Conceptual Schema Design Using the Concepts of the ER Model

Example2: Database Requirements

The requirements collection and analysis phase of a database design process has provided the
following data requirements for a company called ClydeRental, which specialises in the
management of properties for rent on behalf of the owners. The company has several branch offices
located all over Scotland.

Each branch office is uniquely identified by branch number and has an address (City, street,
postcode), telephone number and a fax number. Each branch office employs many members of
staff. Each branch office is managed by a member of staff who is responsible for managing the day-
to-day activities of a branch. The company would like to note the date each manager assumed
his/her position at their current branch office. A member of staff may manage one branch only. The
data held on a member of staff is the staff number, National Insurance Number (NIN), name (first
and last name), sex, date of birth, address (City, street, postcode), qualifications, and the date the
member of staff joined the company. The staff number uniquely identifies each member of staff
throughout the company. A member of staff is employed by one branch only but each branch
employs many members of staff.

It is the company policy to record the details of the next-of-kin of members of staff, including the
next-of-kin’s full name (first and last names), relationship to the member of staff, address (City,
street, postcode), and telephone number. Only the details of a single next-of-kin are held for each
member of staff and no two members of staff have the same next-of-kin.

Each branch office offers many properties for rent. The details of property for rent include property
number, which is unique across all branch offices, address (city, street, and postcode), type of
property, number of rooms and monthly rent. A member of staff may oversee many properties but
every property is overseen by one member of staff only. Each property is owned by more than one
owner, and each owner owns more than one property. Owner details include a unique owner
number, name (first and last), address (City, street, postcode), and telephone number. Each property
is offered by one branch only.

Given the above requirements create a conceptual schema (an ER diagram) for the ClydeRental
Company using the concepts of the Entity-Relationship (ER) model.
i) Identify entities and their attributes and state attribute types (i.e. unique, composite,
etc.);
ii) Identify relationships, their attributes (if any), and structural constraints;
iii) Draw partial ER diagrams showing each entity an all its attributes individually;
iv) Draw a simplified ER diagram showing all entities, the relationships between them
(including structural constraints, and relationship attributes (if any));