This document provides an introduction to Object-Role Modeling (ORM), which is a conceptual modeling language. ORM uses a graphical notation to represent information and can be used for database modeling, business rules, ontologies, and other scenarios. The key constructs in ORM include object types, relations between objects, and constraints. Several examples are provided to illustrate how ORM can be used to model concepts such as books, authors, and an eGovernment ontology. Other modeling approaches like ER and UML are briefly discussed in comparison to the benefits of ORM for conceptual modeling.

1. ‫أكاديمية الحكومة اإللكترونية الفلسطينية‬
The Palestinian eGovernment Academy
www.egovacademy.ps
Tutorial 1: Data and Business Process Modeling
Session 1.2
Conceptual Data Modeling using
Object-Role Modeling (ORM)
Prof. Mustafa Jarrar
Sina Institute, University of Birzeit
mjarrar@birzeit.edu
www.jarrar.info
Reviewed by
Prof. Marco Ronchetti, Trento University, Italy
PalGov © 2011 1

2. About
This tutorial is part of the PalGov project, funded by the TEMPUS IV program of the
Commission of the European Communities, grant agreement 511159-TEMPUS-1-
2010-1-PS-TEMPUS-JPHES. The project website: www.egovacademy.ps
Project Consortium:
Birzeit University, Palestine
University of Trento, Italy
(Coordinator )
Palestine Polytechnic University, Palestine Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
Palestine Technical University, Palestine
Université de Savoie, France
Ministry of Telecom and IT, Palestine
University of Namur, Belgium
Ministry of Interior, Palestine
TrueTrust, UK
Ministry of Local Government, Palestine
Coordinator:
Dr. Mustafa Jarrar
Birzeit University, P.O.Box 14- Birzeit, Palestine
Telfax:+972 2 2982935 mjarrar@birzeit.eduPalGov © 2011
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3. © Copyright Notes
Everyone is encouraged to use this material, or part of it, but should properly
cite the project (logo and website), and the author of that part.
No part of this tutorial may be reproduced or modified in any form or by any
means, without prior written permission from the project, who have the full
copyrights on the material.
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC-BY-NC-SA
This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-
commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations
under the identical terms.
PalGov © 2011 3

