Agreement from Organisation to Requirements
The following is the letter of agreement to the requirements that I have suggested, from the company that I will be creating a relational database for:
Alternative Approaches
The alternative approaches to the design that I will implement would be to design a web-based interface, a flat-file interface, a relational database or a desktop application for the user and his business.
Desktop Application
A desktop application is where the user will use a software package to access the data that would be stored on a database program. The desktop application that I propose to use is called Microsoft Access because I already have knowledge about the software; I am capable of creating a working system from this package and the software is available and recognised world-wide. By using this package I will combine the application with a relational database which has its obvious benefits. The user will be able to easily edit, check and fully use the relational database through a desktop application. There are other applications that can be used to work with the relational database however; I feel that having previously used Microsoft Access on past projects, this application has the facilities that best match the requirements that have been agreed with the end user. However, the disadvantages of this method is that the user will have to purchase the application and pay any fees or licenses that come with the software as has been previously mentioned in the Hardware/Software Requirements. An additional obvious disadvantage is that the user will have to be trained on how to use the application nonetheless; this is also the case for all of the approaches that will be mentioned in this section.
Web-Based Interface
A web-based interface is an interface based on forms and menus with progression steps throughout the whole website and limits the amount of data entry a client or the actual user can enter. The advantage of using a web-based interface is that potential customers could view the products offered by Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd online and can actually contact or make decisions over the internet before actually walking into the store. The disadvantages are that if I were to design a web-based interface, the user would need an internet connection in his shop from where he would be able to advertise his company on the internet and be able to contact the suppliers over the internet this would mean that the users costs would increase as they would have to pay monthly for their internet connection, however it would be difficult to implement and may be too complex for the user to use within his company as the user would have to be trained on how to use the internet and the available facilities. Also it may be too complicated to implement within the business as well as there being an increase in costs as the user would have to buy a web domain in order for everyone to access the company website.
Relational Database
A relational database system is a database that is organized and accessed according to the relationships between data items without the need for any consideration of physical orientation and relationship. Relationships between data items are expressed by means of tables. I have chosen to use a relational database because it will allow the user to create reports easily using custom designs or pre-set designs giving them a professional look. In addition, it means that the correct type of software is used for the program from which all the best possibilities can be achieved. Also it will allow for the user to automatically delete out-of-date information at the touch of a button and it will be a lot easier to create the query using a relational database rather than using a flat-file database. The advantages of using relational databases are that it supports large amounts of data as they are designed to be able to efficiently handle larger amounts of data compared to flat files. Also, relational databases are high in security and reliability as it includes security features such as password and user levels. Database records are also "locked" whenever they are accessed by a user hence preventing data corruption if and when a second user accesses the same record. Furthermore, relational databases can be expensive as the user would have to purchase software licenses for it to work.
Flat-File Database Interface
If I were to design a flat-file database interface, the user would need to have a spreadsheet package like Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. A flat file database is a very simple database model, where all the information is stored in a plain text file, one database record per line. Each record is divided into fields using delimiters or at fixed column positions. The data is "flat", as in a sheet of paper, as compared to a more complex model such as a relational database. The advantages of using a flat-file database are that it is cheap as there is no software required other than the program that needs to access the data. As well as it being very easy to understand as records in a flat file are stored in one straight line and are separated by delimiters. On the other hand, the disadvantages are that it is low security as there isn’t any security feature built into a text file. It can be opened for viewing by anyone who happens to know where to look. As the data is stored as lines of text, there is no flexibility and you can’t create "relationships" between data whether within one flat file or across several as well as it not being able to produce reports via queries making it difficult to produce and then not making them look professional enough for the business. Furthermore, flat-file databases are low in reliability and integrity as they are very prone to data corruption especially if the size of the database grows beyond what the server resources are prepared to handle. To conclude, I think that a flat-file database may be too complicated for the user to use and implement within the business, as well as not satisfying the user’s requirements.
Selected Approach
The selected approach that I have chosen to implement and design for the chosen business is a relational database combined with a desktop application. I feel that it would satisfy the user’s needs more than any other alternative as it allows for all the requirements to be met, especially the skill level as after the program is created the user will find it a lot easier to use than if the system was to be implemented as a web-based interface or a flat-file database interface. The relational database will allow the user to easily work with the system that is to be created and the tasks that should be performed on the system should function more easily than if the system was created on a flat-file interface. Also, the implementation costs will be lower as the user wouldn’t have to purchase a web domain even though it could potentially benefit his customers by seeing the products online. Furthermore, developing a relational database will be easier to develop than a flat-file database and will give a more professional feeling to the company. Moreover, security measures can be implemented on the desktop application to ensure data confidentiality which can be harder to do when dealing with a web-based interface. In addition, there shouldn’t be any additional costs to the users’ budget as Microsoft Access has already been mentioned in the Hardware/Software Requirements, which have been already agreed by Mr. Ribeiro.
Acceptance from Organisation to Selected Approach
The following is the letter of agreement to the selected approach that I have suggested from the company that I will be creating a computer-based system for:
Hardware Requirements
For the system to work, the following requirements will be needed by the user so that the program works at optimum performance:
Table of Software/Hardware & Justification
Design
Nature of the Solution
Set of objectives
These are the requirements that have been agreed with the user and will be needed in order to produce the design specification.
Design Specification
Input
Input Documents
These are the input documents that have been designed for the new computer-based system.
Customer Details Input Document:
This is the proposed design for the input document for the user to enter customer details.
Delivery Appointments Input Document:
This is the proposed design for the input document for the user to enter the delivery appointments.
