Module 11 Building Solutions Lesson

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DISCOVERING COMPUTERS 2018
Digital Technology, Data, and Devices

Module 11

Building Solutions:

Database, System,

and Application

Development Tools

accessible website, in whole or in part.

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to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Objectives Overview (1 of 2)

• Differentiate among a character, field, record, and

data file and describe validation techniques

• Differentiate between file processing systems and

the database approach

• Describe uses of web databases, types of

databases, and Big Data

• Discuss functions common to most database

management systems: data dictionary, file retrieval
and maintenance, data security, and backup and
recovery

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to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Objectives Overview (2 of 2)

•

Define system development, list the system development
phases, and identify the guidelines for system development

•

Discuss the importance of project management, feasibility
assessment, documentation, and data and information
gathering techniques

•

Discuss the purpose of and tasks conducted in each system
development phase

•

Differentiate between low-level languages and procedural
languages

•

Identify the benefits of object-oriented programming
languages and application development tools

•

Describe various ways to develop webpages and web
applications

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to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Databases, Data, and Information (1 of 10)

• Database

–

Collection of data organized in a manner that allows
access, retrieval, and use of that data

• Data

–

Collection of unprocessed items
▪

Text

▪

Numbers

▪

Images

▪

Audio

▪

Video

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Databases, Data, and Information (2 of 10)

• Information

–

Processed data
▪

Organized

▪

Meaningful

▪

Useful

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Databases, Data, and Information (3 of 10)

Figure 11-1 This figure shows how a school’s admissions department might
process new student data into information.

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Databases, Data, and Information (4 of 10)

• Database software,often called a database

management system (DBMS), allows users to:
–

Create a computerized database

–

Add, modify, and delete data

–

Sort and retrieve data

–

Create forms and reports from the data

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posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

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Databases, Data, and Information (5 of 10)

• Data is organized in levels

–

Characters, fields, records, and data files

Figure 11-2 A sample school database with four data files: Student, Instructor, Schedule of Classes,
and Student Schedule. The sample Instructor file contains four records. Each record contains six
fields. The Instructor ID field can contain a maximum of six characters (bytes).
Source: Microsoft

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Databases, Data, and Information (6 of 10)

• A character is one byte

–

Numbers, letters, blank space, punctuation marks, or
other symbols

• A field is a combination of one or more related

characters
–

Field name

–

Field size

–

Data type

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Databases, Data, and Information (7 of 10)

Figure 11-3 Data types of fields in the Instructor and Student files.

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Databases, Data, and Information (8 of 10)

• A record is a group of related fields

–

A primary key is a field that uniquely identifies each
record

• A data file is a collection of related records

Figure 11-4 This sample data file, stored on a hard drive, contains four records,
each with eleven fields.

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Databases, Data, and Information (9 of 10)

• File maintenance refers to the procedures that

keep data current
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Adding records

–

Modifying records

–

Deleting records

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Databases, Data, and Information (10 of 10)

• Validation compares data with a set of rules or

values to determine if the data meets certain
criteria
–

Alphabetic/Numeric check

–

Range check

–

Consistency check

–

Completeness check

–

Check digit

–

Other checks

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File Processing Systems and Databases

( 1 of 6)

• File processing system

–

Each department has its own set of files

–

Redundant data

–

Isolated data

• Database approach

–

Programs and users share data

–

Reduced data redundancy

–

Improved data integrity

–

Shared data

–

Easier access

–

Reduced development time

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File Processing Systems and Databases

( 2 of 6)

Figure 11-6 With file processing, both files contain all six instructor data fields. With a database, only the
Instructor file contains the First Name, Last Name, Extension, Office, and Email Address fields. Other files,
such as the Schedule of Classes file, contain only the Instructor ID — which links to the Instructor file when
instructor data is needed.

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File Processing Systems and Databases

( 3 of 6)

• Disadvantages of a database approach

–

Can be more complex than a file processing system

–

Require more memory and processing power

–

Data can be more vulnerable

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File Processing Systems and Databases

( 4 of 6)

• Web databases offer information about:

–

Jobs

–

Travel

–

Destinations

–

Television programming

–

Photos

–

Movies

–

Videos

–

Local and national weather

–

Sporting events

–

Legislative information

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File Processing Systems and Databases

( 5 of 6)

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File Processing Systems and Databases

(6 of 6)

• A data model defines how users view the

organization of the data
–

Relational database

–

Object-oriented database (OODB)

–

Multidimensional and other database types

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Database Management Systems (1 of 10)

• A data dictionary contains data about each file in

the database and each field in those files

Figure 11-7 A sample data dictionary entry shows the fields in the Student file and the properties of
the State field.
Source: Microsoft

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Database Management Systems (2 of 10)

• A DBMS provides several tools that allow users

and programs to retrieve and maintain data in the
database
–

Query language

–

Query by example

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Form

–

Report writer

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Database Management Systems (3 of 10)

• A query is a request for specific data from the

database

• A query language consists of simple, English-like

statements that allow users to specify the data to
display, print, store, update, or delete

