Database Development

Databases are so common today that most people can probably come up with a reasonable description of one. Essentially it is a repository of information that can be queried. A database can be as complex as a system integrating all functions of a large corportation or as simple as the contact database in your cell phone. If you frequently struggle to gather, collate and summarize data, you could probably benefit from a computer database.


	How it helps When you look up a contact on your cell phone you retrieve the person's phone number and, perhaps, some additional data such as the address or date of birth of the person. Complex, large-scale databases can do much more, permitting you to relate different pieces of data, enabling you to report and summarize data for better understanding and comprehension. Example A cardiology department in a large medical center required a system for scheduling, reporting and billing of all procedures performed. The system needed to receive admission data and return reporting data to the main hospital system. It also required that specific procedures be entered real time in order to more easily perform data entry and to ensure that medical requirements for the recording of various patient parameters were met.		The Process Observation The details of this stage will vary depending on whether or not you have an existing system. You may be adding a new module, replacing an existing digital system with a new one or moving from a manual system to a computerized one. In all three cases the process starts by gathering data, seeing what you have and identifying what you need. Analysis During this stage we will determine what must be built. We will identify the specific components (entities) required for the database, such as customers, invoices, etc. We will also analyze the need for specific reports or query functions. Discussion / Proposal Depending on the complexity of the system under consideration multiple discussions may be required. These discussions are designed to ensure that everyone is in agreement. Putting together a complex system can be a daunting task, but stumbling blocks are always more easily overcome in the design stage, before coding has begun. The end result of these discussions will be a thorough understanding by all participants of the scope and requirements of the system to be developed. Testing The application will be installed in order for the testing phase to begin. During this stage users will work with the application using test data in order to uncover any bugs or defects. Delivery Once the testing phase has been completed, the final version of the application will be installed. This step may require transferring data from any existing systems.

because software shouldn't be painful