Database Management for Business Leaders
Building and Using Data Solutions That Work for You
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Chapter 1 – Understand the Database World
Chapter Overview
Maybe you are just beginning to design (or oversee the design of) your first database, or maybe you have experience in database concepts and applications but want to continue to build your skills. In either case, you need to understand the two basic kinds of organizations that you will work with; you need to understand what the roles are in the database world, particularly the three types of development roles; and as a business leader decide on who should take which of these roles in your organization. You will learn how people often approach database work and some of the pitfalls of those approaches. Finally, you will learn an effective blueprint for database application development that you will follow in the rest of the book.
Two Kinds of Organizations
To understand where you fit into the database world, you must first understand a little about the “geography” of that world. We will look at large companies and small companies. In the next section, we will examine the different roles that you can play in these two different arenas.
Large Companies
Large companies often rely on legacy systems to meet their informational requirements
Legacy systems are systems that are crucial to the daily functioning of an organization and are used by many people, often at the same time. They are usually old and outdated and expensive to replace.
For example, accounting systems are critical and used constantly by many people. In a power company, people must track the sale and delivery of energy. Legacy systems can prove challenging because, as mentioned. they are costly to replace; the data may not be accurate and integration with other data of the organization may be minimal.
Legacy systems require a large amount of control and security. Organizations put procedures in place to make sure that the legacy system works properly. Because of the importance of legacy systems, the Information Systems (IS) group, also called the Information Technology (IT) group, focuses (rightly) on these legacy applications. The policies of the IS group can then be driven by this approach, they do not want people to have access to data or to have the capability of building their own database solutions. They tell people to “let the professional do it.” Talented developers (the experts) work in the IS group, but may have no time to meet user requests.
People react in two different ways to this barrier. First, people wait for the IS group to respond to their request. This delay often thwarts productivity by not allowing people to obtain critical information at the right time. Secondly, others grow frustrated and build their own databases. However, they have no time to fully learn the tools. They need coaching but there is no plan by the experts to provide the needed coaching. Also, there is no communication with others who are in the same predicament, so several different groups may attempt very different solutions to similar work problems. The former results in wasted time while the latter results in wasted time and duplicated effort.
Large organizations need trained database developers who can work on legacy applications. But, they also need database developers peppered throughout the organization who can create workgroup database solutions for departments.
A workgroup is a group of approximately two to thirty people who work in a specific task area in an organization.
Will you meet the need?
Small Companies
Small companies also have database problems. The leaders of small companies often lack expertise in database work. They fulfill their database needs by buying commercial programs to carry out their various business functions such as accounting, sales, and service. This is useful, but limited, because it often cannot provide the variety of reports they may require.
If small business owners do any custom database work, it is often redundant and hard to manage. They are also under severe time constraints because they lack resources for a full-time database consultant. Small business owners often need coaching so that they can provide guidelines for developers and so that internal personnel can provide support.
One effective solution for small organizations is to find an experienced database developer who can work with canned commercial applications and can develop additional modules to meet information requirements. Will you meet the need?
Your Place in the Database World
As you enter the database development world, it can prove overwhelming or exhilarating. For those who may feel overwhelmed at delving into this arena, take heart. By working through this material, you will learn everything you need to know to build basic database applications. For those of you who are strong technically, this book will present you with a different challenge. It will challenge you to continually focus your database work on productivity instead of merely exploring “neat features” of a particular product (in our case Microsoft Access). Believe me, you will learn about some awesome features of Access. Your challenge is to understand which features to bring to bear on a particular work requirement. This is a skill that supersedes mere technical knowledge of a product. You must pursue productivity and ignore “rabbit trails” that often lead developers to pursue interesting but irrelevant features of a product. This book will help you understand which Access features and techniques will move you towards productivity, which is fundamental to leadership.
Three Basic Groups
You can be a part of this database revolution that both large and small companies require. What part will you play? In order to determine your place in the revolution, you must understand the three basic groups of people in the database world: users, power users and developers.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Information is a key to making better decisions. Author Larry Ruddell provides a holistic approach to database management for small business owners, nonprofit executives, and educators who want to answer the following questions. • How to apply database management best practices to my organization? • How to use database management to create a competitive advantage? • How to use Microsoft Access? • What does a database administrator do? • How to become a database administrator? • And more Leveraging more than ten years of experience in database management, Dr. Ruddell has created a modern database management book written in a conversational style. It will help students consider a database administrator career while at the same time providing practical principles to help small business owners communicate more effectively with IT professionals. Dr. Ruddell shows us all that database management doesn’t have to be daunting. In his book, you’ll learn database design principles that will help you create a plan for using information technology even when you don’t have a database administrator on staff. Small business owners and nonprofit executives with limited resources will learn to take control of data and make better decisions to grow your organization. In addition, you’ll feel more informed and confident talking to IT professionals while improving your database management skills to boost productivity and create a competitive advantage. Professors and teachers will get a guide that provides learners insights into database management best practices and database design principles with practical advice to help put their students on a path to a career in database administration. Dr. Ruddell is an Associate Professor in Business at Belhaven University and former Dean of Faculty at Belhaven University, Houston campus. He has honed his database management skills and principles through practical experience with four computer startups and as the founder and president of Integrated Systems and Services. He knows what it’s like to work at a small company with limited resources and desires to help small business owners and nonprofit executives improve performance and create efficiencies through effective database management. He has more than ten years of experience working as a computer consultant in several capacities, including training, process analysis, database design and development, systems management, project management, and business development. He has worked for Nomos Systems, Inc. (as a founding partner), Quad S Consultants, Enron (with TCHD and OSI), and on a NASA contract with Booz, Allen & Hamilton. He is a Microsoft Certified Microsoft Access Trainer and has developed over 15 database applications, including the global training tracking system for Miami International Seminary.
About the Author
Dr. Ruddell is an Associate Professor in Business at Belhaven University and former Dean of Faculty at Belhaven University, Houston campus. He has honed his database management skills and principles through practical experience with four computer startups and as the founder and president of Integrated Systems and Services. He knows what it's like to work at a small company with limited resources and desires to help small business owners and nonprofit executives improve performance and create efficiencies through effective database management. He has more than ten years of experience working as a computer consultant in several capacities, including training, process analysis, database design and development, systems management, project management, and business development. He has worked for Nomos Systems, Inc. (as a founding partner), Quad S Consultants, Enron (with TCHD and OSI), and on a NASA contract with Booz, Allen & Hamilton. He is a Microsoft Certified Microsoft Access Trainer and has developed over 15 database applications, including the global training tracking system for Miami International Seminary.