Vision and Scope Document

for

TimeTracker 2.0

Version 0.3

Prepared by Sarah Mercier

Strictly Business

9/2/10

Vision and Scope for TimeTracker 2.0Page 1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents......

Revision History......

1.Business Requirements......

1.1.Background......

1.2.Business Opportunity......

1.3.Business Objectives and Success Criteria......

1.4.Customer or Market Needs......

1.5.Business Risks......

2.Vision of the Solution......

2.1.Vision Statement......

2.2.Major Features......

2.3.Assumptions and Dependencies......

3.Scope and Limitations......

3.1.Scope of Initial Release......

3.2.Scope of Subsequent Releases......

3.3.Limitations and Exclusions......

4.Business Context......

4.1.Stakeholder Profiles......

4.2.Project Priorities......

4.3.Operating Environment......

Revision History

Name / Date / Reason For Changes / Version
Sarah Mercier / 08/26/10 / Initial release. / 0.1
Sarah Mercier / 08/31/10 / Updated entire document to better reflect customer needs and reorganized material to improve readability. / 0.2
Sarah Mercier / 9/2/10 / Modified features and updated role list. / 0.3

Vision and Scope for TimeTracker 2.0Page 1

1.Business Requirements

The current TimeTracker system is run as a website on the Strictly Business servers. All data sanitation and privacy are handled by the application. The new system will be written using Google App Engine. The migration of TimeTracker to Google App Engine will facilitate easier integration of other such as Google Mail, Talk and Calendar in future releases. Future releases will also have invoice generation ability. The new system will allow for custom branding and themes.

The business requirements provide the foundation and reference for all detailed requirements development, in essence why the project is being undertaken and the ultimate value it will provide, both to the customers and to the business.

1.1.Background

Previously, the tracking of time on projects and clients as been handled through the TimeTracker web application hosted on the SBCS servers.By moving to Google App Engine, those servers that were originally housing TimeTracker information will then be free for other uses.

1.2.Business Opportunity

  • By storing data on Google’s cloud, servers will be freed up to be used for other projects.
  • Migration of TimeTracker to Google App Engine will allow for easier integration of other Google applications such as Google Mail, Calendar and Talk.
  • Custom branding will allow the application to be used by many different companies, making it more marketable.
  • With the ease of report generation, project managers and clients will be able to see the status of their project (e.g., how many hours they have left, how many hours they have used, etc.) which could potentially free up project manager and developer time as well as give clients peace of mind.
  • The development of an Android application that could act as a stopwatch and submit time from mobile devices could allow employees to focus more on their projects and less on the time spent on each objective.

1.3.Business Objectives and Success Criteria

Business Objectives:

BO-1:Migration to Google App Engine, freeing servers for other uses.

BO-2:Integration of other Google Apps.

BO-3:Marketability to other companies through custom branding and themes.

BO-4:Allow clients and project managers to easily see status of their project.

BO-5:Development of an Android application that would allow employees to manage time automatically from their mobile devices.

Success Criteria:

SC-1:Full migration to Google Apps.

SC-2:Integration of Google Mail, Calendar and Talk.

SC-3:The ability of other companies to customize and use the application.

SC-4:The ability of clients/project managers to easily see the status of their project.

SC-5:The ability to download an Android application with stopwatch capability that could submit time directly to TimeTracker 2.0 from a mobile device.

1.4.Customer or Market Needs

This section will provide the rationale for developing this system from a customer’s and end-user’s (i.e., business employees) perspective. Migrating the application to Google App Engine would allow for a potentially larger customer base as there would be more space on the servers to work with.

The ability for project managers and clients to be able to easily login and see the status of their project could facilitate better project management. Clients would have better peace of mind, knowing at any point and time their remaining hours, and project managers could potentially have more free time if they are not constantly communicating with the client on the status of their project.

The development of an Android application that had a stopwatch capability would allow employees to simply start and stop the watch, then submit time for projects and clients directly from their phone, eliminating the need to constantly be aware of starting and stopping times and allow them to focus more clearly on their project goals.

1.5.Business Risks

RI-1:Some users may be wary of storing information on the Google servers due to privacy.

RI-2:Generation of reports could fail, resulting in potential monetary loss or lawsuit.

RI-3:Database could fail due to breach or system failure.

RI-4:Application could store data incorrectly, resulting in incorrect payment of employees.

RI-4:Android stopwatch could calculate time incorrectly and employee could be paid wrong amount of money, which could in turn cause a client/project to be charged incorrectly.

2.Vision of the Solution

This section provides the context for making decisions throughout the course of the product development life cycle, without including detailed functional requirements or project planning information.

