Ontology is the language of an application. It will be defined correctly by the domain experts, or incorrectly and in an ad hoc manner by users,

1. Importance of
Ontology to Data
Warehouse Quality

2. Ontology
on·tol·o·gy
/änˈtäləjē/ noun
1. The branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.
2. A set of concepts and categories in a subject area or domain that shows their properties and
the relations between them.

3. Ontology
A set of naming patterns, structures
& rules for each application.

4. Existing SDS Ontology
1. Application users have an
ontology
2. Application developers have
an ontology
3. On occasion they even overlap

5. Existing SDS Ontology
1. Application users have an
ontology
2. Application developers have
an ontology
3. On occasion they even overlap

6. Existing SDS Ontology
1. Application users have an
ontology
2. Application developers have
an ontology
3. On occasion they even overlap

7. Existing SDS Ontology
New application -
existing software

8. Existing SDS Ontology
Define an ontology
for your data
warehouse . . . or
someone else will

9. Ontology’s Nuts & Bolts
The Four Sub-components
of a Column Name

10. Four Parts of a Column Name
1. PRIME: who or what the column is about.
Example: CUSTOMER

11. Four Parts of a Column Name
2. CLASS: The type of information
Example: ADDRESS

12. Four Parts of a Column Name
3. PRE-MODIFIER: narrows its meaning
DELIVERY

13. Four Parts of a Column Name
4. POST-MODIFIER: further narrows meaning
Example: CONUS

14. The Four Parts of a Column
Name
CUSTOMER_DELIVERY_ADDRESS_CONUS
Prime
Subject
Subject
Class
Pre
Modifier
Post
Modifi
er

15. Software
Skillfully created . . . but
delivered with a side of
word salad

16. Software
Skillfully created . . . but
delivered with a side of
word salad

17. $$$
Wastes development time

18. Coming Soon . . .
Part II: Ontology How-to