Sales Details Input Document:
This is the proposed design for the input document for the user to enter the sales details.
Available Stock Input Document:
This is the proposed design for the input document for the user to enter the available stock.
Payment Plan Input Document:
This is the proposed design for the input document for the user to enter the arranged payment plan.
Input Interfaces
These are the input interfaces that have been designed for the new computer-based system.
Customer Details Input Screen:
This is the proposed design for the input screen for the user to enter customer details.
Delivery Appointments Input Screen:
This is the proposed design for the input screen for the user to enter delivery appointments that have been arranged with the customer.
Sales Details Input Screen:
The following is the proposed design for the input screen for the user to enter the sales details
Stock Input Screen:
The following is the proposed design for the input screen for the user to enter their available stock.
Payment Plan Input Screen:
The following is the proposed design for the input screen for the user to enter the customer payment plan, if one has been arranged.
Processing
- The following is the processing requirements for the customer details component of the database:
Click on the customer details button on the main menu
Click on “new” for an additional record to appear under the customer details form
Enter customer details under the headings provided on the form
Click on “save” for the record to be added to the database
- The following is the processing requirements for the invoice component of the database:
Click on the sales details button on the main menu
Click on “new” for an additional record to appear under the sales details form
Enter the sales details under the headings provided on the form
Click on “save” for the record to be added to the database
Perform a query that includes all of the sales details and call it invoice query
Create a report that includes the invoice query
Save the report for your own copy
Print a copy of the report for the customer
If no printer is attached an error message should appear on screen
- The following is the processing requirements for the delivery report component of the database:
Click on the delivery appointments button in the main menu
Click on “new” for an additional record to appear under the delivery appointments form
Enter the delivery details under the headings provided by the form
Click on “save” for the record to be added to the database
Perform a query that includes all of the delivery details on the delivery appointments form and call it delivery query
Create a report that includes the delivery query
Save the report for your own copy
Print a report for the employees
Check for deliveries for the forthcoming week
- The following is the processing requirements for the out-standing payments component of the database:
Click on the payments plan button on the main menu
Click on “new” for an additional record to appear under the payments plan form
Enter the arranged payment plan details onto the form under the provided headings
Click on “save” for the record to be added to the database
Perform a query that includes all of the information provided on the payment plan form, call it payment plan query
Perform a report that includes the information on the payment plan query
Save the report for your own copy
Check if payments are due
If the customer has any payments due give them a chance to pay them then delete their details from the database
If the customer doesn’t pay any money owing, cancel the transaction and if payments are long overdue proceed to re-collect the items that were sold
- The following is the processing requirements for the archiving of records older than today’s date:
Create a query containing all of the details in the “sales details” form and the “delivery appointments” form
Automatically enter the date: (today)
Automatically enter “<” before the date
Change the query to an append query
Save the query
Add a button onto the main menu, with a macro assigned to this query
Click on the button to archive records older than today’s date
A warning message should appear to make sure that the user would like to perform an append query
Once the query has taken place, a warning message should appear informing the user that all records older than today’s date have been archived
- The following is the processing requirements for the stock availability report:
Click on the available stock button on the main menu
If any new stock needs to be added to the database enter the new stock, click on “new” for an additional record to appear under the available stock form
Enter the details of the new stock under the headings provided
Click on “save” to add the new stock to the database
Perform a query that includes all of the information in the available stock form, call it stock query
Create a report that includes all of the information in the stock query
Save a copy of the report on the computer for yourself
Check the existing quantities of your stock
If stock is low on popular goods, contact the supplier for a re-order; otherwise if they aren’t popular do not bother in contacting the supplier for a re-order.
Output
These are the output interfaces that have been designed for the new computer-based system.
Invoice:
The following is the proposed design for the invoice that will be given to the customer.
Delivery Report:
The following is the proposed design for the delivery report that will be kept by the manager of Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd.
Out-Standing Payments Report:
The following is the proposed design for the out-standing payments report that will be used by the manager of Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd.
Available Stock Report:
The following is the proposed design for the report identifying the available stock in both the warehouse and on the shop floor.
Append Query:
The following is the proposed message that will appear on-screen for when the manager of Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd would like to append delivery records that are older than today’s date.
User InterfaceThe following is the proposed design for the user interface of the system.
