The Data Structure provides the final rounding picture to a model whose description began with the Entity Relationship Diagram and the Data Element Dictionary.   This document is the ERMI-recommended approach to turning the conceptualization of the ERD and the DED into something approaching a relational database design.
	Each of the elements in the Dictionary have been mapped into entities described in the ERD.  Some new “elements” have been inserted to represent the needed relationships between entities that were described in the ERD as well.
	Finally, each element has been annotated with information about
	data type (numeric, text, logical, date, etc.)
	functionality (outline labels from the Functional Requirements document are included)
	optionality
	cardinality
	and other needed notes or examples