Thesis

The thesis investigates some key properties of the NIAM database design technique. The results apply to NIAM's close relatives as well; in fact, to most conceptual data modelling techniques that come under the heading of Object Role Modelling (ORM). Click Abstract to see the thesis abstract and click Files to gain access to the full text of the thesis.

The thesis contains a lot of set theory and mathematics. However, Chapter 1 (introduction), Chapter 3 (what is a database?; what is a conceptual data model?), and Chapter 8 (conclusions) are almost entirely free of sets and maths. These chapters should be accessible to anyone with some aquaintance with databases. Even in the other chapters the heavy-duty maths is hidden inside Details sections. The non-details sections should be accessible to anyone with some aquaintance with sets and NIAM/ORM.

The picture at the top? It illustrates one of the operations defined in Chapter 5. If you tear out part of a design for re-use in a new project you want to be sure that the result is a sensible design (i.e Well Formed). The picture illustrates the rule for ensuring that it will be sensible.