1. Table of Contents
1 Table of contents 1
2 Executive summary 2 3 System request 2 4 Feasibility analysis 4 4.1 Technical feasibility 4 4.2 Economic feasibility 5 4.3 Organisational feasibility 6 4.4 Additional comments 7
4.5 Cost benefit analysis 8
5 Requirements definition 9
5.1 Functional requirements 9
5.2 Non-‐functional requirements 10
6 Use case 11
2. Executive Summary
This report takes an account of system requests such as business needs, business requirements, business value and constraints. The next section addresses feasibility analysis of the project addressing technical, economical and organisational issues. A detailed cost benefit analysis is also presented. The following section addresses requirement definition (functional and non-‐ functional) including performance, security issues etc. Functional model, use cases and use cases diagram have also been explained. This report also reflects on contributions of each team member working in this group project.
3. Systems Request
3.1. Project Name: E- commerce based website development project for Taste-In Pizza
3.2. Project Sponsor: Taste-In Pizza
3.2.1. Name: Mr. XYZ
3.2.2. Department: Information Technology /Information Systems 3.2.3. Organization: ABC IT Company
3.3. Business Need
3.3.1. Capturing an increasing market segment made up of younger people who prefer placing orders online, and people with disabilities (specially hearing) who may significantly benefit from accessible online shopping, generating higher business revenues.
3.3.2. Accuracy in taking in orders through Taste-In Pizza website.
3.3.3. Increase usability and trustworthiness of placing orders online from providing accessibility to Taste-In Pizza.
In order to support the business needs, following functional requirements are defined:
3.4.1. Personalisation functions: User registration and sign in to the user account, welcome comeback, allow the user to connect through facebook account, enable the user to ‘find us on facebook’, sign up for discounts, promotional offers etc.
3.4.2. Transactional functions: Shopping basket, integration with back-end system such as data warehouse, financial software (carrying out financial transactions), reviewing offers and meal deals etc., customizing meal deals, and choosing the deal.
3.4.3. Security functions: Create secure registration page, password security, shopping basket secure payment information.
3.5. Business Value 1
3.5.1. Tangible: Anticipated receivables (previous income estimated against present value), comparing financial figures against industry average figures, customer base, loyal customers, and increase in demand of Pizza within specified time.
3.5.2. Intangible: Business reputation and credibility, goodwill, intellectual property, and community support.
3.6. Special Issues or Constraints 2
3.6.1. Possible breach of security of customer information and payment details, identity theft. 3.6.2. Lack of personalised service.
3.6.3. Minimum order acceptance under £10 for free delivery. 3.6.4. Accessibility constrains for first-time users.
3.6.5. End user training constrains.
1 David Swar, Measuring the Business Value of Information Technology. Practical Strategies for
IT and Business Managers (IT Best Practices), (Intel Press, 2006), p.102
2 Jungpil Hahn, and Robert J. Kauffman, ‘ A Methodology for Business Value Driven Website
Evaluation: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach’, Proceedings of the Third Annual Workshop on HCI Research in MIS, Washington, D.C., December 10-11, 2004 (p.45-49)
4. Feasibility Analysis
After careful investigation, the development team provided the following feasibility analysis.
4.1. Technical Feasibility: Can We Build It?
4.1.1 Familiarity with business functions
4.1.1.1. There are three main internal business functions currently supporting the business. These are administration, sales and marketing, and production.
4.1.1.2. The responsibilities of human resource management and finance are currently carried out by administration function, therefore human resource / personnel, finance and administration functions are integrated.
4.1.1.3. The production function, additionally carries out distribution and logistics, production quality control and procurement responsibilities, hence these functions are also integrated.
4.1.1.4. The sales and marketing function is responsible for marketing the products and achieving sales targets generated by administration function.