Report Switchboard
Error Messages
The following is the basic template for an error message that would appear on screen in the database if an error came up whilst the user was using the database:
The following are error codes and messages that will go together and will appear on the database when appropriate:
Error Message Listing
Files and Data Structures
The following tables contain details on all files and data structures that I will be using in the new database:
Format of File Details
File Name: CustomerDetails
Location:
Purpose: To hold information on customer details
Format of File Details
File Name: SalesDetails
Location:
Purpose: To hold information on sales details
Format of File Details
File Name: DeliveryAppointments
Location:
Purpose: To hold information on delivery appointments
Format of File Details
File Name: StockDetails
Location:
Purpose: To hold information on available stock
Format of File Details
File Name: PaymentPlan
Location:
Purpose: To hold information on arranged payment plans
File Sizing
The following are the file sizings for each table that will be created on the new database:
Customer Details:
Total Length of fields: 3+20+20+50+8+11+30=142
Number of Records: 100
Total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 142*100=14200
The answer multiplied by 10%: 14200*10%=1420
The above answer plus the total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 14200+1420=15620
The above answer divided by 1024 will give the file size in KB: 15620/1024=15.25
The file size in KB divided by 1024 will give the file size in MB: 15.25/1024=0.01
Sales Details:
Total Length of fields: 3+3+20+20+50+8+11+50+50+7+3+2+8=235
Number of Records: 5000
Total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 235*5000=1175000
The answer multiplied by 10%: 1175000*10%=117500
The above answer plus the total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 1175000+117500=1292500
The above answer divided by 1024 will give the file size in KB: 1292500/1024=1262.21
The file size in KB divided by 1024 will give the file size in MB: 1262.21/1024=1.23
Delivery Appointments:
Total Length of fields: 3+3+8=14
Number of Records: 1000
Total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 14*1000=14000
The answer multiplied by 10%: 14000*10%=1400
The above answer plus the total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 14000+1400=15400
The above answer divided by 1024 will give the file size in KB: 15400/1024=15.04
The file size in KB divided by 1024 will give the file size in MB: 15.04/1024=0.01
Stock Details:
Total Length of fields: 3+50+50+2+7=112
Number of Records: 100
Total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 112*100=11200
The answer multiplied by 10%: 11200*10%=1120
The above answer plus the total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 11200+1120=12320
The above answer divided by 1024 will give the file size in KB: 12320/1024=12.03
The file size in KB divided by 1024 will give the file size in MB: 12.03/1024=0.01
Payment Plan:
Total Length of fields: 3+3+3+2=11
Number of Records: 5000
Total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 11*5000=55000
The answer multiplied by 10%: 55000*10%=5500
The above answer plus the total length of fields multiplied by the number of records: 55000+5500=60500
The above answer divided by 1024 will give the file size in KB: 60500/1024=59.08
The file size in KB divided by 1024 will give the file size in MB: 59.08/1024=0.06
System Diagrams
The following is a data flow diagram showing how the new computer-based system will work:
Task Model
The following is the task model outlining the order that the tasks will be undertaken in:
The following is a test plan layout that will be used to make sure that the system works correctly:
User Agreement of Design Specification
The following is a letter form the organisation agreeing to the proposed design specification that I have designed:
Intended Benefits
Benefit 1
The existing system makes it difficult to see and be aware of when a payment is overdue, when an out-standing payment no longer exists and then to identify which clients owe money to Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd. It is also difficult to find out if an individual owes money before they purchase any more products from the company. The worse case scenario is that the individual who would like to purchase more goods from Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd has debt problems and owes money to the company so they shouldn’t be allowed to purchase any more products. The new system will allow for the user to look at a report created on the database outlining who has any out-standing payments and contact the client looking for their money. It will also mean that if the same client tries to return to the store and purchase any more goods, the user will be able to end the sale before agreeing to another sale.
Benefit 2
The existing system made producing invoices a difficult and rather prolonging process. The user had to fill in a sales document and then fill-in an invoice paper by hand. This meant that the person handling the paper work at Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd would make the customer wait for a duration of time until all of the paperwork has been filled in. The new system will allow the user to automatically produce a report based invoice that will be processed from a query that will be set-up. This will reduce the amount of data that the user has to enter into the system as the user will only have to fill in a “sales detail” form which is for their benefit and from their a report-based invoice can be created and printed out for the customer. This will save the user time and will prevent the company from wasting their client’s time as the process’ are shorter and quickly performed compared to their current paper-based system.
Benefit 3
The existing system had problems with saving; storing and finding any paper work that have been filled in by the user. The users of the paper documents may have mis-placed any vital documents for the company therefore hindering the company’s chances of keeping accurate records. This has caused the manager and owner, Mr. Ribeiro, a lot of stress and wasted a lot of his time as he has had to search through his entire filing cabinet in order to find the missing documents in order to process them and receive accurate records. The new system will allow Mr. Ribeiro and any of the other employees to find whatever records they need as they are all automatically saved onto the database. With the form screen that will be created, the users will be able to look for and save documents in their correct folder without mis-placing any document in an incorrect folder. This will potentially save the end user time and hassle as all of the documents will from then on, always be under the correct table and folder.
Limitations of the System
Limitations
The following are categories where the limitations will fall into the proposed system and are discussed.
Hardware:
It is not possible to have everything on a computer because there is always a chance that the system may crash. Therefore, although the use of paper will have been reduced, it will still be needed for back-ups of customer and sales records. Ideally, it would be more efficient to have all the data on the computer, but it is not realistically possible. For security reasons important information collected on the database is never particularly safe stored on the computer’s hard disk due to the possibility of an in-store theft, ideally the user should have removable storage devices in order to store important documents outside the computer’s hard disk which would help keep the information secure and safe in case of an in-store theft. However, this will be an additional cost to the user which may make his budget tighter than it currently is.
Software:
Software limitations include the user’s experience and ability to use the software that will be required to run the new system that has been agreed. The user may not have any previous experience with the software that the system requires to run on so, he will have to be trained to use the system efficiently in order for it to benefit the company in the future. This will impose a cost factor on the user’s budget as he may need to pay for the training unless someone offers to train the user without charging him. Also, a limitation of the software is that the user will have to purchase the software and pay licensing fees in order for it to work legitimately on the operating system. Apart from this the user shouldn’t have any problems with implementing the system and using the software as it is compatible with the operating system that he already has.
User:
The user poses a limitation of the system, although he is competent in using a computer, his skills are somewhat basic. Therefore, the system has to be easy enough for him to use (as requested by him during the first interview). This consequently, has an effect on the design of the forms that the user will use once created. The forms that I have designed, and gained his approval of, seem to be as basic as possible. Apart form the end user’s IT skills’ posing a limitation, another limitation involves how much money the user has put aside and budgeted for this project. Seeing as the user has placed a budget on the amount of money he is willing to spend, the complexity of the database is subsequently been effected as well as the quality of the computer that the user can afford to purchase which has also been taken into account in the Hardware/Software Requirements section above. A database that occupies the minimalist of space as possible has to be designed and taken into account when designing the forms. As can be seen from the file and data structure section above, I have estimated the total file structure to be in the region of 1.32MB which seems to be of a reasonable size.
