A E Cox and Sons that sells gum elastic merchandises for safety wear and besides for hygiene intents and besides apparels for work wear. A E Cox and Sons has late moved to a bigger warehouse in Sheffield with a trade store in the front part of the ware house this means they can increase their client base non merely stock for trade.
A E Cox and Sons does n’t hold any concern procedures in topographic point, everything in the company is on paper even the grosss are manus written, and this means they need big sum of storage for the paper histories, infinite which they do n’t hold. Stock control is besides an issue because of the deficiency of concern processes the director company looks at stock degrees estimates how much has been taken and hence orders every bit much as the company may necessitate. This means the stock degrees are inaccurate, as the company is spread outing this will go a job, hence a new system needs to be enforced to pull off the store. The current systems consist of a spreadsheet of what ‘s been sold and if endured a loss or net income. When telling and re-ordering it is all done through paper based records over facsimile accordingly go forthing a big paper trail. This did n’t turn out to be a major job in the yesteryear as the company kept low stock degrees unless points were purchased often.
A E Cox and Sonss is in demand of a new system to command these concern procedures. The company is in demand of a database which will look after the demands set by the client. Within this the client needs to be able to place merchandises in certain sum of item for illustration safety/ non safety, size, maker, manner, catalogue figure and merchandise codifications rapidly, as a client may be bespeaking a certain merchandise. As company ‘s purpose is to do net income the new system will hold to cipher how much money is in the boulder clay and how much has been through the switch machine. Then the system will necessitate to bring forth a study of the month which includes the stock gross revenues for any given point. The monetary value of which an point is sold can differ from the monetary value at which an point was bought for particularly when points are bought as a unit or box monetary value so the system will necessitate to cipher this difference to maintain more accurate histories. The stock in the system is bought on a sale or return policy this means if the stock is n’t selling it can be returned therefore the system needs to rush this procedure up. If this portion of the system is n’t working efficaciously the company will be fring money as they will hold to much money in stock. Stock degrees and gross revenues forms are besides of import therefore the system will bring forth a study of how many points that have been sold and bring forth a re-order list ( Re-order degree ) . With the company selling safety equipment non all the merchandises will hold VAT added the new system will hold to province if an point has VAT or excludes VAT.
A E Cox and Sons. has to different types of client in its client base the first is the general client this is the client that is found by the over the counter gross revenues, hence the clients inside informations my non be received, unless pre-ordering an object. When a client preorders something their inside informations need to be taken and sometimes even an bill has been given to corroborate this sedimentation. The database will hold to be able to hold a map in which it will order the merchandise and see if the client has paid the sedimentation and print an bill. The other type of client is the history clients who have there ain unique figure which will hold to be included into the system. The system needs to maintain path of sum the histories and set a bound on how much a each history holder can hold.
Work Breakdown Structure
The diagram below represents the workbreak down construction for A E Cox and Sons new system undertaking.
Network Diagram
The diagram below is an adaptation of the work dislocation construction ; it is a web diagram for the new systems undertaking for A E & A ; Sons.
The production of a set of demands for the system or artefact you as a group are planing, edifice or Creating
As a group our demands for this unit to win are to hold meetings with both the group and our client. We besides need to bring forth a program to demo the mileposts that need to be completed and the clients ‘ demands.
The undertaking for our Computer Information Systems group is to bring forth a database. The database that our group is bring forthing will include ( at our clients request ) Fieldss incorporating the merchandise catalogue figure ; merchandise codification ; size ; who the maker is ; manner ; whether it is a safety or non safety merchandise ; VAT attributes ; cost to purchase stock ; monetary value each point is sold at ; the mark-up ; minimal stock degree and the minimal re-order degree.
Within the undertaking the system ( database ) will hold three tabular arraies ; the first will be a Product tabular array that will include the catalogue figure, merchandise codification, size, maker, provider, safety or non safety merchandise.
The 2nd tabular array will be the Finance tabular array which will include the VAT attributes this is because non all safety merchandises have VAT. Cost to purchase the merchandise from the provider, monetary value of the merchandises, the grade up of the stock, measure of stock, minimal stock degree and the minimal re-order degree. The minimal re-order and stock degree will direct an bill to the provider to order the stock that is below the minimal stock degree when the lower limit is reached.
Customers will be able to order and purchase points from in the shop therefore the concluding tabular array will be called the Account tabular array which will include the name of the history holder, their ID codification, points ordered, measure of points ordered and if they are telling for a company. The tabular array will besides include the reference of the history holder and telephone figure to reach them when there order is in shop.
The Product codification with have a one to many database relationship with the finance tabular array. This relationship will assist the client see the VAT attributes, cost to purchase the merchandise from the provider, monetary value of the merchandises, the grade up of the merchandise was, measure of stock, minimal stock degree of the merchandise.
