Assignment: Database Design
This assignment is to be done by students in groups of 1, 2 or 3.
The assessment items have been designed to allow you to acquire and use the concepts in the unit as a way to better understand your world - with an emphasis on the quality of design.
The Task
Geocaching is a popular global pastime. Your task is to identify the entities and relationships that are implied by the geocaching cache page (see below). In effect, you will be analysing the structure of the database that supports the site.
It is preferable that you investigate this domain by logging on to geocaching.com (it's free) and having a good look around (why not go find a cache?). If you have any qualms about setting up a login, just use the screenshots below.
As with assignment 1, model the domain, create an E-R diagram & data dictionary, build a prototype database by creating the tables and populating them with at least 3 rows of dummy data, take screenshots and compile a data dictionary then show how your database would meet the requirements for displaying the cache page and statistics pages (see below).
Team Work
Design is usually best done in teams. This is because ideas are generated and tested in a (generally) supportive environment and several minds are much better than one. In other units you will learn about team work, but that's not part of the curriculum of database design, so you have options:
1. If you want to do the assignment yourself, you may (a team of 1).
2. If you want to work with others in your tute, firstly get together and talk about it... start with
http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/academic-success-tools/student-team-tips.html
then ... play nice...
Beware of one thing - your assignment must either be identical to others named as being in your team, or quite different from any others.
What to Submit
Each student submits a Word document at the assignment 2 dropbox.
All students in a team submit the same document.
As with Assignment 1, your document should contain:
Identifying information - especially the ids of your team members
A brief introduction to your assignment saying what's in it
An ER Diagram (screenshot from your DBMS relationship view)
Assumptions or business rules noted to explain your interpretation of geocaching
Data dictionary (screenshots of design view of tables with description of each field)
Dummy data (data sheet view of tables)
Description of how the cache and statistics can be created from your database
Queries needed to generate the pages at least 3 queries in native SQL (ie. not SQL view of the Access query creator)
Optional: Any comments you would like to make about your team members contributions.
Geocaching.com
Below are screenshots of (1) A Cache page and (2) A Statistics Page which together provide the scope of your analysis. You do not need to include the maps or the download files (LOC waypoints, etc) (unless you want to!).
(1) A Cache page
2) A Statistics Page.