How does normalization impact database design?

Normalization is a critical process in database design aimed at organizing data to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity. When a database is normalized, it is structured in such a way that each piece of information is stored in only one place. This means that if a piece of data needs to be updated, it can be done in one location rather than multiple places. As a result, this greatly enhances data integrity because it reduces the chances of having inconsistent or conflicting data.

By ensuring that relationships between tables are established correctly, normalization helps maintain the accuracy and reliability of data. For instance, if customer information needs to be updated, normalization allows the change to reflect throughout the database without requiring updates in multiple tables or locations, thus avoiding potential errors and ensuring consistency.

While minimizing storage size, enhancing user accessibility, and increasing redundancy might relate to certain aspects of database management, they do not directly reflect the primary goal of normalization. Normalization chiefly focuses on maintaining data integrity, which is essential for the accuracy and reliability of database information.