Imposed:
As mentioned above, the user has imposed a significant limitation on the system that is to be created. This limitation involves the total expenditure that he is prepared to face. As he has set a budget on the project, as mentioned above, the complexity of the system is affected and the quality of the computer that he can purchase is also affected.
Scalability
The following is a table representing the total file size that the database should take up on the computer’s hard disk:
Total File Size Required: 1.32MB
Software Development Testing and Implementation
Development and Testing
Annotated Listing
Switchboard
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the switchboard.
Available Stock
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the available stock form.
Customer Details
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the customer details form.
Delivery Appointments
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the delivery appointments form.
Payment Plans
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the payment plans form.
Sales Details
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the sales details form.
Report Switchboard
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the report switchboard.
Finish
The following is an annotated screenshot of all the macros that appear on the Finish form.
Input, Output and Processing Printouts
Input Screens
Available Stock
The following is a screenshot of the available stock form
Customer Details
The following is a screenshot of the available stock form
Delivery Appointments
The following is a screenshot of the delivery appointments form
Payment Plans
The following is a screenshot of the payment plans form
Sales Details
The following is a screenshot of the sales details form
Switchboard
The following is a screenshot of the Main Switchboard
Report Switchboard
The following is a screenshot of the Report Switchboard
Splashscreen
The following is a screenshot of the Splashscreen
Finish
The following is a screenshot of the Finish form
Queries
Deliveries Query
The following is the delivery query in design view
Invoice Query
The following is the delivery query in design view
Old Deliveries Append Query
The following is the Old Deliveries Append query in design view
Payment Query
The following is the payment query in design view
Stock Query
The following is the stock query in design view
Outputs
Available Stock Report
The following is a screenshot of the available stock report
Deliveries Report
The following is a screenshot of the deliveries report
Invoice
The following is a screenshot of the invoice report
Outstanding Payments
The following is a screenshot of the outstanding payments report
Error Messages
These are the Error Messages that have been programmed in the system
Error 1001
This is the message that appears when the user tries to print something from the system and a printer hasn’t been detected.
Error 1002
This is the message that appears when the user doesn’t enter a Customer Name in the Customer Details form.
Error 1003
This is the message that appears when the user enters too many characters into a form.
Error 1004
This is the message that appears when the user tries to enter a date that doesn’t fit the input mask placed in that field.
Error 1005
This is the message that appears when the user doesn’t select a payment type in the sales details form.
Error 1006
This is the message that appears when the user enters a date that doesn’t fit the format that has been set for that field.
Error 1007
This is the message that appears when the user doesn’t enter a meaningful description in the Item Description field on the Available Stock form.
Data Structures
Relationships
The following is a screenshot of the relationships that have been created between the tables in the system
Customer Table
The following is a screenshot of the customer table in design view showing the validations that have been set for the form
Deliveries Table
The following is a screenshot of the deliveries table in design view showing the validations that have been set for the form
Payment Plan Table
The following is a screenshot of the payment plan table in design view showing the validations that have been set for the form
Sales Table
The following is a screenshot of the sales table in design view showing the validations that have been set for the form
Stock Table
Test Plan
The following is the test plan that is going to be used to test the system that I have designed for Mr. Ribeiro as well as the results of the tests conducted.
Test Results
The following are the output screenshots achieved after performing the testing on the system that I have created for Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd.
Implementation
Implementation Plan
The following sections describe how the system that I have designed will be implemented within Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd. It will contain information about the type of changeover that will be used, a questionnaire for the user to fill in concerning his views of the system whilst testing out, a document on how the employees of Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd will be trained on how to use the system efficiently, a calendar of dates detailing when the system will be implemented and when the different phases of changeover will occur as well as a final letter of agreement from the main end user Mr. Ribeiro.
Method of Changeover
There are two different methods of changeover that can be used to implement this system within the organisation. These methods are direct changeover and parallel changeover. Direct Changeover is when the current system used at Cunha & Ribeiro is discontinued and the new system that has been created takes over at the company. The disadvantage with this is that if bugs appear on the new system, there won’t be a fallback system available for the user to use whilst the errors are being corrected. Parallel changeover is when the current paper-based system is run alongside the new system that has been created until it has been embedded into the organisation. The disadvantage to this is that both data and effort is duplicated when dealing with customers and performing tasks.
The method of changeover that I feel is most appropriate for this company is Parallel Changeover. I feel that this is the most appropriate method because it means that the new computer-based system is gradually put into full function and the old system is gradually discontinued. This will allow Mr. Ribeiro and his employees to get a feel of how the new system relates to the old system and how tasks can be more easily performed when using the new system therefore, seeing the benefits of it. Furthermore, I think that the parallel changeover will allow all of the members of the organisation to be properly trained with the new system and how to use it efficiently in the workplace by spreading the dates of training over several weeks rather than several days. This will allow the employees to gain full understanding of how the new system works at their own pace rather than be rushed into learning and gaining full understanding of how the system works in order to use it as the old system will cease to function if a direct changeover is used. Moreover, if some of the employees are less IT literate than other employees, a parallel changeover will allow them to develop their own IT skills by taking part in out of work hour’s courses. This should help ease some of the pressure that certain employees face when they confront the new computer-based system and will reduce the chances of employees panicking when they are forced to use a computer in the work place. Lastly, a parallel changeover, will allow the user to gradually get rid of no longer useful storage objects such as filing cabinets or arch folders and perhaps re-organise the office area of the shop in order to accommodate a computer and make the area a suitable space for using a computer as a layout can affect the health and safety of an employee. Thus, I feel that a parallel changeover is more appropriate for Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd rather than a direct changeover.
