Tune to DM Radio Thursday: Modeling What Matters – Data Modeling Throughout, Beyond the Enterprise

This Thursday, 20 September 2012, I’ll be joining a great group of data professionals to talk about balancing the need for project speed with data modeling efforts.  This is a topic near an dear to heart — I’m developing courseware right now for advanced data modeling concepts on modern development efforts.  DM Radio, hosted by Eric Kavanagh and Jim Ericson, is always a fun and thoughtful take on modern IT practices.  Plus a few of us are known for our snarkish insights into the data world.

The value of data modeling continues to grow in new directions. This is partly due to the lure of cloud computing, but also because of the increasingly interconnected world of enterprise partnerships. As always, the need for speed and efficiency prevails, as well as the desire to reduce redundancy and thus provide a clean view of an organization’s information architecture. Fine-tuning Master Data Models is another goal of the modern enterprise. What to do? Register for this episode of DM Radio to hear Hosts Eric Kavanagh and Jim Ericson interview data modeling expert Karen Lopez of DAMA, plus Donna Burbank of CA Technologies, David Dichmann of SAP Sybase and Lovan Chetty of Kalido

Registration is required, but it’s free.  Chat with you on Thursday!

Join me in Kansas City this week — it’s a throwdown!

I’m headed to Kansas City this Thursday to speak at the Kansas City SQL Server User Group and then on Saturday to present at the Kansas City SQL Saturday. I’d love to see you there.

On Thursday, 2 August I’ll be debating with Tom LaRock (@sqlrockstar), giving a preview of our SQL Saturday presentation of Database Design Throwdown: The Trailer.  In this wonderful smackdown, I’ll be talking about the importance of data quality, integrity and data governance while preparing database designs. I’m pretty sure Tom will be spouting wildly crazy, kooky ideas about performance, optimizing design to make life easier for DBAs and … I have no idea what else.  Probably bacon.  We won’t be giving the same presentation as on Saturday — it will be more of a trailer version of that.  Oh, wait…that doesn’t quite sound right.  It will be a teaser.  Yeah.  Something like that.  A teaser.

Kansas City SQL Server User Group

Details about the SQL Server User Group meeting:

Time

• 3:45 – 3:50 Greeting and Housekeeping
• 3:50 – 5:00 Database Design Throwdown: The Trailer
• 5:00 – 5:15 Door prizes and wrap up

Topic: Database Design Throwdown: A Trailer
Date:  August 2nd, 2012
Speaker: Thomas LaRock versus Karen Lopez

Overview: If a man is alone in the forest and there is no woman around to watch him design a database is he still wrong? Join us in this highly interactive debate regarding the options and best practices of common and advanced design issues such as natural versus surrogate keys, NULL versus NOT NULL, data quality versus performance, and others. Bring your opinions and experience and join the discussion.

About Speakers:

Thomas LaRock is a seasoned IT professional with over a decade of technical and management experience. Currently serving as a senior database administrator with Confio Software, Thomas has progressed through several roles including programmer, analyst, and DBA. Prior to that, he worked at several software and consulting companies, working at customer sites in the United States and abroad. Thomas holds a MS degree in Mathematics from Washington State University and is a member of the Usability Professional’s Association. Thomas also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS), is a SQL Server MVP, and can also be found blogging at http://thomaslarock.com and is the author of DBA Survivor: Become a Rock Star DBA (http://dbasurvivor.com).

Karen Lopez is Sr. Project Manager and Architect at InfoAdvisors, Inc. Karen is a frequent speaker at conferences and user groups. She has 20+ years of experience in project and data management on large, multi-project programs. Karen specializes in the practical application of data management principles. Karen is also the ListMistress and moderator of the InfoAdvisors Discussion Groups at www.infoadvisors.com.

Location:

8700 State Line Road
Suite 200L
Leawood, KS 66206  (map)

Data Model Driven Database Design

On Saturday, 4 August I will be presenting at the Kansas City SQL Saturday (aka #SQLSat159 — don’t get me started on why they use a surrogate key as their names for these…) on Model Driven Database Design

Model-Driven Database Design

Model-Driven Database Development: Myths, Magic and Methods. In this presentation, Karen discusses data model-driven database development from the point of view of the Data Architect, the DBA, and the Developer. She will cover topics such as "Who does what?", "Why are we doing this?", "Do I have to Use a GUI?" and "Just who do you think you are?". Demos, too. Finally, 10 tips for making model-driven database development successful in your organization’s culture and environment.

Session Level: Beginner

Location: Cerner Corporation’s Riverport Campus, 6711 NE Birmingham Rd, Kansas City, MO, 64117

And Tom and I will be doing our full debate on Database Design: The Throwdown, as described above.  Registration is required for the SQL Saturday, but it’s totally free – you get swag, prizes and access to some of the best speakers in the SQL Server community.  I attended this last year in Kansas City and they did a fabulous job.  You want to be there, too.

Speaking: #SQLSat96 Washington, DC …well… Chevy Chase, MD 5 Nov

I’ll be presenting Model Driven Database Design on Saturday, 5 November at the SQL Saturday Washington DC. Which is being held in Chevy Chase, Maryland.  Yes, I know this is the greater DC area.  Last year it was held in Reston, Virginia. But these data things drive data architects crazy.  That’s why you really don’t want to live with a data architect.  Ever.

Anyway, I’ll be presenting a brand new presentation that covers:

Model-Driven Database Design

Model-Driven Database Development: Myths, Magic and Methods. In this presentation, Karen discusses data model-driven database development from the point of view of the Data Architect, the DBA, and the Developer. She will cover topics such as "Who does what?", "Why are we doing this?", "Do I have to Use a GUI?" and "Just who do you think you are?". Finally, 10 tips for making model-driven database development successful in your organization’s culture and environment.

Session Level: Beginner

Karen Lopez

Karen López is Sr. Project Manager and Architect at InfoAdvisors, Inc. Karen is a frequent speaker at conferences and user groups. She has 20+ years of experience in project and data management on large, multi-project programs. Karen specializes in the practical application of data management principles. Karen is also the ListMistress and moderator of the InfoAdvisors Discussion Groups at www.infoadvisors.com.

I’m up against some fairly big name speakers, so I’m really hoping to see you in my session.  Both of us can have a great time talking about data models.  See you there.