Database Design for Mere Mortals
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“This book takes the somewhat daunting process of database design and breaks it into completely manageable and understandable components. Mike’s approach whilst simple is completely professional, and I can recommend this book to any novice database designer.” –Sandra Barker, Lecturer, University of South Australia, Australia “Databases are a critical infrastructure technology for information systems and today’s business. Mike Hernandez… More >>
Database Design for Mere Mortals
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A few days after reading 1/2 the book I nearly wrote a review giving the book 0 stars. Truly pages 50-200 can be condensed into about 10 pages. However, the chapters about building the tables, relationships, fields attributes, business rules are very well written to give an overview for the non-technical person or somebody getting started. Also, many times books that teach a language will avoid fundamental skills such as database design and these are more important than understanding syntax (you will know if your syntax is wrong when you run the program, you wont know your design is f-ed up till 6 months into implementation).
If you haven’t had database design exposure through a Comp Sci program, this is an excellent starting point. Due to it’s non-technical descriptions this is a good read if you are overseeing software/database project (project manager, manager commisioning a design house, etc.) and are not entirely computer literate.
On the downside, I would have liked it if he did associate the various nomalization terms that he ends up discussing but without actually saying that is what they are (e.g. breaking apart multi-valued fields, etc). Certainly if you have seen this already and would like more detailed information then consider Teorey’s Database Modeling & Design which is more advanced.
Rating: 4 / 5
I was first introduced to this book in College while I was learning relational database design and modeling concepts. Almost anyone can open Access and build a database, but are they doing it correctly? Knowing how to do something and WHY you are doing it are entirely different things. This book takes complicated technical information and breaks it out into an efficient and easy to understand format that anyone from a beginner to an expert can use and understand. Not only do you finish understanding the how and the why of relational design, but you have also been exposed to the detailed process of designing for others, methods of interviewing and example questions that show you how to get the information you need from your users that’s crucial to your design. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it since the concepts are software independent. At my last job, our SQL DBA called this book his Bible. I just recently ordered it again for a friend who’s beginning to learn about databases. Two thumbs up!
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is adequate but not great as an introduction to designing databases. I agree with other reviewers that it’s quite repetitive and goes to extremes on details like field specifications. I suppose if you know nothing about DB design this book is OK – but you’ll need other books and lots of practice designing your own databases if you truly want to become proficient. A much better general intro book to databases and simple design is ‘Inside Relational Databases’ by Whitehorn & Marklyn. Novices should look at ‘Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Databases’ by John V. Petersen first.
Once you’ve mastered those 2 books then get the best available book on DB design/modeling: ‘Case*Method: Entity Relationship Modelling’ by Richard Barker. It’s excellent.
Two other options for university level/advanced modeling: ‘Database Modeling & Design’ by Toby J. Teorey and ‘Data Modeling Essentials: Analysis, Design, and Innovation’ by Graeme C. Simsion
Rating: 2 / 5
I have to temper my enthusiasm for this book with the perspective gained by reading the negative comments of those who seem to be, by and large, professional database developers, programming experts, and teachers. First, I just gotta say: “no offense, but geez, what a bunch of snotty know-it-alls!” Now that I have that off my chest, this book was manna from heaven for me! I am a newbie, I’m using Access, I’m trying to create a system for my workplace (without knowing what I’m doing, mind you!), and I learn best through a logical approach, reinforcement, and repitition. I actually enjoyed the experience of skipping some paragraphs thinking, “yeah, yeah, you said that already, I GOT it!” But I think even having that experience helps me learn by shoring up the information deposit in my head. If you’re in my situation, and you like starting at the beginning and getting a solid foundation, AND if you’re not a big whoopdie doo database mogul, you will love this book! BTW, this is not a book about Access or any particular brand of database software, but a book about FUNDAMENTALS of database design that is probably most appropriate for people who don’t intend to make their living designing databases. I’d bet that’s a lot of people.
Rating: 5 / 5
I’m buying this book a second time because I lent it out one too many times to people at my last job. I agree with the other reviewers that note that learning everything this book has to teach will not make you a DBA. But it will help you talk intelligently to your DBA. I highly recommend this book for Project Managers and Business Analysts that will gather end-user requirements for development projects that will entail building or revising databases. The highly detailed end-user interview method described is worth the price – its eessentially why I’m buying it, again. In that way, this book has a place in larger DB development projects.
But this book can have an even more prominent role in smaller DB development projects. The “Design” part of the title is justified because it does explain enough about normalization, referential integrity, and other technical topics to help a first-time, amateur database designer create a good design for a simple database. But be forewarned 1) it won’t help you administer that DB over the whole software life cycle or 2) tell you how to implement your design in any specific RDBMS (e.g. SQL Server, Access, Oracle) – you’ll have to get that from an RDBMS-product-specific title. And 3) you’ll need more theory from some other book for more complex databases.
A lot of books that attempt to explain a technical topic to a wider audience leave the intended, amateur audience confused and the experienced professional bored. This book will bore any competent DBA, who should know all this stuff. But for “Mere Mortals”, the intended audience, this book is a gem. That is why I rate it 5 stars.
Rating: 5 / 5