Data Modeling Patterns Using Fully Communication Oriented Information Modeling (FCO-IM)

Data modeling patterns is an emerging field of research in the data modeling area. Its aims are to create a body of knowledge to help understand data modeling problems better and to create better data models. Current data modeling patterns are generally discussed at the instance level (only applicable in a specific domain, e.g. a business situation) and with an Entity-Relationship Modeling (ERM) way of thinking. This paper discusses data modeling patterns using the expressive power of Fully Communication Oriented Information Modeling (FCO-IM), a Dutch fact oriented modeling (FOM) method. We also consider more abstract higher level data patterns – meta level patterns – and describe a few basic meta level data modeling patterns in brief as well as a meta level pattern in content versioning.