Database Design for Mere Mortals®: A Hands-on Guide to Relational Database Design, Third Edition

In Closing

I’m not a teacher: only a fellow-traveller of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead—ahead of myself as well as you.

—GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist in order to design a database properly. It should be a relatively straightforward task that can be performed by anyone possessing a good amount of common sense. As long as you follow a good database design method, you should be able to design a sound and reliable database structure.

You now possess the knowledge and skills necessary to design a relational database. You know how to define the necessary structures, establish table relationships, and implement various levels of data integrity. If you encounter improperly or poorly ...