4.2. Familiarity with the technology
4.2.1. PHP technology 3: It is very popular server side technology / scripting language used for creating dynamic web pages that can interact with the user offering customised information. It is fast, secure (offering many layers of security to prevent malicious attacks), stable and does not use a lot of system resources. It uses a modular system of extensions to interface with several libraries (e.g. graphics, encryption, XML). User doesn’t require any special browser plug-in to notice PSP in-action. A complete website can be built using PHP only without any problem. Even though, other technologies such
3 Robin Nixon, Learning PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript (Animal Guide), (O'Reilly Media; 1 edition, 2009), p. 250-270
as jQuery, AJAX can be used to provide a better user experience, however possible difficulties can arise.
4.2.2. Web hosting / MySQL hosting 4: MySQL databases are compatible with all web
programming and scripting languages such as PHP, Java, ASP.NET etc. With MySQL web hosting, database and maintenance is facilitated by host through offering ‘easy-to-use admin’ programmes that doesn’t require any technical expertise and can even be ‘easy-to-used by normal PC user. It also makes tasks such as creating tables, and loading data into tables easy. Most importantly it does not require scripting any complicated queries. Another significant reason for using MySQL hosting is that it is very popular, available free of cost for both commercial and personal use, which takes off cost of licensing. It provides database management system and set up which means that no troubleshooting will be required, thus lowering cost for services.
4.2.3. Registering domain name 5: The domain name for website will be registered by a company providing services such as free website forwarding, advanced DNS control, 24/7 customer service support, unlimited email address forwarding.
4.3. The project size
4.3.1. Economic Feasibility: Should We Build It? 4.3.1.1. Tangible benefits 6:
4.3.1.1.1. Allows the company to conduct business without any constraints such as late working hours, and distance (website can be accessed from home for maintenance purpose etc.). From user perspective, website can be accessed from
4 MySQL, Why MySQL, MySQL.com http://www.mysql.com/why-‐mysql/ [accessed April 24, 2011]
5 UK reg, Register domain names, Uk reg 2011 <http://www.ukreg.com/register-‐ domains/> [accessed April 24, 2011]
6 Guy Fitzgerald, Anastasia Papazafeiropoulou, Luisa Piris and Alan Serrano, Organisational Perceptions of e-Commerce: Re- assessing the Benefits, Brunel University, Department of Information Systems and Computing, 2004
home, university / college IT library, PDAs to place order before customer reaches home.
4.3.1.1.2. The cost of product can be reduced because there is no human interaction between, order placement will be accurate, quick and convenient.
4.3.1.1.3. The website will enable generation of larger number of customer base, even market segment of Taste-‐In pizza company may be niche against Domino’s pizza. 4.3.1.1.4. Selling pizza through website will reduce operational cost of business.
4.3.1.1.5. In order to beat competition, company requires lowering product cost, which can be obtained through cutting down the cost of time involved in taking orders over phone, hourly paid workers, workers working odd hours etc.
4.3.1.1.6. Reduced cost of external and internal communication, speed up business processes, reduce administrative task.
4.3.1.1.7. Solely from the customers’ perspective, e-‐commerce website offer reduced time in placing order, customising meal deal or choose from the available deals, make better bridges decision, easy mode of payment etc.
4.3.1.2. Intangible benefits
4.3.1.2.1. Enhanced competitive positioning of the company in market.
4.3.1.2.2. Improved relationship with customers through providing them fast, reliable and accurate service.
4.3.1.2.3. Accumulation of customer information that can be further used for identifying customer needs and demand, competitors market needs.
4.3.1.2.4. Firm control of company over addressing customer needs and demands through classification of information regarding what sort of customers please frequent orders, what is their favourite flavour of pizza, which deals are most popular, what age group loyal customers belong to etc. Collection of customer data through e-‐commerce website will enable the company to start up customer relationship management practices that can be further advanced.
4.3.2.1. Organizational Feasibility: If We Build It, Will They Come?
4.3.2.2. Project Champion(s)
Project manager will be assigned to complete development project of an e-commerce website, who possesses capability and expertise of developing websites for over a period of seven years. The project manager also possess project management and leadership capabilities, working with his team of 12 technical experts who champion in development of e-commerce website.
