Stock Controlling System - Research Proposal Example

Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 4 3- Project environment 4 3.2- Old operational structure 5 3.3- Problem analysis 5 3.4- Solution to problem 6 4.1- BUSINESS OBJECTIVE 7 4.2- PROJECT OBJECTIVES 7 4.3- PROJECT SCOPE 7 4.3.1- Scope Diagram / Context Analysis 7 4.3.2- Included in the Project 9 4.3.3- Excluded from the Project 9 5- Project Deliverables 9 5.1- Project Documentation 9 5.2- Software Application 10 5.3- Help Manual 10 5.4- Testing and quality assurance report 10 5.5- Project plan 10 6- Project constraints 11 7.1- Main approach 12 7.2- Background research 13 7.3- Requirements gathering tool 13 7.4- Client's requirements 13 7.5- Skills Required 14 7.6- System Development Methodology 14 8.1- Computing/IT facilities 15 8.2- Other facilities/Resources 16 9- Log of risks 16 9.1- Schedule risk 16 9.2- Initial Cost 17 9.3- Feasibility 17 9.4- Technology 17 12- Project plan 20 12.1- Planning 20 12.2 Cost planning 20 12.3 Time Planning 21 13- Legal, ethical, professional, social issues 22 14- Conclusion 22 Bibliography 22 1- Introduction Implementation of the modern and up-to-date technology helps in improving the overall structure of business, its management, and handling. At the present we can see every field of life encompass use of technology (information technology) and automations. Modern techniques of information technology have offered great advantages regarding better business support and enhanced operational management of the overall organizational processes. By seeing the technology advancement I have decided to implement and develop stock control system for a shop. The aim of this project is to develop a technology based structure for management of stock. This report presents the detailed analysis of implementing information technology at stock control system for a shop. This system will facilitate and provide better support for the business and stock management of the shop. In this way the overall management of stock at shop will become easier and we will require less time and effort for handling different areas in the shop stock control and management. This report will present a detailed analysis of the stock control system project analysis, development, planning other areas regarding the system development and handling. 3- Project environment This section is about the analysis of main factors that are associated with the analysis of the project environment and the issues to be resolved by the new implementation. This is business and operational management technology system that is aimed to enhance the overall power of the people regarding the effective management of the stock at a shop. In the following sections I will answer main questions that arise in someone's mind before the system development and these questions can be who the client is' What do they do' What is their problem' Why does it need to be solved' 3.1- Project Client This system is mainly targeting the people who are business personnel, who are running a traditional stock controlling approach for the overall management of stock at shop. This system can be implemented at any shop those require to maintain stock for the efficient handling of the business and associated operations. 3.2- Old operational structure In scenario of stock control and management we have mostly seen the customary ways of stock management and controlling. They have simple paper based approach regarding the management of the operations and controlling of different goods and products coming or going from the business/shop. 3.3- Problem analysis In this regard we need to assess the main problems that will be resolved by our system. We have performed market research, analyzed the operations and controlling the shops Stock/stock. In the old manual and paper based approach we have got following difficulties and problems. Time consuming Difficult management Harder to handle Complex structure Data redundancy Data complexity More errors No data sharing More chances of data damage More people required More effort needed Less standardized approach 3.4- Solution to problem The implementation of this system will offer an automated approach regarding the management of overall business and handling the operations in a better way. The new system will standardize the operations and control the overall process in a better and easier way. This system will be developed using latest technology and will offer a better and enhanced support for the effective management of business operations and will also reduce the overall cost of handling, controlling, and managing stock at a shop or business. 4- Project aim and objectives This section will present the aims and objectives of project that will be attained through the system development and implementation. 4.1- BUSINESS OBJECTIVE This project will add value to the pre-established business stores. This system can be used with already manually working store and stock controlling structure, or we can start a new business with the help of this new technology for the enhanced management of the business services. 