Small Work Force Resulting To Data Inconsistency: There is either just one person in the warehouse or two. This causes a problem as when the warehouse is busy and there are a lot of customers waiting to be served, the employee just scribbles down the product sold and quantity down on a piece of paper, with the intension of writing it in the sales notebook later, sometimes the paper gets misplaced and this causes data discrepancy and inconsistency in quantity left.
Poor Time Management: The current system is very slow as it involves manual processes. Time is wasted when trying to locate prices in books and checking for each product availability in the warehouse also consumes time.
Loss of Data: As there is no control or security of data, files are prone to be misplaced, stolen or destroyed by natural causes, such as Fire, Hurricane, Water, Oil etc.
REQUIREMENTS
From all the information gathered from conducting an interview with the manager of Titlas Ventures Limited below is a list of requirements which have been identified and agreed before commencing on the design stage of this project:
- The new system should have an ability to replace paper–based system and take account of sale of stock at the point of exit and issue a printed receipt of sales.
- The system should be secure and have a user validation login to protect company information. i.e. Only employees with access rights to the database should be able to access the database.
- The system should have the ability to generate reports based on sales and best solar mobile chargers.
- The system should store customer details
- The database should be user friendly and easy to navigate around.
- The system should re-order stock once it has reached re-order level.
- The information provided on the database should be accurate and updated regularly.
PROPOSED SYSTEM
The proposed system is going to be designed to make the current procedures which the company operates more efficient and reliable and also less time consuming. To buttress this point, when a customer goes into the warehouse, the assistant simply navigates to the product page and types in the product code or name and the price would be displayed, hence making it a lot quicker to get the price of the product. This consumes less time and shortens the customers wait time to be served.
Also, when the products are sold, the Database is updated immediately. Hence at any point the stock level is checked they give accurate and up to date information.
- BENEFITS OF PROPOSED SYSTEM
Stock Check and Order Triggering Alert: Currently, stock level information is based on the stock taking records which are carried out once a month; thereafter it is generated by deducting the sales quantity every working day from the stock taking figure or the previous day’s stock quantity. This process makes it very difficult to know exactly what products are left at any particular time. It only gives an estimate of stock as there is a high possibility of miscalculations which can occur during calculations of stock from the stock taking figure.
The order triggering facility would be embedded in the database and would alert the administrator when stock is running low and an option of filling the order form which can be sent straight to the supplier.
Printed Receipts & Invoicing: Currently all invoices and receipts are written manually by hand by the employee. With the newly proposed system, this would be done electronically with the added option to generate and print a receipt once a sale is completed.
The Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) below illustrates the proposed system and how it will function.
Data Flow Diagram - Context Diagram
Data Flow Diagram – Level 2 –Logical
The Rich Pictures below illustrates the proposed system and how it will function.
Version 1
Version 2
BUSINESS SYSTEMS OPTIONS
“There are several possibilities for the required logical system in a project. Each alternative will differ in terms of services offered, impact on the organisation and financial costs and benefits.” (comp.dit.ie 2005)
Figure 2.4: Business Systems Option (comp.dit.ie, 2005
- OPTION 1 – LOCAL STANDALONE DATABASE
The first option would be to change the client’s current system to a computerised process. This would entail building a simple database using Microsoft Access with a front end interface installed on the client’s personal computer.
2.4.2. OPTION 2 – TO DEVELOP A WEB BASED SOLUTION
The second option would be to build a website using PHP and having a backend database which would be built using MySQL. The database would accommodate customer details, Supplier Details, Employee details and Product details. The website would retrieve data from the database and reports can be generated as at when needed depending on information specified (dates). The webpage has an added functionality which is the order triggering facility to alert the administrator when goods are running low and which ones to order specifically.
Customers can go online to view products, their description and also reserve products. The website also holds information of the company’s contact information and payment is taken when customer arrives into the warehouse for collection.
