Designing a Database for Double Blind Study

Wild Wood Apartments needs a database that is more efficient in its reporting of leasing, maintenance, and repairs from individual apartment managers to the central headquarters for review and approval. This database needs to be easy to use and accessible for apartment managers and have two basic sections, based on leasing and maintenance needs. Apartment managers can then input all requests, reports, and financial data into the system as it occurs, rather than filing monthly reports. Issues with Current System The current system has a number of issues.

First and foremost, it requires individual apartment managers to manually fill out forms quarterly that includes any new or changes to rentals in his or her building, as well as reports regarding repairs and maintenance. This means that money spent on maintenance is not repaid until the end of the quarter, which can be frustrating for managers. Moreover, the forms are bulky and difficult to fill out for each and every incident at the end of the quarter.

The database will increase the efficiency by storing certain apartment and leasing information, making it easier for managers to pull up what is already stored and then adding information as it occurs, rather than waiting till the end of the quarter to be bogged down by paperwork. The database will also help streamline the process so that individual managers are not overwhelmed with making decisions about certain events, as they are immediately uploaded to the headquarters for review.

Database Requirements for Stakeholders The first group of stakeholders is the apartment managers. These are the individuals that hold the responsibility of making the reports quarterly and dealing with the tenants on a daily basis. Managers will need an easy to use spreadsheet system that can store rental and unit information, so that information on certain units can easily be pulled up without the manager having to re-input information each and every time they make a report on a unit.

Moreover, they will need a database that is easily accessible using a broadband internet connection, so that they can add notes and other information while they are on location at certain units using their smart phone or tablet. This will help reduce confusion and make sure that all information that is needed is inputted immediately. The format of the database will need two sections, one for leasing and one for maintenance and repairs.

The leasing section will need to notify managers in the event certain tenants are late with their rent, which will also be automatically tracked by the home office. They will need to have sections for unit information, notes, and approvals from the head office. The next major stakeholders that will require access to the database are the employees at the home office.

These administrative employees are responsible for reviewing leasing and maintenance reports in order to approve certain actions that would allow managers to contact outside contractors to fix issues within units or prompt a notice of late rent to tenants who are late on their rent. They need to be immediately notified when a new leasing or maintenance event is logged by a manager so that they can approve it and set a budget for the potential repairs.

This will streamline the system and make it easier for the home office to track certain events that can later be reviewed for both manager performance and location conditions. Business Rules Essentially, business rules "are rules about how the data are captured and used and what limits or constraints are placed on the data" (Cogner 51).

Here, the primary business rules are that all interview data of the managers be handled by the IT department so that the can best design a database that will make it as easy as possible for managers to use. Interviews should not be passed around the home office, as it may instill bias against certain managers.

Moreover, managers must be able to access the records of tenants and reports for their buildings, so that they can make adjustments and pull up stored information when entering new reports about existing leases and units. Managers, however, should not have access to all the reports for all locations, only theirs.

The home office is the only entity that should be allowed full access to the reports and data for all units across all locations, as this information is needed to approve repair requests and keep track of leasing performance on a company-wide basis, which is critical for financial and marketing strategies. Security Rules One of the biggest security threats to the database is the potential attempts of third parties breaking into the system to adjust data in their favor. There are two security scenarios here.

The first is the potential security breach hacked by tenants in order to change their leasing information and possibly lower their rent so that they benefit. Moreover, there is also the potential threat of outside contractors hacking into the system in order to increase the amount of estimates provided for repairs or maintenance needs. This means that the database must be protected from potential outside parties hacking into it. This can be accomplished with the use of a strong firewall and by using a secure server to hold the database.

Using a cloud system could place the data in more danger, and thus use of a secure server is advised, even if it is more expensive overall. Another major security scenario is managers entering in wrong information, either intentionally or unintentionally. Managers may mistype the amounts of estimates and repair bills accidentally, or they may intentionally increase the amounts of estimates or repair bills so that they can skim money off the top for themselves.

Thus, there must be unique security codes assigned to each manager, with a tracking system for the number of log ins and when those log ins occurred. Any changes to records will be recorded and notified to the home office. Moreover, Managers will be required to submit scanned copies of any bills, leasing agreements, or maintenance estimates at the end of each month so they can be fact checked with the information that was inputted by the managers themselves.