Ronald Park (Group D) B5 - Uses of Databases in Design Offices

Database management systems are very important not only in design firms, but all business firms related, as it manages the huge amount of data very efficiently and allows faculty within the firm to perform multiple tasks at once to reduce time completion. Databases are the arsenal of every source and file of information that firms keep to utilize and store as a massive library database for every user with access. Some of the data can be easily managed with this type of management system, including shop drawings, revisions, schedules, calculations, RFIs, contracts, even accounting. Without these databases, everything would have to be done manually, which takes an immense amount of paper printing and storing, which takes up more unnecessary time and space. Four major components I believe make up the database system, including:

Data: Collection of all information gathered from every contractor, BIM software, CAD software, owner, design specifications, etc. is essential. This would also include not only the final drawings of a certain design, but all revisions made, including date of revision, what was edited and revised, etc. 

Hardware: Hardware is the physical exterior storage space for the database systems. Every computer and server contains a certain type of hardware, where the database management system exists within. Without it, there would be no environment to host the system.

Software: Design projects that includes source files, drawings, analysis and calculations, all come from design software including BIM and CAD. Sharing files between people is very critical in a design firm, as BIM and CAD take up most of the drawings and revision drawing files and needs to be shared with contractors, owners, architects, and engineers within the firm. 

People: Programmers and system administrators would take charge to help assisting in the organizing of the database systems. As it grows overtime, it would be more difficult to access and easily find a source file without any organization and daily updates of any source files receiving and outgoing.

Database systems also provide security of all files within the firm. The system will provide collect and recovery within the firm only. Using the physical hardware, only provided within the firm itself, the members within the firm can easily share and multitask without the risk of putting files out in the open.

References

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-importance-database-management-system-scott-aveda

http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/database-management-system

Comments

Alexander Koo (link) - I found it interesting when you explained the salary margin with the table you provided in a relational database system. This particular system offers many advantages, but disadvantages include the cost and maintenance. Also complex relational database systems can lead to isolated databases, which cannot be shared easily among others, which can pose a problem for other people with access.

Brandon Mengel (link) - It was interesting to read when you compared SQL with Java and C++. Both CQL and other coding software do share very similar coding language, which is perfect for programmers and software engineers. However, SQL software can be modified very easily, which can pose small problems from sharing within the database with other people if they possess their own version of SQL.

Drew Hovey (link) - I was really interested in the illustration of how relational database system functions that increases time efficiency and poses real world time entry. I also liked how you explained the disadvanatages of the database system. Regular updates sometimes poses a problem, as if a few pople did not thoroughly updata their system, some of the shared files could be corrupt or even lost. This would tie into incomplete information. If files are getting just fixed, and not solved, the application would be difficult to assess.