---
esco_uri: http://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/03ff0d53-573a-47a0-a0ad-1995815a4339
esco_label: "information structure"
relation: essential
onet_soc: 15-1242.00
source: model-knowledge
confidence: high
qa_count: 0
generator: gemma3:27b (prompt-designed and spot-checked by Claude)
generated: 2026-07-10
---

# information structure — Database Administrator

As a Database Administrator (DBA), 'information structure' isn’t about *creating* data formats, but deeply understanding and managing the ones you inherit and implement. Daily, this means knowing how different applications feed data into your databases – is it rigidly structured SQL tables? Semi-structured JSON or XML for logging/API interactions? Or completely unstructured text blobs needing parsing? You'll be tuning queries to efficiently handle these varying formats; a query optimized for relational data will *fail* on a nested JSON document. Tools like database profiling tools (e.g., pgAdmin, SQL Server Management Studio performance monitors) help identify bottlenecks caused by poorly handled information structures.

Typical tasks involve designing schemas that accommodate anticipated data variations – maybe using JSONB columns in PostgreSQL or similar features in other databases to handle flexible attributes. You'll also be responsible for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes; transforming unstructured/semi-structured data *into* a structured format suitable for analysis is a huge part of the job.  Pitfalls include accepting poorly defined APIs that deliver inconsistent data, or underestimating storage needs when dealing with large volumes of unstructured text. Ignoring information structure leads to slow queries, data integrity issues, and ultimately, unreliable reporting.

A 'good' DBA proactively maps out how data flows into and through their systems. They document the expected format of each data source, understand its limitations, and design database structures that minimize transformation overhead.  They also advocate for consistent data formats *at the source* whenever possible – preventing problems before they start. This isn’t just about technical skill; it's about understanding business requirements and translating them into efficient data models.

Finally, consider data lakes/data warehouses. While traditionally DBAs focused on structured data, modern roles increasingly involve managing these repositories of diverse formats.  Understanding how to index, partition, and query semi-structured and unstructured data within a data lake (using tools like Spark or Hadoop) is becoming essential.

## Weitere Anreicherung

Stage-2 source for future practitioner grounding: arXiv cs.SE (software-engineering preprints).