4.2- PROJECT OBJECTIVES This project will add value to the already working stores by offering ease in the better management of stock. This project is aimed to enhance the business stores operations. This project will also enhance the market value of the suppliers and store owners as well as provide them a better competitive edge. 4.3- PROJECT SCOPE 4.3.1- Scope Diagram / Context Analysis 4.3.2- Included in the Project This project will include only the activities of store items management and controlling them in a way that store never faces the stock shortage. 4.3.3- Excluded from the Project The web based system or support for the store management will not be part of this stock controlling system 4.4- Project Aims The main aim of this project is to implement a new technology based system at shop or store that effectively manages and controls the stock level inside the store. Another aim is to reduce the operational cost and extensive effort that we need to spend on the management of business operations and handling the tasks. 5- Project Deliverables This project is a business and engineering project that is aimed to enhance the overall business operations and management structure. This project will involve the following deliverables. 5.1- Project Documentation In this project we will deliver the project documentation that will comprise main project development initiatives, project development aims, project team overview, and other development related details. 5.2- Software Application This deliverable is the main deliverable that we will deliver to the system client. This will be a software application accompanied with the system database. This will be installed on the system and will offer a great support to the overall business, stock, and operational management of the shop. 5.3- Help Manual This will be a help document that will offer the help regarding usage of system and will be helpful in maintaining and handling the system. 5.4- Testing and quality assurance report The system testing and quality assurance report will provide an assurance for the effective system operations and enhanced management of these operations. This system deliverable will enhance the confidence of system user that system is checked for each aspect and will also be helpful for the further enhancements. 5.5- Project plan This will be another system deliverable that is aimed to offer a detailed overview of the system development steps and phases that were adopted during project development. This will include the system cost, time, and management plan. 6- Project constraints According to (Gray & Larson, 2006, p. 103), "the project must be completed before or on due date, according to specifications and scope of the project, and budget". In this section I will present some constraints regarding this system development and implementation. In this overall system implementation the main constraint is about the business objective fulfillment. This system must offer a better support for business operations and overall enhanced management of the stock controlling and handling. The next main constraints we need to consider is regarding the system development budget and development cost. This project needs to be developed in the established cost and budget plan. The next main constraint we need to assess is regarding the project time line. We have to complete the project in the established time plan. In this way the project will be efficiently handled and managed in a greater way. The project needs to be developed under the pre-established requirements. If the project requirements change during the project development then it can affect the overall project operational performance. Some other aspects can also be included in system constraints. This can be availability of technical help. In any stage of the development of the project the unavailability of any technical help can lead to system failure. 7. Project approach Stock controlling is a difficult problem area due to the variety of real life circumstances. Flourishing stock administration necessitates refined techniques to manage by means of the incessantly altering atmosphere. This offers an abstract basis for the area of stock controlling as well as makes it one of the majority developed fields of information technology and computerized management system. Despite the fact that, the realistic accomplishment of stock models wraps at the back the improvement of stock modeling. Business/shop stock handling and management has long been one of the powerful aspects at the back dealing in SCM (supply chain management) systems (Verwijmeren, Vlist, & Donselaar, 1996). Maintaining overload finished goods or components on hand generates unnecessary warehousing expenses as well as negotiates the corporation's money flow, consequently Stock administration is frequently observed as a fast success for supply chain management arrangement, also as individual rollouts or as fraction of broader venture supply planning systems or we generally acknowledge ERP (Verwijmeren, Vlist, & Donselaar, 1996). Information technology supported stock controlling and handling systems are intended for some corporation that needs an intact control over supply levels as well as supply following (Verwijmeren, Vlist, & Donselaar, 1996). Computerized stock controlling system offers factual time information for the product and order like that when the product order is placed as well as when to send off it. This is helpful in organization/company stock handling professionally as well as enhancing client service through offering on time product or goods delivery. These systems are able to as well facilitate in dropping capital expenses through running the stock as well as time spent on administration of the Stock (Subramoniam & Krishnankutty, 2005). 