A methodology for conceptual documentation and maintenance

Abstract The aim of the paper is to present a methodology for documentation and maintenance of conceptual data schemas. It is a common practice in conceptual data design to follow a mixed top-down and bottom-up approach, in which refinement activities are followed by integration of partial design products. Documenting the conceptual activity consists of making as clear as possible the process of generation of the conceptual schema from requirements. In this phase a pure top-down procedurality is suggested, that allows the user to understand by progressive independent steps the whole generation process. A second fundamental advantage of this approach is the simplification that is guaranteed for all subsequent maintenance activities; if requirements change, top-down documentation can be used again, and the new design can proceed by simply modifying previous top-down expansions, adapting them to new requirements.