To gain real world experience in database design, teams of students will work with a local organization (small company, university department, campus organization, etc.) on a semester-length Database Design Project (DP). The DP starts with analysis of the organization's current methodology and needs, and proceeds through data modelling, design, and implementation of a prototype Relational Database, including queries, forms, and reports. Your design should not be limited by the current needs of the organization (feel free to add features/relations that your contact may feel are unnecessary). The organization must understand that your prototype is not a fully operational system (and that you will not provice maintainance and customer support after the class is over!).

Extra credit will be given for mathematical analysis involving IEOR methods. 

Note: Emphasize the structure of your design and richness of your queries rather than your user interface.  

• Contact Report: (1pg, every student) Find one organization who is interested in participating in the DP. Give a short description of the organization, including contact person, existing database support (if any), needs, your estimate of their level of enthusiasm (0-10) and current or future availability of PC platform to run MS Access.

• Proposal: (2pg, team, written) A detailed version of above for the organization selected and confirmed by the team. Contact Person at Organization and phone number. Current system. Availability of MS Access and PC/Windows. Estimates of Data size (number of records). Proposed benefits. Resources needed. Team member responsibilities.

• Progress Report I: (oral, <10 mins using Powerpoint) Project summary, textual summary of database requirements (similar to p. 44,45 of textbook). Simplified EER diagram with at least 10 entities and 10 relationships. Project schedule.

• Progress Report II: (oral, <10 mins using Powerpoint) Revised version of PR I plus: Revised EER diagram, Relational Design (schema), 5 "interesting'' queries in plain English (describe, do not implement them yet!) Interesting queries involve at least one join and use a variety of query features; they are also intuitively helpful, as in: "How many students are taking more than 5 courses and have an above average GPA?" Each query must be justified in terms of organizational needs (eg, trend analysis), and described in plain text.

• Progress Report III: (<=4pg, written) Executive Summary must include (in this order): project title, team number, team member names, client description, EER, screencapture of relational design in Access Relationship View, and 5 interesting queries in algebra or SQL. Note that the 4 page limit is firm. No cover pages or appendices!

• Final Presentations (oral, <10 mins using Powerpoint): Overall summary of PR I, II, III, and demonstration of Access implementation of your database design. Demonstration should be based on realistic examples of 5-10 tuples for each relation (please don't use joke names or data).

• Final Report: (<=20pg, written: submit 2 copies!). Revised 4 page Executive Summary. The other 16 pages is an expanded version including: Introduction describing client, previous approach and goals. 5 Queries: plain text, algebra (where possible), SQL. Access screen shots of at least 2 forms and 2 reports. Normalization analysis for your design: Indicate Functional Dependencies for each relation and if not in BCNF, explain why and how it might be normalized. 1 page signed letter providing client feedback. Team members contributions. Discussion and Future work.