Client requirements

MyHometownLink is a website where parents in search of student helpers, and students willing to offer services to earn some extra money, can come together and help each other out. The students can offer a variety of services, and the parents can choose the best suited candidate for the job. The parents can also post jobs, and the interested students can apply for the same.

Strategic Intent:

“To provide an online platform for bridging the gap between helpful students and parents looking for help around the house.”

Client requirements:

• The website will be an online social networking site.

• On the Home Page, there will be the following options:

  1) A drop-down list for selecting the hometown.

  2) There will be options for parents to view the list of students in their hometown, or to post jobs.

  3) There will be options for students to find jobs.

• In case of parents, after choosing the home town, they will have the options of either viewing the list of students, or posting their jobs.

• If they choose to view the list, they will be led to the list of students, where they will have the options to choose from following categories:

  1) Job Type

  2) Day

  3) Student Type

  4) Name

Each category will have the respective drop-down lists.

• Depending on the choice made, the page will have the list of the students along with the following details:

  1) Name of the studen

  2) Name of the college

  3) Job Interests

  4) Option to send message

  5) Option to view connections

  6) Option to view profile

• If the parents choose to post a job, they will be led to the Post a Job page, where they will be provided with a form to be filled out and submitted.

• For the students, option of viewing jobs will be available on the Home Page. After choosing this option, they will be led to the View Jobs page. They will have the following options to browse the jobs:

  1) The time frame when the job is submitted.

  2) The job type

  3) Day

  4) Employer

• The students will also have an option to find the jobs posted during the time frame defined by them.

• The job listing will have the following details:
Submission time frame

  1) Job

  2) Employer

  3) Date

  4) Time

  5) Pay

  6) Details

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, my collection, cWorld etc for enhancing users' active participation.

3) Synchronizing the integrated features like my offers, my listings, buy cToons, trade board, auctions etc 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. Ensuring safe and secure transfer of data.

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) 2 Programmer(s) 5 Testing & QA stuff 3 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.