Paper presented at the New York Library Association Conference, Academic &
Special Libraries Section, October 13, 1988
Outline
Conceive ideaAgency databases - between public
and personal.
Analyze requirements
Define user group. Internal vs. external.
Analyze users' background and tasks/problems and resulting information needs.
Determine which of these information needs are or can be met by existing
databases.
Decide which of the remaining information needs should be met through the new
database (subject to an evolving cost-benefit analysis).
Design the database
Decide on the coverage for the new database.
Prepare a list of potential data sources.
Develop the conceptual schema.
Decide on an approach to indexing.
Decide on an approach to searching and the user-system interface.
Adapt or develop a thesaurus that supports the approach selected.
Select tools for implementation (hardware, software, print) and determine data
structure/file formats.
Cost-benefit analysis in database design
Problem- or request-orientation in database design |