4.3.2.3. Senior Management
Senior management of Taste-In had demonstrated their willingness towards providing full support and commitment during development phase and implementation phase of website. Management has committed to involve end users during development and implementation phases.
4.3.2.4. Users
End users of website require to be trained by website developing company. Currently, end-users are not computer literate to an extent to run and maintain an e-commerce website, however appropriate training will be provided to them.
4.3.2.5. Other Stakeholders
Project will be carried out through gaining consent of and informing stakeholders of Taste-In Pizza, so that they are well informed about strategic and technical transformations, the company will be going through.
4.4. Additional comments
The risks involved in carrying out the project are: a) time and cost overrun, b) low-‐budget, c) lack of senior management commitment, d) lack of end-‐user’s interest while training them to use and maintain the website, and e) in effective development of organisational infrastructure to support the technical implications of the website.
Based on given information, 16.6% (£1000/ month) increase on net profit is expected every year.
Items 2011 2012 (year 1) 2013 (year 2) 2014(year 3) 2015 (year 4) Total Increased sales from new customer 72000 84,000 97994.4 114320.26 133366.01 501680.67 Total Benefits 72000 84,000 97994.4 114320.26 133366.01 501680.67 PV of Total Benefits 72000 80000 88883.8 98754.12 109720.53 449358.45 Labor: Analysis and Design 50000 0 0 0 0 50000 ISP Operation (including £500 for year 2011) 2480 1980 1980 1980 1980 10400 Total Costs 52480 1980 1980 1980 1980 60400 PV of All costs 52480 1885.71 1795.91 1710.40 1629 59501.02 Total Project of benefits-costs 19520 41424.338 48492.34 56737.441 66354.53 232528.64 Yearly NPV 19520 78114.29 87087.89 97043.7 108091.53 392857.2 Cumulative NPV 19520 97634.29 184722.18 281765.88 389857.41 389857.41 Return on Investment 7.3 Break-even point -0.24 -1.12 -1.90 Break even doesn’t occur in 5 years Intangible Benefits Enhanced market positioning Fast, reliable and accurate services Customer relationship management
Inflation rate is assumed as 5% to calculate PV. Estimated development cost = £50000
5. Requirements Definition 7
A set of the functional and non-functional business requirements for the system
5.1. Functional requirements:
5.1.1. Profile and personalisation: Login and or register, site customization (choosing colours, design, saving favourite meal deal, remember me, post code saving option, etc.), user profile generation
5.1.2. Order placement: Search food menu, choose meal deal, customise meal deal, view and choose drinks / desserts etc.
5.1.3. Communication tools: Instant messaging (may I help you? option where user can chat with customer service person), sending e-‐mail for any query, voicemail service, contact us)
5.1.4. Website tools: Personalised page through choosing colour, theme, music etc., digital clock, calendar
5.1.5. E-‐commerce: Payments through Paypal, all major credit cards will soon be accepted.
5.1.6. Customer database: Storing customer information such as post code, name contact details etc. to be recognised by the customer login next time, likes and dislikes, preferences etc.
5.1.7. Maintenance: User administration, user help, customer service, marketing and advertising, content management, database management
7 Dennis, Alan, Wixom, Barbara H., Tegarden, David, Systems Analysis & Design with UML., (Wiley, 2010) , p.99
5.2. Nonfunctional requirements
5.2.1. Operational
5.2.1.1 Scalability: In case of adding load factors (number of users, amount of data, number of transactions) the overall performance of the website will not be affected.
5.2.1.2 Throughput and response time: Throughput (amount of work performed in a given timeframe) and response time (amount of time used between a user or a process making a request and delivering the results of the request) will not be affected ensuring good hardware performance, and availability of physical resources (memory, networking etc.)
5.2.2. Performance
5.2.2.1. Performance of website will be tested only during the development phase. 5.2.2.2. Response time should be four seconds resulting in creation and processing of
major data input.
