[Sigia-l] Serious Discussion of IA Research?

[Ed Housman]

Having been a "data modeler" and having delt with relational
database designs, both logical and physical for years, I am
very comfortable with the total confusion that reins in
this area, and the total futility of it all, although data
models are of some use in understanding constraints on
how data elements interact in a database, or among systems.

A data model, however useful it might be in designing a
database with minimum contradictions, is not the
architectural foundation of a system. It is used by a
system. 

The human body is a system, but where is the 
data model?  The heart pumps fluids around the body that
carry chemicals that trigger actions in the organs;
nerves carry signals that synchronize body movements,
etc.  Websites are really little systems, and usually
don't need a data model, particularly since their
purpose is likely to sell something, rather than to
inform.

--Ed

--- Boniface Lau <boniface_lau at compuserve.com> wrote:

> 
> > From: Dwayne King
> >  
> > >>
> > > [...]
> > >> but in my opinion a relation schema is most definitely part of
> > >> Information Architecture,
> > >
> > > What else is in that Information Architecture?
> > >
> > 
> > Not sure I follow the question. It's my belief that a database
> > schema is an artifact of information architecture. Are you asking
> > what other artifacts would exist?
> 
> No, I don't mean artifacts. An artifact of something exists after that
> thing. For example, after thinking of a schema, one can have it
> described in some form. Thus, we have a schema description - an
> artifact of the schema.
> 
> Meanwhile, without a schema there is no architecture to speak of.
> Since architecture cannot exist without a schema, schema is not an IA
> artifact. But the schema description is an IA artifact.
> 
> When schema is a part of IA, not the IA, what other parts are in that
> IA?
> 
> 
> Boniface
> 
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