Fact - Finding Techniques in DBMS

It is critical to capture the necessary facts to build the required database application.

These facts are captured using fact-finding techniques.

• The formal process of using techniques such as interviews and questionnaires to collect facts about systems, requirements, and preferences.

When Are Techniques Used?
→ Fact-Finding used throughout the database application life cycle, crucial to the early stages including database planning, system definition, and requirements collection and analysis stages.

• Enables developer to learn about the terminology, Problems, opportunities, constraints, requirements, and priorities of the organization and the users of the system.

A database developer normally uses several fact-finding techniques during a single database project including:

• Examining documentation
• Interviewing
• Observing the organization in operation
• Research
• Questionnaires

Examining Documentation :-

Can be useful

• To gain some insight as to how the need for a database arose
• To identify the part of the organization associated with the problem
• To understand current system.

Interviewing

Most commonly used, and normally most useful, fact-finding technique

• Enables collection of information from individuals face-to-face
• Objectives include finding out facts, verifying facts, clarifying facts, generating enthusiasm, getting the end-user involved, identifying requirements, and gathering ideas and opinions

 Pros/Cons : Interviewing :-

Observing the Organization in Operation

An effective technique for understanding a system

• Possible to either participate in, or watch, a person perform activities to learn about the system
• Useful when validity of data collected is in question or when the complexity of certain aspects of the system prevents a clear explanation by the end-users.

Research

Useful to research the application and problem

• Use computer trade journals, reference books, and the Internet (including user groups and bulletin boards)
• Provide information on how others have solved similar problems, plus whether or not software packages exist to solve or even partially solve the problem

Questionnaires

• Conduct surveys through questionnaires, which are special-purpose documents that allow facts to be gathered from a large number of people while maintaining some control over their responses
• There are two types of questions, namely

                - Free-format
                - Fixed-format