4. Consider where that information will be coming from, in particular if the input is from automated or manual systems. A number of important decisions will focus on this. Built by assembling information from multiple data sources Combined from multiple sources that are similar but not designed uniformly, or Created by bringing together information that is created manually and trying to combine it with other sources. Consider how to best organize the information Think hierarchically. XML documents contain information that conforms to a tree structure.
Information is inter-related.
It is your job to describe how. When you work with Microsoft Windows, and need to find your way around the resources available to you, you are working with a hierarchy. Now think of your project in that same way. XML rolls up to one parent of all parents - called the root. The intended reporting and querying will help determine the levels of detail and necessary summarization you will build in.