Systems Design for Fitness Centers - Business Plan Example

Systems Design Plan for Fitness Centers Introduction: This system is being designed to run in five local fitness centers, each having about 650 members and 30 employees. The downtown site is open 24/7, so the system will run all the time. While members belong to one club, they can use any of the five. Therefore, information must be available over a WAN to all members and staff. The system will offer customer access to the database and accompanying software either within the fitness center, on a pda or laptop and on the website. Each club will have secure wireless broadband available to members while on the premises. There will also be a couple of internet connected machines in the clubs juice and snack bar for customer use. This system will be used by both members and fitness consultants to track participation in various fitness activities, such as free weights, volleyball, swimming, stair climbers, and yoga and aerobic classes. The database will record the vital information of each member, their account and status, their personal profile and regime design. Each customer will have barcode card which can be used to swipe when they begin and end a module. This will record the activity in their personal database. If the customer is using a machine which is capable of recording information such as calories burned or heart rate achieved, the interface will ask customer to enter the appropriate amounts at the end of the activity on a simple keypad. These figures will be entered into the database along with the elapsed time. Employees can access portions of customer information as needed. However, the customer can choose to keep certain information confidential. In addition, certain non-confidential information will be entered into a corporate database for marketing and service development functions. AT any time an employee can see how many members are on site, and can see a visual representation of their distribution throughout the club. Members can be located for emergency messages etc. In order to plan for expansions, generic, non-identifiable information will be entered into a planning database. Instructors and trainers can enter information while working with the customer. Customers can access their own profiles and database from any web browser at any time. They will, thus, be able to add activities outside of the health club. Each customer will be aided by a program specialist to create their own plan according to their personal goals. All members will be provided with a club email address complementary with their paid membership. This will allow customers to keep this information separate from their other email if they so choose. A company newsletter will be distributed via club email. An extra function of the system will be to track the members entire programs, including diet, if they choose this option. Customers can enter food consumed into their database and have it calculate the nutritional values. Menu items from local restaurants and fast food chains plus prepared meals available in the supermarket would make it easy to track consumption. The system will offer recipes plus customers can add to the systems database and share them if they wish. They can save recipes they use often and even meals for ease of use. Members can track the progress toward their goals. Separate HR functions on the same WAN will cover employee data, payroll, time clock functions using the bar code system, benefits, training and management of employees. An employee version of the company newsletter will be distributed via the email system. Accounting will also have their own separate functions available using any necessary data. A club website will offer training videos on demand for member use at home, nutritional information, health information, useful articles, personal profiles, email, events notifications, health and fitness information. The site will also offer customer service, contact information and detailed information and maps for all clubs. Information on each facility and a detailed layout for each club will also be available. In this way Fit4Life can offer substantial value for the membership over what other clubs are doing, at a modest increase in cost per customer. That increase in cost per customer will be absorbed by an increase in membership as this system becomes popular. Non-members will have a trial membership to the website functions, perhaps 90 days, during which the club will have ample opportunity to entice them to join. After the trial period ends, the non-member can retain access for a very nominal fee, perhaps $12-24 per year. Website only membership will have a limitation on videos. All systems will be protected by a hardware firewall and software systems will be highly secure for the protection of our members. b. Address the roles of the people who will be involved in the project. 5-10 Hardware engineers on contract: To create this project we will need, hardware experts to develop the turnkey system for bar code membership cards, to set up the server and secure WAN, plus necessary wiring and peripherals. Bar code readers will have to be installed and hooked into the system properly. 1-full time permanent database administrator / web master to create and maintain the database and website. This person needs to be expert with the chosen database server (probably SQL running on a Windows Server). 1-full time permanent Network administrator plus assistant to design, oversee installation of and maintain the WAN and security systems. The network administrator will oversee security measures, administer email and other access, keep systems backed up, manage RAID servers, check periodically in logs to prevent user abuse of system. 1 team of 3-8 contract programmers to develop in house system. The system should mate the bar code readers and cards to the SQL database. 5- contract technicians to help install the systems. Technicians will work under the direction of the program manager and the network administrator to install hardware as planned. 1-full time permanent technical writer and trainer to create necessary documentation and training programs for employees and customers. The first job of the technical writer will be the needs document on which all stakeholders will sign and accept their responsibility. One assistant technical writer / trainer will also serve in customer service for members and employees. Technical writer can also help with marketing and even web content as time goes on. 1-web content writer, health and fitness expert, nutritionist to provide and control web content. This person should be hired at the beginning of the project to help design the website and content. 1-senior HR person needs to be available to help design a system compatible with his or her department needs. This person will be responsible for selecting and testing the HR functions and signing off as a stakeholder. 1-senior accounting person needs to be available to consult on his or her department needs. This person will accept responsibility for selecting testing the accounting functions on the server and signing off after final testing. 1-project manager / architect to keep things on track, under budget and see to every stake holders needs. This person assumes the responsibility for the entire project and will conduct regular meetings as needed, delegate tasks and allocate funds. Fitness center managers and assistant managers plus all employees will be involved at every step of decision making to keep them feeling like they are part of the project and to keep them well informed. Getting their feedback will also be essential to the successful completion. 