week 4

Learning Aims and Objectives:
Aim: In this week's page, students will learn the.

Objectives:
1. By the end of this week's page students will be able to.

2. By the end of the week's page students will be able to.

3. By the end of the week's page students will be able to .

4. By the end of the week's page students will be able to

5. By the end of the week's page students will be able to.

B Standard methods and techniques to design relational database solutions

B1 Relational database design

Selection of RDBMS and SQL software, tools, techniques, and processes.

Database design: conceptual, logical and physical modeling and entity-relationship modeling.

When designing a database we can create a series of design documents to present our idea's and solutions. Two such diagrams are the conceptual and logical designs, they plot the links between table entities and the flow of data between them. However careful consideration must be given to them, due to the very nature of a concept. The concept its self may not be able to be produced as it the programs that would be expected to create it may have limitations that do not enable this to happen. Therefore we create a logical diagram that works closely to how the system would work, therefore allowing the user to consider extra tables and entities to be included in the database.

Relational algebra:

The area of Database development is one that is covered with acronyms and algebra. The areas that you will be most exposed to this is in the creation of tables and queries.

Tables that are created in a database will offer the ability to be linked using, one to many, one to one, many to many relationships.

Within queries we use command words, AND, OR, NOT, > (this symbol stands for greater), < (this symbol stands for less than), ≥ (this symbol stands for greater and equal to), ≤ (this symbol stands for greater and equal to) the combination of these key command words will allow the data to be turned in to information based on our requirements and parameters that we have provided the query.

RDMS and SQL software selection.

There are several different database software available to use. Some are more appropriate for small to medium-sized organisations, whereas others are geared towards larger corporations that use data and information almost every second of their working and non-working day.

Software that is well-known cover products such as;

Microsoft Access,

Oracle,

MySQL,

Microsoft SQL Server.

Application design: user interface, software applications.

Inside of most database development tools you will find that they have a section where user input can be designed to enable the entry of data and information.

These application/user interfaces will provide users with tools to create user-friendly entry points. Within the Microsoft Access program users are able to use the Forms feature to build input entry dialogue boxes to enable entry. The feature offers features such as text boxes, labels, buttons, dropdowns, tooltips, alert boxes, sound and many more. The use of these inputs will provide easy input of content. Each of them having adjustable properties such as colour, font and alignment.

When creating a database system/user interface the manipulation of the layout will provide opportunities for the developer to customise the application to meet the companies house style and look.

Database implementation techniques:

Prototyping

Prototyping a database is often used to enable developers and designers the ability to produce a product that can demonstrate a vision/ view of a potential solution to a given brief. Prototypes will give users the feel and look to a system, however, it may have limited features and capabilities. This could provide a negative bias towards the product by frustrating potential test users as features that may be expected to function are not. Another potential pitfall would be that due to its limitations the solution would not provide sufficient capabilities so it is agreed to move from prototype to final product that implemented version still falls short of its requirements.

Data conversion

Testing

Testing of any product is key and important to its ultimate success. The testing process within the creation of a database solution requires sufficient dummy data to test all aspects. This would range from data validation rules to relationships between tables, to report outputs and queries to generate information from the data.

All testing MUST be recorded to demonstrate to others that features function correctly, and, as an audit of checking each database feature. If tests results return as a fail, it is ESSENTIAL that this is resolved and recorded.

In larger databases, and in some corporate settings it may require copies of live data to be input into the system to simulate normal operation and to give a clear opportunity to identify problems.

Quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of the solution:

Correctness of data

Relationships between data

Data integrity

Normalisation

Last Updated
2024-09-04 14:24:13

Links to Learning Outcomes		Links to Assessment criteria
AO1 Demonstrate knowledge of database development terminology, standards, concepts and processes AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of database development terminology, standards, concepts and processes to create a software product to meet a client brief

Links to Learning Outcomes

Links to Assessment criteria

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge of database development terminology, standards, concepts and processes

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of database development terminology, standards, concepts and processes to create a software product to meet a client brief

English

Organising Information: Organise information and ideas into structured and sequenced sentences, paragraphs and whole texts, using a variety of linguistic and structural features to support cohesion and overall coherence.

Reading: Read and understand texts, selecting material appropriate to purpose, collating from different sources and making comparisons and cross-references as appropriate.

Maths

Analysis of information: Interpreting Results, Drawing conclusions from data, Comparing data

Statistic extracting information: Tables, Diagrams, Charts and Graphs

Using Numbers: Counting, Place value, adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

How 2's Coverage

Anonymous Assessment - Learners assess an anonymous piece of work containing deliberate mistakes against given success criteria.

Question and Answer - Verbal discussion with learners to quantify understanding

Product Evidence - Learners to create product evidence to demonstrate understanding