My first Publication Agile-Data-Warehouse-Design-eBook | Page 42

How to Model a Data Warehouse
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BEAM✲
BEAM ✲ is an agile data modeling method for designing dimensional data ware-
houses and data marts. BEAM stands for Business Event Analysis & Modeling. As
the name suggests it combines analysis techniques for gathering business event
related data requirements and data modeling techniques for database design. The
trailing ✲ (six point open centre asterisk) represents its dimensional deliverables:
star schemas and the dimensional position of each of the 7Ws it uses. BEAM✲ is an
BEAM ✲ consists of a set of repeatable, collaborative modeling techniques for
rapidly discovering business event details and an inclusive modeling notation for
documenting them in a tabular format that is easily understood by business stake-
holders and readily translated into logical/physical dimensional models by IT
developers. BEAM✲ is used to
agile dimensional
modeling method
discover and
document business
event details
Data Stories and the 7Ws Framework
BEAM ✲ gets BI stakeholders to think beyond their current reporting requirements
by asking them to describe data stories: narratives that tease out the dimensional
details of the business activity they need to measure. To do this BEAM ✲ modelers
ask questions using a simple framework based on the 7Ws. By using the 7Ws (who,
what, where, when, how many, why and how) BEAM ✲ conditions everyone in-
volved to think dimensionally. The questions that BEAM ✲ modelers ask stake-
holders are the same types of questions that the stakeholders themselves will ask of
the data warehouse when they become BI users. When they do, they will be think-
ing of who, what, when, where, why and how question combinations that measure
their business.
BEAM✲ modelers
and BI stakeholders
use the 7Ws to tell
data stories
Diagrams and Notation
Example data tables (or BEAM ✲ tables) are the primary BEAM ✲ modeling tool
and diagram type. BEAM ✲ tables are used to capture data stories in tabular form
and describe data requirements using example data. By doing so they support
collaborative data modeling by example rather than by abstraction. BEAM ✲ tables
are typically built up column by column on whiteboards from stakeholders’ re-
sponses to the 7Ws and are then documented permanently using spreadsheets. The
resulting BEAM ✲ models look more like tabular reports (see Figure 1-9) rather
than traditional data models.
BEAM✲ tables
support
data modeling
by example
BEAM✲ (Example Data) Tables
BEAM ✲ tables help engage stakeholders who would rather define reports that
answer their specific business questions than do data modeling. While example
data tables are not reports, they are similar enough for stakeholders to see them as
BEAM✲ tables
look like simple
tabular reports