ICT coursework

When the member returns the book the assistant would go to the computer and delete it from the books that should be bought back. In the book the date is crossed out and replaced in the shelf for the next member. If a book is not bought back a warning letter would be sent out 3 times to remind the member. At the end of the day the assistant would search the computer if any books that are overdue and send a reminder letter.

When someone wants to borrow a book and if it is out of store the assistant would tell the member when they could come and collect it.

The current problems that would lead to the following problems:

* Members losing there cards.

* The books are damaged.

* Books are in the wrong place.

* Staffs take a long time to help a customer.

* It takes a long time to send letters about overdue books.

Possible Solutions

Habib's book rental could employ someone to organise his record collection, check if the books are in the right pace. This would make sure that the books are well organised. This won't really solve the problem because it does not change the system. The advantage for this is that it will be more organised and also good looking. On the other hand the disadvantage for this would be that Book Zone could not afford to pay another wage.

Another way of solving the problem is by using computers which would be easier to store information and a quicker way of finding a member rather than looking around the box which takes long. This program is very important to Book Zone and is the best way. The reason why I would say it is the best way is because it would solve Book Zone's problems. The disadvantage of this is that it is very expensive Book Zone might not be able to pay for it. I think that Book Zone would need a program such as spreadsheet and shall have different software that you can search things very quickly, such as member details.

Chosen Solution

The best way to solve the information handling problems is by setting up a new system on a computer using software package. I would use a computer because I think it will be more accurate and easy to find things. I would also say that it will be more organised for the customers rather than doing it by hand.

Spreadsheets are good for solving problems that have a lot of calculations and numbers. I think spread sheet would be a problem because searching information does not need spreadsheet, so I think that it would not be very useful for me.

Well if I use a database package I think it will be better because databases allow you to in store a lot of information and it can do it very quickly. I have got an opinion of Stratford library and they have agreed what I think. The assistant in Stratford Library said that it would be a good idea because it will help you as well as the customers. He also said that it is very useful because you can add a lot of things, search very quickly, good for numbers and also he thinks that it will make it easier for the staff. To make sure I do the right decision I would interview people to see what they think, and also I would make a questionnaire to find people's opinions.

System Objectives

The system must be able to perform the following tasks:

* Allow staff to add, delete, looked-up, edited and stored quickly and accurate things.

* Allow books to be taken stored and taken out quick and easy my members and also staff.

* Allow books to be searched to help the customer's problems.

* Produce a list showing when the book is due in.

* Make reminder letters quick and easy.

* Help staff do there job quick and easy with accurateness.

* Provide information when it is needed as quick as possible.

Performance Criteria

The following would be used to evaluate the success of the new system:

* It must take less than 45 seconds to find details about a member.

* It must take less than 35minute to edit, add, a member.

* It must have security passwords for member's personal information.

* It must remind staff at the end of the week to send letters to members who owe books.

* It must take under 2 minutes to search for members who overdue the books back.

* It must take lees than 10 seconds to delete a member.

* It must be under 40 seconds to search for a book

* It must be under 1 minute to find what the member wants.

* On screen data entry forms must be clearly laid out to make a data entry.

* It must solve errors by itself which might slower the computer.

* Member's details should be placed in a place where you must have a password.

* It should be possible to input new books, staff members, and customers in less than 30 seconds.

* It should be able to provide reports in less than 30 seconds in the following areas books borrowed, which staff let member borrow book, staff currently employed, books owned by the store, and also customer details.

Current Resources

Mr Dawson already has a computer with the following specification:

* Windows 95

* A Pentium II 200 MHz processor

* 20 Mb of RAM

* A 1 GB hard disk with 626 Mb of space

* A floppy drive

* A CDROM drive

* MS office 97 standard ( Microsoft word, Excel, point and outlook express)

Mr Dawson is allowed to spend £999 on a new computer

Resource Requirements

Access 97 will be used to set-up and run the new system for Book Zone. To install and use this software a computer with the following minimum specification is needed:

* A Pentium 75 MHz processor8'''

* Windows 95 or later one.

