T-sql with pencil and paper. Visualize the problem with tables and relationships (boxes and lines with crows feet). Going through normal forms may be valuable

T-sql with pencil and paper. Visualize the problem with tables and relationships (boxes and lines with crows feet). Going through normal forms may be valuable but I like to tell them to just jump to entities and relationships. Once they can draw a “map” of their dB, and it’s usually much simpler than they first expected, then code it out on the nearest computer box.