User Testing of System
The following is a copy of the questionnaire that was given to Mr. Ribeiro whilst he was testing the system for the first time. He was asked to fill in the questionnaire and give general comments on each question concerning the new system.
Letter from User
The following is a letter written by Mr. Ribeiro confirming that he and his employees have tested the new system.
Training of Users
When considering the training of all users of the system, there are several different ways in which this can be done. This includes producing a user guide for each employee which will explain to them how to use the system, individual training which allows each employee to learn at their own pace, group training sessions where one issue can be tackled and all employees learn it at the same time and finally showing the eventual users the similarities and differences between the new system and the old system.
A user guide is a good way to train users because it gives them a point of reference should they occur any problems in the future. Also, it allows the users to learn new skills and how to do certain tasks and apply them when they face the computer based system. The user guide can be an informative piece of documentation that I will use and will create in order to help the users get the best out of the system and feel comfortable using it. Therefore, it will be one method that I will use when training the users. Individual training of users is another good way to train users because it allows people to learn slowly, at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed to be behind because others may pick up on the skills quicker than others. Also, it allows people to feel comfortable in the workplace and comfortable whilst training because they are receiving individual attention and help if they face any problems whilst using the system. A group training session may be helpful when addressing a problem that everyone finds difficult. It saves time as one thing is taught to several people at the same time however; it does have its downfalls. These can include the fact that the users could find themselves falling behind because the training may be moving too fast as well as employees feeling embarrassed because others in the group pick-up the skills needed for each area quicker than others. Lastly showing the users the similarities and differences between the new system and the old system can be good because it allows the users to see how the new system relates to the old system and how tasks have been made easier by the use of a computer. This way the users can see the benefits of using the new system. However, it can also be a bad way to train the users because it can lead to users asking what the point is of introducing a new system when the old system performs similar tasks.
Therefore, the methods that I will use for training the users include producing a user guide for the employees and individual training.
Hardware/Software Acquisition and Installation
The end user has already purchased the required hardware and software a few months ago. Therefore, the new computer-based system will be implemented on that computer. Having seen the computer in the company office, I am assuming that the required software, Microsoft Office with Access has been installed on the computer and is up and running. As Mr. Ribeiro is my uncle, I am aware that he and his son purchased the computer form their local computer store PC World which is just a few minutes walk away from their store. The computer specification more than satisfies the hardware requirements as does the edition of Microsoft Office that they purchased at the same time. Concerning health related issues, I have suggested to Mr. Ribeiro that the computer be set-up in a place where the person who sits in front of it receives a sufficient amount of sunlight to avoid damaging their eyesight as well as being on top of a table that is high enough with a comfortable chair to avoid injuries or back related health concerns.
Calendar of Dates
The following is a calendar of dates containing the proposed dates for the training of Mr. Ribeiro and his employees with the new system and a one-on-one meeting to receive general feedback from the end users concerning the system.
User Acceptance
The following is a letter written by Mr. Ribeiro concerning his feedback about the system and his willingness to go ahead with the implementation.
Appropriateness of Structure and Exploitation of Available Facilities
Suitability of Hardware and Software
Suitability of Hardware
In the Analysis stage, I wrote that the minimum amount of RAM required for the software in which the system would work most efficiently was 128MB. After running the system on a computer with this amount of RAM, I have found that this system that I have created runs properly, quickly and smoothly without any problems. Therefore, it was the right choice as the system works well with this amount of RAM and there aren’t any time delays in the processes that occur within the system. Also, at the Analysis stage, I wrote that the minimum processor speed that would suit this system was one of 2.5GHz. After running this computer-based system on a computer with this processor, I have found that the computer runs at a very appropriate speed as does the program in which the system was created on. The processor is fast enough therefore, it was the right choice in requesting this size processor as the users of this system won’t have to wait long periods of time to open the system and perform tasks that could delay the schedule of a potential customer. Furthermore, in the Analysis Stage, I wrote that the minimum amount of hard disk space required on the computer was 20 GB. This was the right choice because it meant that Mr. Ribeiro didn’t have to go out and spend a lot of money on a computer that had an unnecessary huge amount of Hard Disk Space as the system that I have created only occupies a small percentage of this hard disk space, leaving Mr. Ribeiro plenty of space to store other documents of his choice as well as saving him some money on the purchase of a computer with a higher specification. A modem wasn’t requested in the Analysis stage because it isn’t a necessity for the system to run as it isn’t a web-based interface however, today most computers are sold with a built-in modem which shouldn’t have an impact on the price of the computer. Moreover, in the Analysis stage, I wrote that the user would need a computer with a 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive in order to transfer small files from one computer onto another. This was the right choice even though the system itself won’t fit onto a floppy disk unless compressed because it means that Mr. Ribeiro can take small files that he saved on his work computer and access them at home and vice-versa. Additionally, in the Analysis stage, I wrote that the user would need a computer with a CD-Writer in order to be able to keep back-ups of the system and store information away from the computer itself. This was the right choice because this is the only method of keeping back-ups of the system unless he used a removable storage disk. A removable storage disk like a USB key wasn’t requested, which seems to be the wrong choice because for a one off cost Mr. Ribeiro could store information and keep back-ups on the removable disk. The removable disk wouldn’t have to be one of huge space, something like 64MB would be suitable which would keep costs down as he wouldn’t have to spend money on purchasing blank CD’s to burn on the CD-Writer. Lastly, in the Analysis stage, I wrote that the user would need a colour inkjet printer to print off reports that he produced. This was the right choice because inkjet printers aren’t very expensive which would keep costs low and the quality of print-outs are variable depending on the quality of a printer however, an inkjet printer would still be cheaper than a laser printer which can become very expensive when purchasing the ink cartridges.
