CSC241 Database Systems

Lecture # 11
By
Maria Gul

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Problems with E-R Models
• In E-R model, due to misinterpretation
(misunderstanding) of the meaning of certain
relationships, a problem known as connection
traps results.
• There are mainly two types of connection traps:

1) Fan traps
2) Chasm traps

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Problems with E-R Models
1. Fan trap
• Where a model represents a relationship
between entity types, but the pathway
between certain entity occurrences is
ambiguous.

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Problems with E-R Models
1. Semantic Net of ER Model with Fan Trap
At which branch office does staff number SG37
work?

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Problems with E-R Models
Restructuring ER model to remove Fan Trap

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Problems with E-R Models
Semantic Net of Restructured ER Model with Fan Trap
Removed
SG37 works at branch B003.

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Problems with E-R Models
2. Chasm trap
• Where a model suggests the existence of a
relationship between entity types, but the pathway
does not exist between certain entity occurrences.

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Problems with E-R Models
Semantic Net of ER Model with Chasm Trap
At which branch office is property PA14
available?

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Problems with E-R Models
ER Model restructured to remove Chasm Trap

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Problems with E-R Models
Semantic Net of Restructured ER Model with
Chasm Trap Removed

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ER Diagrams—Do’s and Dont’s
• A high-quality data model gives an impression of
the business it represents.
Five perspectives to check:
• Conceptual correctness—does it represent
the business concepts of the enterprise?
• Conceptual completeness—does it describe
the full scope of the enterprise?
• Syntactic correctness—are the symbols used
according to their definitions?
• Syntactic completeness—is the diagram fully
developed in all its details?
• Enterprise awareness—is the model natural
to the enterprise, stable and scalable?

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