A small newsagent named 'Shah News' has decided to diversify, and begun to rent digital media to the public. It began as a small experiment, to see if it would work out in his current local area.

Analysis

Identification of Problem

A small newsagent named ‘Shah News’ has decided to diversify, and begun to rent digital media to the public. It began as a small experiment, to see if it would work out in his current local area. To his advantage, it has become very popular because of two main reasons; because his newsagent is situated on a main road with most property being residential, and the fact that he has a highly respected reputation with the local area (mainly because of his competitive pricing of groceries, confectionary and cosmetics). He has already built a sizeable customer database, and currently he is just using a larger alternative to a notebook to store information on members and his media. He is already expending his media collection, as his member base gets larger too.

He has discovered that it is possible to store information in database format on a computer, from seeing such set-up’s in similar rental stores e.g. Video Box and Red Rose (incidentally, there is a Video Box branch 15 minutes walk down his main road, and a Red Rose branch another 10 minutes walk further on). He has a computer system at home, however seeing the low prices of such computers adequate for the job, he is confident to buy a new computer system purely for his computerised database.

A computerised database system would be a perfect fit for his situation. It would certainly be better than the method he is currently using. Problems with his current system are too many to list, mainly because it is such an old fashioned way. Such main problems are:

Although he hasn’t realised, he is not conforming to the Data Protection Act because his data is not secure i.e. it is all in a large tabulated notebook. This could be serious for him if his member database grows, and in future time, he is checked up by authorities.
It is long winded to create a member, because he has to write out details by hand, and also write a membership card by hand. Currently, he is just assigning consecutive numbers to members, as their Member ID’s. This shouldn’t have a big problem with implementation of the new system, as he can still keep his current member database intact without reissuing of new cards (eliminating cost of more cards and most importantly, eliminating unneeded hassle).
His media database is also in a separate tabulated notebook, where he is simply assigning numbers to all media to create media ID’s (and media multiples). Again, this can be eliminated by means of creating a digital database. Also, the chances are that there will be more media than members. Therefore, if he did keep the notebook, he would have large problems finding media (as it isn’t in alphabetical order because he is randomly and constantly adding new media in a top-down fashion). Again, this is unneeded hassle.

Time is more valuable than money, because if he has a queue, he can process customers more quickly (meaning less aggravation for customers, as they want to be in and out of the shop in as smallest time possible, thus meaning longer lasting customers, leading to more rentals in future). It would be a worthwhile investment for him to have a digital system created.

Identification of Prospective Users

The primary user for the system will most probably be Mr. Shah himself, as he works in the shop full-time. Other possible users are family members who ...

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Identification of Prospective Users

The primary user for the system will most probably be Mr. Shah himself, as he works in the shop full-time. Other possible users are family members who occasionally help out (as it is a family-run newsagent) be.

Secondary Users of the system could possibly be of the following type of people:

Administrators can administrate and debug the system, to keep it in operational order. Also, they can perform tasks such as installing software upgrades for the system, or recovery if the system fails. However, since this is no large store or national name, it’d be appropriate to train a member of the family (possibly Mr. Shah himself) to be an administrator.

Staff working in the newsagent (if Mr. Shah has to hire anyone for temp/permanent work because reliability of family help drops).

The system isn’t permitted for usage by members of the public because it must comply with the Data Protection Act; meaning that the data must be secure. Only permitted peoples of the newsagent will have access to the system. Now, although nobody else will have access to the system because it is a smallish shop, a password-entry system must still be implemented because the software has to comply with the Data Protection Act.

Identification of User Needs and Acceptable Limitations

The primary users will be the Staff working at that particular branch. As they will be working full days (maybe part time staff too), they will want a system that:

Is extremely efficient and smooth-running. Tasks that need to be performed can be completed without hassle and in as less time and operation as possible.
Has a very simple user interface, and is not heavy on the eye. The user will not have to operate different devices simultaneously i.e. keyboard and mouse. The system will be functional from keyboard usage solely. (similar to a till or an EPOS outlet).

The media database will have to change to a digital database. This will simplify the whole rental process to, as each media will have a unique ID. Even multiple films will have different ID’s, for example; there are 4 copies of the DVD-Video ‘The Matrix’, each one having ID’s of MATRIX01, MATRIX02, MATRIX03 and so on. When a rental process takes place, the ID of the media that is to be rented, is assigned to the member’s account. As an integral task, that particular media ID is deleted from the database of media available for rent. When the rental period is over and the media is returned, the ID is unassigned from the member’s account, and also is put back onto the list of available media for rent.

