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Querying Data for a User Need

A query is meaningful when it answers a user question. Begin with the need, then choose fields, filters, calculations and order.

Example need

A participant wants to find the strongest fictional teams and inspect their performance.

SELECT team_name,
       SUM(wins) AS total_wins,
       SUM(losses) AS total_losses
FROM team_results
GROUP BY team_name
ORDER BY total_wins DESC, team_name ASC;

This processes many stored rows into one summary per team. It is stronger evidence of processing than simply displaying the imported table.

Plan the output

Document:

  • user and question
  • required source fields
  • processing or calculation
  • useful order/filter
  • output form
  • success criterion supported

Check

  • The query answers a stated need.
  • Only required fields are used.
  • Grouping and calculations are correct.
  • Empty results are handled.
  • Output can be tested against known fictional data.
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