These evolving solutions
Dear readers.
Our previous article mentioned the difficulties you seemed to be experiencing in recent weeks with some of the changes implemented in your favourite applications.
Now it's our turn to share some of the inconveniences with you.
As you know, we have migrated to a new domain name that is shorter, simpler and for us more evocative of our activities with the suffix .si, as an information system https://www.idema.si/actualites/changement-de-domaine
MCD, UML
As such, we wanted to share with you the various impacts of design flaws in the CDM (Conceptual Data Model) for certain personal data such as the email address that are difficult to access and/or modify.
But before we go any further, what is the MCD? A subject which is particularly close to our hearts at iDeMa. The MCD remains one of the most important tools for the design of databases. It is the engine architecture of any management information system (or business information system) or decision support system (or business intelligence or data intelligence). Its graphical representation (known as the UML) makes it easy to understand the different elements of a system (tables, properties, links or relationships between the different elements, etc.). For us, this is essentialfor the proper design of an application. A MCD that everyone can understand is the sign of a good design. We should never go any further without all the stakeholders (business and users, project management, developers, operations, etc.) sharing the MCD.
Let's go back to our experience of changing domain names and therefore e-mail addresses and contacts of our main suppliers. In many cases, as I said, the e-mail address is not easily accessible and/or modifiable.
What about personal data?
This is a bit of a pain and, above all, not in line with the RGPD, which requires that all personal data be easily accessible, modifiable and/or deletable. However, for many systems this address is used as a primary key. In other words, it is used as a unique and unchangeable identifier, like your national insurance number, and as a key to access all the elements of the application or portal. Finally, it also happens that this email address is recovered to be used in other databases (newsletter, promotions database, accounting database, etc.) In short, a real imbroglio for making any changes. This can be very unpleasant for the end user. It can also be very embarrassing for the brand image of the company that claims to be serving you with new digital tools. Finally, it is risky if some users, out of a fit of temper, start complaining to the CNIL, and it is not possible to contact anyone (even by telephone) to ask for the problem to be resolved.
What is left of the quality systems of the 2000's where the recording and treatment of anomalies was the obsession of many companies... Rest assured they are not dead, they just need to be updated!
The MCD, change with fun
In any case, we advise you never to neglect the MCD of your application and to take the time to share it and test it with all the stakeholders in the project. It is essential and you will see that with a little practice it is even fun!
To convince yourself of this, start by making the MCD of your own wine cellar or your repertoire of good recipes.... And consume your MCDs without moderation !!!!
See you soon.
