Term Project 3 instructions

Project Direction #3


Due Date: 10/28/2012


Class: You have used your creative minds and developed a company or idea to build a database. You know have an ER model that explains how yoru data will flow through the database and support your applications. Now it is time to review the requirements of the front end.

Review your proposal and start to develop a narrative for how the front end will work. Will this be PC based only. Will your application have tablet and smartphone capabililties. If so what technology will you use to develop this?

For the project Direction the group will develop a proposal for the front end application that will included the following:

1. Detailed description of what the Application will do and achieve.

2. A discusison and support for the techcnoloigy that will be used to create and support the application.

3. A timeline for development and the skill sets required to develop.

4. A project time line and ROI.

All of this will be placed in a power point presentation and post to the class for review as well as the drop box for grading.
Mike

There is a lot due this week along with combining it into a PowerPoint presentation.
How does everyone want to split this up and also we should set deadlines and actually stick to them this week as this is a large assignment.


Kami

I think it might be a good idea to start with a diagram of how the website will work for our end-users. I guess I see a web server that will provide a user interface for data entry. The middletier will contain a database to capture, update, and delete data. We should also have an application servers that runs the code for the application. We might want to consider using the Microsoft ClickOnce Deployment architecture. Check out this link.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(v=vs.80).aspx

Thanks
Deana

Because I feel like I am less technical than the rest of you--I would be happy to do the heavy lifting on the project management timelines for this. I don't feel comfortable making decisions about platforms--but I can do a project charter, timeline, and financials like a champ. I also am comfortable putting together the powerpoint.

Thoughts?

I am sending an email with a sample Visio Diagram. I feel that the diagram might represent how our application will be delivered to end-users.

Thanks
Deana

Deana,
I just looked at the diagram. That looks good. I will review it in more detail tomorrow when I am at my desk and not on my tablet. Thanks!

Peggy

Ill take #1. Detailed description of what the Application will do and achieve.

Deana and Peggy which numbers are you doing? I wasn't exactly sure.

Since there are 5 of us one of the bigger item should be a group of 2, or one person's sole responsibility I guess could be the combination into an amazing PowerPoint with all the affect etc. I could do this and submit it if someone else has already selected my project or would be more comfortable doing #1 than the PowerPoint. Just let me know ASAP so I don't start on one and if I'm going to do the PowerPoint then I need to set a deadline to have all pieces to me so I have plenty of time to make it awesome.

I would feel most comfortable doing #4 or doing the powerpoint. OR BOTH! Is that ok with everyone? I think Abi could probably sit this week out--beings that she has done a ton of work up to now--we will need you to review and add your input, Abi--but I feel like you have gone above and beyond. Does everyone agree with me?

Peggy

From what I've gotten to know about Abi, I don't see her as a no hands on type person, but I could be wrong. I am find if she and and everyone else is fine with her not doing a section this week other than to make suggestions/corrections.

Ok so I will do #1 unless that is what Deana is planning on doing. Since it sounds like Peggy would really like to do the power point and/or #4.

Kami

I would say that the diagram fits under question #2. I can start working on #2. I am not totally familiar with Web applications or software that creates websites. If anyone has knowledge of website creation, then I would appreciate the help.

Thank you
Deana

Since my background is in Operations and Finance--up until 3 1/2 years ago...and I specialize in digital strategy--I feel like you guys blow me away in the technical realm. But, I am fine with whatever you want to assign me. I want to be a team player and if someone else wants to do #4 or the power point--I am fine with that. I know the power point will have to come last--and I do most of my work on Sunday--so, that is why I was leaning towards that. But, I am snowed in right now--so, I'll be doing homework tomorrow night, as well.

Peggy

I can take either 3 or 4. I dealt with both of them in my last class.

A timeline would include basic stages of Server-side completion, Front End completion, Testing, Implementation. Obviously there would be sub stages, would anyone else see something to add in to those main stages? I think it would be good that everyone sees the progress as they develop among "individual" assignments of steps.

What I don't understand is the ROI aspect in #4. What are we investing into this product besides work-hours. And how would we gain any return unless we add in a "premium" account or maybe Google ad-click?

