A cognitive database system matches a particular data element, that is specified as part of received user input, to a first set of data elements in a set of data models based on semantic commonality, and matches the particular data element to a second set of data elements in the set of data models based on visual commonality between graphical representations of the particular data element and the second set of data elements. The cognitive database may determine interdependency between the particular data element and a particular subset of the first and second sets of data elements based on a measure of semantic commonality and/or visual commonality, and may generate a response to the user input with values from the particular subset of data elements that are updated directly from the interdependency that is determined upon receiving the user input.