@classmethod
def description(cls):
    """Return a field->data type dictionary describing this model
        as reported by the database.

        :rtype: dict
        """
    description = {}
    for column in cls.__table__.columns:
        column_description = str(column.type)
        if not column.nullable:
            column_description += ' (required)'
        description[column.name] = column_description
    return description
