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Mgmt 3830 – Contemporary Mgmt 3830 – Contemporary Database ApplicationsDatabase Applications

Faculty of Management

Professor Brian Dobing

EMail: brian.dobing@uleth.caWeb Site: http://home.uleth.ca/~brian.dobing/3830.htm

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Class Web PageClass Web Page

http://home.uleth.ca/~brian.dobing/3830.htm

All Milestones and handouts Any Milestone updates or

corrections Class slides MS Access links, etc.

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Course GoalsCourse Goals Understand and experience the Understand and experience the

system building processsystem building process Recognize the management issues Recognize the management issues

in system buildingin system building Be able to build a small system in Be able to build a small system in

Microsoft Access 2000Microsoft Access 2000 Appreciate the risks of relying on Appreciate the risks of relying on

systemssystems

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Who Should Take Who Should Take Mgmt 3830?Mgmt 3830?

Required of all MIS majors Mgmt 3831 is now available for

non-MIS majors Some knowledge of Access is

essential Knowledge of programming (VB) is

also helpful

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Learn at a Higher LevelLearn at a Higher Level

Conceptual understanding is more important than rote learning Can’t learn everything about Access

in one term Every system requires different

features Need to learn how to learn

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Think For YourselfThink For Yourself

You are responsible for designing your system Design your own Forms Design your own Reports Decide what the system needs

But design with the client in mind

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Set Realistic Course GoalsSet Realistic Course Goals

Students enter 3830 with Different backgrounds Different knowledge of Access Different career goals

Decide what you want and what you need to do to get it

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Maintain the PaceMaintain the Pace

Course milestones are not easily done the night before

Building systems with tight deadlines can be very frustrating Usually they don’t work well

Get started early Think about the design

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Why Study Why Study Database Management?Database Management?

Most business data are stored in Most business data are stored in databasesdatabases

Most business systems are built Most business systems are built around a DataBase Management around a DataBase Management System (DBMS)System (DBMS)

To manage information, you must To manage information, you must understand databasesunderstand databases

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Why Do Organizations Why Do Organizations Build Systems?Build Systems?

Facilitate daily operations

Improve decision making

Control

Regulatory requirements

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Building Good SystemsBuilding Good SystemsIs Not EasyIs Not Easy

Only 25% of projects are finishedOnly 25% of projects are finished on timeon time within budgetwithin budget to the client’s satisfactionto the client’s satisfaction

50% of projects are over budget by 50% of projects are over budget by 60% or more and contain less than 60% or more and contain less than 70% of promised features70% of promised features

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Why Microsoft Access?Why Microsoft Access?

Access is the database package Access is the database package included in Microsoft Officeincluded in Microsoft Office

Easiest to learn and useEasiest to learn and use Powerful featuresPowerful features

BUTBUT Access is not designed for large, Access is not designed for large,

mission-critical systemsmission-critical systems

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Learning AccessLearning Access This class assumes you have seen

some introduction to Access Some of what you need will be

discussed in class But some features will be left to you

to learn from the book

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Final GradeFinal Grade

Final Exam 40 Class Project 60

Project has seven milestones

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TextbooksTextbooks Modern Database ManagementModern Database Management

McFadden et al. (On reserve)McFadden et al. (On reserve) Database Management SystemsDatabase Management Systems

Post (On reserve)Post (On reserve) Using Access 2000 Special EditionUsing Access 2000 Special Edition

or something similaror something similar

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Class ProjectClass Project

Build a system to manage a small, Build a system to manage a small, information-based businessinformation-based business

Support day-to-day operationsSupport day-to-day operations Generate management reportsGenerate management reports

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System TasksSystem Tasks

Build a sample data modelBuild a sample data model Create the system data modelCreate the system data model Build the databaseBuild the database Create some queriesCreate some queries Build the user interfaceBuild the user interface Provide some management reportsProvide some management reports Finish with an integrated systemFinish with an integrated system

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Project StructureProject Structure

Milestones are due by 9:45 AM For early milestones, you will get a

“correct” answer might be scaled down

For later milestones, you will need to fix any problems

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Project TeamsProject Teams

All milestones may be submitted in All milestones may be submitted in teams of two (but no more)teams of two (but no more)

Grades will not be adjusted for those Grades will not be adjusted for those who work alonewho work alone

Choose your partner carefullyChoose your partner carefully You can change partners anytime for You can change partners anytime for

the first five milestonesthe first five milestones

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Finally ...Finally ...

Read the syllabus carefullyRead the syllabus carefully This is our contractThis is our contract

Keep up with the readingsKeep up with the readings Start learning Access now, if you Start learning Access now, if you

don’t know it alreadydon’t know it already

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And have fun!!!And have fun!!!