Challenges in Database Design with Microsoft Access.
Jerzy A. Letkowski · Journal of instructional pedagogies · 2014
Design, development and explorations of databases are popular topics covered in introductory courses taught at business schools. Microsoft Access is the most popular software used in those courses. Despite quite high complexity of Access, it is considered to be one of the most friendly database programs for beginners. A typical Access textbook teaches students first how to design and build databases. Next the students are exposed to forms, reports and queries. Advanced courses also delve into applications of modules and macros. In many database design situations, separation of a logical data model from its physical implementation is necessary. Nontechnical, subject-matter, experts and end-users can better understand the logical data model and thus they can help improve the model’s structure. This paper focuses on the database design phase. It shows a database design cases implemented in MySQL Workbench and in Microsoft Access. It also attempts to expose some difficulties and anomalies that may be encountered when using exclusively Microsoft Access.