Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
data requirements. Front-line managers are more concerned about day-to-day
activities, so this is the data with which they are most familiar. A warehouse
manager, for example, can provide information about inventory and about pur-
chasing procedures.
Often, the richest source for data requirements and practical data are rank-
and-file employees. You need to spend time talking with employees as part of any
data collection process. Individual employees might not be able to describe exactly
what information they need to do their jobs, but they can describe the jobs they
do in detail. From this, you can get an understanding of the data they need. You
also get insight into how they need to have the data made available, which can
be just as important when designing and developing databases and data applica-
tions. You can usually get the most complete picture of the tasks an employee
performs through direct observation. Watch what they do and how they do it. If
you don't understand something or why it is being done a particular way, ask.
Understanding Data Flows
Part of the data collection process includes understanding how data flows
through an organization. What are the data sources? Where or how is the data
generated? The answers to these questions often help you locate the data in its
purest form.
Data is similar to water, flowing from source to destination. However, with
water you have streams running together into rivers, then into larger rivers,
and finally into the ocean as its final destination. Data, as it travels, is likely
to continue branching out to more and more locations. This is important to
you, though, because the better you understand the data destinations (often
referred to as
data consumers
), the better you understand both data organi-
zation and access requirements. It also helps you design and manage data
access security.
FOR EXAMPLE
Hands-on Collection
You are gathering data for a retail organization. How do you find out the
data requirements for supporting telephone sales? You do so by watching
the sales personnel in action. Watch for both standard requirements and
exceptions. How do sales personnel verify product information? How do
they check stocking levels? What do they record about the products sold?
What do they record about the customer? What is required to complete the
transaction? These questions all help to provide direction to your data col-
lection efforts.
