Towards readable layouts for modeling data warehouses

Jesús Pardillo, Florian Mansmann · 2010

Data warehouses are large-scale databases that are usually managed by means of diagram-based conceptual models. However, the complexity of those models often imposes significant design challenges. In particular, this article studies their different underlying graph layouts. The working hypothesis is that graph layouts influence diagram readability, with the latter being significant for facilitating the design process. We define the main viewpoints involved in conceptual modeling. For each one, surveyed as well as alternative layouts were evaluated against a set of aesthetics and efficiency measures. As a result, more readable graph layouts than those found in the literature were identified.

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