I've had some experience with front-end development (what you see).

I think our best options is go with a website that is built on the .NET Framework. Here is a link that will help us layout our technology plan for this term project. Please let me know if you have other opinions.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms954601.aspx

Thanks
Deana

I'm emailing you all a spreadsheet I worked on tonight for ROI. I would like your input on this. I did some research on the costs on SQL server and web applications--which is where I got most of my figures. Please keep in mind that there are multiple sheets in the workbook. Thanks!

Peggy

I was wondering how far I should go with the discussion of our hardware and software for Calorie Chronicle. Do we want to build an environment that will work for 1000 users or 10,000+ users? Do we want to scale it to be a smaller environment at first? I could use some suggestions.

Thanks
Deana

Good Morning Everyone,

While I realize that a divvying-up has already occurred, I did want to share a few points before diving into whatever I can do help on this. In our original proposal, advertising revenue would be our only source of income as our service is offered free to users. That being said, our overhead costs would be very low.

Peggy, that was a gorgeous spreadsheet that you sent out to everyone. I do think that the estimates for cost are exceptionally high. The technology proposed for the creation of our awesome website are PHP and MySQL – both free to use, distribute, and so on and so forth. There is zero cost associated with the acquisition of either. The ideal coding environment, for myself and many of my fellow code monkeys, is Eclipse IDE, which is also free and open-source. I agree with the hardware cost of zero, given that we can host externally for a very low annual fee. A CloudServer account with guaranteed 100% uptime and immense scalability would cost only $50/month from a local (to Denver) provider. To reiterate, I think that the cost estimates are really really high compared to what the reality would be. As a start-up, we could survive with one full-time developer, one part to full-time designer, and an advertising pro to handle ad space sales and research therein. On the personnel expense front, I would suggest that we would also not need consultants. Just my two cents! I think we’d have much more profit in the short and long term. If anyone would like to see a more formal version of my case, I’d be happy to run the numbers.

Kind Regards,
Abi

Thank you for your help, Abi. I was struggling with the costs. I based them off SQL Server. I will make the adjustments. I also will make adjustments to the benefits side--since those will be lower, too. I'll email you all a revised statement. If everyone could get me their stuff by tomorrow afternoon--I will put the power point together.

Peggy.

Team,
I am working on #1 which is: Detailed description of what the Application will do and achieve.

I think Abi in the proposal laid the foundation so I will follow that, but is there other stuff that each of you think need to be included or that you see are necessary so that I can include those as well.

We are having a website, and I think an app was suggested as a later phase, is this correct? I'm assuming it would be for all platforms and that our main goal is to provide people with a free easy to use service to track their calorie intake and exercise that burns calories to help them achieve their weight-loss and/or health and fitness goals. We discussed having a recipes sections, but I think we put that on the back burner a little as our database was getting a little big for the scope of the class, but do you want me to add this in as a future endeavor? We will also be having advertising that will be related to health and fitness products, services, foods, etc.

Have I missed anything??

Give me your suggestions for any other important additions, again I'll re-read the proposal and pull parts from there along with my own details and all of your inputs. Can you get me any inputs ASAP so I can get it written up tonight or first thing in the morning to make the afternoon deadline for the PowerPoint.

Also, I know that it states a detailed description, but since this is going into a PowerPoint I don't want to write 3 pages since that would translate into like 20 some PowerPoint pages so I will be detailed but brief and to the point. I've learned that from previous PowerPoints that long sections of just text are boring and overwhelming and take up a lot of space since the txt size has to be so big.

Thanks,
Kami

So, now that we have all chimed into the project. I didn't see anything in the original prop0sal that mentions mySQL or any other "free" applications. Is this supposed to be an Enterprise Company? I would recommend that we stick with our plan to use servers, software, and applications that make it seem like Calorie Chronicle an "Enterprise" company. SQL Server is a standard in the industry for companies who are providing a backend database that will accomodate growth. I am working on Question #2. I will send it to the team shortly. I am fine with some help on the webserver application deployment piece.

