Process and Data Logic Integration: Logical Links between UML Use Case Narratives and ER Diagrams

We propose a methodology for providing clear and consistent integration of the process and data logic in the analysis stage of information systems’ development lifecycle. While our proposed approach is applicable across a variety of data and process modeling schemas, in this paper we discuss it in the context of UML use cases for process modeling and ER diagrams for data modeling. We illustrate our approach through an example of modeling an execution of a retail transaction. In our example we integrate a step-by-step process model and the corresponding data model at the attribute level detail. We discuss the potential benefits of this approach by illustrating how this methodology, by providing a critical link between process and data models, can result in better conceptual testing early in the analysis process, ensuring better semantic quality of both process and data models.