The clients ‘ demands are that we will make and pull off a database that will be able to pull off and keep big sums of informations such as stock for the intent of extinguishing paper based systems. The database needs to be functional to untrained employees that have small cognition of a system. This is because our clients ‘ spouse has a girl that will utilize our database system and she merely has merely used a computing machine to socialize with friends. As the client requires security but does n’t necessitate a high degree of security of the system we will make a simple security step, but it will non affect watchwords as the client requested that the system will non be password protected. Our client Phil Richardson operates his shop with Windows XP and Office 2007, as a consequence the database will necessitate to be to the full functional and run without mistake when used on there current operating system and with their package. As a consequence we will necessitate to construct our database in Microsoft Office 2007 so that as a group we can derive farther accomplishments on the this package so that if a job occurs we can offer our client helpful support. Mr Richardson requires the database to rush up the audit procedure, so when inspecting the stock degrees, re-order degrees and client histories the system will utilize up less of the clients clip. Mr Richardson besides specified that we build in a field that contained the stock degree and a lower limit of the stock so that when the stock gets to the lower limit, it will in turn correspond with the re-order degree and direct out an bill to the provider for more merchandises. Finally the client specified that the Forms, Invoices and Reports created will be easy printed, therefore we will do a print button on each papers extra to the print button on the tool saloon so that the papers can be printed in less clip.
The database system must demo a catalogue figure, merchandise codification, size of merchandise, maker of merchandise, manner, if it ‘s a safety or non safety merchandise, VAT if applicable, returned points, cost to purchase, selling monetary value and the grade up of the points brought and sold.
The client besides wanted the database to hold a Form to back up the production of the printed trade and history bills. The Form will demo the clients account information held on the Account tabular array. Whether the client has paid for the ordered stock and whether an bill has been sent out to the clients with outstanding payments. The signifier will besides include whether any stock has been automatically re-ordered.
Aside from the database organize the client Phil Richardson besides requires there to be a study shown quarterly to besides back up the production of the printed trade and history bills. The study will besides back up the direction of the client monthly and quarterly histories. The study will demo the stock degree of each merchandise and the re-orders that have been sent to the provider. This concern merely pays for the stock that it sells so the staying stock goes back to the provider. As a consequence the points that are returned will necessitate to be on the study. Finally the study will demo the client histories that have ordered stock in the last three months.
There will be bills sent out to each of the client histories that have paid or have outstanding payment and besides to the provider for stock brought and returned. The bill will include the payment whether outstanding or paid for the client history and the VAT if applicable to the points purchased. On safety merchandises the clients do non pay VAT unless its providing a company, in that instance so VAT is charged to the company for each merchandise. The bill for the provider will include the measure and merchandise codification of the points sold that the concern will necessitate to pay for. It will besides include the merchandise codification and measure of the points returned and the VAT of the merchandises. The company itself will necessitate an bill to demo the grade up of the merchandises so they can see which points are the most popular and whether they have achieved interrupt even or a net income.
As a group we have revised all of our clients ‘ demands and we are traveling to integrate them all into the database as they are sensible and non clip devouring.
Gantt chart
The Gantt chart is normally known after its interior decorator Henry Gantt ; he designed the chart around the old ages 1910 to 1915
A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the continuance of undertakings against the patterned advance of clip, doing it a utile tool to exemplify a undertaking agenda. The Gantt chart can be used to be after how long a undertaking will last and can clearly demo the order in which undertakings will be completed in the undertaking. Using the Gantt chart you can easy supervise a undertakings patterned advance and look into which that all countries are on clip. It can besides be altered if an country of the undertaking is behind, this can help the undertaking director to acquire the undertaking back on path. The charts have utile maps such as making mileposts in the chart which show deadlines or other important events in the undertaking. Besides Gantt charts can demo dependences and relationships between undertakings which can be highly helpful when working to deadlines.
There are some issues with utilizing Gantt charts for undertakings, they are merely truly utile for smaller undertakings in which there are no more than 30-40 undertakings. It should suit onto a individual page spread so that it can be easy understood and read. Another issue with the chart is that it can look to oversimplify a undertaking taking the directors and users to go over confident about their advancement, could take to losing cardinal undertakings. Gantt charts merely represent portion of the ternary restraints ( cost, clip and range ) of undertakings, because they focus chiefly on agenda direction. Gantt charts do non stand for the size of a undertaking or the comparative size of work elements, therefore the magnitude of a behind-schedule undertaking is easy misunderstood.
The Gantt chart will be used to maintain the undertaking in cheque and will assist to give the undertaking construction. The Gantt chart will be dynamic significance that it will germinate as the undertaking moves frontward, this is necessary as the undertaking may go more complex as clip goes by and the group will necessitate to travel undertakings around to suit any alterations.