- OPTION 3 – USING STOCK CONTROL SYSTEM SOFTWARE
The third option would be to employ the services of a stock control inventory software where a third party organisation who are specialist in stock control and order processing is used. The features of the stock control system include ability to check Stock, print invoices and transactions reports.
The primary purpose of this system would be to determine how much stock should be held and how much stock needs to be reordered and when. It would also put into consideration the cost of holding stock and what impacts it could have on the operation of the business.
- RECOMMENDED BUSINESS SYSTEM OPTION
After a considerable amount of research and client requirement, it has become apparent that the most suitable business option to use would be option 1. One of the user’s requirements is to create a database system which allows staff to view the products available without going to the warehouse
Option 2 would have more appropriate but the client did not request for a system that allows customers to view the products online and also an added functionality of reserving online. With Option 3, the client has to pay for the software and if they wanted to pay per month, it would be the number of users that use the software multiplied by the monthly fee.
METHODOLOGY
Methodologies can be defined as an organised, documented set of procedures and guidelines to be followed when developing an information system.
There are numerous numbers of methodologies, which can be used to create a suitable framework, each one having its own unique benefits and different set of guidelines and procedures to follow.
The methodology which can be adapted to this project should support the following features:
- User involvement – This should support active user involvement and feedback
- Prototyping – is the ability to quickly put together a working model of the proposed system, illustrate ideas or features and gather early user feedback.
- Iterations –is the process of breaking down the development stages and showing the users at intervals to allow for user feedback.
- Prioritized requirements list –is a list of requirements based on its prioritisation. This helps the developers to determine which requirements should be implemented first as all the requirements can not be implemented, because of the time constraint involved.
- Size – the project is being developed for a small scale business, hence the framework must be able to accommodate a small to medium scale business.
- Changing requirements – the framework should be able to accommodate the user requirements changing as the project is being developed.
- Modelling techniques – this is used to give the users a better understanding of the system at a glance using (diagrams)
From deducing the above features, two possible methodologies which can be applied to this project (stock control system) are:
- RAD - Rapid Applications Development
- DSDM - Dynamic System Development Method
Both methodologies have an advantage of being used when the time constraint to deliver a project is short and user involvement is imperative, although the intensity of user involvement differs in both frameworks.
RAPID APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT (RAD)
Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a software development methodology that focuses on building applications in a very short amount of time; traditionally with compromises in usability, features and/or execution speed
RAD is a technique for compressing the analysis, design, build, and test phases of a software development project into a series of short iterative stages.
This methodology was developed to deliver systems relatively fast and efficient.
Project size, scope and other circumstances are used to determine if a project would be successful using RAD. The methodology is commonly used in situations where a solution is required in a short length of time.
Figure 3.1.Rapid Development (California University 1997)
As well as following a set of guidelines and procedures to go from problem solving to the solution, there should be an active user involvement in this project where there would be other people using the system. One methodology that addresses the active participation of the user is RAD. The use of RAD increases the quality of the project through user involvement in the analysis and design stages.
RAD has a major advantage over other methodologies as Speed and quality are the primary advantages of Rapid Application Development, while potentially reduced scalability and feature sets are the disadvantages. One of the numerous methods used to achieve speed increase is prototyping.
RAD contains four stages, which are:
- Requirements Planning – The developers analysis the system requirements and reviews the areas immediately associated with the proposed system.
- User Design – This stage consists of a detailed analysis of the business activities and processes relating to the proposed system which would be implemented.
- Construction – The developers and the users finalise the design, build and test the prototypes.
- Transition – This stage is after the construction stage which involves testing the working prototype, the developers tests the system thoroughly and the new system replaces the existing system in place.
Core Techniques of RAD
- Time boxing – This technique ensures the project does not over run.
- Prototyping – This technique helps users visualize and make adjustments to the system. With RAD: the prototype becomes a part of the delivered system.
- Iterative Development – This involves reviewing the prototype. The developers designs the prototype based on the users’ requirements after which the client and developer meet to review and refine and review their requirements.
