One of the simplest ways to make your ideas clear is representing them visually. There are
many free resources to help you in this visualization task, as diagrams.net, Miro or Mural,
between others.
While the data model (the conceptual representation of the database) is the most accurate
technique to structure data, there are alternative helpful ways to visualize the tasks and
procedures involved in data management that could prepare you to design your data
model better. For example, imagine how data will flow in the situation you want to capture
or how your team will gather, process and analyze information. Take a look at the
examples below:
Example 1: Complaint tracking data workflow:
This is a simple schema that will help you to identify some components of your data model.
As a test, think whether someone who knows nothing about your work would be able to
understand your diagram.
The example shows a basic complaint management workflow. The complaint form is
submitted by the victim and, then, reviewed by the HR organization, which decides to
investigate it or not. Once the investigation is ready, the complaint can be referred to
another institution (a legal instance, for example) or archived. This hypothetical example
allows you to identify the type of things you will need to record in your database if you
want to track complaints, as we will see later in this document.
Example 2: Journalists’ arrests tracking
Here is another workflow that reflects how journalists' detentions occur in a certain place.
The workflow helps to identify certain elements that later will be part of the data model.
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