Making “Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD)” easier to understand

In this post, the author explores strategies to help people understand entity relationship diagrams (ERD) more easily. The post begins with a discussion between a product owner and the author, wherein the product owner asks about a data model for the application and the author responds by mentioning diagrams from various parts of the system.

The author then delves into several challenges associated with visualizing data models and ERDs in particular, such as the complexity of the relationships between entities and the difficulty of expressing these relationships in a way that is visually clear and easily digestible.

To help address these challenges, the author outlines several strategies, including simplifying the language around the diagrams, using color coding to indicate entities, and creating a narrative around the data model to establish context and understanding. These strategies aim to make ERDs and data models more approachable and easier to understand for non-technical stakeholders and others who may not be familiar with the domain-specific jargon.

If you're grappling with the complexities of ERDs and want to find ways to make them more accessible and understandable to a wider audience, this post is a great place to start.

The article Making "Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD)" Easier to Understand originally appeared on Danika Hil.