Teaching Database Design Concepts With Access 2010

Session Outline  Two Part  Lecture/Discussion/Sharing  Hands-on  Practical  Helpful

Objectives  Challenges  Student background/knowledge/learning  Database Design Concepts  Includes logical and physical  Access 2010  Can implement design using Datasheet view  Our Approach  Integration and more

Learning Outcomes  Identify and define the information that is needed to design a database  Create conceptual and logical db designs  Build a relational database that provides users with queries, forms, and reports  Understand core terms, concepts, and tools

Learning Outcomes  Design and maintain relational db tables  Create Select and Action queries  Create normalized relationships between tables, apply validation rules, and referential integrity principles  Design and modify reports and forms

Challenges  Perceived knowledge versus actual knowledge  Very little or no previous experience with Access  No understanding of when to use  No connection to real-world  Looks different from other Office apps

More Challenges  House analogy  Need a blueprint before you can build  GIGO (garbage in, garbage out)  Teaching approach  Skills first  Concepts first  Integrate

Key DB Design Concepts  Entity  Person, place, thing, event (noun)  Attribute  Property of an entity (adjective, adverb)  Relationship  Association between entities

Key DB Design Concepts  Database  Structure that can house information about multiple types of entities, the attributes of these entities, and the relationships among the entities.  Relational Database  Perceived by users to be a collection of tables; two-dimensional named tables

DBMS (software)  Design structure of database  Create data entry forms  Validate data  Sort and manipulate data  Query the database  Produce reports

Goals of Database Design  Input  set of user requirements  Output  database structure capable of supporting user requirements

Database Design Step 1  Information-level design  gather user requirements  design a database that meets requirements as cleanly as possible  independent of DBMS

Database Design Step 2  Concerned with characteristics of specific DBMS  Must resolve issues such as  column names  data type  number of columns  data length

General Design Guidelines  Identify the tables (entities)  Determine the primary keys (unique attribute)  Determine additional fields (attributes)  Determine relationships among tables

General Design Guidelines (cont)  Determine data types for fields  Identify and remove unwanted redundancy  Storing a piece of data in more than one place  Determine a storage location  Determine additional properties for attributes

Catch 22  Students need some understanding of concepts before they create database objects.  Students think concepts are “boring” and want to get their hands on the software.

Help is on the way!  Access 2010  Use Datasheet view to implement design  Visually see columns as you create them  Assign data types  Add new fields  Change field size  Add validation rules  Add captions

A Database Example Camashaly Design Group provides custom marketing solutions for the service, non-profit, and retail sectors. The company specializes in designing and maintaining Web sites and using social networking Web sites for online marketing. Camashaly uses business analysts to work collaboratively with clients. Camashaly would like to organize the data on clients and business analysts in to a database managed by Access 2010.

Applying the Database Design Guidelines to Camashaly Design Group

Client Number Client NameStreetCityStatePostal Code BA53Bavant Animal Hospital134 MainBurlesNC28817 BB32Babbage CPA Firm464 LinnellAustinSC28796 BC76Buda Community Clinic867 RidgeBudaNC27032 CJ29Catering by Jenna123 SecondGrangerNC27036 GA74Grant Antiques78 CatawbaGeorgetownNC28794 GF56Granger Foundation65 SimpsonGrangerNC27036 HC10Hendley County Hospital216 RivardAustinSC28796 KD21KAL Design Studio116 PineGeorgetownNC28794 KG04Kyle Grocery Cooperative421 FirstKyleSC28798 ME14Mike's Electronic Stop234 GilhamGeorgetownNC28794 PJ34Patricia Jean Florist345 MageeKyleSC28798 SL77Smarter Law Associates764 MainBurlesNC28817 TB17The Bikeshop346 AustinBudaNC27032 WE05Walburg Energy Alternatives12 PolkWalburgNC28819 WS01Woody Sporting Goods578 CentralWalburgNC28819 Word table

Excel workbook

Business Analyst Number Last NameFirst NameStreetCityStatePostal Code 11KerryCordelia251 PainterGeorgetownNC MartinezManuel3125 SteelKyleSC LiuJan265 MarbleByronSC ScottJeff1925 PineGeorgetownNC28794 Word table

Excel workbook

Our Approach  Integrate concepts and DBMS  Introduce common database objects  Tables  Forms  Queries  Reports  Use Datasheet view for one table  Use Design view for another table

Our Approach (cont)  Import data from other Office applications  Less emphasis on typing  More realistic  Use Layout view  Easier to visualize changes

Our Approach (cont)  Show routine database operations  Backing up a database  Renaming objects  Deleting objects  Compacting a database

Advantages  Provides an overview of database tools  Follows the database creation process from design to implementation  Emphasizes the data independence feature of a database  Uses real-world situations  Encourages critical thinking  Encourages retention

Your Turn  Try it out Thank you Phil and Mary