We all have our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to developing software. It's widely known, for instance, that most developers are crummy at UI design or making their application look good. Some programmers, on the other hand, are really good at data structures and normalizing data for relational databases. I worked on a project this year with a fellow who could instantly see the way complex data should be represented in the data model. I have to think about it much longer, and even then I'm sometimes not sure if I've picked the best approach. Guess which one of us did most of the database design work?
Other peoples work
Looking at another programmers source code can be educational. Reading an existing database schema can also be helpful. Barry Williams has a huge library of free database schemas for you to look at. Over 300 sample databases in all.
Examples
- Payrolls
- Permits and Licenses
- Car Dealership
- Real Estate Rentals
- Global Law Firm
- City Tourist Guide
- Data Warehouses
- Law Enforcement - Case Management
- Landscape Gardening