5.2.2.3. Performance requirements will be provided so that performance can be evaluated within agreed time period.
5.2.2.4. A dedicated Information System will be required to operate the website.
5.2.3. Security
5.2.3.1. Security issues will be addressed by the website such as malicious attacks, viruses, Trojan, malicious code attacks etc.
5.2.3.2. Usernames, and passwords, data encryption, data transfer both internally and externally will be secured through using firewall.
5.2.3.3. Most importantly secure online transaction will be provided through WorldPay8
5.2.4. Cultural and political
8 Worldpay, About us, WorldPay, 2011 < http://www.worldpay.com/> [accessed April, 24 2011]
5.2.4.1. Cultural elements (music, symbols etc.) may be incorporated into the website. 5.2.4.2. The website will not represent any political affiliations / associations, agendas
etc. of the company
6. Functional Model
6.1. Activity diagram
6.2. Major use cases
6.2.1. Use case name: Order placement
ID: 2 Importance level: High Primary actor: Customer Use case type: Detail, essential
Stakeholders and interests: a) Customer who wants to place order for pizza upon viewing and searching for his favourite available meal deal / he may customise his deal, and b) EM
manager who aims to maximise the customer satisfaction and shopping experience.
Brief description: This use case explains how customers can search the website and place food orders.
Trigger: Customer visits the website and places his order Type: External
Relationships
Associations: Customer Include: Maintain order Extend:
Generalisation:
Normal flow of events
1. Customer places a search request on the system.
2. The system offers list of available menu, side orders, meal deals, desserts and drinks.
3. The customer chooses one meal deal and seeks further details of the deal. 4. The system provides customer with detailed information about the deal. 5. The customer adds the deal to the shopping basket.
6. The customer takes time to think how to place order i.e. online of via phone.
7. The customer repeats process three and five until makes final decision of purchase. 8. The customer places an order and moves to checkout.
9. The system validates the customer payments details.
10. The system generates and sends order confirmation receipt to the customer. 11. The customer logs out from the website / system.
Sub flows
Alternate / exceptional flows:
3a(i) The customer requests for a new search.
3a(ii) The customer goes back to step two, and gets satisfied with provided results or give up.
6.2.2. Use case name: E-‐commerce ID: 5 Importance level: High Primary actor: Customer Use case type: Detail, essential
Stakeholders and interests: a) Customer who is happy with his order and makes decides to pay b) EM manager who aims to maximise order choosing
Brief description: This use case explains how customer makes payment. Trigger: Customer provides signal to system that he wishes to make payment Type: External
Relationships
Associations: Paypal Include: Maintain order Extend:
Generalisation:
Normal flow of events
1. Customer finalises his order and click on checkout. 2. The system asks the customer to ‘ add to basket’. 3. The customer confirms and adds order to basket. 4. The system generates delivery time.
5. The customer accepts the delivery time. 6. The system generates the placed menu.
7. The customer confirms and clicks ‘go to checkout’. 8. The system offers Paypal Mode of payment.
9. The customer selects on Paypal.
10. The system validates customer’s payment details. 11. The system validates the customer payments details.
12. The system generates and sends payment confirmation receipt to the customer. 13. The customer logs out from the website / system.
Alternate / exceptional flows: 5a The customer abandon order.
6a The customer does not place the order and leave the system.
6.3. User case diagram
6.3.1. Use case: Order placement
6.3.2. E-‐commerce
Customer
7. Group Report
Our group was formed of four people. I was named member 3 in my group. My managerial task in the group was to manage it, ensure that there is sufficient and effective communication going on among the group members. My technical task was to carry out research work for section 4. Upon completing research work, my responsibility was to explain my understanding, research, and interpretation of requirements definition and feasibility analysis. In addition to my responsibility, member 4 was also working closely with me and his responsibility was to share research work for section 4. His main responsibility was to complete section 5. Both of us work closely with each other because section 4 and 5 are interdependent. Member 1 was responsible for organising the project such as arranging group
meetings, taking notes, reviewing and monitoring project progress. Since member 1 possessed good level of knowledge of the subject therefore he was monitoring our progress of work, giving this advice how to approach with research work. In addition his responsibility was to complete section number 3. Member 2 was responsible for completing research work for section 6. Preparing the material for writing report was a group work, however each of us wrote our individual reports.