* At least 24Mb RAM

* At least 161Mb of space

* CD_ROM drive

Mr Dawson so far has on his computer the following:

* A Pentium II 200 MHz processor

* Windows 95

* MS office 97 standard ( Microsoft word, Excel, Point and Outlook express)

* 20 Mb RAM

* A 1 Gb hard disk with 821 Mb of free space

* A CD-ROM

* A floppy disk drive

Mr Dawson knows and told me that they could spend £999 on the new hardware and software. For Mr Dawson I would need to buy office 2000 Professional package, which has Access 97 which is £395. I have to memory from 20Mb to 24Mb which is 70 and install it. Mr Dawson would have to buy a Laser printer to print information about books and also to send letters to the members and also has quality printing. This would cost 280.

When I go to school and library the Pc are the same as the one Mr Dawson would have. I would add a printer but only 1 so everyone would collect there prints from there.

Choice of Software

The databases packages that I could use to set up the new system with pinpoint and Access 97. These packages are on my school computers and in the library that is normally go which is Stratford library and have the same features.

Pinpoint has the following:

* Data can be saved in file formats and used in other applications.

* Graphs and charts can be made quickly.

* You can design question sheets very easy and quick.

* You can search very quickly.

Access 2000 has the following:

* Create and edit table

* Create and edit relationships

* Create reports and forms based on tables

* Create customised input screens and using visual basic facilitate searches and validation procedures

* Create quires to find specific data

* Crate a menu driven system

Overall I would say that Access 2002 will be the best package to use system because it will allow me to create quires to find specific data. Pinpoint does not have this. I think that the staff would be better with Access 97 because it has got more features that they could use. The Habib's books staffs have not got a lot of experience for computers so I think Access 2000 would be easier. Mr Dawson has up to £ 999 to spend which shows that he can afford it. One advantage is that Access 97 should not take long to set up. To set up the new system Mr Dawson would need to change his computer around and add new things.

Resource Requirements

Access 2002 will be used to set-up and run the new system for Habib's books. To install and use this software a computer with the following minimum specification is needed:

* A Pentium 75 MHz processor8'''

* Windows 95 or later one.

* At least 24Mb RAM

* At least 161Mb of space

* CD_ROM drive

Mr Dawson so far has on his computer the following:

* A Pentium II 200 MHz processor

* Windows 95

* MS office 97 standard ( Microsoft word, Excel, Point and Outlook express)

* 20 Mb RAM

* A 1 Gb hard disk with 821 Mb of free space

* A CD-ROM

* A floppy disk drive

Mr Dawson knows and told me that they could spend £999 on the new hardware and software. For Mr Dawson I would need to buy office 2000 Professional package, which has Access 2002 which is £395. I have to memory from 20Mb to 24Mb which is 70 and install it. Mr Dawson would have to buy a Laser printer to print information about books and also to send letters to the members and also has quality printing. This would cost 280.

When I go to school and library the Pc are the same as the one Mr Dawson would have. I would add a printer but only 1 so everyone would collect there prints from there.

Table members

Field name

Data Type

Validation rule

Description

Typical Data

Member no

numbers

between 1-400

Number used to show member

2013

Surname

text

none

surname of member

john

First name

text

none

first name of member

akkurt

Address

text

none

where they live

76 high street

Town

text

none

which town

Stratford

Country

text

none

which country

London

Postcode

text

none

which area

E15 6JP

Data of Birth

Date

valid date

date of birth of member

2/04/1982

Field name

Data Type

Validation Rule

Description

Typical Data

Book no

Number

-999

number used to show book

598

Title

Text

none

the title of the book

The boy had died

Barcode no

Text

numbers

the number to scan to computer

25145871

Table videos

Entity Relationship Diagrams

I would provide diagrams that have a relationship of member and borrowing the books. This is shown in the diagram below

Member --------------------------------------- Book

The book table will be connected to book number field. This is a one-to-one because a book could only be rented to one member at a time. This would make the system easier because if the member borrows the same book two time it would confuse our staff, so it must be at one at a time.

Query: Books

The query will use the Books table to search for records matching the following conditions