What is a Model?

Models can be very simple, very complex, or anywhere in between.

This is a very basic introduction for people who have never worked with modeling. If you are familiar with building models, you won't need to read this section.

Basically, a model is a visual representation of something. In the DNE, it represents either relationships between pieces of knowledge or it represents something you want to do (e.g., steps in booking a flight, steps in setting up a home entertainment unit, etc. Typically, the model simplifies what it represents, to make it easier to understand, without losing any of the crucial detail.

Here is a simple model. It lays out the steps in cooking a dish.

First, you decide what you are making; then you determine what's in it, then you prepare the ingredients, then you cook the dish; and finally you present it at the table. Notice that all the objects in this model - "Dish", "Ingredients & Equipment", "Preparation", "Cooking" and "Presentation" are all very general. This model can be used with pretty much any dish you ever decide to make.

The DNE is designed to make it easy to manage information visually like this. For instance, you can manage all your recipes in step-by-step models like this. One model for "Spaghetti Bolognese" and another model for "Phad Thai". Each of the models would have the same steps, but each of the models would have very different information (i.e., each of the dishes has very different ingredients, etc.).