For successful implementation of successful database in an organization, there is a need for database blue print. This process is called as design phase which includes many steps. It includes four steps:
Requirement Analysis:
The requirements for the database are determined by the business by thoroughly understanding the system. To gather the information, businesses use six techniques, they are sampling of existing documentation, forms, databases, research and site visits, observation of the work environment, questionnaires, prototyping and Joint Requirements Planning (JRP).
Entity Relationship Diagram:
The information collected during the Requirement Analysis step is transformed into an ERD(Entity Relationship Diagram) in which data is organized into entities and relationships between them. ERD uses symbols and graphically defines the structure of the database in a very simple and understandable manner.
Relational Model:
Next step is to convert the entity relationship diagram in to relational model because ERD is weak from implementation point of view. A relational model employs a single concept of tables, the entity sets and the relationships depicted in the ERD are converted into tables. There are five steps for converting ERD in to relational model.
Normalization:
Normalization eliminates partial dependency and transitive dependency in order to avoid redundancies and data anomalies. It is a process of increasing the normal form rating. It can be applied in two ways:
- Normal forms applied after the relational model is created
- The third step is skipped and the creation of tables is done with the normalization in consideration directly.
