Inspired Data Base Design

jsanders

If I Only had a Brain
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Hello All,

So much has been discussed on the main boards about the techniques available to solve technical problems.

When you read books on data base design; much is discussed on the structure of databases and much more is left out concerning how people actually work. A properly designed data base enhances work flow and changes workers bad work habits into useful and efficient ones.

My primary market is emerging small businesses. Typically my customers have been using spread sheets and Quick Books to keep track of ordering, scheduling, resource allocation, and accounting.

As you can imagine it’s a disaster. Individuals in the company have spent much time working out their problems in Excel. This poses a real challenge, many of the user are very emotionally attached to the existing non-system, and they are often determined that the “new database” will function in the same way as their tried an true spread sheets.


So to open the discussion.

I’m curious. What do ya’ll do to ameliorate this and what is the general theme you prefer when creating a system for people that have never had one before?
 
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Personally, I test every GUI on my wife. She is not shy about telling me that something is not 'intuitive'. She will also find holes and glitches for me...(not knowing anything about Access makes her uniquely qualified to do so.)
 
I'll be sure and check this thread often. I have just such a project coming up in the next week or so. The nursing director just approached me this morning about a db that could work like Excel...
jim
 

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