A Method for Database Requirements Collection

We describe an approach for increasing user involvement in the collection of database requirements. The approach is based on a form definition system that makes inferences from examples of form instances. The system permits the user to state requirements directly or to provide examples of requirements. Inferences from examples are made from the bottom up by considering one example at a time using a collection of rules and heuristics. To control the burden of providing lengthy examples, the system generates some of its own examples, provides access to example histories, and offers informative feedback to help the novice user become an expert user. The inference strategies support the collection of application-specific requirements, such as the hierarchical structure of a form, and invariant properties, such as functional dependencies among form fields.