4. Tutorial Map
Intended Learning Objectives
Topic Time
Module 1 (Conceptual Date Modeling)
Module I: Conceptual Data Modeling
A: Knowledge and Understanding
11a1: Demonstrate knowledge of conceptual modeling notations and concepts Session 0: Outline and Introduction
11a2: Demonstrate knowledge of Object Role Modeling (ORM) methodology. Session 1.1: Information Modeling 1
11a3: Explain and demonstrate the concepts of data integrity & business rules Session 1.2: Conceptual Data Modeling using ORM 1
B: Intellectual Skills Session 1.3: Conceptual Analyses 1
11b1: Analyze application and domain requirements at the conceptual level, Session 2: Lab- Conceptual Analyses 3
and formalize it using ORM. Session 3.1: Uniqueness Rules 1.5
11b2: Analyze entity identity at the application and domain levels. Session 3.2: Mandatory Rules 1.5
11b4: Optimize, transform, and (re)engineer conceptual models. Session 4: Lab- Uniqueness & Mandatory Rules 3
11b5: Detect &resolve contradictions & implications at the conceptual level. Session 5: Subtypes and Other Rules 3
C: Professional and Practical Skills Session 6: Lab- Subtypes and Other Rules 3
11c1: Using ORM modeling tools (Conceptual Modeling Tools). Session 7.1: Schema Equivalence &Optimization 1.5
Module 2 (Business Process Modeling) Session 7.2: Rules Check &Schema Engineering 1.5
A: Knowledge and Understanding Session 8: Lab- National Student Registry 3
12a1: Demonstrate knowledge of business process modeling notations and concepts.
Module II: Business Process Modeling
12a2: Demonstrate knowledge of business process modeling and mapping.
12a3: Demonstrate understand of business process optimization and re-engineering. Session 9: BP Management and BPMN: An Overview 3
B: Intellectual Skills Session 10: Lab - BP Management 3
12b1: Identify business processes. Session 11: BPMN Fundamentals 3
12b2: Model and map business processes. Session 12: Lab - BPMN Fundamentals 3
12b3: Optimize and re-engineer business processes. Session 13: Modeling with BPMN 3
C: Professional and Practical Skills Session 14: Lab- Modeling with BPMN 3
12c1: Using business process modeling tools, such as MS Visio. Session 15: BP Management & Reengineering 3
Session 16: Lab- BP Management & Reengineering 3
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5. Session ILOs
After completing this session students will be able to:
11a1: Demonstrate knowledge of conceptual modeling notations
and concepts
11a2: Demonstrate knowledge of Object Role Modeling (ORM)
methodology.
11c1: Using ORM modeling tools (Conceptual Modeling Tools).
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6. Remark: this tutorial is about
Object-Role Modeling (ORM),
Not Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)
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7. Object-Role Modeling (ORM)
Room Time Activity Code Activity Name
20 Mon 9am VMC VisioModeler Class
20 Tue 2pm VMC VisioModeler Calss
33 Mon 9am AQD ActiveQuery Demo
33 Fri 5 pm SP Staff party
… … … …
Time
(dh)
Room Activity Activity
(Nr) (code) Name
…at … is booked for… Has / refers to
20 Mon 9am VMC AQD ActiveQuery Demo
20 Tue 2pm VMC SP Staff party
33 Mon 9am AQD VMC VisioModeler Calss
33 Fri 5pm SP VMC VisioModeler Class
… … … Y2K Year 200 seminar
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8. Object-Role Modeling (ORM)
Representing information graphically
MovieName ReleaseYear Director Stars
Robert De Niro
Awakenings 1991 Penny Marshall
Robin Williams
William Baldwin
ReleasedIn
Backdraft 1991 Ron Howard Robert De Niro
Year Kurt Russell
Cosmology 1994 Terry Harding
Kevin Costner
Dances with wolves 1990 Kevin Costner
Mary McDonnell
DirectedBy/Directs
Movie
Person
StaredBy/
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9. Object-Role Modeling (ORM)
• ORM is conceptual modeling language.
• ORM has an expressive graphical notation.
• ORM is designed for modeling DB schemes at the conceptual level.
You build an ORM schema and then click a bottom to automatically generate
a database.
ReleasedIn
Year
DirectedBy/Directs
Movie
Person
StaredBy/
Conceptual Level Logical Level
Our goal in this course is to use ORM as general Conceptual Modeling
language, rather than as database modeling language.
 ORM can be used for modeling business rules, ontology, XML
schemes, and others.
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10. ORM Usage Scenarios
Originally
Database
Later
Ontology
Requirements Record
XML Schema Warehouse Engineering my recipes !
Business Rules Web (x)Forms
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11. Object-Role Modeling (ORM): Other Examples
Has/Is-Of
Title
Book
Witten-By/Writes
Author
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12. Object-Role Modeling (ORM): Other Examples
Has/Is-Of
Title
1 Databases Systems
2 Intro to Java
Book
Called Population
Witten-By/Writes
Author
1 J. Date
2 B. Hacker
2 A. Smith
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13. Object-Role Modeling (ORM): Other Examples
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14. Object-Role Modeling (ORM) constructs
Called Object Type
(or Concept, or Class) Relation
Each part is called a Role
Subtype relation
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15. Object-Role Modeling (ORM) constructs
Called Fact Type
Each fact type should be elementary.
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16. Object-Role Modeling (ORM) constraints
Uniqueness Constraint:
Each ISBN must Is-Of at most one Book
Uniqueness Constraint:
Each Book must has at most one ISBN
Uniqueness Constraint:
It is possible that a Book is Written-By more
than one Author, and vice versa
Mandatory Constraint:
Each Book must has at Least one ISBN © 2011
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17. eGov Ontology (using ORM)
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18. Modeling Approaches (short discussion)
Which is more intuitive for modelers? For domain experts?
ER-model UML-model
Nice for picturing to DB-schemes Close to the way programmers
think
ORM-model
Suitable for general
conceptual modeling, not
only DB schemes
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19. References
1. www.zinnar.pna.ps
2. Information Modeling and Relational Databases: From
Conceptual Analysis to Logical Design, Terry Halpin (ISBN 1-
55860-672-6) – Chapter 1.
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