What Does Reification Mean?
Reification is the process during which an abstract idea regarding a computer application can be converted into an object or explicit data model. In other words, reification helps in the conversion of an unexpressed, implicit idea into a conceptual or logical one. Reification is one the most widely used processes in knowledge representation and conceptual analysis.
Techopedia Explains Reification
Data reification is similar in some aspects to data refinement, though the reification process is more focused on concretizing the idea than refining it. When it comes to data reification, the refinement is comprised of steps to find more concrete representation of abstract data types, which is done using standard specifications. Data reification helps in lowering the level of abstract data types and the abstraction involved in operation modeling. In conceptual modeling, reifying a relationship makes it possible to view as an entity. The sole purpose of reifying a relationship is to make it as explicit with additional information added to it.
