Ecommerce Site Design Project
Overview
Knowing that you are taking a course on digital commerce and e-business, you have been approached by your organization's management to develop a plan for a new website. You are asked to complete a proposal that incorporates the following aspects of the project:
• Planning and System Analysis
• System Design
• System Construction
• Testing
• Implementation
• Marketing Plan
• Prototype Design
The project is divided in to fourmilestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Five, Nine, and Ten.
Main Elements
This project is divided into three parts:
• Written Proposal (Final Paper)
• Prototype Site Design
• Presentation
The written proposal must be 6 to 8 pages in length (not including reference list or the copy of the franchise agreement) with APA formatted citations.
And have the following outline:
• Planning and System Analysis: Evaluate the scope of the project given the current website capabilities or the lack of a website. Evaluate the requirements needed to complete the project.
• System Design (This is the main body of the project): Evaluate the company's business models. Consider all aspects of the business and the requirements they might have for an online presence based on the organization characteristics. Identify the type of site that is needed. Consider whether your organization will use the site to inform users or sell products. Outline specific pages required for the site, functionality (database, online payment services, customer login, etc.), structure of the site such as menus, media included on the site, connections to social media, etc. Use the above information to develop a preliminary site.
• System Construction Plan: Develop a timeline for development. Identify whether the site will be internally developed or outsourced to a vendor. If the site is to be outsourced, provide a description of the specialties needed by the company that is chosen for the work. Determine if the site will be developed in stages or all at once. Identify the order of page construction and describe why pages will be developed in the order given.
• System Testing Plan: Describe the testing of the new site. Create a plan that outlines what will be tested and how it will be tested.
• System Implementation: Create a plan for implementing the site once it has been tested. Consider whether the site will be developed all at the same time or in stages. Develop a timeline for this to happen. Identify the pages that will be released first.
• Marketing Plan: Provide a general strategy for making prospective customers aware of your new or updated site.
Prototype Site Design: Use any program you would like to develop a preliminary site that provides a general overview of the how the site will look and perform. You may choose a web development program such as Dreamweaver, or Drupal, a simple hosting/design tools such as Freewebs.com or NetworkSolutions.com or even a simple blog site through blogger.com or wordpress.com. It is up to you how you will present this prototype. Points are not assigned based on the development tool you choose.
Presentation: Summarize the System Design choices in a 4-5 slide presentation. This will be posted to the Final Project discussion board. Use screen shots of your site prototype to illustrate the design aspects discussed.
Format
Milestone One: First Draftof Written Proposal
In 5-3 Final Project Milestone No.1: you will submit the initial draft of the Planning and System Analysis, System Design and Marketing Plan. This milestone is not graded. The Final Product Rubric is used to structure feedback.