7.1- Main approach The main approach regarding this system development is a component based approach. In this system development we develop the system in a way that at each phase is developed under each stage of system components based approach (Pressman, 2001). For this project we will select waterfall system development approach (Pressman, 2001). 7.2- Background research Here we need to perform the research regarding the new technology based system implementation at the technology in this sector. 7.3- Requirements gathering tool For gathering the requirements we will use the techniques of interviews, surveys, and operational analysis. In this phase we will interview the workers and ask for the main points that they require in a stock control system. Then we will also survey for the extraction of the requirements from different areas. These all requirement will aid us in getting the enhanced development of the stock control system. 7.4- Client's requirements New system for stock control will have following requirements. Effective management of products data Better order processing Effective stock control and management Fast order processing Better support to sales system Effective order processing Reduction in total stock controlling costs Less paper work Transaction details Customer details 7.5- Skills Required Here we will require effective skills for the development of the system. These skills can be related to software engineering and coding. 7.6- System Development Methodology In this project development I have selected waterfall system development methodology. Through this methodology we will develop the system through the following given stages; Requirements Extraction System Analysis Design Development Testing Deployment 8- Facilities and resources This section is about the detailed analysis of the main facilities and resource analysis that will be used in our system development. These facilities can be causal or special regarding the overall system development. 8.1- Computing/IT facilities In this system development we will require the following given facilities regarding the development and implementation of the stock controlling system development for the effective handling of the shop/business stock. Human Resource System designer, Coder, Tester Computers Pentium 4 Operating System Windows XP, Windows Vista Development Tools MS Access or SQL server and Visual Basic 6 System Designing Tools CASE tools (Computer Aided Software Engineering) like MS Visio 8.2- Other facilities/Resources In the development of the stock controlling system we will require the following other facilities that will be used to help or aid the other type of the system development areas. These facilities can be; Electricity Heating Working place Internet facility Transportation 9- Log of risks In this development project we will establish a predefined contract to the system client. In this development we will ensure the availability of resources and services on time and their on time delivery for the continuous development of the project. 9.1- Schedule risk This risk is about missing the scheduled and established time line. The occurrence of this type of risk is low. Any event scheduled in such way that the place where it was needed it was not there. To handle this issue we need to pay more emphasis on the work breakdown structure so that all events plan well. 9.2- Initial Cost Making decision about initial cost of the stock controlling system development is risky; in this case system can be at risk. The main occurrence of this risk is low. For its effective mitigation we need to see the deliverable and have a healthy work out on the cost estimation. 9.3- Feasibility The feasibility related problems can occur during the development of system for stock controlling. The risk of this problem during system development is low. For its better mitigation we need to start this project after effective planning. 9.4- Technology Any risk regarding the implementation technology for stock controlling system. Its main occurrence is rare. It enhanced handling can be done by assigning additional cost to the maintenance and consultation. 10. Starting point for research In this system development decision we have researched the market and assessed the IT based platforms for handling the stock at any business or shops. In this scenario we have found good results that have encouraged us to develop this system. These can be about the non-availability of any system at business stock handling. Sometime we have observed some system but having some huge flaws regarding the overall operations management of the business and its enhanced handling. 