MIS 3220 - Homework 2
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) Design
Mental Health Court Database System
Assignment Overview
Your team will design a database system for the Hibbing Mental Health Court program. Using the provided criminal history data, you will create an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) that properly organizes participant information, charges, court proceedings, and program outcomes.
This assignment focuses on database design principles, entity identification, attribute assignment, and relationship modeling using real-world data from a mental health court program.
Data Files
Download the Hibbing Mental Health Court criminal history data files to analyze for your ERD design:
Data Description
The Hibbing_MHC_Criminal_History_Data_MASKED.csv file contains anonymized data about Mental Health Court participants and their criminal history. Key data elements include:
- Participant demographics (names, DOB, unique IDs)
- Mental Health Court program information (start/end dates, status)
- Criminal charges (offense types, dates, classifications)
- Case outcomes (guilty/not guilty, dismissed cases)
- Program participation tracking (fiscal years, graduation status)
- Timeline analysis (years before/after program participation)
Assignment Requirements
ERD Design Requirements
- Minimum of 2 entities (3-4 entities expected for full credit)
- All attributes must belong to an appropriate entity
- Clearly identify unique identifiers (primary keys) for each entity
- Show relationships between entities
- Use Crow's Foot notation for relationship modeling
- Include all relevant data elements from the CSV file
Entity Identification Guidelines
Consider this potential entity based on the data structure:
PARTICIPANT - Information about Mental Health Court participants
Attribute Assignment Guidelines
- Avoid storing the same information in multiple entities
- Choose appropriate data types for each attribute
- Identify which attributes can serve as unique identifiers
ERD Drawing Options
Option 1: Hand-Drawn ERD
- Draw your ERD clearly on paper using proper Crow's Foot notation
- Label all entities, attributes, and relationships clearly
- Take a high-quality photo or scan of your diagram (To keep as a backup)
Option 2: Online Drawing Tool (Recommended)
Use Lucidchart for professional ERD creation:
- Visit lucidchart.com and create a free account
- Start with an ERD template or blank document
- Use the Entity Relationship shapes from the shape library
- Follow Crow's Foot notation standards
- Export your diagram as PNG or PDF, then print it and bring a copy to class
Tutorial Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsg9BDiwiJE&t=25s
(Note: We haven't covered everything in this tutorial yet, focus on basic ERD creation)
Documentation Requirements
For each entity in your ERD, complete the following documentation:
Entity Documentation
| Entity Name | Unique Identifier(s) | Attributes List | Purpose/Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entity 1: | |||
| Entity 2: | |||
| Entity 3: |
Relationship Documentation
Describe the relationships between your entities:
| Entity 1 | Relationship | Entity 2 | Cardinality (1:1, 1:M, M:N) |
|---|---|---|---|
Design Justification (Required)
Explain your team's design decisions in 150-200 words:
Address these points in your justification:
- Why did you choose these specific entities?
- How did you decide which attributes belong to each entity?
- What challenges did you face in organizing the data?
- What business rules does your ERD support?
Submission Requirements
Due Date and Collection
- Due: Thursday, September 11, 2025 - Beginning of Class
- Submit: One document per team (physical copy)
- Late submissions will not be accepted
Grading Criteria (15 Points Total)
| Criteria | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Design | 4 | Appropriate entities identified (2 minimum, 3-4 expected) |
| Attribute Assignment | 2 | All attributes properly assigned to entities |
| Unique Identifiers | 3 | Primary keys clearly identified for each entity |
| Relationships & Cardinality | 3 | Proper relationships with correct Crow's Foot notation |
| Design Justification | 3 | Clear explanation of design decisions |
Team Submission Checklist
Tips for Success
- Start by examining the CSV data to understand the information structure
- Identify what real-world objects or concepts the data represents
- Group related attributes together to form logical entities
- Use meaningful names for entities and attributes
- Test your design by asking: "Can this ERD store all the CSV data?"
- Review Crow's Foot notation rules before drawing relationships
- Have all team members review the final design before submission