Another problem with the flat-file approach is the user’s inability to obtain additional information as his or her needs change. This problem is called task-data dependency. The user’s information set is con- strained by the data that he or she possesses and controls. Users act independently rather than as members of a user community. In such an environment, it is very difficult to establish a mechanism for the formal sharing of data. Therefore, new information needs tend to be satisfied by procuring new data files. This takes time, inhibits performance, adds to data redundancy, and drives data management costs even higher.