- Browse available holidays/registered users’ details;
- Search available holidays/registered users’ details;
- Update available holidays/registered users’ details.
A database is a very useful way of putting holiday information on display. It can be easy to organise, and simple to search, as long as it has all the right features. These features include:
-
Looking professional, so that customers are encouraged to put faith in the system. A professional structure will be easy to read, and will increase the customer’s confidence in the company they are buying their holiday from.
-
Being quick and easy to use, because most customers are not going to waste time trying to use a method of buying a holiday that is confusing or takes ages to work out. Having a complicated system could lose Going Places customers, so it should be as efficient as possible.
-
Being easy to update, since if it is hard for new data to be entered, or old data edited, it could waste staff time which could be better spent helping customers. An awkward system would not persuade employees to do their best for the company, so it should be simple to edit.
-
Being clearly associated with the company. Customers need to associate what they are doing with Going Places the whole time, which could encourage the customer to recommend the company to their friends. This can be done by integrating logos and company colours in the design.
System Scope
Context Diagram
This context diagram shows the two main groups of people who would use the database. The staff can edit the data about existing holidays on the database, as well as adding new ones. The database can show them registered users’ personal details and the details of their holidays. Customers at Going Places can enter their personal details into the database, and their holiday bookings, whilst the database can allow them to view data about holidays, and send them a letter confirming their holiday details once they’ve booked them. The staff can edit the database, whereas customers can only view the information stored on it, or send information to the database.
Entity-Relationship Diagram
An entity relationship diagram is a way of displaying the relationships between entities in a database. As well as showing how the tables relate to each other, it shows the tables that will be in my database, and the fields in each table. A one to many relationship is represented by a ‘1’ and ‘∞’.
This symbol is a primary key. There are also foreign keys, which can be put into other tables to link them together.
This means that one customer can make infinite (∞) enquiries, but each enquiry can only be made by one customer.
This means that infinite (∞) enquiries can be made about one holiday, but only one holiday can apply to each enquiry.
Data Dictionary
A data dictionary is a way of planning a database.
Inputs, Processes and Outputs
Input Process Output
Input Forms
Information can be inputted into the database using the following input forms:
This is the form for customers to enter their personal information.
This is the form for staff to enter holiday details.
http://www.goingplaces.co.uk/ Feb 2008
This is the form for customers to enter their enquiry details.
Query Designs
There are many queries, which are very useful for when customers wish to search for a particular holiday, that could be performed using my database.
For instance:
Query 1: ‘Show me all the holidays in Spain’.
Tables: Holiday. The holiday table needs to be searched to find relevant results.
Fields: Country, City, Hotel. All these fields can be searched to find a holiday that would fit the bill.
Criteria: ‘Spain’. This will be queried in the appropriate fields
Results should be presented in ascending order based on either price or star rating. They can be put into a report for the customer to view or print.
Query 2: ‘Show me all family holidays in Spain or Portugal’.
Tables: Holiday.
Fields: Country, City, Hotel, Type of Holiday
Criteria: ‘Spain’, ‘Portugal’, ‘Family holiday’
Results should be presented in ascending order based on either price or star rating. They can be put into a report for the customer to view or print.
Query 3: ‘Show me all family holidays and honeymoons in Spain or Portugal, not in Lisbon’.
Tables: Holiday.
Fields: Country, City, Hotel, Type of Holiday
Criteria: ‘Spain’, ‘Portugal’, ‘Not Lisbon’, ‘Family holiday’, ‘Honeymoon’
Results should be presented in ascending order based on either price or star rating. They can be put into a report for the customer to view or print.
Reports
Information can be outputted from the database in the form of reports. Here are some examples of reports:
A report to show available holidays in Spain when queried by a customer:
A report to show Going Places users registered in the past two weeks:
Mail Merge Letter
Another way to output information form the database would be through mail merging. This is what a Going Places mail merge letter would look like (highlighted sections represent information that will be taken from the database):
Dear Mrs. Gough,
All of us here at Going Places appreciate your custom, and thank you for choosing us as you travel agent. We aim to do all we can to ensure your holiday provides the break you deserve!
We are writing to confirm your holiday booking with us:
Destination: Madrid
Date of Departure: 23.8.2008
Place of Departure: Luton Airport
Number of People: 2
Price: £710
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries. We can be reached on 01582 485502, or emailed at .
Enjoy your Going Places holiday!
Thank you again,
Mark Stafford, Head of Customer Relations
Hardware and Software
I will need various types of hardware and software in my self-service kiosk for staff and customers.
These are the types of Hardware that I need:
Mouse: This will be used by staff to enter/edit data about holidays, and browse information about users on the database.
Keyboard: This will be used by staff to enter/edit data about holidays, and browse information about users on the database,
Monitor: This will display information from the database.
Touch Screen: This is how customers will browse the database and enter personal and enquiry details.
Printer: Both customers and staff will use this to print off reports and mail merges.
RAM and ROM: These will allow information to be stored on the system.
Hard Disk Drive: This will also allow information to be stored on the system.
Processor: This allows the computer to carry out all the functions necessary.
These are the types of Software that I need:
Microsoft Word: This is for creating mail merges
Microsoft Access: This will be for creating, browsing, viewing and inputting information into the database.
Test Plan
There are things that can go wrong with are system like this.
To ensure that the input forms work properly, these tests will be performed:
Customer Details Form
Holiday Details Form
Enquiry Details Form
Reports
I need to make sure that all my reports look professional. To do this I will guarantee that all the correct data is taken out of my database. There will be no duplicate information or incorrect spacing, such as column widths not making sense, and everything will be spelled correctly.
Mail Merge Letter
The mail merge letter must also look professional as well as friendly. Spacing needs to be right, again, as well as all the spelling. The information from the database (highlighted in the letter) must also be correct, with no duplicate information.
