Posted: September 13th, 2017

Fact-Finding Technique: Writing services in USA

Fact-Finding Technique: Writing services

Chapter Objectives
In this chapter you will learn:
When fact-finding techniques are used in the database system development
lifecycle.
n The types of facts collected in each stage of the database system development
lifecycle.
The types of documentation produced in each stage of the database system
development lifecycle.
The most commonly used fact-finding techniques.
How to use each fact-finding technique and the advantages and disadvantages
of each.
About a property rental company called DreamHome.
n How to apply fact-finding techniques to the early stages of the database
system development lifecycle.
In Chapter 9 we introduced the stages of the database system development lifecycle. There
are many occasions during these stages when it is critical that the database developer
captures the necessary facts to build the required database system. The necessary facts
include, for example, the terminology used within the enterprise, problems encountered
using the current system, opportunities sought from the new system, necessary constraints
on the data and users of the new system, and a prioritized set of requirements for the new
system. These facts are captured using fact-finding techniques.
Fact-finding The formal process of using techniques such as interviews and
questionnaires to collect facts about systems, requirements, and
preferences.
In this chapter we discuss when a database developer might use fact-finding techniques and
what types of facts should be captured. We present an overview of how these facts are used to
generate the main types of documentation used throughout the database system development
10.1 When Are Fact-Finding Techniques Used? | 315
10.1
lifecycle. We describe the most commonly used fact-finding techniques and identify the
advantages and disadvantages of each. We finally demonstrate how some of these techniques
may be used during the earlier stages of the database system development lifecycle using a
property management company called DreamHome. The DreamHome case study is used
throughout this book.
Structure of this Chapter
In Section 10.1 we discuss when a database developer might use fact-finding techniques.
(Throughout this book we use the term ‘database developer’ to refer to a person or
group of people responsible for the analysis, design, and implementation of a database
system.) In Section 10.2 we illustrate the types of facts that should be collected and the
documentation that should be produced at each stage of the database system development
lifecycle. In Section 10.3 we describe the five most commonly used fact-finding techniques
and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each. In Section 10.4 we demonstrate
how fact-finding techniques can be used to develop a database system for a case
study called DreamHome, a property management company. We begin this section by
providing an overview of the DreamHome case study. We then examine the first three
stages of the database system development lifecycle, namely database planning, system
definition, and requirements collection and analysis. For each stage we demonstrate the
process of collecting data using fact-finding techniques and describe the documentation
produced.
When Are Fact-Finding Techniques Used?
There are many occasions for fact-finding during the database system development lifecycle.
However, fact-finding is particularly crucial to the early stages of the lifecycle
including the database planning, system definition, and requirements collection and
analysis stages. It is during these early stages that the database developer captures the
essential facts necessary to build the required database. Fact-finding is also used during
database design and the later stages of the lifecycle, but to a lesser extent. For example,
during physical database design, fact-finding becomes technical as the database developer
attempts to learn more about the DBMS selected for the database system. Also, during
the final stage, operational maintenance, fact-finding is used to determine whether a
system requires tuning to improve performance or further development to include new
requirements.
Note that it is important to have a rough estimate of how much time and effort is to
be spent on fact-finding for a database project. As we mentioned in Chapter 9, too much
study too soon leads to paralysis by analysis. However, too little thought can result in an
unnecessary waste of both time and money due to working on the wrong solution to the
wrong problem.
316 | Chapter 10 z Fact-Finding Techniques
What Facts Are Collected?
Throughout the database system development lifecycle, the database developer needs to
capture facts about the current and/or future system. Table 10.1 provides examples of the
sorts of data captured and the documentation produced for each stage of the lifecycle. As
we mentioned in Chapter 9, the stages of the database system development lifecycle are
Table 10.1 Examples of the data captured and the documentation produced for each stage of the
database system development lifecycle.
Stage of database
system development
lifecycle
Database planning
System definition
Requirements
collection and analysis
Database design
Application design
DBMS selection
Prototyping
Implementation
Data conversion and
loading
Testing
Operational
maintenance
Examples of data
captured
Aims and objectives of
database project
Description of major user views
(includes job roles or business
application areas)
Requirements for user views;
systems specifications,
including performance and
security requirements
Users’ responses to checking
the logical database design;
functionality provided by
target DBMS
Users’ responses to checking
interface design
Functionality provided by
target DBMS
Users’ responses to prototype
Functionality provided by
target DBMS
Format of current data; data
import capabilities of target
DBMS
Test results
Performance testing results;
new or changing user and
system requirements
Examples of documentation
produced
Mission statement and
objectives of database
system
Definition of scope and
boundary of database
application; definition of user
views to be supported
Users’ and system requirements
specifications
Conceptual/logical database
design (includes ER model(s),
data dictionary, and relational
schema); physical database
design
Application design (includes
description of programs and
user interface)
DBMS evaluation and
recommendations
Modified users’ requirements
and systems specifications
Testing strategies used; analysis
of test results
User manual; analysis of
performance results; modified
users’ requirements and systems
specifications
10.2
10.3 Fact-Finding Techniques | 317
not strictly sequential, but involve some amount of repetition of previous stages through
feedback loops. This is also true for the data captured and the documentation produced at
each stage. For example, problems encountered during database design may necessitate
additional data capture on the requirements for the new system.
Fact-Finding Techniques
A database developer normally uses several fact-finding techniques during a single
database project. There are five commonly used fact-finding techniques:
n examining documentation;
n interviewing;
n observing the enterprise in operation;
n research;
n questionnaires.
In the following sections we describe these fact-finding techniques and identify the advantages
and disadvantages of each.
Examining Documentation
Examining documentation can be useful when we are trying to gain some insight as to how
the need for a database arose. We may also find that documentation can help to provide
information on the part of the enterprise associated with the problem. If the problem relates
to the current system, there should be documentation associated with that system. By
examining documents, forms, reports, and files associated with the current system, we can
quickly gain some understanding of the system. Examples of the types of documentation
that should be examined are listed in Table 10.2.
Interviewing
Interviewing is the most commonly used, and normally most useful, fact-finding technique.
We can interview to collect information from individuals face-to-face. There can be
several objectives to using interviewing, such as finding out facts, verifying facts, clarifying
facts, generating enthusiasm, getting the end-user involved, identifying requirements,
and gathering ideas and opinions. However, using the interviewing technique requires
good communication skills for dealing effectively with people who have different values,
priorities, opinions, motivations, and personalities. As with other fact-finding techniques,
interviewing is not always the best method for all situations. The advantages and disadvantages
of using interviewing as a fact-finding technique are listed in Table 10.3.
There are two types of interview: unstructured and structured. Unstructured interviews
are conducted with only a general objective in mind and with few, if any, specific