• Structured Query Language (SQL) is a popular

query language that allows users to manage,
update, and retrieve data

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Database Management Systems (4 of 10)

Figure 11-8a (SQL statement
SELECT CLASS_TITLE, CLASS_SECTION,
MAXIMUM_ENROLLMENT - CURRENT_ENROLLMENT AS
SEATS_REMAINING
FROM SCHEDULE_OF_CLASSES, CLASS_CATALOG
WHERE SCHEDULE_OF_CLASSES.CLASS_CODE =
CLASS_CATALOG.CLASS_CODE
ORDER BY CLASS_

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Database Management Systems (5 of 10)

Figure 11-8b (SQL statement results)

Class Title

Class Section

Seats Remaining

Algebra

51

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Art Appreciation

52

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English Composition 1

02

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Introduction to Sociology

01

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Figure 11-8 A sample SQL statement and its results. Notice that the query results show
meaningful column headings instead of the actual SQL field names.
Source: Microsoft

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Database Management Systems (6 of 10)

• Most DBMSs include query by example (QBE), a

feature that has a graphical user interface to
assist users with retrieving data

Figure 11-9 Shown here is a Microsoft Access QBE, which searches for students whose
major is sociology.
Source: Microsoft

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Database Management Systems (7 of 10)

• A form is a window on the screen that provides

areas for entering or modifying data in a database

• A report writer allows users to design a report on

the screen, retrieve data into the report design, and
then display or print the report

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Database Management Systems (8 of 10)

Figure 11-10 This report, created in Microsoft Access, displays student
information by major.
Source: Microsoft

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Database Management Systems (9 of 10)

A DBMS provides means to ensure that only
authorized users access data
• Access privileges
• Principle of least privilege policy

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Database Management Systems (10 of 10)

• A DMBS provides a variety of techniques to restore

the database to a usable form in case it is
damaged or destroyed
–

Backup

–

Log

–

Recovery utility

–

Continuous backup

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System Development(1 of 24)

• An information system is a collection of hardware,

software, data, people, and procedures that work
together to produce information

• System development is a set of activities used to

build an information system

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System Development (2 of 24)

• System development is a set of activities used to

build an information system

• System development activities are grouped into

phases, and is called the system development
life cycle (SDLC)

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System Development (3 of 24)

Figure 11-11 System development often consists of five phases that form a loop.
Several ongoing activities also take place throughout system development.

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System Development (4 of 24)

• System development should follow three general

guidelines:
–

Group activities into phases

–

Involve users

–

Define standards

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System Development (5 of 24)

• System development should involve

representatives from each department in which the
proposed system will be used

• A systems analyst is responsible for designing

and developing an information system

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System Development (6 of 24)

• Project management is the process of planning,

scheduling, and then controlling the activities during
system development

• To plan and schedule a project efficiently, the project

leader identifies the following elements:
–

Scope

–

Required activities

–

Time estimates for each activity

–

Cost estimates for each activity

–

Order of activities

–

Activities that can take place at the same time

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System Development (7 of 24)

•

Popular tools used to plan and schedule the time
relationships among project activities are Gantt and PERT
charts

Figure 11-12 Project managers use software to create Gantt charts, PERT charts,
and other charts and diagrams.

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System Development (8 of 24)

• Feasibility is a measure of how suitable the

development of a system will be to the organization
–

Operational feasibility

–

Schedule feasibility

–

Technical feasibility

–

Economic feasibility

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System Development (9 of 24)

• Documentationis the collection and summarization

of data, information, and deliverables

• Maintaining up-to-date documentation should be an

ongoing part of system development

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System Development (10 of 24)

• During system development, members of the

project team gather data and information
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Review documentation

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Observe

–

Survey

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Interview

–

JAD Sessions

–

Research

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System Development (11 of 24)

Figure 11-13 During a JAD session, the systems analyst is the moderator, or leader of the
discussion. Another member, called the scribe, records facts and action items assigned
during the session.

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System Development (12 of 24)

• The planning phase for a project begins when

the steering committee receives a project request

• Four major activities are performed:

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System Development (13 of 24)

• The analysis phase consists of two major

activities:
–

Conduct a preliminary investigation
▪

Determines the exact nature of the problem or improvement

▪

Interview the user who submitted the request

–

Perform detailed analysis
▪

Study how the current system works

▪

Determine the users’ wants, needs, and requirements

▪

Recommend a solution

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System Development (14 of 24)

• The system proposal assesses the feasibility of

each alternative solution

• The steering committee discusses the system

proposal and decides which alternative to pursue
–

Modify existing system

–

Buy retail software

–

Use web apps

–

Build custom software

–

Outsource

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System Development (15 of 24)

• The design phase consists of two major activities

–

Acquire hardware and software

–

Develop all of the details of the new or modified
information system

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System Development (16 of 24)

• To acquire the necessary hardware and software:

–

Identify technical specifications

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Solicit vendor proposals

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Test and evaluate vendor proposals

–

Make a decision

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System Development (17 of 24)

• The next step is to develop detailed design

specifications
–

Database design

–

Input and output design

–

Program design

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System Development (18 of 24)