Clearly Rapid Application Development is about more than just delivering applications as quickly as possible. It as a well defined approach to application development involving short, iterative development cycles; time boxing and prototyping.
DYNAMIC SYSTEM DEVLOPMENT METHOD (DSDM)
“DSDM is a project delivery framework to aid the development and delivery of business solutions to tight timescales and set budgets” (Standish Group 2001)
It is based around the methodology Rapid Application Development (RAD).
"DSDM is primarily based on continuous user involvement in an iterative (prototype-based) development process which is responsive to changing business requirements but still sufficiently defined for use with a formal quality management system if required."( 2006).
DSDM is an extension of RAD; it focuses on projects that are defined by tight budget (costing) and short time frame.
Nowadays, projects are limited by time and available resources, and business requirements to meet the business needs and specifications. In order to meet these goals, DSDM encourages the use of Rapid Applications Development (RAD) as it emphasises on reducing the development time.
The business benefits of using DSDM to design the system for Titlas Ventures Limited include:
- Using DSDM techniques improves the likelihood of projects being delivered on time and budget. Adopting the phases of DSDM in this project would help the project not to over run and be delivered on time.
- Time to market is improved. The use of DSDM instead of the traditional approach has been proven to lead to an increase in productivity.
- More levels of the business can be involved in a DSDM project, resulting in:
- A reduced risk that the wrong solution is delivered. As DSDM focuses on active user involvement, the project is more likely to be what the user requires as DSDM makes use of heavy prototyping and iterations would be delivered to the client frequently, it is more likely the end result would meet the users’ requirements and most of the clients’ feedback and comments would be implemented into the system.
- A solution which is more likely to meet the users' real business requirements would be produced. The developers would be gathering the user requirements and producing a system that implements what the user has specified in the requirements catalogue.
- Smoother implementation because of the established relationship and cooperative behaviour between all parties throughout the development. This would be achieved by the developers through the use of iterations.
DSDM contains five distinct stages, which are:
-
Feasibility Study
-
Business Study
- Functional Model Iteration
- Design and build iteration
- Implementation
Figure 3.2 DSDM framework Model (codeproject.com, 2003)
Core Techniques of DSDM
The following techniques are adapted by DSDM to ensure the completion of a project; the techniques below would be used by the developers to ensure the project is successful and completed on time.
- Time boxing – This is an important project management technique that focuses attention on the delivery of the project above every other aspect of the project. This technique is essential in realising the goals of DSDM, namely being on time thus guaranteeing the desired quality of the project.
- Prototyping – This approach is based on creating a demonstrable result as early as possible and refining that result based on the feedback received from the client and implementing it.
- MoSCoW rules – This is an important technique used in prioritizing the requirements list gathered from the client .These requirements are prioritised by the developers using the MoSCoW approach.
CHOSEN METHODOLOGY
After carefully studying the nine principles of DSDM and the key stages of RAD, It was decided to use Dynamic System Development Method [DSDM] as DSDM was developed solely to cater for the shortcomings of RAD and DSDM is an extension of RAD, hence it contains all the components of RAD and also the nine stages, this would entail moving through the stages of DSDM one after the other and applying the stages to the project.
After comparing both methodologies, the main reason for choosing DSDM is because user involvement is imperative through out the system build whereas using RAD, user involvement is very minimal and is only used during analysis and design stages of the system build.
The following tools would be used for modelling the system throughout the design phase of the project.
- Data Flow Diagrams – This would be used to show the processes involved and a clearer understanding of the existing system which Titlas UK Limited operates. It would be used to show the flow of information within the system.
- MoSCoW rules - list of requirements based on its prioritisation
-
Entity Relationship Diagrams – This would be used to show the entities and relationships of the new proposed database.
- Prototyping - a model of the working proposed system
The above sets of design tools are derived from the framework (DSDM) which has been chosen and would be adapted to this project.
