include the efficiency of the diagram solution, the representation of data using words or symbolic forms, and the ease of understanding of ERD by both programmers and system users. If all these factors are considered, the organization will not only save on time but also frustration and financial resources.

References

Bagui, S., & Earp, R. (2011). Database design using entity-relationship diagrams. London: CRC Press.