The system has to be able to accomplish tasks such as:

The ability to add new members to the user database.
The ability to view/edit/delete member details with ease. All members will have a unique ID, although it’ll be impractical to have members remember their ID. Therefore, maybe a membership card system should be implemented. This can truly authenticate a member from a non-member as an added advantage to the company.
The ability to add new media to the database, and assign to it a unique ID.
The ability to create rentals by assigning media ID’s to member accounts. Also, the attached ability to mark that media ID as ‘rented out’.
The ability to delete rentals from a member account. Also, the attached ability to mark the media ID as ‘available for rent’.
The ability to view available/rented media in summarised form, and also to delete media that is not available for rental anymore. If media is rented, then the ability to view the details of the member whom it is rented to.
The ability to notify automatically when a member’s rental period is expired i.e. overdue.
The ability to create weekly reports for aid in analysis of the business. However, only managers will be able to view this information. (password required).

In considering this system, there are limitations:

The system will have to be made within a certain budget, and a certain time period.
It must meet the required objectives, and at the very least, the essential objectives.
It must also comply with the Data Protection Act, and to ensure members that their data is secure.

Realistic Appraisal of the Feasibility of Potential Solutions

The Original System:

Advantages

Currently, everyone who works in the media-lending department are familiar with this system. This eliminates extra costs and time for training, which would be needed for a new system.
Can be expanded to cater for a larger member/media database easily with no hassle.

Disadvantages

The system is slow and sluggish because media/member information needs to be found using a manual approach.
With the paper database for the media and members, there is a bigger chance of files and records getting mixed up, or even lost.
If there is a disaster e.g. a fire, then the paper database will be destroyed. This will be disastrous to the business because there is no back-up of the member/media databases. Also, insurance claims for the media (if destroyed also) could be unsuccessful because Mr. Shah will possibly have no other evidence of what media he possessed.
Theoretically, the member data isn’t fully secure (to comply with the Data Protection Act) because it isn’t being stored in a safe; the data-book is left under the counter.

A new, revised, fully digital system through a programming language approach, using Delphi:

Advantages

The program can be very precise to the required specification and objectives.
Can do the required tasks with great efficiency and speed.
Some small tasks are automatically completed by aid of the system. For example, when media is rented, it automatically gets put under a ‘rented media’ group to avoid it being rented twice by the software.
All files are digitally stored, therefore consuming less paper resources.
Multiple copies of the databases can be kept easily for backup purposes. The backup must be securely stored in order to comply with the Data Protection Act.

Disadvantages

It can prove costly to have the system made, as it will be a bespoke system, and not an ‘off-the-shelf’ software program.
It can prove even more costly if it needs to be modified or upgraded, as only the programmers can modify it (they have the source code), and they can charge a large fee for this.
It could take a long time to develop, and one of the limitations is the that it takes to develop the system.
It will be non-compatible with other software, and could require some training for the prospective users, therefore inflicting more cost on the business.
It can be prone to bugs, because it won’t have been fully 100% checked (not like software that is on the market i.e. ‘off-the-shelf software’).

A New System In A Database Approach

Advantages

It will be much easier and user friendly to operate the database (and the application), as users will hopefully be more familiar with database applications.
It can be made to a much smaller budget, as less time and programmers are needed on the job.
Complicated searches can be carried out (queries), and reports can be made with ease and speed, as these functions are specialities of a database application.
Can still do the required task very efficiently, with speed and accuracy. Possibly more speed, as the database application will be specially optimised for this.
Files are again, digitally stored, therefore consuming less paper resources.
Easier to modify the database application, for creating add-on’s and making more features, as there is no source code, and advanced programmers aren’t needed. This is a job that Administrators could do.
The system will have no bugs (if any), compared to possible bugs of a programming approach. This will be because of the fact that the database program will be an ‘off-the-shelf’ piece of software.
Multiple copies of the patient/equipment database can be kept for backup purposes. Also, these backups will most likely be compatible in other database applications (making consideration for upgrading the database application in the future).

Disadvantages

The system can take more memory (hard disk space, as well as RAM), as the database application has high demands for these memories.
The application might not be as precise to the specification as it could have been with the programming approach.
Although the branches will have a PC and peripherals, database applications are demanding on RAM and hard drive space, therefore it is possible that the PC’s will require upgrading if the specification isn’t up to the job. Thus meaning, more cost for the company.
The company will have to buy a version of a database program for every PC. This could be expensive, because as well as paying for the bespoke database, they have to pay for the program that runs it.

Justification of Chosen Solution

It seems clear that the manual system is out of the question. Too many disadvantages eliminate this possibility. A fully digital system has many more advantages and possibilities. The second issue, is of how the system will be made; either through a database approach or a programming language approach.

It appears that the Delphi approach and the database approach seem to be on the same level as each other, in terms of advantages and disadvantages.