Fig. 14.1.19 The role of metadata.There is one important difference between the different forms of data models that must
be noted. That difference is that some forms of data models shape the data. But other
forms of data models are shaped by the data. Stated differently, some forms of data
modeling are proactive and caused the data to be shaped after the model. But other forms
of data modeling are reactive and are shaped by the data.
The corporate data model, functional decomposition and data flow diagrams, and the
dimensional data model are proactive. The taxonomy/ontology data model and the
selective subdivision of data are reactive.
Chapter 14.1: Data Models Across the End-State Architecture