Identify the entities
List the attributes for each entity
Choose the primary key for each entity
Identify relationships between entities
Determine relationship cardinality
Determine relationship optionality
Identify foreign keys
Resolve many-to-many relationships with associative entities
Normalize the data model
Draw entities as rectangles
Draw attributes as ovals or list them inside entities
Draw relationships as diamonds or connecting lines
Add crow’s foot notation or other cardinality markers
Review for consistency and completeness
Refine the diagram as needed