We All Had The Unfortunate Experience Of Seeing How C 422090

We all had the unfortunate experience of seeing how computers can, at times, make life's journey about more difficult

Identify an example of a poorly implemented database encountered or read about that illustrates how technology can cause significant issues in knowledge-centric workplaces. Analyze the potential causes of these problems and propose solutions, supported by evidence from scholarly literature.

Paper For Above instruction

In today’s technologically driven workplaces, databases serve as critical repositories of information that facilitate decision-making, operations, and strategic planning. However, when these databases are poorly designed or implemented, they can significantly hinder organizational efficiency, compromise data integrity, and lead to misguided decisions. A classic example of such a poorly implemented database is the case of the Denver International Airport’s baggage handling system of the 1990s, which is often cited in academic literature as a cautionary tale of IT project mismanagement.

The Denver baggage handling system was touted as an innovative, fully automated system designed to streamline luggage processing and improve efficiency. However, the project suffered from scope creep, inadequate testing, and poor vendor management, leading to a series of failures that cost millions of dollars and delayed the airport’s opening. The database underpinning this system was complex, integrating multiple subsystems for baggage tracking, routing, and reporting. The database design was flawed because it lacked proper normalization, which resulted in redundant data entries and synchronization issues. Additionally, the system's architecture did not adequately account for real-time data updates, leading to inconsistencies and system crashes when handling high volumes of luggage data during peak times.

The root causes of these issues can be traced to poor planning, lack of stakeholder engagement, and insufficient testing phases. The project team underestimated the complexity of integrating various subsystems and failed to simulate real-world scenarios thoroughly prior to deployment. Furthermore, vendor management was inadequate, as there was little oversight to ensure that the database schema and interfaces adhered to best practices. These deficiencies resulted in a fragile system highly susceptible to data corruption and operational breakdowns.

Potential solutions to such issues involve adopting best practices in database design and project management. Firstly, thorough requirements analysis and stakeholder involvement during the design phase are essential to understand data flow needs and ensure scalability. Implementing normalization principles (Korth, Sudarshan, & Sudarshan, 2019) helps reduce redundancy and improve data integrity. Incorporating extensive testing, including load testing with real-world data volumes, can improve system robustness. Additionally, incremental implementation with pilot testing allows for early detection of issues, reducing the risk of total system failure (Connolly & Begg, 2014). Vendor management should also be strengthened through clear communication, setting performance benchmarks, and ongoing oversight.

Literature supports these approaches. For instance, Elmasri and Navathe (2015) emphasize the importance of proper database schema design and normalization to ensure data consistency. Meanwhile, project management research highlights the significance of phased deployments and stakeholder engagement to mitigate risks (Schwalbe, 2018). The Denver case exemplifies how neglecting these best practices can lead to catastrophic consequences, underscoring the need for rigorous planning, testing, and management in implementing complex databases. This example illustrates the critical importance of a holistic approach to database design, aligning technical, managerial, and user needs to prevent similar failures in other organizations.

References

• Connolly, T., & Begg, C. (2014). Database Systems (10th ed.). Pearson.
• Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. (2015). Fundamentals of Database Systems (7th ed.). Addison-Wesley.
• Korth, H. F., Sudarshan, S., & Sudarshan, S. (2019). Database System Concepts (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Schwalbe, K. (2018). Information Technology Project Management (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.