Hazard Assessment in Project Planning
It is of import before making the executing stage of a undertaking that all possible hazards that may happen throughout the undertaking lifecycle are analysed, and readyings made for covering with such hazards should they be inevitable. Harmonizing to Westland ( 2006 ) , “ a clear hazard program is an of import activity within the planning stage ” [ 1 ] . In a elaborate hazard program, all hazards are identified, with the likeliness of the each occurring and the impacts they will hold on the undertaking are rated depending on their importance. Methods of both forestalling the hazard and covering with it should it occur are besides outlined. The tabular array shows the hazard analysis for the undertaking in footings of the procedure of garnering the demands of the user, seting together a undertaking program, execution and the bringing procedure. Once a elaborate hazard program has been defined, hazards can be monitored and controlled throughout the undertaking lifecycle.
Eventuality be aftering to extenuate hazard within the undertaking
When set abouting any undertaking, eventuality planning is ever a necessity in order to guarantee readying is made to get by with any issues that may originate during any phase of the undertaking peculiarly the execution stage. Burke states that it is of import to bring forth a catastrophe recovery program in order to “ cut down the effect of a catastrophe to an acceptable degree ” [ 2 ] As can be seen from the hazard designation tabular array, the chief facets related to the hazards involved with the undertaking procedure have been outlined and methods for covering with or extinguishing hazards have been stated. However, every bit good as this, it is besides of import to see the possibility of catastrophes happening which could hold terrible impact on the concern, as with little administrations the impact of a catastrophe could take to concern failure.
The purpose of the undertaking is to computerize a system which is presently wholly paper-based. There are several major hazards which can be identified, along with the solutions in order to cover with them should they happen:
It is of import within any company to guarantee that eventuality planning is carried out. A E Cox and Sons will be given a transcript of the program and advised as to how to cover with the defined issues should they originate. The program merely need be implemented if one of the highlighted hazards occurs, and so the appropriate class of action taken depending on the issue. As there is merely a little figure of staff involved with the company, all of them will necessitate to be trained or advised sing the eventuality program that is in topographic point and how to move should a catastrophe arise. This is of import as there may non be more than one or two people covering with the system at any given clip. The eventuality program should be reviewed at set intervals throughout the company life rhythm to guarantee all possible catastrophes are considered, and that all members of staff remain cognizant of it.
Write up of the interview
Q. Can we hold a short background of the company concerned?
A. The company concerned is a little joinery company which has presently relocated and portion of the resettlement is traveling into a edifice which was a warehouse that is now a workspace but at the forepart of this edifice is a trade store counter, because it was unprofitable merely to run a store in that country. It sells work wear, personal protective equipment, and a little scope of other merchandises. Presently all the paper work is done on paper, stock control does n’t go on! At the minute they merely have spread sheeting, so they know what ‘s been sold and how much money is coming in. They besides have methods of documenting new points of stock coming in to the shop. The new points are so entered into the paper based system, which can so be faxed to the company.
Q. Do you think we could hold a list of all the merchandises sold?
A. Yes, I can acquire you a catalogue with the list of merchandises that we could potentially hold in stock. All the merchandises on the catalogues come with there ain merchandise ID and each catalogue has a different set of ID ‘s, All different merchandises had different qualities size, type of safety, coloring material, type of merchandise.
Q. Who will be utilizing the database?
A. I will be utilizing the database when I ‘m in the store on a Saturday, when stock is entered this will be done by one of the spouses girls who works at that place full clip, she manages the store.
Q. How IT literate is she?
A. She ‘s in her mid mid-twentiess, she uses IT to interact socially with things like societal webs, she ‘s ne’er had form preparation but is non afraid to hold a spell.
Q. What security is needed for the system?
A. In world at that place will merely be of all time four or five people in the edifice and these people all work for the company so no 1 else will hold entree to the system.
Q. What Hardware and Software do you presently have?
A. A laptop, a coloring material optical maser pressman, a high-velocity broadband connexion. Windows XP with office 2007, the company recognises it might hold to purchase more hardware.
Q. What kind of finacial end products will you necessitate for the database?
A. It needs to recognize how much money will hold gone through the boulder clay at the terminal of the twenty-four hours and how much money will hold gone through the switch machine at the terminal of the twenty-four hours. There will necessitate to be a monthly and quarterly study on the stock sold and money made. A study will be need to demo how many of a merchandise of is sold so that we know when to make re orders. This infers of class that we will necessitate to hold stock degree bounds.
