Meta Data Repository Analysis Activities

The activities for meta data repository analysis do not need to be performed linearly. Figure 7.8 indicates which activities can be performed concurrently. The list below briefly describes the activities associated with Step 7, Meta Data Repository Analysis.

1. Analyze the meta data repository requirements.

   Work with the business representative to determine and prioritize the meta data requirements for your specific BI project. Indicate which of the meta data components are mandatory, important, and optional. If a meta data repository already exists, determine which meta data components need to be added, if any. Update the latest version of the application requirements document (revised during or after prototyping).

2. Analyze the interface requirements for the meta data repository.

   Whether a meta data repository is licensed or built, it must accept meta data from different sources. Business meta data will have to be extracted from CASE tools, word processing documents, or spreadsheets. Technical meta data will have to be extracted and merged from database management system (DBMS) dictionaries, ETL tools, data-cleansing tools, OLAP tools, report writers, and data mining tools.

3. Analyze the meta data repository access and reporting requirements.

   Populating a database is meaningless unless the content can be accessed, queried, and reported . This is as true for meta data as it is for business data. Identify the meta data access requirements, security requirements, and help function requirements. Evaluate alternative display modes, such as Portable Document Format (PDF), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), SQL, canned queries, or proprietary meta data repository reporting software. A context-sensitive help tutorial would be a beneficial feature to include.

4. Create the logical meta model.

   Draw the logical meta model as an E-R model to explicitly show the relationships between meta data objects, even if you plan to implement the meta data repository as an OO database. In other words, the logical meta model should always be an E-R model, while the physical meta model (the meta data repository database design created in Step 10, Meta Data Repository Design) can be either an E-R model or an OO model.

5. Create the meta-meta data.

   While the logical meta model shows the meta data repository requirements at a glance, the meta-meta data describes the required meta data components in detail.

Figure 7.8. Meta Data Repository Analysis Activities