Information Systems Development Methodologies

Project Overview

The application being developed addresses improvements sought for both the marshalls and customers, of a parking system to be developed and implemented by a local council, in a hypothetical scenario. The activity diagrams plan and create the template for the wireframes, through which an application depicting marshall and customer use of the system and its features can occur.

This project was more focused on business information systems management, however, the included design-related portions of wireframes and activity diagrams were solely handled by myself, based on previous group discussions on planned features and functionalities to be included.

Empathise

The project brief was largely minimal, with it being primarily limited to informing that the focus is on a soon-to-be-implemented new parking system, and that existing aspects such as previously gathered data from the existing system and basic new functionalities were to be included in the new system. This meant it was largely at each group's discretion to determine what other features are important; how and why these new features should be implemented, including planned functionality and factoring in realistic details like budgetary and time requirements; and how it would address the needs and wants of customers and marshalls, by empathising with their position, their interaction with parking spaces, and their likely intended use of the new parking system.

In order to complete the design aspects, in the form of the wireframes and activity diagrams, I needed to particularly understand the perspective of the marshalls and customers. This meant understanding what they wanted from the new system, that the old system either could not or had insufficiently provided, and how to design the solution that would address this in the new system.

Define

Understanding the key functionalities expected from the new system, was the first step in properly understanding the problem and working towards a solution. These were functionalities that were either integral to implementing the new system, such as the use of sensors to gather and store data; and aspects that would ensure the new system provided justifiable benefits for the required costs and time to create it compared to the existing system, such as new monitoring and booking features, and automatic data visualisation methods. This included providing the justification for the need for these proposed new features.

I was responsible for planning how these various features and functionalities of the proposed new system would be implemented, which meant I also had to be able to critically evaluate and discuss if they fit the defined problem and solution, that was collectively decided upon by the group.

Ideate & Draft

Activity Diagram Customer Iteration 1 Wireframe Customer Iteration 1 Activity Diagram Marshall Iteration 1 Wireframe Marshall Iteration 1
The drafts were made at a basic level, to provide a template for navigation and of the intended features that the final version of the wireframes and activity diagrams would contain. Developing this final version, began following the approval on this draft, from all group members. Please click on each of the prototype images to zoom in.

Prototype

Activity Diagram Customer Iteration 2 Wireframe Customer Iteration 2 Activity Diagram Marshall Iteration 2 Wireframe Marshall Iteration 2 Activity Diagram Marshall Iteration 3 Wireframe Marshall Iteration 3
The final prototype version for the "Marshall Activity Diagram" and corresponding "Marshall Wireframe" included some minor changes, made following the full development based on the draft. Similar to the drafts, these final versions were also only completed, after all group members approved it. Please click on each of the prototype images to zoom in.

Notable Results

The end result of this subject was highly successful, a result which was demonstrated by the reference that the tutor for this subject was willing to and did provide to members of our group, following the subject's completion.

My reference letter can be found on my LinkedIn profile, the navigation link for which can be found through the LinkedIn logo, in the "About" page of this portfolio.