Yes, we need still need to do data modeling, and yes, data modeling is a skill that developers need to learn and practice.

Kent’s points are important:
— To get business value out of the data, you need to understand the data
— Even if you don’t need a model to store the data, you DO need a model to understand the data and use it properly
— Know your data!

I see fewer and fewer data modeling session at conferences these days – dull and boring perhaps, but essential for efficient development and data retrieval based on your data.  I see data modeling as a fundamental skill for all IT professionals – at least those working with databases.