Client requirements

GreenForGood is a website launched with the aim to provide a common meeting point for individuals and businesses that wish to go the natural way, and individuals and businesses that offer them this service. They conduct events and create website networks to promote Greener lifestyle. They also provide marketing platforms for businesses that have products supporting this ideology.

Strategic Intent:

“To provide an online platform where individuals can search for green businesses for products and services and Green Businesses can reach environment-conscious individuals”

Client requirements:

• The website will be an interactive site.

• The Home Page will have the following:

 1) Featured Businesses List
 2) Featured Products List
 3) Featured Promotions List
 4) Recent Articles List
 5) Recent Reviews List
 6) Advertisement Banners
 7) Categories List
 8) Featured Blog Article
 9) Along with these, there will be search windows wherein the member can search a product by keyword or location.

• The Directories page will have a list of featured directories and the option to search by keyword.

• The Products page will have a list of featured directories and the option to search by keyword.

• The Events page will have a list of Featured Events and Favorite Events, also a list of popular locations. It will also show Today’s events. Also it will have the options to search for an event by keyword and location.

• The Deals list will have a list of Favorite Deals, Deals and Categories, through which the member can browse.

• The Articles page will have list of the featured articles, and the member can search by title of the article. It will also have list of favorite article.

• The Blog and Community page will have the video blog posts related to Greener living.

Challenges

Development of every web based portal had myriad inherent challenges and constraints. The most critical problem that our team had faced was to understand the needs and requirements of all the stakeholders to make the site as per their expectations. At the same time it became imperative for us to study the psyche of clusters of target customers, their need, their taste, choice and so on.

Technologically, we had many constraints like-

1) Developing a Robust framework for the site which is capable of managing millions of users at a time without buckling down the system and site.

2) Developing and incorporating an extensive list of profile customization options, my account, and so on for enhancing users' active participation.

3) Synchronizing the integrated features to function smoothly while being executed simultaneously.

4) Despite having complex structure and system, ensuring the easy navigation through the implementation of Web Usability principles in the website design.

5) Enabling the site to operate at top speed even in peak traffic hours and maintaining good load balance.

6) Ensuring safe and secure transfer of data.

To overcome the aforementioned challenges and provide a robust web application to the client as per his requirements we used various technological approaches that are discussed in the next part.

Tools and technologies used

Probably the most popular language on the Internet used for web based scripting. Very fast interaction with databases. Read more Free, highly customizable low maintenance database management system. Consistently stable in high volume data environment with a wide range of support available for free over various forums and support portals. The preferred database used with PHP as a scripting language. Read more JavaScript and Asynchronous JavaScript and XML used for Crossover browser support, quick data updates. Scalable JavaScript used to provide enhanced user experience and validation. Open source and license free, sturdy platform with powerful capabilities used as Server.

Resources

Project manager 1 Business analyst 1 Designer(s) 3 Programmer(s) 5 Testing & QA stuff 2 Total manpower 12

Planning

With the prior experience in developing web based applications, Agile Technosys followed a multi-tire approach towards the development:

1) The Database layer containing MY SQL Server Database, Tables, Stored procedures and so on.

2) The Data Access layer containing the libraries responsible for accessing data from database.

3) The Business Logic layer consisting of all business logic procedures for modules like User Profiles and Report generations, Invoice generation and so on.

4) The User Interface Layer which forms the Graphical User, Interface of the website.

Architecture

PHP and MySQL formed the basis of development as the site has a program of Social Networking portal with extensive features. Company Profiles, Inquiries, Job Listings, Applying for Jobs, Job seekers Profile, Search and Advanced Search and other modules were developed in PHP such that they can be executed directly from the UI layer. These PHP files consisted of all Business logics used for respective modules like Save (Add/Update), Delete, Get single object, get multiple objects for listing and were designed to be capable of handling many more logics which were not related to the database. The Data Access layer contained the libraries responsible for accessing data from database and built a generic query for insert, update, delete and select, depending on the business class. All business layer components were coded to use this library for data accessing process from database. The UI layer was kept free of any business logic with images, applications and data being called from their respective servers. Sub-domains were used for the different areas of the website to guarantee scalability.