Database Management and Design: Building the Backbone of Modern Information Systems
Databases are the foundation of many of our daily business and commerce activities in today’s digital world. From conducting research to shopping online to managing healthcare records, databases organize and store the information that keeps systems running.
In a world increasingly shaped by data, understanding how databases are designed, built, and maintained has become essential. But mastering database management requires more than theoretical knowledge—it calls for practical application and real-world experience. That’s exactly what Database Management and Design offers. This interactive resource prepares students to become data-savvy professionals through hands-on experience with the tools and technologies that power today’s information systems.
A Practical, Interactive Approach to Learning Databases
With an advanced query editor, this resource allows students to extract, add, create, or delete data. Servers include SQL, MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. Auto-graded assessments reinforce skills at every step, while the ability to connect to custom databases makes this learning experience truly dynamic. Rather than simply learning about databases, students engage with real-world systems and build the confidence to manage them effectively.
Authors Gov Allen, PhD, Gary Hansen, and Robert Jackson, PhD designed Database Management and Design with a model-driven, example-rich methodology that emphasizes conceptual understanding paired with practical application. Each topic builds progressively—from foundational principles to advanced modeling and implementation—using detailed examples, figures, and case studies to ground abstract ideas in real-world contexts.
Chapters include rich, diagram-based examples that encapsulate a wide range of modeling challenges. These examples are not only used to illustrate core concepts, but also to demonstrate how to make practical decisions.
Building from Concept to Implementation
This resource begins by encouraging students to think critically about how databases support everyday tasks, like tracking a bank balance or managing store inventory. It starts with SQL, and students learn how to create, insert, delete, and query data using an advanced editor that simulates real-world scenarios. From there, the text moves to more advanced concepts like the relational model and conceptual design, showing students how to structure, implement, and query data effectively.
As students progress, they move from theory to practice as they turn their conceptual models into functioning databases. This includes understanding how design choices affect speed, usability, and reliability. Then students are ready to write more complex queries to extract, filter, and aggregate insights from real-world datasets. Later sections introduce database administration and global applications, preparing users for roles that demand strong technical skills, security awareness, and the ability to manage data at scale.
Finally, students explore how modern information systems—from mobile apps to global networks—leverage data warehouses, data marts, and data mining to extract insights, forecast trends, and make informed decisions.
What Skills Will Students Develop?
Throughout the course, students aren’t just reading about databases—they’re working with them. The interactive platform ensures that learners gain experience writing and running queries, exploring database structures, and even connecting to live systems.
By the end of the course, students will have gained the following:
- Exposure to the technologies driving modern data analytics
- Practical SQL skills using multiple platforms
- Conceptual and relational database design knowledge
- Awareness of the role of data in organizational decision-making
- Skills in database security, performance, and administration
Database Management and Design equips students not just to understand databases, but to build, manage, and optimize them for real-world applications.
Topics Covered in This Resource
Chapter 1: Databases for an Information-Rich, Connected World
Chapter 2: Introduction to SQL
Chapter 3: The Relational Data Model
Chapter 4: Principles of Conceptual Database Design
Chapter 5: From Conceptual Design to Relational Implementation
Chapter 6: Advanced Data Manipulation with SQL
Chapter 7: Data and Database Administration
Chapter 8: Database Applications in a Global World
A1: Appendix
