The Align > Refine > Design series covers conceptual, logical, and physical data modeling (schema design and patterns) for leading technologies, combining proven data modeling practices with database-specific features to produce better applications.

Read Neo4j Data Modeling if you are a data professional who needs to expand your modeling skills to include Neo4j or a technologist who knows Neo4j but needs to grow your schema design skills.

The book's introduction and three chapters cover the Align, Refine, and Design approach. We include what the level does in the name by rebranding Conceptual, Logical, and Physical into Align, Refine, and Design.

The introduction covers the three modeling characteristics of precise, minimal, and visual; the three model components of entities, relationships, and attributes (including keys); the three model levels of conceptual (align), logical (refine), and physical (design); and the three modeling perspectives of relational, dimensional, and query. Chapter 1, Align, is about agreeing on the common business vocabulary so everyone is aligned on terminology and general initiative scope. Chapter 2, Refine, is about capturing the business requirements. That is, refining our knowledge of the initiative to focus on what is essential. Chapter 3, Design, is about the technical requirements. That is, designing to accommodate our model's unique software and hardware needs.

Align, Refine, and Design-that's the approach followed in this book and reinforced through an animal shelter case study.

If you are interested in learning how to build multiple database solutions, read all the books in the Align > Refine > Design series. Since each book uses the same template, you can quickly skill up on additional database technologies.