• Systems analysts typically develop two types of

designs for each input and output

Mock-up

Figure 11-15 Users provide their approval on inputs and outputs. This input screen is a mock-up
(containing actual sample data) for users to review.
Source: Micros

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System Development (19 of 24)

Layout chart

Figure 11-16 Shown here is a technical view in Access of the mock-up in Figure
11-15.
Source: Microsoft

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System Development (20 of 24)

• A prototype (proof of concept) is a working model

of the proposed system’s essential functionality

• The purpose of the implementation phase is to

construct the new or modified system and then
deliver it to users

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System Development (21 of 24)

• Various tests should be performed on the new

system
–

Unit test
▪

Verifies that each individual program or object works by itself

–

Systems test
▪

Verifies that all programs in an application work together
properly

–

Integration test
▪

Verifies that an application works with other applications

–

Acceptance test
▪

Checks the new system to ensure that it works with actual data

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System Development (22 of 24)

• Training involves showing users exactly how they

will use the new hardware and software in the
system
–

One-on-one sessions

–

Classroom-style lectures

–

Web-based training

Figure 11-17 Organizations must ensure that users are trained properly on the new
system. One training method uses hands-on classes to learn the new system.

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System Development (23 of 24)

• One or more of four conversion strategies can be

used to change from the old system to the new
system
–

Direct conversion

–

Parallel conversion

–

Phased conversion

–

Pilot conversion

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System Development (24 of 24)

• The purpose of the support and security phase is

to provide ongoing assistance for an information
system and its users after the system is
implemented

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (1 of 17)

• A programming language is a set of words,

abbreviations, and symbols that enable a software
developer to communicate instructions to a
computer or mobile device

• An application development tool provides a means

for creating, designing, editing, testing, and
distributing programs and apps

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (2 of 17)

• With a procedural language, the programmer

writes instructions using English-like words that tell
the computer what to accomplish and how to do it

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (3 of 17)

• The C programming language is used to write

many of today’s programs

Figure 11-18 An excerpt from a C payroll program. The code shows the computations for regular time pay,
overtime pay, and gross pay; the decision to evaluate the overtime hours; and the output of the gross pay

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (4 of 17)

• A compiler converts the entire source program to

machine language before executing it

• An interpreter translates and executes one

instruction at a time

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (5 of 17)

Figure 11-19 A compiler converts the source program (C, in this example) into a
machine language object program.

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (6 of 17)

Figure 11-20 With an interpreter, one instruction of the source program at a time is
converted into machine language and then immediately executed by the computer or
mobile device

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (7 of 17)

• An object-oriented programming (OOP)

language allows system developers to implement
objects in a program

• Other advantages include:

–

Objects can be reused

–

Developers create applications faster

–

Most object-oriented application development tools are
IDEs

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (8 of 17)

Figure 11-21 A portion of a Java program and the window the program
displays.

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (9 of 17)

• C++ is an extension of the C programming

language
–

Additional features for working with objects

• Visual Studio is Microsoft’s suite of object-oriented

application development tools that assists software
developers in building programs and apps for
Windows or any operating system that supports the
Microsoft .NET Framework

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (10 of 17)

• A 4GL (fourth-generation language) is a

nonprocedural language that enables users and
software developers to access data in a database
–

One popular 4GL is SQL

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (11 of 17)

• Classic programming languages include:

–

BASIC

–

COBOL

–

FORTRAN

–

RPG

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (12 of 17)

• An application generator is a program that creates

source code or machine code from a specification
of the required functionality
–

Often bundled as part of a DBMS

• A macro is a series of statements that instructs a

program or app how to complete a task

• You usually create the macro in one of two ways:

–

Record the macro

–

Write the macro

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (13 of 17)

Figure 11-22 The top screen shows a macro used to automate an auto loan. After this macro is written, the
user taps or clicks the New Loan button to run the macro. The bottom screen shows the macro guiding the
user through part of the data entry process.
Source: Microsoft

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (14 of 17)

• HTML is a special formatting language that

software developers use to format documents for
display on the web

Figure 11-23 The portion of the HTML code in Figure 11-23a generates a portion of the
Cengage Learning CengageBrain

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (15 of 17)

• XML allows web developers to create tags that

describe the structure of information
–

WML is a subset of XML and is used to design pages
specifically for microbrowsers

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (16 of 17)

• To add interactivity on webpages and to add

special media effects, such as animated graphics,
scrolling messages, calendars, and
advertisements, web developers write small
programs called scripts using a variety of scripting
languages
–

JavaScript

–

Perl

–

PHP

–

Python

–

Ruby

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Application Development Languages

and Tools (17 of 17)

Figure 11-24 Shown here is a portion of the JavaScript code and its associated National Park
Service webpage.
Source: National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior.

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Summary

• Hierarchy of data, ways to validate data, the

advantages of the database versus the file
processing approach, and characteristics of
database management systems

• System development phases and the guidelines for

system development, along with activities that
occur during system development

• Various programming languages and application

development tools

• Variety of web development tools

Module 11 Building Solutions

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