Summary
Dimensional modeling is an iterative design process requiring the cooperative effort of people with a diverse set of skills, including business representatives. The design effort begins with an initial graphical model pulled from the bus matrix and presented at the entity level. The detailed modeling process drills down into the definitions, sources, relationships, data quality problems, and required transformations for each table. The primary goals are to create a model that meets the business requirements, verify the data is available to populate the model, and provide the ETL team with a clear direction.
The task of determining column and table names is interwoven into the design process. The organization as a whole must agree on the names, definitions, and derivations of every column and table in the dimensional model. This is more of a political process than a technical one, which requires the full attention of the most diplomatic team member. The resulting column names exposed...