Having gathered information elements from various sources, some cleaning work is appropriate to improve the significance of these elements. The way each interviewee named elements might be inconsistent; moreover, the significance of a term can vary from person to person. Thus, a synonym detection process is in order.

Since we took note of sample values, now it is time to cross-reference our list of elements with those sample values. Here is a practical example, using the car's id number.

When the decision is made to order a car—a Mitsou 2007—the office clerk opens a new file and assigns a sequential number dubbed car_id number to the file, for instance, 725. At this point, no confirmation has been received from any car supplier, so the clerk does not know the future car's serial number—a unique number stamped on the engine and other critical parts of the vehicle.

This car's id number is referred to as the car_number by the office clerk. The store assistants who register car movements...