Principles for information models

In order to establish information models that will be common to public enterprises, we need common, basic design principles. Therefore, take into consideration these nine principles in the enterprises' work with information models.

Version: 1.0
Status: published
Publication date: 17. june 2022

Nine principles for information models: Coherent, user focus, terminology, documentation, accessibility, reuse and exchange of data, modularity, stable and extendable, tool independence.
Models should be coherent across the different phases of the modelling process and across levels of abstraction. Illustration of three circles in a diagonal line going down from left to right, and a white circle with a dotted line around it in the bottom left corner. There are arrows between the circles to show that there is a coherence between them, both from one grey circle to the next and from the first grey circle to the white circle and from the white circle to the last grey circle.

Coherent

Models should be coherent across the different phases of the modeling process and across levels of abstraction.

Models should be as simple as possible to meet user needs, and should be easily understood by different user groups. Illustration of a person viewed from behind, looking at a screen.

User focus

Models should be as simple as possible to meet user needs, and should be easily understood by different user groups.

Models should be established in accordance with existing terms and definitions, as far as possible. Illustration showing the word terminology, divided into its syllables. Below the word terminology, there are waves organized to look like a paragraph. The illustration looks like the setup you would find in a dictionary.

Terminology

Models should be established in accordance with existing terms and definitions, as far as possible.

Models should have documentation that can adapted for different user groups. Illustration of three ring binders placed next to each other, with their back towards us. The ring binders are in different sizes and are placed in ascending order.

Documentation

Models should have documentation that can adapted for different user groups.

Models should be accessible in standard formats. Illustration shows a document icon. Inside the icon, there is a white square that contains three symbols; a pair of curly brackets, hash and finally left angle bracket, back slash, right angle bracket.

Accessibility

Models should be accessible in standard formats.

Models should support reuse, exchange and sharing of data in and between companies. Illustration of two cylinders, each with an arrow that points to the other one.

Reuse and exchage of data

Models should support reuse, exchange and sharing of data in and between companies.

Models should be divided up into reusable modules. Illustration of a pyramid that consists of smaller cubes.

Modularity

Models should be divided up into reusable modules.

Models should be stable and extendable. Illustration of a little, grey square with a solid border, placed inside a larger, hollow square with a dashed border. An arrow points from the top right corner of the smallest square, up to the top right corner of the largest square.

Stable and extendable

Models should be stable and extendable. New versions should be developed as needed, in contact with user groups and within a defined management regime.

Models should be stable and extendable. Illustration of a little, grey square with a solid border, placed inside a larger, hollow square with a dashed border. An arrow points from the top right corner of the smallest square, up to the top right corner of the largest square.

Tool independence

Models should be independent of any specific technologies or tools.

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