Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design

State two goals of analyzing the current database.

The goals of analyzing the current database are to determine the following:

1. What types of data the organization uses

2. How the organization uses its data

3. How the organization manages and maintains its data

True or False: You can adopt the current database structure as the basis for the new structure.

False. You should not adopt the current database structure as the basis for the new structure.

What is a legacy database ?

A legacy database is a database that has been in existence and in use for five years or more.

State two steps of the analysis process.

The analysis process incorporates these three steps:

1. Reviewing the way data is collected

2. Reviewing the manner in which information is presented

3. Conducting interviews with users and management

Which types of computer software programs should you review during the analysis?

The types of computer software programs you should review during the analysis include word processors, spreadsheets, databases, and Web pages.

Why should you conduct interviews after you gather data-collection and information-presentation samples?

You should conduct interviews after you gather data-collection and information-presentation samples for these reasons:

1. They provide details about the samples you assembled during the previous reviews.

2. They provide information on the way the organization uses its data.

3. They are instrumental in defining preliminary field and table structures.

4. They help to define future information requirements.

How do you use " open " and "closed" questions?

You use open-ended questions to focus on specific subjects and closed questions to focus on specific details of a certain subject.

What is the subject-identification technique ?

The subject-identification technique allows you to identify subjects within a participant's response to a given question.

How do you identify specific attributes for a particular subject?

You identify specific attributes for a particular subject by using the characteristic-identification technique .

True or False: You should interview users and management at the same time.

False. You should interview users and management separately.

What three basic types of information requirements must you identify?

The three basic types of information requirements you must identify are current , additional , and future .

What is the preliminary field list ?

The preliminary field list represents the organization's fundamental data requirements and constitutes the core set of fields that you must define in the database.

State why each item on this list should have a unique name .

Each item on this list should have a unique name to ensure that the characteristic appears only once on the list.

What is a value list ?

A value list specifies the acceptable range of values for a particular characteristic and often enforces a given business rule.

What are calculated fields ? What (if anything) should you do about them?

A calculated field stores the result of a string concatenation or mathematical expression as its value. You should remove calculated fields from the preliminary field list and place them on a dedicated calculated-field list.