11. Breakdown of tasks In this part of report I will outline main system development life cycle for the stock controlling system. The system development life cycle for the stock controlling system will comprise following stages. Phase 1 : Problem Formulation Stage 1 - Understanding the 'situation of concern In this phase: it is stated that computers are "logically malleable" in the acumen that they can be shaped and molded to carry out several movement that can be distinguished in states of outputs, inputs, and concerning logical procedures (Pressman, 2001). For the stock controlling system I will outline the main situation that establishes the need of this system. Stage 2 - Performing the diagnosis Here in this stage we assess that the lack of a successful resemblance forces us to find out innovative moral standards, set up new moral beliefs, build up fresh policies, and discover latest methods to consider regarding the matters available to us (Pressman, 2001). Stage 3 - Defining the prognosis outline In this phase of the stock controlling system development we will outline the need to have all the information regarding 3 modeling perspective inside SSADM: (Pressman, 2001) 1. Data: this is an account of the data utilized in the system employing a logical data model. 2. Functions: this is an exertion to imprison the client's vision of system dispensation. Methods utilized encompass data flow modeling. 3. Events: these are business activities that trigger developments to renovate system data. Methods apprehensive comprise article life records and involve association diagrams. Stage 4 - Defining problems In this stage of the defining problem we are going to observe stock controlling system and a better software development method as a flow curving from plain deliberate means and corporation's necessities. Phase 2 : Solution Design Stage 6 - Performing conceptual/logical design In this phase of the systems development lifecycle we will develop the main design of stock control system. This will be both hard and soft system design for the stock controlling system. Stage 7 - Performing physical design In synopsis the causes why this division of the policy reasons so a lot of difficulties are the following: (Pressman, 2001) The users did not know what they required. The users did not know the potential of the knowledge. Users' perception changed as the system was being urbanized. There were invariable transforms in the outside surroundings that were not expected. The developers did not realize or appreciate the details of the users' work. Phase 3 : Design Implementation and testing Stage 8 - Implementing the designs In this phase we will implement the stock controlling system and will test this system for the effective outcomes and better management of the numerous tasks besides the effectual management of the stock controlling system. 12- Project plan 12.1- Planning This section presents overall stock controlling system project plan and its main stages. This project plan will be followed through out the project and it should monitor that no stage takes extra time, because during the project diversion from the project plan can result the project failure. 12.2 Cost planning As I have researched: this stock controlling system project will take $ 10000 for the successful completion. Task Name Cost ($) Planning 1000 Stock controlling system Requirements 500 Stock controlling System Design 500 Stock controlling development 4000 Stock controlling System testing 1000 Hardware 2000 Quality assurance 500 Deploy System 500 12.3 Time Planning Below I have developed the time plan for the stock controlling system. This project will take 105 days for the overall completion. Task Name Duration Start Date End Date Planning 15 days 1/9/2009 15/9/2009 System Requirements 15 days 16/9/2009 30/9/2009 System Design 15 days 01/10/2009 15/10/2009 Stock controlling System development 30 days 16/10/2009 15/11/2009 System testing 15 days 16/11/2009 30/11/2009 Hardware purchase and Deploy System 15 days 01/12/2009 15/12/2009 13- Legal, ethical, professional, social issues In this scenario we can have issues regarding the handling of the organizational process of the stock control system and enhanced management of the business process for the stock control system. In this area we can have problem such as some potential conflicts within the development team. But these can be resolved through proper handling of the project. 14- Conclusion With the passage of time, the trend of software development for stock controlling is growing. There are lot of tools and techniques that are helpful in development of these systems. In this report I have presented a detailed analysis of the stock controlling system development. In this report I have outlined the main areas of the system development and project planning regarding the stock control system development. This report encompassed the overview of technology, risk, planning, and implementation areas. Bibliography Gray, C., & Larson, E. (2006). Project Management, The Managerial Process. . New York: McGraw-Hill. Jawadekar, W. S. (2004). Software Engineering: Principles and Practice. New York: McGraw Hill. Kerzner, H. (2006). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Pressman, R. S. (2001). Software Engineering: A Practicioner's Approach, 5th Edition. London: McGraw Hill. Sommerville, I. (2004). Software Engineering, 7th Edition,. New York: Pearson Education (Addison Wesley). Subramoniam, S., & Krishnankutty, K. (2005). EDSIM: expert database system for inventory management. Kybernetes , 721-733. Verwijmeren, M., Vlist, P. v., & Donselaar, K. v. (1996). Networked inventory management information systems: materializing supply chain management. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management , 16-31. Read More