Thanks
Deana

I sent you all a document and a diagram for question #2. I know that there has been some recent discussions on using different applications and using the cloud. Let me know what we decide, so I can alter the diagram.

Thanks
Deana

In my opinion, making it an "enterprise" company would involve too much excess. Use of the .NET framework, from what I can see, involves none of those languages (mostly XML and ASP.NET) which none of us know. Also, I think it's involving something not many of us are comfortable with or knowledgable about (Mostly speaking for myself), and something that could be over the top in difficulty for a smaller operation.

I know we aren't going to actually develop this, but it would be helpful in my timeline if we could use something we have knowledge about. PHP5 and mySQL can link and retrieve data from databases. The attributes we developed in our previous team assignment are consistent with what we have been learning about in our classwork for SQL databases.

Either way, I need to know what we decide so I can develop my timeline accordingly. If we don't know what we are developing with, then I can't likely develop a timeline involving activities that dont exist . I will be doing homework all night tomorrow, so I can develop my timeline then.

I admit that I am not a website developer. My background is in hardware and storage. We can definitely minimize the servers, software, and storage to meet our needs. Please go ahead and determine what we need.

Thanks
Deana

Good Morning Everyone,

Kami I am sure that you aren’t missing anything. Regarding platforms, if we use the Twitter Bootstrap or another framework, we can use a demonstrably effective tool for providing nearly universal web-enabled-device support.

To the issue of databases, I object to the idea that we “have” to use SQL server. If one of our goals is to be profitable, while providing a reliable service, why would we not rely on an industry leader in cloud hosting for a comparatively low fee? Going with a hosted solution provides a duplicate opportunity for backups, shifts certain liabilities, and so on and so forth.

More to the point of SQL, MySQL is certainly capable of handling large-scale endeavors. I’ve worked for very large enterprises that employ MySQL rather than MS SQL or some other costly alternative.

Thank you, Keilor, for bringing up .NET. I know .NET (ew) but PHP is – in my opinion – the best possible backend option for us. PHP and MySQL get along beautifully and are capable, in tandem, of allowing us to reach all of our specified goals.

For a timeline, we have several things to consider. First and foremost, we – in house – have the necessary development, design, and database skills. Luckily that reduces any training burdens we might otherwise see. From my perspective, the initial design and development, which should/could be completed at the same time, would likely take less than one month. Following initial development, usability testing and other end-user research activities could take another week. Revisions based on user-testing would likely take a week or less. All-in-all, I think that a two month timeline is reasonable for any and all web-related activities.

Kind Regards,
Abi

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor): PHP is a popular, free, and powerful server-side language. PHP is not vendor dependent; an application written in PHP can easily be hosted in an Apache or IIS environment. PHP is an ideal option for our application to both lower costs and retain a high level of flexibility.

In the context of the Calorie Chronicle, PHP will be used predominately to generate dynamic user content and query the database.

MySQL: Like PHP, MySQL is a free, vendor independent, proven technology. MySQL databases can be run on virtually any server. From an administrative perspective, free tools such as phpMyAdmin provide simple and clean management capabilities.

MySQL will be used to store user data, food details, and exercise details. As demonstrated in our entity diagram, a single database comprised of multiple tables will be capable of supporting our application.

HTML5, CSS3, and jQuery: The front-end for our web-based application will be written in a contemporary version of HTML (hypertext markup language) and CSS (cascading style sheets). The use of a responsive framework, such as the Twitter Bootstrap or Zurb, will enable our design to render properly on any number of devices. The use of tools such as jQuery Modernizer will provide a heightened ability for our application to be backwards compatible with elder and faulty versions of popular browsers. The combined use of HTML5, CSS3, a responsive framework, and a simple design will heighten our ability to maintain a highly usable and accessible site.

My background has only been with very large companies that use SQL Server as the DB software of choice. I think for this project the MySQL option works fine. In terms of the web development software, we should just go with the software that Abi is recommending for us. Abi, can you go ahead and answer question #2 since you have more knowledge of the web development applications?

Thanks
Deana