- Moscow RULES
The MoSCoW rules are adapted from the DSDM Framework and are as follows:
Must Haves
Should Haves
Could Haves
Won't Have
(DSDM CONSORTIUM 2005)
Must Have
User Interface/Front End Product:
- Main Home Page
- Login Page/Validation for both employees and customers
- Product Information Page
- Add/Edit/Modify and Update Customer Page (Details)
- Add/Edit/Modify and Update Employee Page (Details)
- Add/Edit/Modify and Update Supplier Page (Details)
- Add/Edit/Modify and Update Order Page (Details)
- Add/Edit/Modify and Update Stock Page (Details)
- Switch Board/Navigation Pane
- User Friendly Interface
Should Have
Additional Functionalities
- Order triggering function to alert for low stock
- Generate reports on request
- Generate queries to act as a search facility
- Forms which include Order form, Supplier form, Invoice and Receipt
Could Have
Functionality
- Barcode System for scanning products on entry and exit
- Facility for an email alert to be sent to Titlas Ventures Limited after a customer has reserved products on the website.
Won’t Have
Functionality
- Webpage Shopping Cart checkout System which would include delivery and payment options
LITERATURE REVIEW
The proposed system which would be implemented into Titlas Limited Ventures current business operation would become a major aspect of the stock inventory management system. Therefore, it must be easy to use and navigate around the system thus improving efficiency, effectiveness and reduce errors. With respect to the user requirements, usability is a key aspect in this project.
USABILITY
Graham (1998) states that usability can be simply explained as how easy a user interface is to use and understand. In other words, how user friendly a system is. Usability is very important in web applications, as this is the foundation of a successful website. “No matter what objectives you have set for your Web site, it must carefully balance the needs of users and the needs of your organization. If users do not find your Web site helpful, they will not use it, which will, in turn, prevent you from meeting your organization's objectives.” ( 2005)
User interface is an important aspect of any system as this is the major point of contact between the user and the system. The web site is meant to create more awareness to the users, using pictures and colours to design the web site would attract more users and keep them interested in viewing the web site. Usability does not only refer to the user interface but what makes up the user interface as well, the use of drop down boxes and automated entry would be used in building this project as this reduces human errors to the bearest minimum and also makes the task quicker and efficient.
If a website is not clear and concise, it defeats the purpose of the website as users find it difficult to find company/product information and if they cannot navigate around the system easily, they cannot justify why they should buy the product.
When considering the usability aspect of the system design, we would be employing the use of user – centered design. User – centered design is a “Structured product development methodology that involves users throughout all stages of Web site development, in order to create a Web site that meets users' needs” ( 2005).
From the requirement specification the client has outlined all the system requirements which include the types of users and what access rights each user type should have.
The application which would be developed for Titlas Ventures Limited must be designed with usability in mind, In order to make their daily routines and tasks quicker. The application would hold stock level and product information; hence with the system in place a task of checking stock availability which usually took ten minutes would be reduced to less than one minute.
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION [HCI]
ANON (2004) states that HCI is closely related to usability engineering and from the word Human Computer Interaction, we can define it as the interaction between humans and computer system, it also can be defined as the process of designing, implementing and evaluating interactive computer systems .
Preece (2002) explains the qualities an interactive computer system should posses:
- User Friendly i.e. Easy to use
- Efficient to use – carry out task efficiently, find information easily and quick system navigation.
- Effective to use – carries out tasks with minimal errors
- Pleasant to use – Needs little or no effort to understand and use
- Safe to use – Fear of encountering errors and hazards
- Learnability – How easy it is to learn how to use the system
- Memorability –How easy it is to remember how to use the system
- Meet the functional and non functional requirements
The above qualities would be used by the developers to embed aspects of usability into the system, by making the system enjoyable and pleasant to use, thus making it more acceptable by the user (User acceptance).
