Reference no: EM132423125

Unit 4: Database Design and Development Assignment - BTEC: Pearson Higher National in Computing

Assignment Title - Database Design & Development

Unit Learning Outcomes -

1. Use an appropriate design tool to design a relational database system for a substantial problem.

2. Develop a fully functional relational database system, based on an existing system design.

3. Test the system against user and system requirements.

4. Produce technical and user documentation.

Case study -

You are employed as a Database Developer for a large IT consultancy company. The company has been approached by a company called Bluegenesis which is expanding rapidly due to the huge growth in demand of their products and services from building contractors. New housing developments are growing as a result of the government's agenda to regenerate the old disused factory complexes outside the city of Islamabad.

Bluegenesis have, to date, managed their business by using a computerised system which was developed by a college student five years ago. The system is now too slow and no system documentation was produced when it was implemented so changes to the system cannot be made easily. The CEO of Bluegenesis feels that their business requirements have changed, and they need to invest in new technology and a new system in order to grow and manage their business successfully.

Bluegenesis currently has sales agents who follow up sales leads which are mainly generated from their marketing material and calls taken by staff in the company office. Sales are also generated by the agents who visit building contractors. Each visit from a lead results in a quote and some of these quotes result in an actual sale, either to supply only, or to supply and install.

Bluegenesis supplies a huge range of windows and doors. They buy most of their products in bulk from a few large manufacturers and store the products in their warehouse. They also make some bespoke windows and doors in their workshop in the warehouse.

Your company has accepted the contract to develop a database system for Bluegenesis and to provide the necessary technology to run the system. Your brief is to develop the database system element of the contract from Bluegenesis.

You have been asked by your manager to investigate the system requirements; and design, create and implement the system. One of the requirements of the contract is that user and technical documentation be made available to Bluegenesis.

Part 1 -

Before you start the development process, your manager has asked you to produce a report for the CEO of Bluegenesis, containing:

1. The design of the relational database system using appropriate design tools and techniques. It should contain at least four interrelated tables.

2. Clear statements of user and system requirements.

You would prefer to produce a more detailed document, so you will produce a comprehensive design for a fully functional system which will include interface and output designs, data validations and cover data normalisation.

Your manager would like a separate report on your assessment of the effectiveness of the design in relation to user and system requirements.

Part 2 -

Once the designs have been accepted by your manager you have been asked to develop the database system using evidence of user interface, output and data validations and querying across multiple tables.

You should also demonstrate the creation of table(s) using SQL language(i.e. Create table).

You want to include more than just the basics, so you will implement a fully functional database system which will include system security and database maintenance features. You may use MS Access for this development.

The developed system will be demonstrated to your manager.

Your manager has asked you to produce a report:

1. Assessing whether meaningful data has been extracted through the use of query tools to produce appropriate management information.

2. Evaluating the effectiveness of the database solution in relation to user and system requirements, and suggest improvements.

Part 3 -

Once the system has been developed, you will test the system and your manager will complete a witness statement indicating how your tests are performing against user and system requirements.

You will produce a brief report assessing the effectiveness of the testing (P4), including an explanation of the choice of test data used.

Lastly you will produce technical and user documentation which will be given to the company. You want to provide some graphical representations for ease of reference in the technical guide, so you have decided to produce a technical and user documentation for a fully functional system, including diagrams showing movement of data through the system, and flowcharts describing how the system works.

You should also suggest any future improvements that may be required to ensure the continued effectiveness of the database system.

Please access HN Global for additional resources support and reading for this unit. For further guidance and support on report writing please refer to the Study Skills Unit on HN Global.