I assume you mean, how do others go about starting a db design. I usually start by putting down all the things that are needed by the database. IE: reports, datasets, organization, things like that.
Then I look at what I need in order to meet those needs. IE: what data, how much, what's necesary, what's not.
Finally I start to look at all the requirements and put them in a logical grouping, these groupings then become the tables. And after the groupings are made you look at how the groups relate, which becomes your relationships.
HTH Joe Miller
joe.miller@flotech.net