A well-designed database will provide you with accurate, up-to-date information. This is why it’s important to understand good design principles, as the correct design is essential to achieving your goals. Whether you plan on creating your own database using Microsoft Access, or hiring a database programming company, it’s helpful to know the basics of good database design.
What is Good Database Design?
Certain principles lead the database design process. The first principle is to avoid duplicate information. Why? Because duplicate information wastes space and increases the chances for errors.
The second principle refers to the completeness and accuracy of the data. If your database contains inaccurate or incomplete information, you will not be able to trust your reports. Furthermore, any decisions you make might be made on faulty information.
With these two principles in mind, good database design should include the following:
- Subject-based tables to reduce redundancy
- Ability to accommodate multiple users at once
- Accurate, complete information
- Well-protected from crashes, hacks and accidental deletion
- Supports data processing and reporting needs
What Does the Design Process Look Like?
The design process involves the following steps:
- Determine the purpose of your database
- Find and organize the information you plan to record in the database
- Divide the information into tables
- Decide what information you want to store in each table
- Choose each table’s primary keys
- Set up table relationships based on how each table is related to the other
- Analyze your database to make sure you’re getting accurate reports
- Apply data normalization rules to see if your tables are structured correctly
Design Your Database Today
To ensure your database is properly designed, many people are involved in the process. At Arkware, we have a team of database developers and database administrators. Our database developers are responsible for designing and developing the database, while our database administrators check the database and provide maintenance work.
To discuss your upcoming database project, contact Arkware today.