Effective Data Base Design

EFFECTIVE DATA BASE DESIGN, written by William H. Inmon, and published by Prentice-Hall in 1981, was one in a series of books in Data Processing Management. As noted on the back of the book, "Most of the problems associated with the effective application of computer data base technology can be traced to design inadequacies, especially those related to data structures, the data interrelationships Amon data vases, and other data-related problems. In fact, after W.H. Inmon surveyed many data base users, he found 'it became apparent that solving the major problems of data design would be a significant step toward the larger problem of building satisfactory data base applications...' 'The purpose of this book,' he writes,' 'is to explore many of those problems and how they can be prevented' by identifying the major problems of data base design in modern production systems, presenting solutions to those problems that are appropriate at the design level, and, in some cases, discussing solutions that can be used at the implementation level. In fifteen early written and well-organized chapters, EFFECTIVE DATA BASE DESIGN addresses the subject conceptually, rather than emphasizing mechanical aspects of design. Coverage includes the evolution of data design, data base environment, data structures and data design, data base design and optimization, optimizing flexibility in data base design, combining considerations of flexibility and performance, large data base design, restructuring data bases, data base design review, structural analysis, time-dependent data structures; structural auditing and documentation, reports, queries and data structures and selected examples of design problems taken from actual practical situations."