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© 2014 Pacific Crest
229
I
nformation
What you need to know
R
eadings
M
ethodology
O
rganizing
D
ata
Scenario:
Organizing our home library (analog data)
Step
Explanation
Watch it Work!
1. Identify the
data users
Who is or will be the end
user?
Myself and my family (3 adults and 2 children)
2. Identify the
data types
Identify the different types
of data that the system
accommodates
children’s books, fiction (novels and graphic
novels), non-fiction (reference books, how-to
manuals, photo albums, biographies)
3. Identify the
current data
structure
What are the types of
records? Within each file/
data structure, what is its
organization?
We have 5 large bookcases but only the novels
and photo albums are currently organized. Photo
albums are by year, novels by title. The remaining
books are currently shelved haphazardly making
it difficult to find individual books.
4. Define current
use
How does the end user use
the data now?
Each of us remove and replace books for
reading. The how-to manuals are used when
something needs to be fixed. Without a clear
system, we all reshelve where we find space.
5. Predict future
use
How will the end user be
using the data in future?
I can foresee more books of every kind plus
new categories such as Young Adult Fiction and
Owner’s Manuals. I’ve also started to collect
cookbooks though I only have two now.
6. Specify future
data structure
How will the data structure
need to change in the
future (to accommodate
Step 5)?
We will need additional shelving space and more
bookends to keep the different types of books
separate. We may ultimately have taller books
too, requiring bookshelves with greater vertical
shelving space.
7. Test
specifications
(of previous
step)
a. New data can be
entered easily
Yes. There is always space for adding new
books. New bookshelves can be added too.
b. The quality of data can
be validated
We bought a label maker so we can label each
section. So potentially, yes.
c. Data is stored in minimal
space
Yes. Books could be piled on the floor but are
not. Everything is shelved.
d. Data can be easily
accessed in order to
transform, analyze, and
use it
NO! It takes a very long time to find specific
books and no one is sure where to reshelve
books, since there is no system in place. (I
needed a how-to manual and never was able to
find it though I know it is there, somewhere.)
5.3 Organizing Data