Access Database Project

Design a database that will answer some questions for you. It can contain any type of information you want. Define your database by using Use Case Diagrams and Class Diagrams, and then create an Entity Relationship diagram, and finally an Algebraic Relation Model.

Then, actually create your database in Access, complete with tables, queries and simple reports. Fill your database with at least 5 items in each table, and 20 in the major tables. Create reports to answer the questions your database is supposed to answer. You are welcome to use the report wizard to create the reports. Your entry forms should use drop boxes where appropriate, but it is fine to ask someone to help you create a drop box.

Your database should include at least 4 related tables. Including one table that can be modeled as a weak entity will be required in order to get 100 points, but you can get 95 without it. (A weak entity will include the key its strong entity in its own table. i.e. orders and order detail.)

Please hand in the following:

A design document with:

• Short description of the system and its purpose
• List of questions to be answered by the system
• Use case diagram (object oriented)
• Class diagram (object oriented)
• Entity Relationship diagram (data oriented)
• Algebraic Relation Model (data oriented)
• Copy the SQL from all the queries onto one or two pages
• Print the reports that answer the questions

The actual database (a .mdb file) in my digital dropbox with a subject "Access Project Done". Please print the documents and hand them to me in class.

You can do this project as a group of 2, but then you should have at least 8 tables, including at least 2 major tables of 20 items each. (A group of 3 would need 12 tables with 3 major.)

Guideline for the Short Description of the system and its purpose:

First, you will need to pick something you want to hold or analyze in a system. Try to make it something you would normally try to monitor, or try to identify a small system your parent, club, job or friend could use. If you have a job that could use a small system to keep track of accounting or orders or parts, that system would be helpful. It would be great to find a need your club, a parent or a friend has a real need for a database (or even a need you can convince them of). If you find someone needs a complex system, find someone to do the project with you in a group.

Some ideas of a system for you:

• If you closely follow the performance of some teams or players, a sports database may make sense for you.
• If you are meticulous about sending out holiday and birthday cards, an address database may make sense for you.
• If you have tons of cds all over the place and never know where to find them, a cd database may be great.
• If you have tons of computer games, including ones you have loaned to friends, and you want to keep track of where everything is, a game database may help.
• team score database
• movie database
• CD database
• clothing database
• workout database
• meal database
• checkbook
• address book

For the short description, just write couple sentences about what the system will be tracking.

Guideline for the List of Questions:

Think about what the system could give you once it was programmed in Access Eventually, you will create the database in Access. Now, you are in the requirements gathering stage. You just want to determine some needs.

Once you determine the topic, determine 5 questions such a database could answer. (10 for a group of 2.) The answer to each question should include at least a few items. For example, "Which movies have a certain rating?" (Good Question) . Avoid questions that have only one item as an answer, such as "What is a movie's rating?" (Bad Question). These questions should be about things you really might want to know.

Hand in this list of questions with the short description as soon as you are done. This way, I can see whether you are on the right track. On the top put your name and a short name for the project.

Sample Questions: http://home.adelphi.edu/~pe16132/opr271/sample_access/dbquestions.htm

A guideline for creating the Use Case Diagram:  

To create a use diagram, draw a person on a piece of paper. Then draw an arrow out to a circle. In the circle, write the activity a person using your system would want to do with your database (such as see all their payments for the month, see the date a check was paid, see all information about a bill). These activities are based on your original database questions - since that is what your user wants to use the system for. You would have a circle for every possible use.

A guideline for creating a Class Diagram:

To create a class diagram, draw a big rectangle with a line splitting it. Under the line, enter all the activities in your use diagram. Above the line, list all the information your system will need in order to perform those activities. If you have more than one major entity, you will need more classes (rectangles), and all your uses would be dispersed among the classes.

This guideline isn’t really great for a complex system. It works for a simple system.