Document Models

This page is an intro to document models, focused towards an audience of developers and builders.

Document model types are available as a set of document templates within Connect. Each DAO that's making use of Powerhouse has the ability to generate, customise or design their own document models. At the current stage this happens through reaching out to the Powerhouse team and setting up a business analyse project for the use case.

Introduction to Document Models

What is a Document Model? A Document Model is a structured framework that represents and manages business logic within a digital environment. It is akin to a sophisticated template that encapsulates the essential aspects of a digital process or a set of data. In essence, document models serve as blueprints that define how data is captured, manipulated, and visualised within a system.

Structure and Composition

Defining the Structure: Each Document Model is composed of several layers, defining its structure and capabilities:

• A Document Model comprises a set of operations that define its editing history and final state. Operations can be seen as a predefined set of functions that can be performed on the data. These might include creating, reading, updating, or deleting data, as well as more complex business logic.

• State Management through the processor: Document Models come package with a processor that turns the list of operations into a final state that can be read by the front end, maintain the state of the data over time, allowing users to track changes and revert to previous states if necessary.

• A document model function according to a transaction based design pattern. Other patterns you might be familiar with are FLUX pattern, or CQRS: Command and Query Responsibility Segregation, a pattern that separates read and update operations for a data store. The operations are akin to transactions in a blockchain, synchronizing changes across different instances of the document. This architecture allows the extraction of secondary data layers, such as operational data and analytics, making documents more than just text – they become dynamic, data-rich resources. Making them machine-readable and interactive through API interfaces.

A visual overview of the 3 types of data that document models unlock by being based on a transaction based design pattern (Flux, CQRS) which generates an operation history.

Integration with Connect

Within the Connect platform, Document Models act as the backbone for managing and automating workflows. They interact seamlessly with other components, providing a cohesive experience for users:

• Interactivity: Users can interact with Document Models through a dedicated editor within Connect, enabling them to input and manipulate data according to the defined business logic. This document model editor can be seen as a traditional user interface.

• Customization: Users can define and customize their Document Models to fit the specific needs and processes of their organization. Currently this happens in collaboration with the Powerhouse team.

• Automation: Due to the fact that document models capture data in a structured way and allow for the generation of secondary layers of data it allows developers to interact with data at the input/output level. Therefor Document Models can trigger automated processes or workflows, reducing the need for manual intervention and increasing efficiency.

Advanced Features of document models

Leveraging Document Models for Advanced Use Cases: For technically advanced users, Document Models offer a range of features that can be leveraged to create sophisticated, automated, and data-driven solutions:

• API Integration: Document Models can be integrated with Switchboard API or external APIs, allowing for the exchange of data between Connect and other systems or services.

• Data Analysis: The structured nature of Document Models makes them ideal for data analysis and reporting. Users can extract insights and generate reports based on the data captured within the models which is accessible through read models. (Operational data + Analytics data which takes into account time series of the data).

• Version Control: Similar to how Git manages changes to source code, Document Models in Connect will support version control, enabling users to track changes, compare different versions, and ensure data integrity over time.

Document Models are a powerful primitive within the Powerhouse vision, offering a flexible, structured, and efficient way to manage business logic and data. By understanding and leveraging Document Models, you will be able to significantly enhance the capabilities of your DAO and drive your organization towards greater efficiency and success.