IDSc 4441 - Electronic Commerce

Electronic Commerce Application Development Project

This project is for each student to design and build a prototype of a small electronic commerce application, focusing on extending an existing MIS system to provide new function and capability to existing customers.

In this project, you will analyze an auto repair business for potential use of electronic commerce technology (web browser or mobile services) to improve your customer relationships, design a system focusing on the repair part of the business, and develop the first working prototype of the system. Alternately, you may do this project for a company of your own choosing.

The business is Car Care Company. CCC started in a gas station in St. Paul when a mechanic named Simeon Treedell offered to take on the auto repair end of the gas station. Simeon hired other young mechanics, who all worked very hard. Simeon developed a loyal customer base and lots of business, and eventually separated from the gas station part of the business and spread to three locations, all managed by Simeon. Simeon has about 5 mechanics in each location, and over a thousand customers. Part of the customer loyalty is generated by the fact that Simeon knows the customers and their cars, and even calls them up sometimes when the time for a particular maintenance job comes around. Obviously this is getting tougher with the large number of customers. The locations are about five miles apart, so it's possible to share parts inventories (but not tools) to a limited extent. Mechanics are paid a base rate, plus a piece rate on each job based on standard effort expected for each type of job. This means that mechanics don't like to start a job if they think the parts required won't be immediately available, since they may have to wait while the parts are trucked over from another location. Simeon requires payment in full from his customers, via cash or major credit card.

Students in another IDSc course have previously designed a computer system using Microsoft Access to focus on the repair service part of his business. Simeon knows you are getting a business degree with an e-commerce focus, and he asks you to assist him in extending that computer application with a web site or mobile service that his customers can use. He isn't sure exactly what the application should do, and asks you to propose that to him, and describe the outcomes: the major benefits his customers will perceive, costs, time, resources, benefits to CCC, issues, and ongoing support required.

The overall project plan follows.

1. Conduct an analysis of the Critical Success Factors and Customer Needs for CCC. Decide on at least one specific capability to provide for customers in your web site or mobile service.
2. Design a database to include all of the data fields you have determined necessary for your system.
3. Write a business memo to Simeon proposing he fund a project to develop the web site or mobile service which you describe in the memo. The report should summarize the essential features and functions of the web site or mobile service, along with an estimate of cost and time for development and hardware/software. You should assume that Simeon has an existing PC-based computer system with a MS Access database, running MS NT, with MS Office 2000. Your memo should also describe the major benefits his customers will perceive, benefits to CCC, issues, and ongoing support required.
4. Develop and deploy a prototype of the web site or mobile service for use by the customers.

Deliverables
This project is to be done individually so that each student gets the benefits of learning from doing the "requirements determination", the "project proposal" and the "development".

• Deliver your report to the course TA and Instructor (Simeon) as a business report. Send an email to both the course TA and Instructor with the URL of the home page for this project.
• That home page is to have links to each of the project deliverables. This will allow the TA and Instructor to easily “read” your report and executive summary, review your project diagram, examine the list of necessary data elements, and try your prototype to see how your application will work.
• Your report should be in the form of e a business memo to Simeon proposing he fund the project to develop the web site or mobile service, beginning with an Executive Summary and then to include:

· Your analysis of Critical Success Factors and Critical Customer Needs for CCC and a CFS-CCN Plot.

· Recommendation of at least one specific capability to provide for customers in your web site or mobile service.

· Estimate of costs, time, resources, benefits to CCC, issues, and ongoing support required.

· Detailed information and process flow chart for your application.

· Listing of the data fields you have determined necessary.

· A link to a prototype of the web site or mobile service which you have “deployed” on the MISUG server. The TA will provide MISUG access for any students who are not IDSc majors.

• The TA is available to help with questions about the project, and where and how to post and then deliver your CCC system and e-report.