2.1.Vision Statement

For project managers and clients, the new system will allow for better project management and peace of mind due to their ability to check on the status of their project at any point and time. Accounting department members will appreciate the new system as it will allow them to streamline the payroll process and eliminate the need for TimeSlips. Business communication in general will improve due to the integration of the business calendar, mail and instant messaging capabilities all integrated into the same system as the payroll. Allowing employees to use a stopwatch application on their phone to track time which then submits to the online database could allow for easier time management.

2.2.Major Features

FE-1:Data and application hosting on Google Apps

FE-2:Log and submit time spent on projects and clients

FE-3:Manage leave time

FE-4:Generate, print and export reports

FE-5:Employee management

FE-6:Time approval and rejection with notification

FE-7:Integration of Google Calendar, Mail and Talk

FE-8:Brand customization

FE-9:Time management through Android application

FE-10:Impersonate other users

FE-11:Project/Client Management

2.3.Assumptions and Dependencies

Assumptions:

AS-1:No more than 500 MB of data stored on Google App Engine.

AS-2:No more than 5 million page views monthly.

AS-3:Users have a Google Account with which they can login.

AS-4:Users have javascript enabled.

Dependencies

DE-1:Free Google App Engine account.

DE-2:jQuery javascript library (for user interface).

3.Scope and Limitations

The project scope defines the concept and range of the proposed solution, what will not be included in the product, and a reference frame against which proposed features and requirements changes can be evaluated.

3.1.Scope of Initial and Subsequent Releases

Feature / Release 1 / Release 2 / Release 3
FE-1 / Fully implemented.
FE-2 / Fully implemented.
FE-3 / Implemented if time permits (medium priority). / Fully implemented.
FE-4 / Not implemented. / Fully implemented.
FE-5 / Fully implemented.
FE-6 / Not implemented. / Fully implemented.
FE-7 / Not implemented. / Implemented if time permits (medium priority). / Fully implemented.
FE-8 / Not implemented. / Not implemented. / Implemented if time permits (medium priority).
FE-9 / Not implemented. / Begin implementation. / Fully implemented.
FE-10: / Not implemented. / Not implemented. / Fully implemented
FE-11: / Fully implemented.

3.2.Limitations and Exclusions

EX-1:Support of storage methods other than Google App Engine.

EX-2:Automatic recording and logging of time.

EX-3:Centralized system supporting time tracking by multiple companies.

EX-4:Online payment of any kind.

4.Business Context

This section summarizes some of the business issues around the project, including profiles of major customer categories, assumptions that went into the project concept, and the management priorities for the project.

4.1.Stakeholder Profiles

Stakeholder / Major Value /
Attitudes /
Major Interests /
Constraints
Employee / Streamlined time management (both project/client and leave) process, ability to receive notifications regarding time / Would like to easily manage time (both project/client related and leave), but expect a very easy, user-friendly interface / Ease of application process, reliability / Interface must be easy to use and compatible with all major browsers and operating systems
Project manager and Project Leader / Streamlined process, easier project time management through report generation, ability to push notifications / See product as way to free up their time and make the entire time management process more automated, but again need a very simple, user-friendly interface to manage database / Streamlined administrative capabilities, better and easier report generation / Interface must be compatible with all major browsers and operating systems
System Administrator / Easier database management through Google App Engine, easier web application management through custom branding / See new system as a way to easily store sensitive data securely and customize the web interface to match their company’s style / Ease of customization, security and privacy of data / Interface must be reusable and application must have ability to be ported
Accounting Department Member / Streamlined payroll process / See new system as a way to more easily manage timesheets / Ease of report generation and ability to export reports / Reports must be generated in correct format and able to be customized and exported easily
Client / Ability to view project status at any given time / Would like an easy to use interface which will allow them to quickly and clearly see information regarding project(s) / Ease of generating reports regarding their particular project(s) / Interface must be easy to use and compatible with all major browsers and operating systems

4.2.Project Priorities

Dimension / Driver
(state objective) / Constraint
(state limits) / Degree of Freedom
(state allowable range)
Schedule / Initial Release by middle of Fall 2010 Semester, Second Release by end of Fall 2010 semester, Final Release by end of Spring 2011 semester
Features / All features with the exclusion of branding and the Android application must be finished by end of 2010-2011 academic year / Basic functionality of all initial features must be implemented by initial release
Quality
Staff / Maximum team size is 1 developer
Cost / No funds available

4.3.Operating Environment

OE-1:System is not dependent on geographical areas.

OE-2:System shall operate in newest versions of all web browsers.

OE-3:There should be no constraint on users being able to access the system at a given time.

OE-4:Data is generated by online forms and stored in the Google App Engine database.

OE-5:Continuous service is preferred, but as long as there is no data loss, minor service interruptions can be tolerated.

OE-6:Personal data will be stored in the database, so the Google App Engine database must be secure.

OE-7:jQuery javascript library will be needed to create the user interface for the system.