An enterprise data model defines the vocabulary used across the company. As we all know, a common language is the key to any successful exchange of information. In an Information System environment, these exchanges can be:

• Communication between different business teams
• Data exchanges between different systems and applications

As such, an enterprise data model is at the root of several key processes. An enterprise data model participates in:

• The standardization of the company’s data
• The design and generation of the messages exchanged between applications
• The design and generation of data models for new applications
• The design and generation of database structure
• The overall communication between all the actors involved in these processes

These processes can be summarized as the derivation and generation of the different models the company needs. An enterprise data model can be used to derive the different logical models used by the company (data models, message models, reports models, application models…). Then, these models can be generated to obtain the physical models needed.

With Prima IBCS Reference model:

• You don’t start from a blank piece of paper to create your enterprise model;
  
• You benefit from a standard and proven model created using the best of insurance data modeling practices and project experiences;
  
• You benefit from the feedback of hundreds projects over the world.

The creation of the logical models (also called derivation) can be achieved using Prima IBCS wizards that will drive you through a mapping process. Comparing the Prima IBCS’ reference model with the concepts needed in your projects, the Prima IBCS tools will help you design your own project models. In addition, all elements of your projects model will be mapped back to the Prima IBCS’ reference model to help traceability and maintainability.

The mapping process is very simple when using Prima IBCS’ mapping feature. The Mapping feature helps create various views of the reference model and multiple model types while keeping traceability between models and views.

Once the enterprise data model has been assembled and model derivation has begun, your teams will have multiple models to manage. A formal team (data governance team) should be appointed to follow and control the use of the enterprise data model throughout all projects. Several levels of control might be necessary; here is a list of some of the possible levels:

• Following: Follow the derivation of models; validate the use of the reference model during the whole process; make sure the Enterprise model is consistently used within projects.
  
• Maintaining: Maintain the tooling, manage model enrichment.
  
• Communicating: Spread the use of the reference model in project teams through communication, documentation or training sessions.
  
• Industrializing: Improve processes by incorporating industry feedback.

Prima IBCS helps the data governance team by providing a number of tooling. For example, Prima IBCS provides a unique way of seeing your enterprise model adoption across projects in your company. The Model Search feature associated with the Sticky Color feature provides a quick way to display elements that match different criteria. If all the elements included in a particular project model are tagged specifically, it is very easy to use this tag as a search criterion and apply a given color to all the elements in the model.