Q. Do you hold any kind of stock bound set at the minute?
A. This will hold to be built into the system per merchandise because it is likely to be different for every point. Something that has n’t been talked about yet is money things like VAT and grade up will hold to be added per point and showed when a sale is been done because if a price reduction is needed, we will necessitate to see that information.
Q. Are at that place any other end products required other than the monthly/quarterly history?
A. Well, as I said the manner which the store maps is paper based so the end products are every bit good, so what I want to be able to make if publish out an bill and it makes certain the right Numberss are deducted from the stock and makes sure the right Numberss are added to the points sold and for how much. So an bill needs to be another end product, with the usual things like a re-print button.
Q. What ‘s your client base?
A. I have account client who have a recognition bound if they have n’t paid their measure from last month we wont extend there recognition and the 2nd type in a over the antagonistic sale to a one off client but sometimes we might still necessitate to take there information, we do pre orders where we wait till the point comes in so we call the client. We besides need a formal sum-up of the history holders recognition bound.
Old system
The old system as detailed in the interview is a wholly paper based system which while being easy to utilize is mussy and difficult to register, doing admin mistakes and bing the company valuable clip. All the bills, stock orders and client histories are done on paper at the minute. This is dangous because paper from a paper based system is more likely to be lost or acquire damaged in some manner, besides the users of a paper based system may hold a assortment of manus composing accomplishments, which might be harder for other users to read.
Hardware and Software restraints
It is of import in a new undertaking to place the resources that will be needed by the client, it could intend alterations in the concluding monetary value of the undertaking and depending on hardware and package needed there could be extra preparation for the users required. After our interview with the client we have established that they have a computing machine with a pressman, which is running Windows XP and has the whole of the Microsoft office bundle on the computing machine. This means that the client will be able to run Microsoft entree, which is the database plan that will be used for the undertaking, and the pressman will be able to publish off any bills required by the database.
User demands
After the preliminary interview with the client we have identified the users of the database as our group liaison Phil Richarson and the girl of one of the spouses, she works at that place full clip on the gross revenues desk so she will be utilizing the database the most. Phil being a lector at the University of Lincoln school of Computer Science is an adept user he will hold cognition of database plans and will necessitate small direction on how to run the system. He will nevertheless necessitate a unsmooth usher as to how to utilize the database, this could be given as one to one direction, over the phone or a manual. For this undertaking a manual would be best suited because it would be a speedy mention and usher on how to utilize the system and will besides be at that place for work outing future jobs with the database that the client might hold. The other user is the spouse ‘s girl she is in her mid mid-twentiess and is rather computing machine literate. In the interview we found out she uses the cyberspace for things like societal media, so she will hold basic calculating accomplishments. However we besides found out that she has ne’er used Access or a database system before, hence when the database is complete a one to one tutorial is necessary if this is non possible so Phil would hold the ability to demo her how the database runs. With this in head we shall do the manual both comprehensive and easy to follow so that the users can acquire the most out of it. When we design the system we will maintain both of the users proficient experience in head devising certain that the system does non transcend the skill set of either of the users to guarantee this, the system will hold an easy to utilize UI so that the users can easy happen their manner around the database. Besides the database will be built so the users can easy update the database without the demand of expert aid, because the users will necessitate to add things like new points of stock, VAT on points and tag up. The users will necessitate to cognize how to utilize the system, so the system must be designed within the clients abilities of proficient usage. There are several ways in which we could assist the clients get used to the database faster, doing the usage of it a more steam lined procedure. These are ways such as manuals, helplines, web sites and one on one tuition, the most helpful of these for this undertaking would be a user manual. This is because the users can portion the manual and it can be kept long after the interior decorators have moved onto another undertaking.
Bibliography
- Westland, Jason ( 2006 ) The Project Management Life Cycle: A complete measure by measure methodological analysis for originating, planning, put to deathing & A ; shuting a undertaking successfully. Kogan Page Limited.
- Burke, Rory ( 2006 ) Undertaking Management: Planning and control techniques. Fifth Edition. Burke Publishing.
- hypertext transfer protocol: //www.codewalkers.com/c/a/Server-Administration/Developing-a-Contingency-Plan/
- www.davislogic.com/Contingency_Plan_Outline.doc
- hypertext transfer protocol: //www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail? type=RESOURCES & A ; itemId=1075425063
- hypertext transfer protocol: //www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail? type=RESOURCES & A ; itemId=1074463331
- hypertext transfer protocol: //www.uic.edu/sph/prepare/courses/ph450/mods/453case2.htm
- Westland, Jason ( 2006 ) The Project Management Life Cycle: A complete measure by measure methodological analysis for originating, planning, put to deathing & A ; shuting a undertaking successfully. Kogan Page Limited.
- Burke, Rory ( 2006 ) Undertaking Management: Planning and control techniques. Fifth Edition. Burke Publishing.
