Conceptualizing Databases for Tracking

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Conceptualizing Databases for Tracking
Coordinating Your Data

• Presented by Paul Giguere, Ed.D.
• National Center for Mental Health Promotion and
  Youth Violence Prevention
• Education Development Center, Inc.

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What is a database?

• A self-describing set of related records
• Stores data in tables
• Rows records
• Columns fields
• Uses common attributes to describe data
• Tables can be logically related to each other to
  form relationships between one or more records
• It is not a spreadsheet

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How are databases used in HHD?

• Mailing list/contact management
• Technical assistance tracking
• Resource tracking
• Public calendars
• Web-based systems
• Discussion systems
• Project-data tracking
• Etc

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Types of databases

• Personal databases
• 1-5 concurrent users
• lt 5000 records
• Intermediate databases
• 5-25 users
• 5000 25000 records
• Enterprise databases
• gt 25 users
• gt 25000 records
• Multimedia storage

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What are databases good for?

• Records can be searched (queried) and sorted
  using simple to complex criteria
• Records can be organized (grouped sorted) into
  reports
• Records can be made relational in nature
• Databases can be made accessible to others in
  various ways
• Multi-user
• World Wide Web
• Server

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What are databases not good for?

• Data/statistical analysis
• End-user modification
• Simple tasks that could be handled using other
  applications

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Why you might not want another database?

• Is there already a database available that serves
  this purpose?
• Can an existing database be modified/copied to
  meet your need?
• Are you already collecting some of this data in
  another database?
• Dont have the time, money, or resources

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Bad Reasons for Creating a Database

• I have lots of money time on my hands
• Someone told us we should have one
• Because I know how to create a database in name
  your database

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Thinking strategically The steps

• Define your goals objectives
• Gather your requirements
• Design your database
• Develop the Database
• Develop documentation
• Train users

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Step 1 Define Goals Objectives

• What will the database track?
• Who will use the database and how?
• What will be the output of the database?
• Does data already exist in another form?
• What kind of security do you need?

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Step 2 Gather Your Requirements

• Look at existing data
• workflow for data collection entry
• outputs needed for each audience type
• Define your audience
• data-entry staff
• staff who gather data
• staff who make decisions based on the data
• staff who are assigned tasks based on the data
• public who utilizes data
• Conduct interviews
• look at user's model of process
• establish staff priorities
• Budget for entire scope of database (content
  technical staffing)

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Step 3 Design Your Database

• Create a model
• Create relations
• Normalize relations

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Step 4 Decide on a Platform

• Microsoft Access
• FileMaker Pro
• SQL (see-kwel)
• Oracle

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Step 5 Develop the Database

• Create a prototype (first working version)
• Test prototype with technical staff
• Develop beta version
• Test beta version with end-users
• Develop final version