Unit 10 Database Development By Usman Khan 49637

Content 4 - introduction 5 - flat file and example 6 - tools and techniques of a flat file 7 - Flat File tools & techniques used to improve usability and productivity 8 - Flat File tools & techniques used to improve accuracy 9 - Strengths of flat files 10 - Flat File Weakness 11 - Relational database and Example 12 - Relational database tools & techniques used to improve productivity and usability 13 - Relational database tools & techniques 14 - Relational database tools & techniques used to improve accuracy and usability for a doctors surgery 15 - Relational databases tools and techniques that improves the accuracy 16 -Relational database Strengths 17 - Relational database Weakness 18 - Conclusion

Database A database is information that is stored in a table or an area that is made inside the system an example of a database is: A database also has a variety of other tables which it connects to, that finds a lot of information of many other people A doctors records this will be for the patients that come into the hospital for an appointment or a accident emergency record that was made over the phone staff managing this area can easily access your record which is made in the database from previous incidents. Staff working at the hospital, this could be information about the staff such as contact details, ID numbers and D. O. B

Flat File and Example Flat file is a group of information that is stored in one table A flat file contains one single table that has no relationships with other tables such as a database A flat file database is also a tremendous way of storing a comparatively small amount of records Examples of a flat file is: Tv guide Contact list on mobile phone

Flat File tools & techniques used to improve usability and productivity A simple search is apart of the flat file which makes finding someone more efficient for e. g. a doctor can find patients records easily. How does simple searching improve flat filing? It improves usability and productivity making people easy to locate and productive for adding more patients if this was a flat file for doctors surgery or staff. Flat file is a group of information that is stored in one table so the doctor can see information in one place also receptionist can look at the patients details with no trouble. A flat file contains one single table that has no relationships with other tables.

Flat File tools & techniques used to improve accuracy A simple search is apart of the flat file which makes finding someone more efficient for e. g. a doctor can find patients records easily. Simple sorting allows you to sort the information in different kind of ways You’ll only need to refer to a single table not multiple tables. It makes it easier to find information for the receptionist, this is improves the productivity for the surgery. A data entry means you can add new records to the table without any problems. This means a doctor can add new medical treatments to a patient record straight away. This improves the usability of the database.

Strengths of flat file The strength's of flat filing are: Simply sort the order in the way that suits you when finding a patients record in the doctors surgery § All possible records are stored in one area so the doctor don’t need to look in different areas § Filtering allows you to choose the option of the way you want to browse it so you can find information of patients simply § Straightforward simpler to understand by the doctor so he don’t get confused because they look at a lot thousands of other patient record a day. § You can also use a standard spreadsheet to stock the information in the databases so administrator can see it simply. § Doctors can use it to access patients information and to record what they have prescribed for future reference

Flat File Weakness The weaknesses using flat filing for a doctors surgery are: Duplications of the same people who are very identical might mean doctors and confused and examine you on someone else's records who has a similar identity so it is important the information is precise May become slow if there a lot of patients information which may lead the database longer to update. Lack of security for a doctors surgery, private and confidential information may be visible to see if the website has been hacked. For e. g. wages and address and personal health problems, in order to open the flat file database it requires a password once the file opens all visible fields are shown therefore this is bad for instance it may show someone's income which they don’t want anyone seeing. Retrieving information back to the flat file once it has been lost maybe be fairly impossible.

Relational database and Example A relational database has more than one table and the tables are linked using key fields so you don’t have to create a number of different tables within the database. It also keeps records on employees An example of a relational database is: A gym so when a member ship is taken out it may keep records of the customers surname and last name and provide a unique customer reference such as a ID number. A library Or school

Relational database tools & techniques used to improve productivity and usability Complex queries are linked so this makes it easier to find the information you are viewing for This improves relational databases because it improves the productivity it also improves relational database's so the person using the database can ensure that the information he/she has is precise and up to date. The techniques of using a relational databases are: You can easily access your data in a selection of ways to simply locate what you are looking for this can be by ID number, date of birth, first and last name and many other ways making it opportune Forms allows you to enter other data easily for e. g. allows the receptionist to add a new record.

Relational database tools & techniques used to improve accuracy and usability Relational databases contains validations this carries out initial tests to identify false information and errors within the relational database and make it simple to use data within the doctors surgery. validations improve the relational databases and makes information more accurate and reliable for the doctor and administrator viewing the database. This also improves the usability of relational databases so that the administrator viewing this does not have to manually replace it with correct information. Input masks shows less errors when editing the data stored. This improves the accuracy of relational databases so they can ensure the changes they are making are correct. It also improves the usability for the doctors because it chooses different types of data whilst inputting.

Relational database Strengths The advantages of using relational databases are: The security is more reliable than using flat file databases because they only use a password to log in and for a doctors surgery the information needs to be protected to a high standard because it has private and confidential information of patients, that only the doctor, patients and administrators have access to It is easier to locate information you are searching for, this is because it has relationships in different types of data forms so you can access it by name D. O. B surname and last name. Data duplication and inconsistent records is rare to find because once information you wont have to enter it again because it has input masks. More features means the doctors have more control for e. g. the doctors can print prescriptions and give it to the patients. Complex queries are carried out this allows programmers to insert within the database, delete, drop and update this is useful for the receptionist to quickly make changes if need to for e. g. change the address or contact number this increases usability so there isn’t a long procedure in order to change information about patients. Cater for future requirements allows the system to be flexible by adding information now which isn’t needed, but it may be useful for future uses this increases the productivity The storage is more efficient this will be very beneficial for the future because a lot of people will eventually join the doctors surgery and information needs to be stored appropriately, therefore it needs to be efficient enough for every think to be stored, this improves usability so they wont have to upgrade to a bigger hard rive in the process, some personal information of the patients may be lost so buying the biggest hard rive available will be the best decision for the doctors surgery to make.

Relational database Weakness The disadvantages of using relational databases are: If there is a lot of patients records in the system it may slow down It is expensive the setup and then maintain the performance of the relational database to maintain its accuracy, productivity and its usability There needs to be a lot of storage space to maintain patient records otherwise it may make deletions the database is unaware of which is also expensive to run once again If the number of tables between which relationships that are recognised are hefty the tables themselves effect the performance in responding to the queries. Broken keys and records the reason it requires shared keys is because the information that is inserted needs to be linked across several tables therefore if the table lacks unique key it may give back false results. Slow extraction will take a long process to take files from the database because of the slowness of the database Physical storage large amount of data can take the entire database system

Conclusion A single flat-file table is better for storing a restricted amount of data. But a large flat-file database can be inefficient as it takes up more space and memory than a relational database. It also requires new data to be added every time you enter a new record, whereas a relational database does not. Finally, data redundancy – where data is moderately reproduced across records – can occur in flat-file tables, and can more easily be escaped in relational databases.