Suzanne works as a Database Designer for DataOneWorld Inc. She is assigned the task of
ecomposing the components of a database, but she has to ensure that all the components are
decomposed to only some extent. Which of the following approaches will she use to accomplish the
task?

A.
Mixed approach

B.
Inside-out approach

C.
Top-down approach

D.
Bottom-up approach

Explanation:
In a mixed approach, the designer decomposes the requirements into a number of components, as
in the bottom-up approach, but not to the extent where all the concepts are separated. At the same
time, a skeleton schema is defined containing the main concepts of the application. This skeleton
schema gives a unified view of the whole design and helps the integration of schemas developed
separately. Then the designer examines separately these main concepts and can proceed with

gradual refinements following the top-down approach or extending a portion with concepts that are
not yet represented following the bottom-up approach.
Answer B is incorrect. Inside-out approach can be regarded as a particular type of bottom-up
approach. It begins with the identification of only a few important concepts and, based on these, the
design proceeds, spreading outward ‘radially’. First the concepts nearest to the initial concepts are
represented, and a user then moves towards those further away by means of ‘navigation’ through
the specification.
Answer D is incorrect. In a bottom-up approach, the preliminary specifications are broken down into
smaller components so that each component describes a basic fragment of the specifications. These
components are then represented by schemas, some of which may consist of single concepts. The
schemas are later obtained to be integrated together until a final schema is obtained.
Answer C is incorrect. In a top-down approach, a schema is created through a series of successive
refinements, starting from the first schema, which is gradually expanded by using appropriate
modifications that increase the detail of the various concepts. Moving from one level to another, the
schema is modified using some basic transformations called top-down transformation primitives.