Idea for final project?

[CrispyToast]

Hey all,

I've looked around and this community seems pretty knowledgeable. I was hoping I could get some collaboration on a final project for my CS125DB class.

Basically, we have to create a database with several tables, a form, a query, and a report.

The possibilities are endless and the instructor hasn't really limited us to anything. I have no idea what I want to do and have several weeks to do this, so I'm not in any rush. But I definitely wanted to get some ideas running through my head and was hoping some creative person could help get me started. I own several apartment complexes in my local town and wouldn't mind doing something that I can apply to that. When I post an ad for an opening I get up to 20 applications per apartment, could I put these in a table and then have a table with the different apartments and features of that apartment? Just an idea. Maybe anyone else has some great idea to share.

Looking forward to all the great ideas!

[June7]

I think using a 'real-world' case for a student project makes the learning experience more meaningful, especially if it is personally relevant. Your apartment ownership seems very appropriate to this. You could do so much in the database - features, maintenance records, tax records, occupancy, rental receipts, operation expenses - possibilities are multitudinous.

[Dal Jeanis]

1) I'll second June's comment. Pick an issue that is concrete and useful to you, where you know the "workflow" that you want to support. Workflow is whatever the user needs to be able to make the system do. Do not take on some stranger's arbitrary idea, because your ability to think your way through the project will often depend more on how well you know the business need as it will on how well you know Access.

2) If you have several weeks, the time to start is NOW. Divide the total available time in half. That midpoint date is when your basics need to be working and in testing. Divide the time until midpoint in three. The end of the first third is when your business requirements and basic design need to be completed. For example, if you have six weeks total until the assignment is due, your design needs to be finished in one week.

Yes, I'm serious.

3) Design and implement the basics first, leave complexities and brilliant ideas for later. The first 80% of a good grade is having the basics implemented in a sound manner. The next 15% is look-and-feel of the interface.

4) Keep a folder somewhere full of your brilliant ideas (you will have many). Do not attempt to implement ANY of them until your basic business requirements are fully tested.


5) Once you have picked your project, go over to Access MVP Roger Carlson's place at http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/ and check out his tutorials on database design and application design. You will save yourself hours of headaches if you go through two of his examples of entity relationship modeling , and then do the ER diagrams for your own project. Post the results in a new "database design" thread here and get feedback. If you plan to build something well, always start with a good foundation.