In developing ShowInfo, I’ve been following the database design process laid out by Michael J. Hernandez in his text, Database Design for Mere Mortals™. [Readers of my regular Weblog will note that I picked this book up some time ago].
Hernandez’s first step is to develop a mission statement and mission objectives for the database being developed. He explains his rationale as follows:
The first phase in the database design process involves defining a mission statement and mission objectives for the database. The mission statement establishes the purpose of the database and provides you with a distinct focus for your design work.
– pg. 79, Database Design for Mere Mortals™
I’ve seen too many projects out there that seem to have never had an initial focus, instead choosing to hack around and then let the focus develop as time and code pass. I’m prone to that myself, so I’m being regimental in holding myself to this standard.
As such, I’ve developed the following mission statement for Show Info:
ShowInfo Mission Statement
The purpose of ShowInfo is to maintain show information, allow users to indicate their presence at a show and view those attending, and to facitilitate sharing of concert experiences after the show.
ShowInfo Mission Objectives
- ShowInfo must maintain data pertinent to attending concerts.
- ShowInfo must allow users to indicate shows that they will/might attend, as well as shows that they have attended in the past.
- ShowInfo must allow users to maintain setlist and concert photo data.
- ShowInfo must create reports of future shows.
- ShowInfo must archive data about previous shows.
The second step in the ShowInfo development process will be developing the preliminary table and field lists.
Any progress on the design?
Yeah,…I’m interested in maybe helping out to get this thing up and running. Any groundwork been done yet?
Other than some ideas that Gary has tossed my way, no, not really.
If the both of you want to be involved … sign up to help. I’m not going to slow nobody down.