Detailing the responsibility of each member, member 1 was responsible for: • Monitoring and reviewing progress of the project.
• Helping each member in research work.
• Carry out research work for section 3 such as identifying system request, identifying business needs, business value, and special issues and constrains. Member 2 was responsible for:
• Carrying out research work for section 6.
• Developing an understanding of activity diagram, use cases, and use cases diagram.
• Preparing use cases and use cases diagram. • Preparing activity diagram.
Member 3 was responsible for: • Manage the group.
• Ensure that there is effective and continuous communication going on among the group members.
• Carrying out research workforce section 4.
• Developing an understanding of technical feasibility of the website development project.
• Understanding what our business functions.
• Developing an understanding of technical requirements to develop a website. • Identifying economic and organisational feasibility of the project.
Member 4 was responsible for:
• Working closely with member three. • Caring out research work for section 5.
• Identifying functional and non-functional requirements. • Helping me with research work in section 4.
There were certain tasks that all the 4 members of the group work closely together to accomplish them. The group effort is reflected through interviewing the lecture, cost benefit analysis, combined research work, sharing knowledge with each other to reflect on, referring back to tuition notes that are provided to us, interpreting the knowledge that we gained in the classroom, deciding upon how to approach each section, monitoring and reviewing each other’s tasks and giving advises for improvement.
8. Individual contribution
My responsibility in the group was to: • Manage the group.
• Ensure that there is effective and continuous communication going on among the group members.
• Carrying out research workforce section 4.
• Developing an understanding of technical feasibility of the website development project.
• Understanding what our business functions.
• Developing an understanding of technical requirements to develop a website. • Identifying economic and organisational feasibility of the project.
Appendix
Interview question / answer with the lecturer.
1. Person interviewed: Supervisor 2. Interviewer:
3. Purpose of interview: To raise queries in interviewer’s mind so as to how to approach to the report, and to raise questions of technical nature to clarify the understanding of the interviewer.
4. Summary of interview:
A good approach is to research on these PHP and MySQL technologies easily available through Internet sources, however avoid sources such as Wikipedia. While writing the report you should stick closely to the template provided to you. You should also closely relate to recommended book, which can provide you with detailed explanations of each of the section of the report.
Organisational feasibility explains that organisation is capable of accommodating the new investment. It can also be explained as how competent the vendor is providing the services / product.
The best approach in managing groups is to keep constant communication, interaction and most importantly sharing knowledge with each other
5. Open items
References:
David Swar, Measuring the Business Value of Information Technology. Practical Strategies for IT and Business Managers (IT Best Practices), (Intel Press, 2006), p.102
Jungpil Hahn, and Robert J. Kauffman, ‘ A Methodology for Business Value Driven Website Evaluation: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach’, Proceedings of the Third Annual Workshop on HCI Research in MIS, Washington, D.C., December 10-11, 2004 (p.45-49)
Robin Nixon, Learning PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript (Animal Guide), (O'Reilly Media; 1 edition, 2009), p. 250-270
MySQL, Why MySQL, MySQL.com http://www.mysql.com/why-‐mysql/ [accessed April 24, 2011]
UK reg, Register domain names, Uk reg 2011 <http://www.ukreg.com/register-‐ domains/> [accessed April 24, 2011]
Guy Fitzgerald, Anastasia Papazafeiropoulou, Luisa Piris and Alan Serrano, Organisational Perceptions of e-Commerce: Re- assessing the Benefits, Brunel University, Department of Information Systems and Computing, 2004 <http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2438/4140/1/Fulltext.pdf.,> [accessed April 24, 2011]
Dennis, Alan, Wixom, Barbara H., Tegarden, David, Systems Analysis & Design with UML., (Wiley, 2010) , p.99
Worldpay, About us, WorldPay, 2011 < http://www.worldpay.com/> [accessed April, 24 2011]