A New Methodology for Database Requirements Analysis

This article presents a systematic methodology for requirements analysis in database design. The procedure begins with an interview with the user/decision maker. The responses collected during the interview are analyzed to represent, by means of a diagram, the data and processing requirements for the activity under consideration. The diagram uses two fundamental constructs, events and states, as building blocks. It depicts any temporal or causal relationships, as well as logical operators, that maybe present in the process underlying the activity. The representation is compact and easy to follow. An experimental study is described to illustrate the applicability of the methodology.

[1]  James C. Miller Conceptual models for determining information requirements , 1964, AFIPS '64 (Spring).

[2]  Benn R. Konsynski,et al.  Information Resource Specification and Design Language , 1979, ER.

[3]  Douglas T. Ross,et al.  Structured Analysis for Requirements Definition , 1977, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[4]  Trevor John Bentley Defining management's information needs , 1976, AFIPS '76.

[5]  R. Anthony,et al.  Planning and Control Systems: A Framework for Analysis , 1965 .

[6]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  Determining Management Information Needs: A Comparison of Methods , 1977, MIS Q..

[7]  Charles W. Bachman,et al.  Data structure diagrams , 1969, DATB.

[8]  Janis A. Bubenko,et al.  Information Modeling in the Context of System Development , 1980, IFIP Congress.

[9]  Russell L. Ackoff,et al.  Management misinformation systems , 1967 .

[10]  Rob Gerritsen Tools for the Automation of Database Design , 1978, Data Base Design Techniques I.

[11]  Nick Roussopoulos,et al.  Database Conceptual Modelling , 1979, ER.

[12]  William R. King,et al.  The Design of Management Information Systems an Information Analysis Approach , 1975 .

[13]  Ernest A. Hershey,et al.  PSL/PSA: A Computer-Aided Technique for Structured Documentation and Analysis of Information Processing Systems , 1976, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[14]  Beverly K. Kahn A method for describing information required by the database design process , 1976, SIGMOD '76.

[15]  George U. Hubbard,et al.  Automated Logical Data Base Design: Concepts and Applications , 1977, IBM Syst. J..

[16]  Douglas T. Ross,et al.  Structured Analysis (SA): A Language for Communicating Ideas , 1977, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[17]  Peter P. Chen The entity-relationship model: a basis for the enterprise view of data , 1986, AFIPS '77.

[18]  Daniel Teichroew,et al.  A survey of languages for stating requirements for computer-based information systems , 1972, AFIPS '72 (Fall, part II).

[19]  George U. Hubbard A Technique for Automated Logical Database Design , 1978, Data Base Design Techniques I.

[20]  E. Burton Swanson,et al.  Management information requirements assessment: the state of the art , 1979, DATB.

[21]  Ramez Elmasri,et al.  The Structural Model for Database Design , 1979, ER.

[22]  Shamkant B. Navathe,et al.  View representation in logical database design , 1978, SIGMOD Conference.

[23]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  Strategies for Information Requirements Determination , 1982, IBM Syst. J..