Database Users and Requirements
Identify the end-user and functional requirements of a database problem.
How to study National 5 Computing Science
Move from functional requirements to designs and implementation, trace data and code carefully, and support testing and evaluation with evidence.
Core concepts
Concept 1
The end-user is the person or group who will use the database or its output.
Exam cue: Name who needs the information and the action they must perform.
Concept 2
A functional requirement states data the database must store, search, change or report.
Exam cue: Turn scenario verbs such as find, list, add or update into testable requirements.
Concept 3
Requirements should remain independent of a particular database product.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Naming the developer instead of the database end-user.
Guardrail: Check option route, data type, valid boundary, loop condition, array index, identifier and expected output before committing to the response.
Giving a table or SQL implementation detail rather than required behaviour.
Guardrail: Check option route, data type, valid boundary, loop condition, array index, identifier and expected output before committing to the response.
Memory anchors
Database end-user
The person or group who enters, manages or uses the stored information.
Store requirement
State which real-world data must be retained.
Search requirement
State what records the user must be able to find and by which criterion.
Output requirement
State the information a query or report must present.
Update requirement
State what stored information must be changed or maintained.
Requirement test
A valid functional requirement describes observable database behaviour.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
Who is an end user of a library loans database?
Which is a functional requirement for a club database?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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