The user Interfaces would be built according to the user requirements in order to meet their needs, also factors to put into consideration would be:
- Type of users(Naive, Novice, Skilled and Expert)
- Computer knowledge of users(Basic or Advanced)
- General user abilities and what factors affect their abilities(How quick they can learn new things and adapt to changes, learnability and Memorability skills)
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Cognitive Psychology is concerned with advances in the study of memory, language processing, perception, problem solving, and thinking (Logan 2006)
From a psychological point of view, human interaction with a computer involves mental processing of information which is decomposed into information which the user can understand.
Cognitive processes and factors can be found in Appendix C.
USER EXPERTISE
This is a term used to describe the level of expertise a user has when using a system/product. “Expertise is the set of capabilities that underlies the performance of human experts, including extensive domain knowledge, heuristic rules that simplify and improve approaches to problem solving,” (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.1997)
The developers has deduced from her visit to Nigeria that it would be necessary to adopt the HCI checklist as the client requested for the system to be easy to use, easy for the users to learn how to use and remember the system navigation techniques.
Learnability and Experienced User Performance are two fundamental factors in the usability of an interface. Good interface should be able to accommodate both expert users and novice users in one interface. (Otal.umd.edu 2001)
TYPES OF USERS
- Naïve – This refers to users who have not used the system before.
- Novice – This refers to users that are unfamiliar to the system.
- Skilled – This refers to users who are familiar with the system and have used the system a number of times.
- Expert – This refers to a set of users who have intense experience as a result of a lot of practice and acquired knowledge.
Figure 4.2: User cube (Otal.umd.edu 2001)
TYPES OF USER EXPERTISE
System Expertise - This relates to the user understanding the computer system and how it works and operates.
A user with adequate knowledge of system expertise should have an in depth knowledge of how the system operates and know the technicalities of the system.
Task Expertise – This relates to understanding the how to use the computer system and what tasks the system can perform.
4.2.2. USABILITY PRINCIPLES OR HEURISTICS
Neilsen (2005) states that heuristic evaluation is the most popular of the usability inspection methods. Heuristic evaluation is done as a systematic inspection of a user interface design for usability. The goal of heuristic evaluation is to find the usability problems in the design so that they can be attended to as part of an iterative design process.
HEURISTIC CHECKLIST:
Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users updated about the progress/status, through appropriate feedback method within reasonable time. i.e. When a product is reserved by a customer, the customer should be informed by some sort of alert that the product has been reserved.
Match between system and the real world
The system should speak the user’s language, with words, which are easy to read and understand instead of technical words which is difficult and brain tasking.
User control and freedom
Users often tend to make mistakes by pressing the words keys on the keypad, there should be a function which allows users to revert to their previous work/document
Consistency and standards
Information should be displayed in a clear and concise manner, and should also follow a standard pattern, thus making it easier for users to understand.
Error prevention
Eliminate errors by implementing an error correction platform which checks for errors before they manifest.
Recognition rather than recall
Minimising the user reliance on memory load by making vital information visible and easily seen and accessible.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
The system should cater for inexperienced (naïve and novice users) and experienced users (skilled and expert users) and should allow users to tailor frequent actions.
Aesthetic and minimalist design
The system should not include information which is irrelevant or rarely used as this causes information overload and makes it difficult to find and use the important.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Error messages should be clear and expressed in plain language which can be easily understood, avoiding the use of codes and should precisely locate where the problem is and suggest a couple of solutions to solve the problem.
Help and documentation
Help documentations should be readily available and should be easy to navigate through relatively quickly.
(Preece 2002)
4.2.3. USABILITY TESTING
Usability testing involves measuring how effective humans can use a system (in this case a stock control system) in accordance to what the system was designed to do.
It can be classified into four different areas which include:
- Time taken to complete a task – This is the time it takes a user to complete a given task.e.g. Time taken to ‘add a new user’ to the database
- Accuracy – This refers to how many mistakes a user makes whilst carrying out a task.
- Memorability (Ability to recall) – This is the volume of information a user can remember after a period of non-usage/low usage of the system.
- Emotional Response – This measures how confident/distressed a user feels after using the system. Also, if the user achieved the desired results of the task which they used the system to perform and if they would continue to use the system/recommend to someone else.
