In my continuing series of posts on software diagrams, I give you an example conceptual data model diagram. As you probably know, a logical and physical data model should be created after this and I should be posting those shortly.
The conceptual data model is intended for a large group of stakeholders including the users and customers of the system. Therefore, it should be in a notation and format that they understand. That is what I strived to do below.
This is an actual diagram I made for a client (scrubbed of course) that was used to build a $15 million/year system. It took 40 people about 2 years to build. The system was intended to give scholarships to medical students in hopes that they would then serve at a underserved medical site after graduation.
Enjoy! Contact me if you want the original Visio file.
Woody Press 
Hi Leonard,
I really liked the short-but-sweet article on the conceptual data model – nicely done!
We presently pretty much do conceptual architecture models backed by detailed process models and logical data models at the entity and relationship level, but a LDM is simply overkill.
Your CDM looks something like I remember using in a different lifetime 20 years ago and very much more appropriate for the business analysis and stakeholder engagement activities that we are concentrating at the moment.
Is there a published standard for your CDM? I would also very much like a copy of your Visio template if you are agreeable.
Great blog by the way!
Kindest
Andrew
I would like to go over this CDM, could you mail me the file as well.
Hi,
can you please mail the CDM.