Incrementally documenting your database

At the 2024 Data Vault Conference, Alexey Makhotkin introduced a practical and refreshing approach to database documentation: Minimal Modeling. If you missed the session, here’s your friendly recap—and a reminder to join our forum to keep the conversation going!

The Problem: “240 Tables, No Documentation”

Sound familiar? Many organizations struggle with sprawling databases and little to no documentation. This leads to slow onboarding, wasted time learning the data, and friction at every step—reading schemas, outdated wikis, incomplete catalogs, and busy knowledge keepers.

The Minimal Modeling Solution

Instead of trying to document every column in every table, Minimal Modeling focuses on four key elements:

1. Anchors (nouns): The core entities (e.g., Customer, Item, Campaign)

2. Attributes: Key properties of each anchor (e.g., Customer/reg_date)

3. Links: Relationships between anchors (e.g., Customer placed an Order)

4. Secondary Data: Derived or aggregated data (e.g., sales per day, order counts)

This approach is database-agnostic and works across relational, NoSQL, and cloud platforms. The deliverable is a single, tabular-structured document with four main sections—anchors, attributes, links, and secondary data.

How Does It Work in Practice?

• Collaborative tools: Use Google Docs, Notion, Grist, or even custom tools to maintain your catalog.

• Incremental updates: When you learn something new, add it to the catalog. See a mistake? Fix it right away.

• Onboarding boost: New team members can read the Minimal Modeling catalog as part of onboarding, reducing ramp-up time from a week to half a day.

• Business benefits: Faster onboarding means more profit, easier hiring, and a common language from day one.

Real-World Outcomes

Early adopters like Epoch8.co have seen:

• Catalogs that accumulate knowledge over time

• Onboarding time slashed

• Lower skill requirements for new hires

• More sales and smoother project delivery

Minimal Modeling can be adopted incrementally—start slow, build up your catalog, and watch efficiency grow without changing your database structure.

Key Takeaways

• Document incrementally: Don’t wait for a “big bang” documentation project.

• Focus on what matters: Anchors, attributes, links, and secondary data.

• Make it collaborative: Use tools your team already knows.

• No database changes required: It’s all about documentation, not refactoring.

Join the Data Community!

• Sign up to our forum: Share your experiences, ask questions, and connect with fellow data enthusiasts.

• Stay up to date: We host regular webinars, workshops, and meetups—don’t miss out!

• Shape the future: Your feedback and participation help us build better tools and resources for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Minimal Modeling is a game-changer for teams drowning in undocumented data. By focusing on incremental, collaborative documentation, you can boost efficiency, reduce onboarding time, and create a common language for your team. Ready to make your data documentation painless? Join the conversation, sign up for our next webinar, and let’s build the future of data together!