Most important concepts from the DDES class so far:

The most important concept from this course so far is how to turn an idea into a logical model.  Sure, there may be ideas that can be simplified into an easy one or two step process, but a lot of the time, that is not the case.  Instead we need to lay out ideas in a consistent, logical format in order to make sure it makes sense.  Understanding the overarching idea and how it will play out in a logical format is the first step to making that idea a reality.

Secondly, it is important to translate these ideas into specific languages.  Using UML or an Entity-Relationship model, to understand cardinality, we can understand how each entity (or class) can be related to another entity through maximum and minimum values.  This is important because without outlining these specific relationships, we will have no idea how each of the attributes relate to each other.

Finally, while it is important to know exact terminology, it is also important to know how each of the different terms are equivalent across the different languages in database design.  Classes can also be called entities, and attributes are not tuples.  Knowing the terms help make everything make sense.

Overall, these concepts helped me to better understand how I want to structure different ideas in the future.  Without understanding these concepts, it's virtually impossible to turn them into a reality unless you find someone who can translate them for you.  It's also a lot easier to put everything down on paper than to just conceptualize it in your head.

I'm working on an idea right now, for confidentiality, I'd like to not discuss it, but I'll say that database design certainly helps turning that idea into a reality.