Copyright © 1999 Patrick McDermott UC Berkeley Extension Carlo Carrà ( ) Rhythms of Objects, 1911

Precision vs. Clarity A Well-Designed Computer System requires Precise definitions for all Business Objects 千里の道も一歩から Even a Journey of a Thousand Miles starts from Step —OR— Even a Journey of 2, Miles starts from One Step The Matter of the Dogs in the Park “A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation”—Saki

The Sound of One Hand Clapping Many modeling questions are like Zen koans  When is a customer not a customer?  When is an attribute not an attribute?  How big is big?  How Different is Different? And, yes, even… “What is the meaning of is”? Ito Jakuchu ( ) Man, Dove & Temple Detail, ca. 1779

Conundra Potential vs. Actual Is a prospect a customer? Is an applicant an employee? Is an embryo a person? Over Time, History Is a retiree an employee? Is an in-law a relative after a divorce? There always is one, but you can’t know it –Safeway doesn’t know customer Unless Rewards cards Jackson Pollock The Moon-Woman Cuts the Circle 1943

1 or Infinite? When is it so different it’s different? A Difference in Degree vs. Kind Every thing is a thing Each thing is unique in its way Invoice vs. BL at APL… Thing * *

B/L vs. Invoice Customers  B/L: 2 or more  Invoice: only 1 Vessel?  B/L: Yes  Invoice: No Multiple #s?  B/L: Yes  Invoice: No 1 * 1.. * * * 0..1

:B/L # :Obligation :Customer:Voyage 1 * 1.. * * * 1 B/LInvoice :Obligation :Customer:Voyage 1 * * 0

What’s a Person? Peopleness “Legal Person” –Person –Organization –Couple (IRS) Tracking company subsidiaries –If not independent purchaser Worker employee, contractor –Manager, IRS, HR see differently Moulin de la Galette Pierre-Auguste Renoir c. 1876

Customer Do You Know who it is? –The Unknown customer at APL (biggest customer) Boeing Yes: Customer Product Safeway NO –To Card or Not to Card: That is the Question –Reward Cards Others maybe W/o address Person Organization Is Contact Customer (or Supplier)

Vendor Vendor: A supplier of goods or services(?) –Government, IRS, Customs –Employee for travel expense, bonus, reward –Customer—overpay, refund, return –Petty Cash—no vendor –Anyone you pay What’s a Product??? –APL Every Commodity on every Port pair? –Cadillac With or w/o Options? –How Many Vital to Analysis You can’t count unless you know what they are

Recursion Quaker Oats Box –Morton Salt Girl Pepsi/Taco Bell Employee supervises Employee Bill of Materials: BOM

Remember The best modeling technique: