What is the significance of normalization in database design?

Normalization is a crucial process in database design that primarily aims to reduce redundancy in data. By organizing data into tables and establishing relationships between them, normalization minimizes the chances of duplicate data entries. This not only streamlines data storage but also enhances data integrity by ensuring that each piece of information is stored in one place.

Through normalization, designers can create a more efficient database structure, where each table addresses a specific data entity and related attributes. This approach not only reduces the amount of data that needs to be maintained but also simplifies updates and deletions. If changes are required, they can be made in one location, reducing the risk of inconsistencies that can arise from having multiple copies of the same data scattered throughout the database.

While other options may touch upon important aspects of database design, they do not capture the primary purpose of normalization. For instance, increasing data storage capacity or designing a better user interface are valuable goals but are not the focus of normalization efforts. Similarly, data security is more associated with access controls and encryption rather than how data is structured and stored within the database.