DATABASE DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE - Database Design and Development: An Essential Guide for IT Professionals - page 114

Stricter controls. You can control data access better in a database system. Data-
base management systems provide better methods for granting and revoking access
privileges.
System flexibility. Changes to business conditions occur rapidly and unexpectedly.
If your organization can react to changes quickly and take appropriate action, it will
have a competitive edge. A database system provides flexibility for adapting to
changing business conditions.
Information sharing. A database system promotes information sharing and results
in closer collaboration among users.
Better standards. In a database system, it is easier to establish standards on data
names, edit rules, data types, field lengths, data access patterns, and so on.
Timely information. A database system provides timely and up-to-date information
on business objects.
Improved productivity. Because of standardization and ease of use, you will notice
improved productivity in the way users are able to access and use data from a data-
base. Many data operations are provided through query and reporting tools that are
part of the database management system. This eliminates the need to write pro-
grams for these purposes. Programmer productivity increases in a database envi-
ronment. Sometimes it is possible to estimate cost savings relating to improved
programmer productivity.
Better management decisions. Integrated and accurate data in one place in the
organization's database, allowing easier and faster data access, enable better man-
agement decisions. Managers and supervisors can obtain timely reports of data
needed for managing and controlling their resources.
Cost Savings
Minimal data duplication. As you know, hardly any duplication of data exists in a
database management system in comparison with file-oriented data systems, where
you observe a proliferation of duplicate data. Elimination of data duplication means
less overall storage space for storing an organization's data content. Estimate the
cost savings from using less storage space.
Fewer error corrections. Minimal data duplication also results in less effort to
correct errors or updates to data. If the same data, say a customer's name and
address, are duplicated across many applications, any changes to the name and
address must be applied in several places. However, in a database system, the name
and address of a single customer is stored only once; therefore, any corrections to
this name and address need to be made only once in only one place. Try to come
up with a reasonable estimate on the possible savings due to reduction in error
corrections.