Conceptual Data Modeling Use: A Study of Practitioners

Conceptual data modeling is widely viewed in academia as a critical part of relational database development, essential for reducing project failure risks. Although empirical studies have explored various aspects of its use, research about how frequently Conceptual data modeling is applied in practice and the reasons for its adoption or avoidance are lacking. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a study that evaluates the adoption of conceptual data modeling in the industry. The study begins with practitioner discussions to understand real-world project experiences, revealing a potential discrepancy between what is taught in academic settings and what is practiced in industry. Next, a survey of 485 database professionals is conducted and supplemented by follow-up interviews with 34 professionals. Findings indicate that fewer than 40% of practitioners consistently use formal conceptual data modeling, even in cases when they would like to do so. The survey identifies reasons for not using conceptual data modeling, and the follow-up interviews provide the practitioners with clarifications of the identified barriers. This research finds a positive association between conceptual modeling use and overall satisfaction with the outcome of the database development process. Lastly, the findings of this research offer important implications for both database practitioners and educators.