On the whole, it seems to me that the hardware requirements that I wrote in the Analysis stage were the right choice as they allow the system to work at an optimum performance.
Suitability of Software
In the Analysis stage, I wrote that the software needed for the system to run on was Access 2000. It was the right choice as having created the system on this software I was able to make full use of the facilities enclosed in the package which assisted me in the creation of this computer-based system. These facilities include the wizards, the ability to create reports, queries, forms, the ability to record macros, the ability to write formulas for calculations and validations and the availability of the toolbox toolbar in the design view screen of forms and reports.
The wizards on Access 2000 assisted me greatly in creating queries such as the delivery query and the invoice query as they set the basis for me to alter to make the output look to the specification agreed to by Mr. Ribeiro. Also, the wizards helped me create the look of the reports used in this system which were then put through some minor alterations in order to look more appropriate for Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd as well as create the forms quickly as all that was needed from me was to change the appearance of each form in order to relate it back to the organisation after having each field automatically entered onto the forms by the wizards therefore, reducing the amount of time it took me to create the system. Thus, I found the wizard facilities on Access 2000 to be extremely useful as they assisted me in creating the system in a short amount of time and getting it working properly. Therefore, the reasons for me selecting to use Access 2000 being justified. The ability to record macros easily without too much trouble also makes my requirement of Access 2000 the right choice because recording macros on Access 2000 is easier to do, compared to other programmes like Excel. With the macro facility I was able to create a switchboard opening all the forms that I created as well as running action queries at the click of a button. Furthermore, the macro facility allowed me to create message boxes and force them to appear after a certain command was requested. Moreover, the macro facility allowed me to produce my own navigation buttons and place them on each form that I have created. The ability to write formulas for validation rules and calculations also make Access the right software choice because, Access allowed me to write a formula to calculate the total cost of a sale when the customer purchases more than one product which is a vital part of the invoice and needs to be accurate in order to avoid complaints form customers. Also, writing formulas for validation rules allowed me to produce error messages that would appear on screen as agreed to by the end user in the design specification. The availability of the toolbox toolbar in the design view of forms and invoices is another good facility that made my software choice of Access 2000 correct. This is because the toolbox toolbar allowed me to edit the look of the forms and make them look to specification as well as letting me create buttons to attach macros to. Lastly, the ability to create queries, reports and forms further backs-up my choice of software because the creation of queries allowed me to produce reports accurately with the correct information only, the ability to produce forms allowed me to make a user-friendly interface for the user and make it simple for everybody to use and the to ability create reports has allowed me to produce clear output documents that can easily be understood by everyone as well as being informative.
Error Log
The following is the error log containing information about all of the errors and troubles that I occurred whilst creating the new computer-based system for Cunha & Ribeiro Ltd
Evaluation
Discussion of Degree of Success in Meeting Original Objectives
Table of Success
The following is a table that shows how well each objective that was agreed with the end user has been met after creating the system.
Discussion of Objectives
The first end user requirement was that the system had to be easy enough for him to use. This requirement was generally an easy objective to meet. With the aid of the Access wizards, I was able to produce forms that had a clear layout making them easy to use as has been recognised by the end user in the User Testing of the System section of the report. Also, with the help of the Access toolbars I was able to produce clear command buttons with understandable labels detailing the function of each one which has also been recognised in the User Testing of the System section of the report. These factors have helped me completely meet this requirement.
The second end user requirement was that the system had to have a diary system for the arranged deliveries. This requirement was a little bit more difficult to meet and therefore I have considered it to be mostly met instead of completely met. With the aid of the Access wizards, I was able to successfully produce a query that searched for deliveries on a certain date. I then used this query to produce a report detailing the deliveries that are scheduled for a particular date as can be seen on page 87. To some extent this report can be considered as fully meeting the objective as every time the user enters the date in the parameter box, the deliveries for that date will appear on the report that I have created. By some this can be seen as a diary however, I think that there is room for improvement as I feel that a reminder message asking the end user to go to the delivery report to check out the next day’s arranged deliveries will be more useful. Thus, the combination of the report and the reminder message will be useful for the end user and will more than satisfy the objective even though the user has already accepted the system as it is in the User Acceptance part of the User Testing.
The third end user requirement was that the system had to be able to produce invoices. This objective was generally difficult to meet, although after several attempts the desired design and output was eventually achieved. With the aid of the Access Wizards, I was able to produce an invoice query containing all the relevant information that would need to be included in the actual invoice. After spending several hours trying to achieve the right calculation for the Total Sales Cost field on the report, I finally figured out that a field with the relevant calculation was needed in the invoice query, so once that was inserted the calculations began to appear as desired. From then on the report was a lot easier to produce as all that was required was to edit the wizard produced report to look like that which had been agreed to by the end user in the Design Specification. Therefore, after spending several hours on modifying this report, I was able to successfully completely meet this objective.
The fourth end user requirement was that the system had to be able to perform an append query, where deliveries older than today’s date are archived automatically. Again, this was a relatively easy to meet requirement as I had previous knowledge of building a delete query which could be used on an append query. With the assistance of the Access wizard, I was able to produce a simple table and an action query containing all the relevant fields for deliveries. Then once I changed the query type to an append query, the objective had been successfully met as after testing the query data began to get archived but only on particular days which were evidently those that had come after the agreed delivery dates. Then all that was left to do was to create a macro that would run the query and assign it to a button that can be found on the Main switchboard which can be seen on page 76. Thus, I was able to successfully completely meet this objective.
