ERD

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Software skills: Database conceptualisation and design.

Business skills: How databases support functional area(s)

Select any one functional area in a business organisation. Think about the data involved in the processes. Based on your selection, use an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) to depict the data model of the functional area[footnoteRef:1]. The materials covered in class (on databases and general MIS) may be useful in helping you select a functional area for analysis. Please be sure to select something that is manageable[footnoteRef:2]. Please also have at least 4 entities (2 points per entity) in your ERD with appropriate attributes. Please do not use the ERD examples covered in class because we’re supposed to think. There is no need to have all possible attributes. But please have relevant/suitable ones for each entity. Some attributes can be pointless, depending on the design of your database. And we don’t want to have unnecessary ones. Please also include an explanation[footnoteRef:3] of the functional area/process you are modeling, and detailed justification for the entities and relationships, as this will determine how you want your database to work in support of the function you selected (2 points). You can refer to Chapter 1 for functional area information systems (FAIS) and how they function within an organisation. [1: Recall Module 1 (Chapter 1).] [2: A possible idea could be a warehouse that has entities like inventory, manager, order, store; or a bank that has entities like branch, customer, transaction, relationship manager.] [3: This is to ensure we think this through and avoid introducing entities just for the sake of introducing them]

Your ERD must be constructed using Visio (or equivalent[footnoteRef:4]). Paste the ERD in a word document as a picture for submission. Seattle’s virtual desktop should have Visio installed. If you really have issues accessing Visio, you can conceptualise it and use the computer in the lab. This will minimise the amount of time you need using the software itself. Please do not draw it manually, as this is an MIS class after all. We are expected to use technology tools to solve problems. 😊 [4: You can try Gliffy in Goole Docs or on the browser. There are others too.]

Grading rubric

The grading rubric is given below. 10% of the points are given to truly exceptional work.

Criteria

Outstanding

Acceptable

Troll

ERD entity 1

2 points Very appropriate and relevant entity. Very appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and highly accurate relationships

1 points Somewhat appropriate entity. Somewhat appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and/or somewhat accurate relationships. There are some attributes that are not clear or inappropriate, or there are missing attributes. For example, “marketing” is not likely to be an appropriate attribute. “Marketing is also not a clearly defined entity. “Marketing department” is more appropriate as an entity. Some relationships may be inaccurate, using the wrong modality or cardinality, and/or the relationships can be enhanced.

0 point

Completely irrelevant

ERD entity 2

2 points Very appropriate and relevant entity. Very appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and highly accurate relationships

1 points Somewhat appropriate entity. Somewhat appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and/or somewhat accurate relationships. There are some attributes that are not clear or inappropriate, or there are missing attributes. For example, “marketing” is not likely to be an appropriate attribute. “Marketing is also not a clearly defined entity. “Marketing department” is more appropriate as an entity. Some relationships may be inaccurate, using the wrong modality or cardinality, and/or the relationships can be enhanced.

0 point

Completely irrelevant

ERD entity 3

2 points Very appropriate and relevant entity. Very appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and highly accurate relationships

1 points Somewhat appropriate entity. Somewhat appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and/or somewhat accurate relationships. There are some attributes that are not clear or inappropriate, or there are missing attributes. For example, “marketing” is not likely to be an appropriate attribute. “Marketing is also not a clearly defined entity. “Marketing department” is more appropriate as an entity. Some relationships may be inaccurate, using the wrong modality or cardinality, and/or the relationships can be enhanced.

0 point

Completely irrelevant

ERD entity 4

2 points Very appropriate and relevant entity. Very appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and highly accurate relationships

1 points Somewhat appropriate entity. Somewhat appropriate and accurate attributes assigned, including the primary key, and/or somewhat accurate relationships. There are some attributes that are not clear or inappropriate, or there are missing attributes. For example, “marketing” is not likely to be an appropriate attribute. “Marketing is also not a clearly defined entity. “Marketing department” is more appropriate as an entity. Some relationships may be inaccurate, using the wrong modality or cardinality, and/or the relationships can be enhanced.

0 point

Completely irrelevant

ERD write up

2 points

To get 1.25 points:

Very accurate understanding of how the database design will support the selected functional area(s). Demonstrates keen awareness of how each entity can support the functional area(s)

To get 2 points: demonstrate exceptional work. This is reserved for students who put in extra thought into the assignment to deliver a more complete solution. An idea could be to include a discussion of how the relationships/design can be modified to support different business strategies. Refer to the parking permit example discussed in class.

1 points

Somewhat accurate understanding of how the database design will support the selected functional area(s). Demonstrates fairly keen awareness of how each entity can support the functional area(s). Some explanations may be incomplete, for example, an entity is not fully justified or explained, or the match between the functional area and ERD is not very clear. Having an ERD with leave, benefits, insurance, to support a marketing functional area may not be very ideal.

0 points

Completely irrelevant or did not provide a reasonable write up