Chapter 2 - Representation and patterns: an introduction to the REA enterprise ontology. The objective of this chapter is to help you understand how to analyze and create representations of enterprises that serve as the core foundation for their information systems. | Chapter 2 Representation and Patterns: An Introduction to the REA Enterprise Ontology Acknowledgement: Many of the slides for this chapter are adapted from class materials prepared by Professor William E. McCarthy at Michigan State University Chapter Learning Objectives Explain the importance of representation and modeling in enterprise system design and use Identify various types of patterns and recognize patterns in the world around you Describe the purpose and the components of the four levels of the REA ontology Describe the usefulness of the REA pattern as a framework for database design 2- Representation Depiction of Reality with Symbols People are real things Identification cards (such as drivers licenses or social security cards) are representations of those people Alternatively you could say identification cards are symbols that represent those people What other representations of people can you think of? Which of these is likely to be the best representation? Computers are real things What are some representations of computers? Which of these is likely to be the best representation? 2- Other representations of people may include portraits, sculptures, statues, videos, biographies or other written descriptions Most students will agree the best representation is the one that tells the most about the person; a truthful video biography is often suggested as the best representation. Point out, however, that the best representation depends in part on the intended use of the representation; a drivers’ license does not need to portray every dimension of a person to adequately represent him or her for its intended purpose. For computers, some representations include: Serial number, spec sheet that describes components, picture of computer, and a prototype. A prototype is often identified as the best representation, but again it depends on the intended use – one can’t allow a user to interact with a prototype in a printed catalog. Models as Representations | Chapter 2 Representation and Patterns: An Introduction to the REA Enterprise Ontology Acknowledgement: Many of the slides for this chapter are adapted from class materials prepared by Professor William E. McCarthy at Michigan State University Chapter Learning Objectives Explain the importance of representation and modeling in enterprise system design and use Identify various types of patterns and recognize patterns in the world around you Describe the purpose and the components of the four levels of the REA ontology Describe the usefulness of the REA pattern as a framework for database design 2- Representation Depiction of Reality with Symbols People are real things Identification cards (such as drivers licenses or social security cards) are representations of those people Alternatively you could say identification cards are symbols that represent those people What other representations of people can you think of? Which of these is likely to be the best representation? Computers .