The fifth end user requirement was that the system had to have drop-down menus and other forms so that the system can be as easy as possible for the user to use. This objective was also relatively easy to meet, as I was able to arrange for drop-down menus to appear straight form the beginning when designing the tables. For each field that required a drop-down menu, a look-up wizard was selected in the data type and then values were entered so that they can appear on the drop-down menu, which can be seen on the screenshots of the data structure for each table starting on page 91. The by using the Access wizards, I was able to place drop-down menus on the forms that are going to be used by the end user as can be seen on the screenshots starting on page 71. Therefore, I was able to completely meet this objective.
The sixth end user requirement was that the system needed to store customer details. This was also, an objective that could easily be met. This is because from the beginning of creating the system, I produced a table dedicated to customer’s details which can be seen on page 91. Then with the help of the Access Wizard, I was able to produce a form that contained all the information that was entered in the customer table. Then by using the toolbox toolbar in design view of the system, I was able to add a command button that produced a new record every time that the user clicked on it, as well as producing a command button that saved the record at the touch of a button which can be seen on the screenshot of the form on page 72. Thus, I was able to completely meet this objective.
The seventh end user requirement was that the system needed to store sales details. This was also, an objective that could easily be met. This is because from the beginning of creating the system, I produced a table dedicated to sales details which can be seen on page 94. Then with the help of the Access Wizard, I was able to produce a form that contained all the information that was entered in the sales table. Then by using the toolbox toolbar in design view of the system, I was able to add a command button that produced a new record every time that the user clicked on it, as well as producing a command button that saved the record at the touch of a button which can be seen on the screenshot of the form on page 75. Thus, I was able to completely meet this objective.
The eighth end user requirement was that the system needed to give information about out-standing payments. This requirement was relatively easy to meet however; I feel that there is room for improvement. With the aid, of the Access Wizard I was able to produce an out-standing payments query that contained all of the information that needed to be included in the Out-Standing Payments Report. Then, again with the aid of the Access Wizard I was able to produce the Out-Standing Payments Report as agreed to by the end user in the Design Specification. All that was left to do was to edit the appearance of the report to make it look like the one agreed to in the Design Specification as can be seen on page 89. The end user has already seen this report and has already accepted it but the improvements that could be made to it are that a message could appear on the screen telling the user when a payment is due, this perhaps would be more useful to the user than the current method of having to go to the report and finding out who owes money to the company. Thus, I only have mostly met the objective but with the message I will be able to completely meet this objective.
The ninth end user requirement was that the system needed to produce reports concerning available stock. This objective was easy to meet because with the aid, of the Access Wizard I was able to produce an available stock query that contained all of the information that needed to be included in the Available Stock Report. Then, again with the aid of the Access Wizard I was able to produce the Available Stock Report as agreed to by the end user in the Design Specification. All that was left to do was to edit the appearance of the report to make it look like the one agreed to in the Design Specification as can be seen on page 86. Therefore, I was able to completely meet this objective.
The final end user requirement was that the system needed to reduce data entry. This objective was relatively easy to meet because after using the Access Wizard to design the forms, I used the toolbox toolbar in design view to add a search for item drop-down menus to forms where reduced data entry would be most beneficial to avoid the user repeating data entry. This can be seen on the screenshots of the deliveries form, the payment plan form, and the sales form which can be found on pages 73, 74 and 75 respectively. Hence, I was able to completely meet this objective.
Evaluation of Users Response to the System
User Friendly System
The following is a questionnaire that was given to Mr. Ribeiro to assess how much of a “user-friendly” system I have created which will then be used to evaluate his response to the system.
Evaluation of Responses
From the questionnaire that was filled in by Mr. Ribeiro, I have found that he considers the labels on the buttons easy to read which therefore, makes them easy to understand. This was good to hear because; I wasn’t sure about whether to use pictures to describe each button or to use text. But with Mr. Ribeiro finding the labels easy to read and hence the buttons easy to understand, it feels that I have made the right decision because sometimes images can be unclear, confusing and some people may interpret them differently to others, whereas text eliminates this eventually. Also, by making the text size on the buttons larger than normal, people with eyesight difficulties will find using the buttons a lot easier than if they were in a smaller print. Therefore, making the system “User-Friendly”. From the questionnaire, I have seen that Mr. Ribeiro agrees with the colour scheme that was used throughout the system. As the colours used are easy on the eye and are familiar to Mr. Ribeiro as they happen to be his company’s main colours, he can feel familiarised with what he sees on the screen and not shocked by fluorescent colours or bright colours which makes the system “User-Friendly”. From the questionnaire, I have noticed that Mr. Ribeiro finds the main switchboard easy to use making it “User Friendly” as he finds that form that switchboard he can find what he needs at the click of a button without meeting any dead-ends or being miss-led by the labels on the buttons which he has considered to be “User-Friendly”. In addition, he finds the help guide that has been produced to be very friendly and easy to use. As he has mentioned that he finds the guide easy to use and can understand it after occasionally looking at what he has said to be a “useful” glossary. He goes on to say that it has been very well put together as he can easily navigate through the pages to find the help that he requires making it “User-Friendly”. Furthermore, Mr. Ribeiro has answered “yes” when asked if he can enter data quickly into the forms meaning that he finds that the drop-down menus and the search options helpful and “User-Friendly”. By saying “yes” he agrees that the amount of data entry that he needs to enter is limited, therefore speeding up the data entry process making the system “User-Friendly”. Also, Mr. Ribeiro has said that when he enters data into the forms, he finds it easy to do because he can understand what the error messages say and restrict if they ever appear on screen which also makes the system “User-Friendly” as he doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the messages that appear on screen. He has also claimed the messages to be helpful. Moreover, Mr. Ribeiro has said that he finds the layout of each form to be “User-Friendly”. By not making each form complicated but instead easy to read and understand and have textboxes in the most appropriate places ready for data input, the layout becomes “User-Friendly” as data entry flows and sometimes is minimal as data is on the most part looked-up and therefore, automatically entered.
