Learning Outcomes:

After completing the module you should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the theory and technical skills required to design and develop dynamic web applications.
2. Critically evaluate appropriate client-side and server-side technologies.
3. Justify the design and development of an application and critically evaluate the implementation approach.
4. Apply appropriate client-side and server-side technologies to implement an online business system to meet the needs of both the user and the client.
5. Use appropriate design and development techniques to design and implement a database system in order to efficiently manage data within the web application.
6. Utilise appropriate multimedia objects to assist the continual development and marketing of an online business system.

SCENARIO

You work for a web development company, specialising in the development of e-commerce sites. Your company has decided to tender for a contract from a client who is considering implementing an e-Commerce site for their business in the near future. You have been given the task of developing the website.

Client Information

The Reproduction Antiques Company (RAC) is a manufacturing company that makes reproduction goods to order for both the home market and the overseas market. The latter consists of several countries. Examples of the type of product made include Victorian fireplaces, Georgian clocks, period furniture, etc.

Over the years the company has been a very successful business but is now finding it hard to compete with Internet based stores which can offer a wider range of reproduction furniture at lower prices. The company management has decided that they wish to set up an on-line shop to complement their current business.

The management makes extensive use of the Internet but do not have technical backgrounds, so they are not in a position to request specific technologies. They do, however, have a list of functional requirements (detailed below) which they would like from their website. It is up to you how you will implement these requirements.

The management wants to be involved in the design of the website, so you must produce appropriate documentation at each stage of the process.

Functional Requirements

The company management want a website that can do at least the following:

1. Operate as a "shop front" advertising the reproduction goods that they supply with the aim of increasing customer business. The website should include some information about the reproduction goods for sale, including photographs, and a "how to find us". For the purposes of the "how to find us" section, use this address: 73 Saltwells Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 2DT. This is a real address and will come up on web mapping sites and SatNav systems with UK maps. There is no reproduction goods business there! "Contact us" should be an appropriate e- mail address, which does not have to be real or live.

2. An on-line shop allowing people to order anything that the company sells. This should allow the browsing of a catalogue and the use of a shopping basket and checkout facility.

Assignment Tasks

You are to design, implement and test a website for RAC. This must meet the functional requirements given above. As this is a final year degree assignment, you need to complete every aspect to produce the final version of the website.

Specifically your website must:

1. Meet appropriate design guidelines for accessible websites.

2. Have appropriate photographs for this shop, which you may obtain from on-line sources such as Google Images and must be referenced.

3. Have a working catalogue with a significant sample of appropriate stock. This must include at least a photograph, description, price and shipping cost for each stock item. The factual content of this may be taken from on-line sources but you must construct the catalogue yourself. This catalogue must be implemented using suitable back end database technology which links to the website and is kept up to date as orders are taken.

4. Allow the customer to order from the stock list by selecting "Buy Now" buttons or similar.

5. Have a customer registration and login facility for regular customers. This will allow customers' personal details to be retained to simplify ordering and shipping.

6. Produce an invoice for the customer based on what they have ordered, with totals including shipping costs.

7. You do NOT need to implement a payment system. Instead, put a "Pay Now" button in an appropriate place and when clicked, go to a page saying "Thank you for your payment".

Using the given scenario, you are required to address the individual assignment tasks so that you can develop a solution website and prepare a final single report, as follows:

Task 1 - Website Design

You are to select, justify and use appropriate methodologies to design the website. You must include all the design material within your submission. At this level of study, you are required to select appropriate tools and methodologies yourself and use them correctly for the task. Your selection of tools and methodologies, justification of that selection and use of the tools and methodologies are all part of the assessment.

Task 2 - Database Design

You are to select, justify and use appropriate methodologies to design the database required for this website. You must include all the design material within your submission. At this level of study, you are required to select appropriate tools and methodologies yourself and use them correctly for the task. Your selection of tools and methodologies, justification of that selection and use of the tools and methodologies are all part of the assessment.

Task 3 - Website Implementation & Release

You are to select, justify and use appropriate software to build your website.

You are to provide a working URL for your web site. This may be via your own web server or via a commercially available or free web hosting service. This URL must be live and available from the UK from the submission date for at least THREE MONTHS to allow for marking and verification of results. It is up to you to make sure that the URL is live.

If you have a web server available that has an Internet connection, then you can use that. Otherwise, there are many organisations offering free web hosting services with appropriate facilities for things like PHP and MySQL. Search on "free web hosting".

You may NOT use the RDI student server for this. Part of the challenge of the assignment is to find an appropriate host and set up your web site on it.

You must submit a back-up copy of your website to the student server. This means you must build it so that it is contained entirely within a folder or directory and can be zipped up for uploading to the student server. This must be uploaded to the student server following the instructions given in the "Guide to uploading to the student server" document on the module page on iLearn.

Task 4 Launch

Once the website is built, the company need to launch it. They plan to do this via Flash adverts that will be placed on the websites of furniture retailers.

You are to design and build a suitable advert for this launch. In order to demonstrate this advert, you should provide a link within your website home page to the "Launch Advert".