2. Plan Outline the considerations for systems investigation. Major considerations include: Cost effectiveness: Once the needs are identified, alternative will be studies by the team and all will be assessed for their cost effectiveness. The “biggest bang for the buck” philosophy will underscore all purchases within the overall budget and separate allocations. Redundancy: This is an absolute MUST, as the system needs to be up 24/7. The website, especially, should have a mirror, and the RAID servers should be set up in a striped configuration to allow for two backups of every incremental change. Security: Even more important than redundancy is security. All customer information and accounting and HR data must be secure, encrypted, password protected and backed up to a secure medium. Data should be secure from hacking, viruses, loss and phishing attacks. Scalability: This system is expected to be successful and to aid the company in growing and prospering. Therefore, the entire system needs to be planned with built in scalability. We have over 4000 members now, and hope that will increase by one third within a year of implementation. We expect to need to open more fitness centers in future years. Deadlines: The development process needs to include a schedule mapping out overall deadlines, interim deadlines, dependent deadlines and milestone markers. These must be carefully watched. b. Outline the steps for systems analysis. Meet with stakeholders and team members to brainstorm before beginning, go over needs analysis and plan. Assign stakeholders tasks and have them take ownership. 1. Determine database needs: There are several which might do nicely. However, SQL is probably the best choice for functions, dependability, security, features and scalability. We can start with one server and one license and scale up as needed. 2. Determine server needs: The server needs to be compatible with all the other software, so Windows 2K or XP or Windows 2003 Server might be an excellent choice 3. Determine hardware needs: Hardware needs will include one main server, one redundant server, plus all the necessary workstations, network administrators workstation, web masters workstation, technical writers workstations, HR workstations, accounting workstations, one each for the 5 center intake desks, one for the project manager and a laptop too, multiple surge protectors and UPS, hardware NAT firewalls plus whatever else needed. 4. Determine software needs: Software needs will include: SQL database server, Windows 2003 server, several copies of Windows XP or 2K, HTML web page creator of choice for web master (probably Macromedia), 1 graphics package, 1 help system developer, accounting package or upgrades as department needs, HR software, Bar code reader software, proprietary customer database, video on demand software, email clients, antivirus clients, anti-spyware clients, newsletter creator, software firewalls 5. Determine training needs: There will have to be initial training for employees and ongoing training on a small scale for MSN clients. A company trainer will have to be trained from the inception. 6. Determine working budget: determine best scenario costs, match against proposed budget and real budget and make adjustments, Nail down prices for hardware and software and take advantage of bulk pricing deals. Allocate money as soon as practicable to allow for purchase before prices change. 7. Determine goals and milestones: Set final goals for each portion of the project. Set incremental goals and points to measure progress. Encourage regular reporting. 8. Create time line, detailed plans and tentative deadlines. Make this accessible to all involved. C. Outline the steps for systems design. 1. First determined hardware needs, map the plan and create list of hardware requirements. Create a needs document. Go over needs document as a group, 2. Select server system, database server, accounting software integration, HR software, purchasing plan and licenses. 3. Set up programming needs based upon database server, operating system and WAN controller. 4. Create working schedule for hardware installation and testing and software development and testing. 5. Schedule regular meetings and email, messenger or phone communications among team members. 6. Set up working schedule and begin work 7. Order hardware 8. Meet as each milestone is reached and make adjustments as needed. d. Create guidelines for a systems review and maintenance schedule. Include regular backups and system log inspection. 1. Comprehensive testing of interfaces and bar code system will begin early and remain part of doing business. 2. Progress will be discussed and shown at regular team meetings. Determine a sequence of activities. 1. Discuss needs and plan entire system: team meeting. Distribute comprehensive plan issuing from meeting. Listen to the needs of each attendee and respond if possible. 2. Set up schedule and announce plans to members: Start announcing improvement plans then warning members early about minor disruptions, and give them little bites of information about all the planned improvements. This is a major PR campaign running the whole length of the project and extending somewhat beyond. Hire contractors and permanent employees: Distribute ads, and interview candidates before into the planning stage. Once employees are hired, the work can begin 3. Advertise for new hires, interview and select. 4. Meet again when team is complete and iron out the wrinkles. Delegate tasks. 5. Order hardware and software 6. Develop in house systems 7. Install hardware in clubs 8. Set up bar code system 9. Set up website and email systems 10. Set up, install and test internal systems: HR, Marketing and Accounting 11. Install software and test system 12. Train employees 13. Roll out new Fitnessassistem 3. Conclusion The new system will benefit the internal users in several areas. Members will be able to track their progress, record activity and nutritional information and make changes as required to reach their goals. Desk employees will find it easier to check people in with the bar coded photo-membership card. Trainers and consultants will have access to information that is not something written down in a rush by a busy member. This will help them to help the customers. Marketing will have a new total fitness concept to sell. They will also have access to much more empirical data gathered on the web. Accounting and finance will be able to track and predict trends and marketing can help take advantage of each of them to maximize our exposure. In line with offering the best possible experience and benefits to our members, we offer a total fitness assistance program, called fitnessassist. Members will have state of the art software tools for planning the perfect program for them and tracking their progress. The website will offer an extension which the member can take home or anywhere on his or her pda or laptop, even on vacation. The website will offer trustworthy and timely information on health and fitness, diet adjustment aids in software and charts, recipes and even peer counseling and chat rooms and messaging systems. This system alone will attract new business, as we will offer the web site functions on a trial basis and by subscription, with the exclusion of some member video content. HR will work more smoothly as will accounting and a newsletter will keep everyone connected. a. Create an announcement of the new system roll out that includes the benefits to users. Attention all Fit4Life members: Our new Fitnessassist system is ready to roll! Many of you have been using the new website tools. Now you can use the new membership card too. At every visit, it will track your activity and enter it into your database automatically. For every activity you do at Fit4Life centers, just turn it on and turn it off to record what you do and for how long. Most of you have already worked with one of our councilors to set your goals. Now your Fit4Life membership card will help you to reach them. You should have received your new membership card in the mail. If you have not, please stop by your club’s front desk and let use know. Our greeter will fix you right up. Celebrate life at Fitness4life! Resources Tech Republic website: http://techrepublic.com.com/ Read More