To conclude, the questionnaire shows that the system that I have created is “User-Friendly”.
User Acceptance
The following is a letter of acceptance written by Mr. Ribeiro concerning the system that I have created for him and includes an arrangement that will be made to implement the system on his work computer.
No Known Faults
After reading the acceptance letter written by the user, I have noticed that the user hasn’t identified any faults with the system. Below, is another copy of the letter underlining the section of the letter where this is mentioned.
Desirable Extensions
Good and Bad Points of the System
Good Points of the System
The good points of the system are that the majority of the system meets the requirements and objectives set by the end user. As can be seen from the Table of Success on pages 114 and 115, all of the objectives have been in some way met either completely or nearly met which has been already recognised by the end user and accepted as can be seen on the acceptance letter which can be found on page 121. A further good point is that the end user has consider this project to be “User-Friendly”, which in a way is a major achievement because it means that users of different IT abilities can use the system without any problems as the structure of the system makes it easy to use and isn’t complex in that people will be completely lost or will find dead-ins in the system. Therefore, I consider it to be a good system on this basis. Furthermore, from the letter that was written by the user concerning the appearance of any faults on the system the outcome was positive in that the user couldn’t find any faults with the system after testing it for himself which can be found on the letter written by him on pages 108 and 122. Another good point about the system is that the user interface of the system has been considered as “User-Friendly” as the user has already written that the buttons are easy to understand and the functions are understandable because of the labels, this can be seen on the “User-Friendly questionnaire that was filled in by Mr. Ribeiro on page 119. An additional good point about the system is that all of the forms that will be used on a daily basis by the end user have been considered to be “User-Friendly” and work to the criteria that they are meant to as can be seen when they were put through the testing which can be found on the test table and results on pages 96-102. This has helped the system achieve its objectives which can be seen on the Table of Success on pages 114 and 115. Another good point is that the system has very useful error messages that appear on screen whenever an error is encountered in the system, therefore, making this system “User-Friendly” as has been considered by the end user in the questionnaire regarding “User-Friendliness” which can be found on page 119. Taking all these factors into account, they can be considered as the good points of the system.
Bad Points of the System
The bad points of the system are that the forms could be sized a bit better in order for the whole form to appear on screen without a scroll bar. This however, only occurs on a few occasions and has been disregarded by Mr. Ribeiro as a bad point which in a way is comforting as it means that the end user is happy with the appearance of the forms which can be found on the questionnaire regarding “User-Friendliness”. Even so, I feel that personally it is a bad point of the system although it has passed the stage and has been agreed to be implemented on to the company computer as it currently is. Another bad point of the system is that 2 of the 10 objectives have only been mostly met instead of completely met. This shows that there is still room for improvement on the system and can be improved to fully meet the criteria placed and expected by Mr. Ribeiro. Thus, I consider this to be a bad point of the system although this has again been disregarded by the end user as can be seen in the letter of acceptance on page 121. This has helped me think ahead if I were to ever create a new system using Access which would then perhaps meet the user’s requirements at a fuller extent.
Limitations of the System
The limitations of the system have already been pointed out in the discussion of objectives which can be found on pages 115-118. These limitations are that the certain objectives have only been mostly met instead of completely met. The limitations are that although the user can see what deliveries have been arranged on what date they are not prompted at that the opening of the system that a delivery has been arranged. Thus, the person using the system will have to go to the deliveries report every day and enter the date of delivery to see what deliveries have been arranged on that date, which extends the amount of work that the user has to do to find out about the upcoming deliveries instead of reducing the amount of work that the user should have to do. Therefore, in this area there is room for improvement. Another limitation that exits on the system is that in order for the user to find out when out-standing payments are due, he has to go to the “Out-standing Payments” report to find out when these payments are due. The user is not prompted at the opening of the system concerning an overdue payment, so they have to go to the report and find out themselves when an overdue payment is approaching which extends the amount of work that the user has to do to find out about the overdue payments instead of reducing the amount of work that the user should have to do.
Possible Extensions
The possible extensions that could occur to the system involve removing the limitations that have been mentioned in the above section from the system. In order to remove the limitation of having to go to the deliveries report and finding what deliveries are due the next day, I propose that for future development an information message should appear the day before a scheduled delivery occurs on the opening of the system prompting the person working with the system to go to the relevant record and find out the exact details of the delivery so that they don’t miss a delivery or don’t leave out certain goods form the delivery which would hinder their future relations between the company and that particular customer. The other possible extension that could occur to the system is to remove the limitation of the user having to go to the “Out-standing Payments” report to find out about overdue payments and when the next payment for a particular customer is. In order to do so for future development, I propose that an information message appears on the opening of the system prompting the user to go to the actual report and finding out about the details of the payment plan arranged by the customer and the owner of the store. This would serve as a reminder to the company that certain customers still owe them money and that they should pursue those people for the overdue payments.
Appendices
Project Work: OCR ICT A Level Analysis Page:
