The Concept of Data Model Patterns Based on Fully Communication Oriented Information Modeling (FCO-IM)

The use of patterns in a design process, including data modeling, is an attempt to create a better solution to a problem. We propose the use of data model patterns, organized in a pattern language, and based on Fully Communication Oriented Information Modeling (FCO-IM) as the modeling approach, as a standard to produce high quality data models. We introduce the concept of Information Grammar for Pattern (IGP) which works as a kind of template to generate FCO-IM?s Information Grammar (IG). IGP is also used to define the relations among patterns. Based on how they are abstracted, we also define 3 types of IGP. The IGP provides the basic idea for the pattern language of data model patterns based on the relations among patterns.