By getting constant feedback from the client, the usability aspect of the system would be continually improved until it has met the clients requirements
The Stock control system which is being designed for Titlas Ventures Limited would incorporate aspects of usability which have been discussed in details above.
The purpose of usability in this project is to make the system easy to use and user friendly for the users it has been designed for. The usability principles or heuristics would be adopted in the testing phase of the system and would be implemented into the build of the system.
DESIGN
After a thorough analysis of the system requirements, the next stage in this project will include an entity relationship diagram [ERD] of all entities that will exist within the database and their relationships leading to the table design and structure.
DATABASE STRUCTURE
The database would contain the customer information, products details, users’ information (employee and administrator) and the reservations details. An Entity Relationship diagram would be used to model the database schema; modelling techniques are used by the DSDM framework to show the logical design of the system.
The E-R models show the relationships between different entities and their attributes within the database. Below is an ERD Diagram of the stock control system.
Figure 5.1 E-R Diagrams
PROPOSED SYSTEM’S DATA STRUCTURE
The proposed systems data structure uses the current platform Titlas Ventures Limited operates on as a foundation and more functionalities are added to make it easier for the user and also to make tasks carried out quicker and more efficiently. There are slight modifications and improvements to the current system.
The current system in place does not have the facility to allow the system administrator to check how much stock is left in the warehouse at any given time without having to do a manual stock take often. With the new system in place, the administrator would be able to log into the system with his own username and password and check stock availability and quantity. He would also have the ability to print reports at intervals.
INTERFACE
This is an interface of the log in page, once the user logs in into the system. The user is then allowed to view the switch board.
Below are other screen dumps of the system.
Main Page
Customers
Please enter customer’s details and click on view records.
Products
Suppliers
Staff
TESTING PROCEDURE
Testing is the process of reviewing specified system in making sure it functions in a correct and specified way, it improves the quality and the security aspect of the software system and test all the functionalities of the system are working as they ought to be.
After implementing the fully working system, it is necessary to go ahead and test the system fully. The two main areas of testing are the technical aspects and the user aspect. The system must be technically sound, free of bugs and working in the correct order to enable its purpose to be served correctly. In order for the system to be accepted as a replacement for the current system Titlas Ventures Limited use at present, they have to be convinced that the system does exactly what they want it to do and it is of benefit to them.i.e. Making their day to day working procedures easier and faster.
There is numerous number of testing methods available that can be adopted to carry out the testing of this project. The method adopted to go about testing the aspect of the system has a structural process. Technical tests which would be carried out include: Functional Testing and integration testing. (Bazman 1997)
Figure 8.2 Test Process approach (Bazman 1997)
8.2.1 FUNCTIONAL TESTING
The purpose of this test is to ensure that the system meets the requirements outlined in the requirements chapter by the organisation.
- User Validation/Security – Test to ensure the webpage is secure and only users that have access to the system. Users who supply and invalid username or password can log into the system.
- Product Interface – The products available can be viewed by the staff.
- Employee Interface – To test if new users can be added into the system (customer and supplier), edit and modify user details, search and view the product page.
- Report generation – Test to see if specified tests can be run.
Validation testing – This aspect ensures that the mandatory fields in a form are not left blank and data is entered in the correct format.
As the system was tested continuously during development, any errors were handled and rectified as they arose. Hence during the testing phase, there were no major technical errors and the system was overall in a good condition and bug free.
CONCLUSIONS
The purpose of this project was to analyse, design and implement a user friendly stock control system for a rapidly growing small scale business called Titlas Ventures Limited which imports solar mobile charges from China to Nigeria in large quantities and sells them in small quantities to wholesalers and retailers. The project was not successfully completed because the developers could not implement the Must Haves and further moving on to the Should Haves and Could Haves in the requirements chapter.
This was performed at the beginning of the project to gain an insight into how the company operates. The current system was analysed and based on the analysis, the developer was able to suggest a few alterations and modification to the current system.
Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) was chosen from researching into the methodologies available for this type of project. It helped in providing a structural guide and approach in completing the project. Also, Microsoft Access was selected to implement the system after thorough analysing of the database packages and how suitable it would be if used to implement the project. The decision and selection of Microsoft Access limited the developers in developing a successful project. The developers should have used MySQL and PHP; this packages would have closely tailored around the user requirements and the successful completion of the project.
MySQL is a relational database management system, it is designed to store data in separate tables rather than store them altogether. It is commonly used to build databases and is used to create, modify, retrieve and manipulate from .
PHP (HyperText Processor) is a widely used general purpose scripting language and was designed primarily for producing dynamic web pages. PHP can be incorporated in HTML
It runs on a web server, the input being the PHP code and the output being the web page PHP generally uses MySQL, which is freely available. PHP programs run on Linux, which is free. PHP code runs in its own memory space. PHP programs can run on various platforms like Linux, Unix, Windows and Solaris (WebProNews 2007)
During the project analysis stage, Data Flow Diagrams were used to evaluate the process of the current system. From the framework used, Entity-Relationship Diagrams were used to produce the database schemas and a table overview was created in the design stage to show the entities which each table would comprise of the requirements gathered by the developers when the Titlas Ventures Limited’s Manager came to the UK.
The developer hopes the system would be of use for Titlas Ventures Limited and would make their working procedures easier and stress free. Also, the developers feels the experience gained during this project cannot be quantified and would in future practice on project management skills and techniques to enable the developers produce a better project.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Future recommendations were provided from the feedback and testing that was conducted by the client. The system was built to accommodate future improvements and enhancements.
Considering the location of the company is in Nigeria, which up till date do not have any credit card facility in place, hence this makes it impractical for the system to have a shopping cart facility where customers have the access to pay online. As Nigeria is classified as a developing country, In future when the technology in Nigeria has advanced and financial institutions start issuing credit and debit cards, then the shopping cart facility can be implemented.
If the company grows excessively in the next couple of years, the database used might have to be re considered as Microsoft Access might not be able to accommodate the amount of data and the database might have to be changed to Oracle which should be considered for a large scale business.
As this project was completed within a relatively short space of time, the developers were unable to develop a higher level system. However, the client felt that the overall project had been a success. It did not meet the requirements mapped out at the beginning of the project and has not been successfully implemented.
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APPENDICES
11.1 MEETING NOTES
The company Titlas Ventures Limited uses the traditional paper based filling system to store information on stock and sales figures. Stock take is taken once a month and this entails manually counting the stock in the warehouse to get a figure of how many products are in stock.
The employee issues a paper based receipt after a transaction has been completed and to get the new stock figure, the till receipt figures (quantity sold) is deducted from the original stock taken figures.
Stock is ordered from the supplier when the stock appears to be running low from the stock taken figures each month, this could cause a problem as the administrator uses his own initiative to calculate how much stock should be ordered and in most cases it takes about three weeks to get the products shipped from China, Hence there is mostly a period where, there would be no stock available to sell.
When a customer comes into the warehouse, the employee has to manually check the product availability; this entails checking in the warehouse if, the product is available and then he also checks in the book for the price if he does not know the price off the top of his head.
11.2. COGNITIVE PROCESSES
WordNet (2005) states that cognitive processes and factors include:
- Memory – The power or process of retaining and recalling past experience
- Learning abilities – The cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
- Problem solving – Ability to solve problems amicably.
- Planning – The cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening.
- Listening – The ability to pay attention to detail and make sense out of the details heard.
- Reasoning - Involves retrieving a known fact from memory for problem solving.
Language – The mental faculty or power of vocal communication.
- Information processing – The ability of turning data into useful information.
- User perception – What a user thinks about, in accordance to carry out a decision.
- Thinking – An aspect of reasoning which leads to decision making.
- Decision making – The ability to make up ones mind regarding an issue.
(Preece, 2002)
11.3 DATA DICTIONARY
