Aim
To give learners opportunities to develop an understanding of the concepts and issues relating to databases and database design as well as the practical skills to translate that understanding into the design and creation of complex databases.
Learning Outcomes
The assessment offers you an opportunity to demonstrate ability to:
• Understand databases and data management systems
• Understand database design techniques.
• Be able to design, create and document database.
Scenario
An old-fashioned tennis club in South Manchester, the Southern, has received a cash injection by a group of entrepreneurs. The facilities have been updated and now include a trendy café-bar, state-of-the art fitness rooms, tennis courts (grass, artificial grass and indoor) and squash courts. There is now a need to update the club’s computer system, in particular the functions associated with membership and court bookings.
You are to adopt the role of a system developer to produce the deliverables specified in the assignment brief.
You should however investigate court bookings and membership arrangements at a sports club.
The principal system requirements have been identified as follows:
1. To maintain information on types of membership (the ones identified so far are full, student, OAP, off-peak, junior, racquets only, fitness only);
2. To provide a record of court bookings;
3. To maintain membership details and record subscription payments;
4. To maintain details of courts (minimally type of court ie squash or tennis, type of surface – tennis only, location, comments;
5. To maintain details of coaches (contact details, type of coach, qualifications, awards);
6. To produce management reports (minimally list of members, court bookings per week).
The system is not required to keep detailed accounting information. Make assumptions where it is necessary
Activities:
Task one (Analysis and Design):
Produce a design of the database that would be suitable to meet requirements.
• List functional requirements for a given problem.
• Discuss ER diagram and Normalisation.
• Draw an ER diagram including labelled relationships, cardinalities and assumptions for Southern tennis club.
• Conduct relational data analysis and normalise your entities to 3rd Normal form.
• A list of the attributes for each entity including descriptions in a data dictionary.
Task two (Implementation):
Produce a database implementation that meets the key requirement.
• Within your system develop a range of sample input and output screens eg tables, forms and reports, dropdown lists, checkboxes, etc.
• Test the database with suitable test data.
• Full details of and justification for, the validation and other integrity controls you propose for the information to be entered into the database.
• Produce a user guide for staff training.
• Reflect on your solution for the identified problem. Discuss possible improvements that could be made to your solution.
Task three:
What is a DMBS? Include in your discussion how a DBMS could be used in a commercial and non-commercial environment. Include issues such as the end user, use of database across different platforms and compatibility.
Explain in non-technical terms the features and benefits of a database.
In addition the report should contain a contents page, introduction, conclusion and a bibliography of your sources.