Mr. Udeagbala started this business only last year November, so the business is small, but should become big over the coming years.
The new system is expected to make data entry for Mr. Udeagbala fast and efficient for him, so he can get on with other tasks that take up a lot of his time like repairing a computer for a customer.
Current hardware being used at Elca Computers:
15 monitors ranged between 15-19 inches wide, CD-ROM drives, Floppy disc drives, keyboards, mouse’s, headphones, 2 laser printers and 1 photocopying machine.
Current Software being used at Elca Computers:
Windows Professional operating system, Microsoft Office 2001.
Statement Of The Problem
After the interview with Mr. Udeagbala, he has stated clearly that he needs someone to produce a system for him where he can forecast sales, so he can plan for the future.
He wants to expand his business but in order to this he needs to make a forecast to see how his business will be like in the future, but he doesn’t have a system that can do this, No forecast is 100% but at least the forecast will be realistic, as past sales will be used to implement the forecast. If he had no past sale records, then it will be impossible to create a forecast.
Interview With The User – Regarding requirements of the new system
Interviewer:
I understand how your current system works, but I need you to specify the problems you are currently having with your current system and what type of system you want.
User:
Well I find it quite time consuming having to continuously keep entering data of people coming in to use the internet and also reminding customers when their time is up, it can be stressing at times especially when I am in the middle of upgrading or repairing a customers computer. I need an automated system where I don’t have to make any or less Manuel entries of data of the people coming in to use the Internet.
Interviewer:
So basically you would like a system where data entered is mostly automatic rather than manual. What would you require from this automated system?
User:
I would like it to be so that when a customer comes into my shop to use the internet, all he has to do is touch the mouse then a screen comes up asking him weather he wants to use the internet, word processor and many other computer functions, when he selects his desired function, he is shown a timer where he is to type in how long he will use the chosen function for, once the customer has done this a price of the function the customer has chosen will clearly be shown on the screen, then his timer starts counting down from the time customer typed in, once his time is 5mins before expired a message will come up telling the customer his time is nearly over that if he would like to stay longer he should type in how long, then a new price will come up if has extended his stay on the computer, otherwise the computer will automatically log off in 5mins. Then the customer will come to pay me the amount due and all I do is look into my computer to see how much the customer owes charge him and done, that’s all I would like to do, I don’t need to make any manual entries all I do is take in the money and give change if necessary.
Interviewer:
Well this type of system will be beneficial to you in many ways, the system will have everything under control while or you do is collect money and give change when appropriate.
Requirements Of The New System
Specific objectives – Quantitative
- Internet entries shouldn’t take more then 10 seconds
- It should be possible to find customer details in less then 10 seconds
Specific Objectives – Qualitative
- System should be very user friendly
- System should have a help guide for those with no knowledge of computers
- System should warn and then log off after customers Internet time has been expired.
Constraints
Hardware:
The hardware available to me is as follows:
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Monitor (VDU)
- Printer
- Floppy Disc drive
- CD ROM Drive
- 5 Gigabyte Hard-disk
- Modem
Users IT Skills and knowledge
The user has Expert knowledge of computers, as he owns his own computer store where he repairs/upgrades computers. So the system won’t need to be intuitive, as the user knows almost everything about the world of computers. The user has been in computer business for over 3 years.
