Management of Software Projects - Essay Example

? Management of Software Projects Introduction Since its inception and launch in the UK market, Management Training (NMT) has been offering an extensive range of commercial management courses to its target audience. Management Training (NMT) commenced its operations with the long-term objective of becoming the ‘leading centre of management training in the central belt of the UK’ however; the company has not been able to generate desired results due to the ad hoc and disorganized nature of its operations. This observation has prompted the senior management to identify and recognize the significance of the functions of marketing in order to enhance the achievement of defined objectives. Accordingly, it has also been acknowledged that the establishment of a comprehensive website to serve the purpose of providing basic functionality is required at this stage. Thus, the purpose of this report is to assess, examine and evaluate the web usability and functionality of the project by analyzing the set criterion and how the proposed website delivers full conformance to the industry wide standards of web usability. The formulation of the report follows a systematic format which outlines the guidelines of web usability and demonstrates how the proposed website meets these standards. The concluding discussion of the report adopts a proof-of-concept approach by providing pertinent recommendations regarding the implementation of cost-effective web hosting techniques and the execution of effective maintenance solutions. 2. Overview of Web Usability Criteria Web usability criteria and guidelines that are utilized extensively throughout the industry do not necessarily represent a conflicting approach with regards to their principles and foundations. However, the complexity of these standards postulates that each web usability criteria is distinct in respective areas and also demonstrates certain capabilities that may not be present in an alternative solution. The scope of this paper focuses on the ISO DIS 9241-151 criteria in addition with JISC guidelines. While, the former represents the international standards for web usability, the latter is adopted during the establishment of academic websites in the UK (Bevan 2005). Moreover, the report also provides reference to the HHS guidelines which are regarded as one of the most comprehensive sources in the field. As noted by Bevan (2005), the standards provided by the HHS guidelines and ISO DIS 9241-151 demonstrate an agreement with regards to certain standards. Consequently, 49 standards that have been highlighted in the JISC are similar to the HHS guidelines (Bevan 2005). The primary standards to which a website must comply can be categorized as: the process of design and evaluation, the optimization of the user’s web experience, ability to access desired, data, content and information, observations related to software and hardware requirements, development of the homepage, establishment of a page layout, provision of navigation options, font of headings, links and other titles, creation of links, lists and other controls, the integration of graphics and relevant media sources, standards and organization of web content and search options (Bevan 2005). It should be noted that the key objective behind the creation of the website is to offer a comprehensive online tool to the potential audience of the commercial management courses that are being offered by Management Training (NMT). Therefore, it is important that the website rigorously follows and meets the selected criterions to provide basic functionality to the users. Accordingly, the academic nature of the website has made the compliance with JISC guidelines a fundamental requirement. The additional standards that are recommended by JISC are essentially related to the enhancement of the search options, including search results that operate in a similar manner to that of Google and the location of search boxes (Bevan 2005). Moreover, the standards set by JISC also demand the classification of a range of content, data and information into categories and the use of pdf format for scenarios in which the user wishes to read the content offline or as a hard copy (Bevan 2005). 3. Demonstration of Website Conformance The decision to launch a website for Management Training’s (NMT) commercial management courses was taken to develop the promotional elements of the company’s programs and to amend or improve the present disorganized state of the organization’s course offerings. Conformance in the design process is largely based upon the provision of useful content to the potential market by eliminating unnecessary or irrelevant content. It is acknowledge that the user’s expectations and requirements are essentially rooted in the availability of desired content which is needed to make an informed decision regarding the enrollment in commercial management courses. The website design would abide by JISC guidelines by organizing information and content in distinct categories or groups to enhance usability and assist navigation. Information regarding management courses will be offered as a printable version with download times that are minimal, in order to meet the requirement of optimizing and streamlining the experience of the user. The proposed website shall be designed for commonly used browsers such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. The presence of this aspect will be ensured by taking into account the distinct requirements of each platform. Since the website will also act as marketing tool for Management Training (NMT), the promotional element of the website will be served through the homepage in order to encourage a first time user to further explore the service. The homepage will comprise of all the main links including an introduction to the Management Training (NMT), the overview of management courses, procedures for enrollment, admission and financial requirements, location and feedback options. In alignment with the recommendations of the JISC guidelines, it is acknowledged that the search options of the website must be comprehensive. This would allow the user to navigate the website in accordance with his/her unique requirement by stating the number of search results and providing an option to search by relevance and by date to provide the information or content which is needed and expected. 4. Recommendations The phases which precede the launch of the website should ideally be based on a set of systematic guidelines to ensure the maximization of positive outcomes. This notion postulates that while, conformance of web usability standards is a critical component of web based projects, it is necessary to evaluate the scenario that is associated with webhosting and the maintenance of the service. Thus, Management Training (NMT) seeks cost-effective webhosting and maintenance solutions which can prove to be feasible for the organization in the long-run. The report proposes that the management should invest the minimum amount for obtaining webhosting services at this point because 1) the website is new 2) the daily expected visitors are expected to range from 100 to 1000. In addition with the benefits of obtaining cost-efficiency the added advantage of selecting a basic webhosting solution is that the company can choose to upgrade in accordance to the increase in traffic. Another recommendation is that before a webhosting plan is selected the bandwidth and storage space requirements must be determined to aid the selection of the most suitable option. Accordingly, any change in bandwidth requirement must coincide with modifications to the layout, growth of traffic and unanticipated rise in traffic due to a number of factors. With regards to the adoption of maintenance solution, the academic nature of the website asserts that changes in certain content would have to be made on a gradual basis to accommodate potential audience. Therefore, the company should consider any future costs that are expected to be incurred in this regard and maintain a realistic estimate. Furthermore, the report also proposes the integration of an authoring tool within the website to minimize the risks that are associated with the maintenance and update of websites. Even though, the implementation of this aspect may increase expenses for the company the benefits which are obtained in the long-run would provide an enhancement to the measures of cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Reference Bevan, N. (2005). Guidelines and standards for web usability. HCI International. Read More