Chapter 13 z Normalization
Figure 13.2
Staff and Branch
relations.
Figure 13.1 also shows that the same data source can be used for both approaches; however,
although this is true in principle, in practice the approach taken is likely to be determined
by the size, extent, and complexity of the database being described by the data
sources and by the preference and expertise of the database designer. The opportunity to
use normalization as a bottom-up standalone technique (Approach 1) is often limited by
the level of detail that the database designer is reasonably expected to manage. However,
this limitation is not applicable when normalization is used as a validation technique
(Approach 2) as the database designer focuses on only part of the database, such as a
single relation, at any one time. Therefore, no matter what the size or complexity of the
database, normalization can be usefully applied.