Chapter 1: Identification
General description of the task being undertaken A
Mr. Green of Green Associates is a seller of many games, and at the moment archives all the information about the price of each game, the producer, and the genre using a pen and paper technique, which is to simply write on table in columns the information. This is tiresome and can be full of erroneous records as it is down to the human factor to make sure all data is correct, because of this it can be unreliable, it is not only tiresome to write all the information, but it also extremely hard to find a certain piece of information.
The solution for this is obviously a computerized solution, which is to create a database in Access, which would allow for easy searching of data, and would allow for many other extra features, such as data validation which would prevent the entry of invalid data.
Reasons for selecting the chosen approach A/B
I have chosen to use Microsoft Access as it easily the most widespread database software in the world, and therefore the most compatible. It is extremely well suited for this as has many special features, in particular, I will be making use of Access's command buttons, to create a user friendly menu allowing the user to select different functions with ease. I will also be implementing data entry forms using Microsoft Access's "Forms" facility. Printing using Access is just as easy as the user must simply click on the print symbol in the toolbar.
Possible alternative strategy for solving the problem B
There are many other alternate strategies for solving this problem, for example, one could use Excel's table’s and input data in a similar approach that Mr. Green is doing know, which is to write all the names of the other companies and their games, and prices, and update whenever necessary. This is however much slower, harder for a user to understand, no queries, and no graphical "forms" database.
The objectives of the solution C
1) To create a databases system which stores information, such as games, prices, and developers in an easy to use format.
2) There should be "forms" so that a non-computer literate person can easily learn how to use, and put data in efficiently.
3) The system should be able to detect which entry's are obviously incorrect, such as entering a price which is obviously unrealistic, such as £99.99.
4) The database should be easy to use to create listing that the user specifies, such as any games priced from £2.99 to £9.99 in (for example) decreasing order.
5) The system must be able to produce a list of games from a particular theme, such as strategy or action, and display them alphabetically.
6) The system must be able to find a specific record quickly, for example if a person want to look up information about a specific game, he/she can type it into a text box which will search the database and then produce it for the person to see.
7) When creating a new entry it should be as easy as possible, with drop down lists, and ways of verifying the data to be correctly typed.
8) It must be possible to easily navigate through the screen by using simple buttons that a normal computer user can understand.
- It must be able to generate reports, which can generate tables with specific portions of the data already in it, which the user can easily understand.
Chapter 2: Analysis
Hardware & Software
Hardware E1
The computer that I am using for this project is a Pentium III 600 CPU, with 128 megabytes of memory with a 15" TFT screen, and has 19 gigabytes of storage space on the hard disk.
Reasons for choice of hardware E1
The is no general reason why I chose this specific machine, Microsoft Access would run on machine of lower power, such as a computer with 200 MHz, 32 megabytes of RAM and only 200 megabytes free on the Hard disk. I have chosen this because it is easily able to operate Microsoft Access quickly and allows maximum productivity. A colour monitor is essential for the creation of a good "form" in database that contains colour that would be helpful for a less computer literate person to use.
Software E2
I used a Windows 98 computer with Microsoft Access installed on it to create the database.
Reasons for choice of software E2
I chose Microsoft Access to create the database, as this is by far the quickest, most widely accepted way to create databases. It is also one of the world's leading database programs as such is the most compatible, the most widely used, and there is a large amount of resources, such as books, and online documentation's, on how to use it.
