Re: database systems: an environment of roles & players

From: dawn <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com>
Date: 22 Apr 2005 08:10:30 -0700
Message-ID: <1114182630.468223.249210@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>

mountain man wrote:
> "dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1113662390.905906.209840_at_g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > mountain man wrote:
> >> "mAsterdam" <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org> wrote in message
> >> news:4260d199$0$95207$e4fe514c_at_news.xs4all.nl...
> >> > mountain man wrote:
> >> >> "dawn" wrote
> >> >>>mountain man wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>>>In the following tabulation we list a number of different
> >> >>>>roles and players that would normally be associated with
> >> >>>>the database systems environment at any organisation.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>Your list doesn't look like something "associated with the
> > database
> >> >>>systems environment at any organisation" but only with those
> >> >>>organizations employing a relational model -- is that correct?
> >> >>
> >> >> No, it was supposed to be for any organisation over
> >> >> a certain size, at which time they will all have invested
> >> >> in some DBMS of some form. It need not be related
> >> >> to the RM.
> >> > [snip]
> >> >>>>==================================
> >> >>>> DATABASE SYSTEMS ROLE-TYPES
> >> >>>>==================================
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>--------------- Internal to the organisation:
> >> >>>>I01 - business owner(s)
> >> >>>>I02 - business executives and managers
> >> >>>>I03 - general organisation work-groups/end-users
> >> >>>>I04 - DBA
> >> >>>
> >> >>>This role, as typically defined in an organization supporting
> >> >>>SQL-DBMS's does not exist at companies not supporting
SQL-DBMS's.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I would add a "data modeling" role, however, which seems to be
> > required
> >> >>>independent of implementation tools.
> >> >
> >> > The 'Data administrator' specializes in meaning, consistency,
> > language
> >> > used in datamodels. I have seen DA's in SQL and non SQL shops. I
> > have also
> >> > seen sites who should need a DA but lacked the cooperative
culture
> > needed
> >> > to sustain the work.
> >>
> >>
> >> Yes, one expects that this role has the greatest chance
> >> of exhibiting understanding of data modelling. However
> >> you never know - because often other parties (roles)
> >> itemised above also have these skills.
> >
> > Since you are not indicating "positions" but "roles" it makes sense
to
> > me to indicate that there is a role for data modeling, another for
data
> > administration, and another for database administration.

>
>

> Roles (and the skill sets associated with them)
> probably change slightly from country to
> country, and decade to decade ;-)

>
>


> >> >>>>I05 - IT manager

> >> >>>>I06 - internal programmers

> >> >>>>I07 - specialised development teams

> >> >>>>I08 - Operations & help desk personnel

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>

> >> >>>>---------------  External to the organisation:

> >> >

> >> > Why the Internal/External split?

> >>

> >>

> >> Usually the contractual responsibilities are different

> >> between internal and external roles.

> >
> > For each of these roles, an individual playing that role might
actually
> > work for the company with the data being addressed or be contracted
for
> > either directly, through a contracting firm, or even through an
> > outsourcing firm.

> Of course.

> > I agree that the Internal/External designation being
> > applied to a role isn't helpful. If a particular position is
assigned
> > a role, it could also be assigned an employment classification.

> Knowledge of the entire scope of role-types associated with the
> management of a database system - and their function - is useful,
> and the internal/external designation is helpful in managing the
> organisation.

Certainly. I'm just suggesting these be separate attributes -- don't mix them together in a single tag like this.

>


> >>  Also, it enables

> >> a perspective to be placed on the self-independence

> >> of an organisation on IT resources, and/or in the

> >> complimentary sense, whether that organisation

> >> relies heavily on outsourced skills.

> >
> > It would likely help to get more information on how you intend to
use
> > these classifications. What is the purpose of this information?

>
>

> It is just a list of roles. Often people assume the perspective of
one
> (or more) of these roles when arguing about the database system
> environment in general - or certain theory surrounding databases.

> It is helpful to identify when this happens, and important
> to understand how all these different perspectives may be
> reconciled from a global perspective.

Sounds good. I do something similar when I talk about how small to mid-size companies roll many of these roles into single individuals who will necessarily do a better job on some of these roles than others. Cheers! --dawn

>
> Pete Brown
> Falls Creek
> Oz
> www.mountainman.com.au
Received on Fri Apr 22 2005 - 10:10:30 CDT