A statistically-significant subset selected and analyzed to estimate the characteristics of a larger group or population; a set of individuals within an organization assessed to provide information on the preferences, opinions, attitudes, and practices of the group they represent.

The ability to increase volumes of data and numbers of users to the data warehouse solution. This is a critical capability for the data warehouse architecture and technical architecture.

An information model implemented in a database. A schema may be a logical schema, which will define, for example, tables, columns, and constraints, but which may not include any optimization. It may be a physical schema that includes optimization, for example, table clustering.

The boundaries of a project expressed in some combination of geography, organization, applications and/or business functions.

A change to project scope. A scope change requires an adjustment to the project work plan, and nearly always impacts project cost, schedule or quality.

The common phenomenon where additional requirements are added after a project has started without reconsidering the resourcing or timescale of the project. Scope creep arises from the misapprehension that such small additions will not affect the project schedule.

A workshop, usually attended by the project sponsor and developers, with the objective of defining the boundaries of the scope for an intended project and prioritizing requirements within the scope.

A list of role-based security specifications.

A binding contract which formally specifies end-user expectation about the solution and tolerances. It is a collection of service level requirements that have been negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the information providers and the information consumers. The SLA has three attributes: STRUCTURE, PRECISION, AND FEASIBILITY. This agreement establishes expectations and impacts the design of the components of the data warehouse solution.

with a client of the successful completion of a project, project phase, or deliverable.

A snowflake schema is a set of tables comprised of a single, central fact table surrounded by normalized dimension hierarchies. In a snowflake schema, different hierarchies in a dimension can be extended into their own dimensional tables. Therefore, a dimension can have more than a single dimension table. Snowflake schema implement dimensional data structures with fully normalized dimensions. Star schema are an alternative to snowflake schema.

A physical program unit. An application system’s repository of source code is controlled at the source module level.

The internal or external computer system which provides the source data for the warehouse.

A person, group, or business unit that has a share or an interest in a particular activity or set of activities.

A set of rules for ensuring quality. Usually standards are defined for products, deliverables or deliverable components and processes.

A common form of dimensional model. In a star schema, central fact table surrounded by de-normalized dimensions, each dimension is represented by a single dimension table. This database design characterized by its simplicity, allowing users to navigate through the data easily, and its rapid response time. Unlike traditional relational schemas, normalization is not a goal of star schema design. Snowflake schema are an alternative to star schema.

The ANSI internationally accepted standard for relational database systems, covering not only query but also data definition, manipulation, security, and some aspects of referential and entity integrity.

An area of major interest or importance to the enterprise. It is centered on a major resource, product, or activity. The subject areas provide reference information when conducting detailed requirements gathering.

The metrics and measurements established to determine whether the data warehouse solution has satisfied its objectives and met the requirements.

The data that has been aggregated or transformed from the atomic level data. Summary data may reside in all of the database objects of the data warehouse.

1. A name assigned to a table or view that may then be used more conveniently for reference. 2. An alternate name for an entity.

A project activity that tests an application system over its complete life-cycle, using scripts and associating scenario test specifications into chronological sequences.