Data Modeling - Defining Data Structures

Foundational Principle

Data structures, relationships, and ownership must be defined before database technology selection.

Jumping to database-specific schemas without modeling creates:

• Inconsistent data structures across services
• Unclear data ownership and authority
• Schema conflicts discovered during development
• Migration nightmares when requirements change

The Data Model answers: WHAT data exists, HOW entities relate, WHO owns what data? The Data Model never answers: WHICH database technology or HOW to implement storage.

Phase 0: Database Field Naming Strategy (MANDATORY)

Before defining schemas, determine how to name database fields.