Moduel 8 Assignment

Module 8 - Assignments:

Your assignment is from the text.
• Chapter 9, problems 1 and 2
Your assignment must be submitted to the Dropbox no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT.

Problem #
1. The ABC Car Service & Repair Centers are owned by the SILENT car dealer; ABC services and repairs only SILENT cars. Three ABC Car Service & Repair Centers provide service and repair for the entire state.

Each of the three centers is independently managed and operated by a shop manager, a receptionist, and at least eight mechanics. Each center maintains a fully stocked parts inventory.
Each center also maintains a manual file system in which each car’s maintenance history is kept: repairs made, parts used, costs, service dates, owner, and so on. Files are also kept to track inventory, purchasing, billing, employees’ hours, and payroll.

You have been contacted by the manager of one of the centers to design and implement a computerized system. Given the preceding information, do the following:

a. Indicate the most appropriate sequence of activities by labeling each of the following steps in the correct order. (For example, if you think that “Load the database.” is the appropriate first step, label it “1.”)

7____ Normalize the conceptual model.
_3___ Obtain a general description of company operations.
9____ Load the database.
4____ Create a description of each system process.
11____ Test the system.
5____ Draw a data flow diagram and system flowcharts.
6____ Create a conceptual model, using ER diagrams.
10____ Create the application programs.
_1___ Interview the mechanics.
_8___ Create the file (table) structures.
2__ Interview the shop manager.

b. Describe the various modules that you believe the system should include.
Payroll, Inventory, Customers Invoicing, Job tracking including hours,parts

c. How will a data dictionary help you develop the system? Give examples.
The data dictionary helps create documents. It looks for like words and checks for spelling sometimes. It will give better consistency. It also helps with reports.

d. What general (system) recommendations might you make to the shop manager? (For example. if the system will be integrated, what modules will be integrated? What benefits would be derived from such an integrated system? Include several general recommendations.)
I would recommend that the centers be integrated especially the contacts or customers. So that if a repair center brings up a customer’s car they can see what repairs have already been done to the car and at what price.
It would also be wise to have the manuals to cars online so that the repair men can look up how many hours and the price it takes.
It would also be good if they do not have the part they need if they can check with another store for quick access in case it is a part that you can’t get easy at a parts house.

e. What is the best approach to conceptual database design? Why?
A top-down approach with flexibility for future integration.

f. Name and describe at least four reports the system should have. Explain their use. Who will use those reports?

Monthly Payroll Report – This will be the monthly and year to date payroll.

Monthly Inventory Report – This would be all purchases and all parts put into cars. The report would show a break down of In and out. On the Out report It should show customer and car.

Monthly Cstomer Report – By date will have customers name and car and price.

Job Order Report = List of all mechanical jobs and who completed the job, who diagnosed and who trained or assisted. How many hours for data history. What parts were used. This report can also be printed so you can see what parts each tech likes to use.
2. Suppose you have been asked to create an information system for a manufacturing plant that produces nuts and bolts of many shapes, sizes, and functions. What questions would you ask, and how would the answers to those questions affect the database design?

What do you need to keep track of and what reports will you need?
What do you need to do on this system first?
Do you want to keep track of all your vendors information?Including things you are not currently selling?
Do you have cetain specifications for your sorting orders? Acending? Lot numbers? SKU? UPC codes?
What employees do we need to consider?

a. What do you envision the SDLC to be?
PLANNING
Initial assessment
Feasibility study
ANALYSIS
User requirements
Existing systems evaluation
Logical system design
DETAILED SYSTEMS DESIGN
Detailed system specifications
IMPLEMENTATION
Coding, testing, debugging
Installation, fine-tuning
MAINTENANCE
Evaluation
Maintenance
Enhancements

b. What do you envision the DBLC to be?
DATABASE INITIAL STUDY
Analyze the company situation
Define problems and constraints
Define objectives
Define scope and boundaries
DATABASE DESIGN
Create the conceptual design
DBMS software selection
Create the logical design
Create the physical design
IMPLEMENTATION AND LOADING
Install the DBMS
Create the database(s)
Load or convert the data
TESTING AND EVALUATION
Test the database
Fine-tune the database
Evaluate the database and its application programs
OPERATION
Produce the required information flow
MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION
Introduce changes
Make enhancements