Assignment 3 -- Analysis Phase for Developing a Database Application Project
Due date: October 25th, before the start of class.
Value: 40 points of 200 for Assignments.
Continue to work with your group for the Assignments and the Project required for this course.
For Assignment 3, EACH GROUP must complete all parts; the required items need be produced only once. The group continues to develop a database application.
The scope of the semester project, including the cumulative assignments, must give you an experience of enterprise-wide computing, not just a simple desktop application for one user. Some project standards/requirements exist; the database application you develop must include:
- more than one functional area (e.g., marketing and distribution, or inventory and planning, or personnel and sales, etc.);
- more than three (major) high level data (types) groupings (e.g., employees, products, locations, products, customers, positions, payments, etc.);
- more than one 1-to-many relationships between (major) high level data (types) groupings (e.g., "one location may house many employees");
- more than 3 input/output interface requirements for users and/or managers.
Note: you may not use any business/organizations and functions based on customers/orders/order details, nor business/organizations and functions based on courses/students/departments, nor business/organizations and functions based on hospitals/patients; these are business/organizations and functions used in copious sample exercises by the textbook.
For the business or organization you have chosen to develop a database management system (application), refine or improve the following deliverables you produced for Assignments 1 and 2:
- name of the business or organization
- product, product line, or service
- some major corporate functions
- some business processes
- any existing computer applications
- some major data entity types ("high level groupings")
- some needs or problems that are to be addressed by developing a new database application
- some ways employees and managers will use the potential new database application.
- some strategic planning factors: long term vision, some major planning goals, some critical success factors, and some problem areas;
- some corporate planning objects: organizational units, locations, some major corporate functions, and some major data entity types ("high level data groupings");
- an organization chart along functional decomposition lines;
- a preliminary data model -- a high level entity-relationship diagram;
- a formal statement of proposal for a new database application to solve a problem, meet a need, or take advantage of an opportunity -- and thus serve the strategic plan of the business or organization;
- a planning matrix showing function-to-data entity usage expected in the proposed new system;
- (optional) other planning matrices as the group sees necessary or helpful in planning: location-to-function, unit-to-function, unit-to-data entity, location-to-data entity.
Continue to build your dbis using our modified sdlc. Carry forward all the completed and improved work (above). Review Assignment 1 and 2, and improve work completed there.
Make sure you have completed your study of the assigned materials in the textbook and reviewed your notes from class.
Then produce the following new deliverables for this Assignment:
A. For the Database Model
- complete a detailed e-r diagram for the new database application system; include details such as all entities, all attributes (especially identifiers/keys), relationships, and upper/lower cardinalities for those entities you will develop and use;
- define at least five business rules that will impact the database; at least 2 structural and at least 2 operational; describe them clearly and in detail; specify the data entities, attributes, or relationships to which they are connected;
- depict the rules on an e-r diagram using the Ross symbol conventions.
B. For the Application Model
- define in detail all business processes required to successfully support at least two business functions; only the two functions on which the group is working; use a stepwise, sequential structure: "a happens and then b happens and then c happens";
- define in detail some specific "views" of data entities and attributes needed by different persons working in the business functional areas you are supporting (i.e, to perform the processes you defined above);
- define in detail at least 3 different forms/screens/displays, complete with details for each section or block; in an accompanying narrative, tell who will use them, how they will be used and to support what processes;
- define in detail at least 3 reports, complete with details for each section of block on each page; in an accompanying narrative, tell who will use them, how they will be used and to support what processes.
Note: make certain that no data specified on a view, form, or report in "B" are not included in the data model specified in "A."
Textbook Aids. See McFadden, Hoffer, Prescott (MHP) -- references to the Pine Valley Furniture business "case":
- P. 47; pp. 111-114.
- Pp. 112 and 114, p. 121, p. 126.
- Pp. 154-159.
- Pp. 114-117.
Insert your completed, printed deliverable into your portfolio, in the third section of your dividers. Make sure your portfolio is properly identifed with your names. Turn in your portfolio at or before the due date/time.
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