SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DATABASE ENVIRONMENT - Database Design and Development: An Essential Guide for IT Professionals - page 72

Each of the tasks requires information. We observe an emerging pattern. To carry
out the various processes, the company needs resources and assets such as build-
ings, equipment, materials, people, and money. But that is not all. The company also
needs information to accomplish its processes. Information is a major asset like any
other tangible and intangible assets of the company to be used for performing the
multitude of processes. The key asset of information supports an organization's core
business.
DB System in the Organization
Return to the example of the airline company. We noted the information essential
for performing the ticketing and seat reservation process. Reviewing the tasks once
again, let us mark the elements of information needed to complete each task of the
process:
• Ascertain the customer's present travel requirements— customer information,
departure and destination locations, travel date
• Find suitable discounted plans— available discount plans
• Check possible routing options and connecting flights— possible legs of the
journey, connecting flights, and times
• Verify seat availability— seat availability in each segment
• Reserve seats on selected flight routes— customer seating preferences, vacant
seats in each flight segment
• Record meal and other preferences— available preferences and options
• Issue ticket— customer information, fare schedule, taxes, airport dues, etc.
• Collect airfare— payment options, customer payment preferences, payment type,
date, amount
• Print itinerary— customer information, flights and times, special preferences,
assigned seating, and booking status
Following this method of ascertaining the information needs for each task in a
process, we will be able to put down the needs for the tasks in all the processes. The
result will be a large compilation of all the elements of information needed in the
company to support its core business through various processes. The large collec-
tion of information needs will constitute a variety of information types. How do you
organize all of the elements of information? How do you store the seemingly dis-
parate pieces of information, manage these, and provide quick access for carrying
out individual tasks? This is where the database system of the company comes into
the picture. The database system organizes all the information into cohesive data
structures, stores data efficiently, manages and maintains data storage, and affords
data access whenever information is needed to perform a specific task. Figure 3-3
indicates how the database system of an airline company supports the core business
and its processes.
Let us recapitulate the concepts regarding the place and purpose of the database
system in an organization. Let us summarize briefly how the database system fits
into the context of an organization.