Database schema design: an experimental comparison between normalization and information analysis

This article compares two different methods for designing a data base schema-normalization and information analysis (IA). A set of design tasks was assigned to two groups of analysts who were trained to use the two methods in conjunction with the structured analysis method of system analysis. The results of the experiment revealed that the quality of the data base schemata designed using normalization was better than that designed using IA, that normalization required less time than IA to perform, and that the analysts preferred normalization.