This exercise has been created for (and tried out successfully at) the Data Modeling Meetup Munich (DM3).

It works best with small groups (at least 3, not more than 6 people). If possible, split your team in multiple groups (at least 2, not more than 4). Then, you can discuss and compare the results from the different groups afterwards.

Airbus A319

By Pedro Aragão [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Case Study

Shaun Air is a growing low-cost carrier that disrupts the European commercial aviation market. Customers like it for the large number of direct connections between many, often smaller airports. Using a no-frills approach and operating a homogeneous fleet of short-range planes, Shaun Air can offer ticket prices that are often well below market rates.

To further improve its pricing algorithms, the airline wants to consolidate data from various internal and external sources. You have been tasked with creating a first draft of the data vault model that will underpin these efforts.

Possible Core Business Concepts

• Airplane
• Airport
• Booking
• Flight
• Passenger
• Ticket

Exercise

As a group, create the backbone of a data vault model (hubs and links) for Shaun Air on a whiteboard or flipchart. Use the list of possible core business concepts as an inspiration for your hubs. You have 15 minutes.

Hint: Think about the possible meanings of the word “Flight”. You might need more than one hub for them.

First published on LinkedIn, 2019-02-02