On the feasibility of using conceptual modeling constructs for the design and analysis of XML data

XML is one of the most widely accepted data representation languages in today's Internet-dominated Computing. While most XML data on the net today use commonly known structures, the power of XML lies in the ability to develop application-specific structures and models. XER (Extensible Entity Relationship) is a conceptual modeling methodology that uses visual constructs reminiscent of Entity Relationship (ER) in the logical design of XML instead of relying on the text-based DTD (Document Type Definition) and XML Schema notations. In this paper, we demonstrate how XER can be used to effectively design and analyze applications that use XML data. We also compare XER against other design constructs to demonstrate that a conceptual modeling artifact can potentially be superior to other artifacts for modeling XML structures, by significantly improving accuracy, efficiency and user satisfaction.