Travel agency website - Essay Example

Travel Agency Website Introduction Man by nature travels from one place to another. This is evidenced by the annual volume of the inbound and outbound travellers here and abroad. Travellers usually utilize one or a combination the land, marine, and air transportation modes. They may travel on their own without the assistance of a travel agency, if they are already familiar of the place to stay in or visited. Majority of them usually employ the services of travel agencies to book various travel services needed and to get rid of preparing it themselves and end up in a costly, unorganized, and not enjoyed travel. With the advent of e-commerce technology and the use of the internet, people from all walks of life may book their travels in a traditional way or online. Online bookings need to be done interactively using a travel agency's website. The website's user interface design is very crucial in a travel agency for it replaces the traditional way of interacting with the customer. The extent of the services and care that an agency can give face to face to customers should at least be replicated or surpassed in the online version. With diverse profiles of travellers available, this study is only limited to the types of users specified on the next section. Possible Scenarios of Use In a travel agency website we could think of several scenarios of use. The following types of users are considered in this study, namely: the students, the professionals, the tourists, and the immigrants. Students profile includes local, national, international students. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels before and after the term, school year or according to their individual needs, usually they need additional services like dormitory, apartment, house accommodations, and assistance specifically suited for students of various origins. This group includes first time travellers, experienced travellers, and expert travellers as in the case of scholars who already had prior knowledge about the place to go. Professionals profile includes local, national, international professionals. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels usually in a pre-scheduled basis or in an open scheduled basis, usually they need additional services like hotel accommodations, local travel services, and other services specifically designed for professionals. This group includes the business travellers, delegates, participants, speakers, and convenors of conferences, conventions, trainings, seminars and parallel activities. This may also include government representatives to conduct official business activities in this country as well as in other countries. Tourists profile includes local, national, and international tourists. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels in a pre-scheduled basis or open scheduled basis, usually they need additional services like hotel accommodations, local travel services, and other services specifically designed for tourists. This group includes a wide and a very diverse array of travellers. Travellers classified in other groups may in one time or another are also classified or combined here. Immigrants profile includes local, national, and international immigrants. They may be inbound or outbound immigrants granted immigrant status here or in other countries. Their goals and needs are the following: booking their travels in a pre-scheduled or open basis, usually they need additional services like hotel, apartment, and house accommodations, local travel agency assistance, and other services specifically designed for accommodating inbound immigrants and helping outbound immigrants. This group also includes government diplomatic representatives and workers The PACT Components Analysis Matrix To clearly identify, determine and describe the people, activities, context, and technologies involved, the following Table 1. PACT Components Analysis Matrix is utilized in this study. Table 1: PACT Components Analysis Matrix PACT COMPONENTS ANALYSIS MATRIX PEOPLE (Ps) STUDENTS PROFESSIONALS TOURISTS IMMIGRANTS Physical Attributes: Weight Irrelevant Irrelevant Irrelevant Irrelevant Height Irrelevant Irrelevant Irrelevant Irrelevant Eyesight Relevant Relevant Relevant Relevant Psychological: Memory difference Relevant Relevant Relevant Relevant Spatial ability Relevant Relevant Relevant Relevant Way of Working Relevant Relevant Relevant Relevant Attention span Relevant Relevant Relevant Relevant Usage Difference: Who is going to use your system Students Professionals Tourists Immigrants What can you say about the potential users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Which of their attributes should be considered during the design phase Age, sex and emotional considerations Age and sex Age and sex Age, sex and emotional considerations Use of technology Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Understanding of technology Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users Varies from novice to expert users ACTIVITIES (As) STUDENTS PROFESSIONALS TOURISTS IMMIGRANTS Temporal aspects: Timing Travels every term, school year or as needed. Travels in connection with the pre-determined schedule, season or as needed. Travels in connection with the season or as needed Travels as needed. Frequency Less frequent Frequent Seasonal Least frequent Co-operation and Complexity Cooperative and can handle complexity issues Cooperative and can handle complexity issues Cooperative and can handle complexity issues Cooperative and can handle complexity issues Safety critical Safety critical Safety critical Safety critical Safety critical Content Formal and informal short-time activities Formal and short-time activities Informal and short and long time activities Formal and informal short-time activities Task and goals users want to achieve Organised and uninterrupted travel Organised and uninterrupted travel Organised and uninterrupted travel Organised and uninterrupted travel CONTEXTS (Cs): STUDENTS PROFESSIONALS TOURISTS IMMIGRANTS Physical environment School, college, university, peer oriented Business oriented Leisure oriented Temporarily disoriented due to adjustments Social environment School, college, university, peer oriented Business oriented Leisure oriented Temporarily disoriented due to adjustments Organisation structure Formal and Informal Formal Informal Formal and Informal Where the system will be used School, college, university, dormitory or apartment Office Home Home or Office Conditions the system will be used Fault-tolerant and fool proof system Fault-tolerant and fool proof system Fault-tolerant and fool proof system Fault-tolerant and fool proof system How the system will be used Checking schedules, services, booking confirmations and cancellations Checking schedules, services, booking confirmations and cancellations Checking schedules, services, booking confirmations and cancellations Checking schedules, services, booking confirmations and cancellations TECHNOLOGIES (Ts): STUDENTS PROFESSIONALS TOURISTS IMMIGRANTS Software to consider Proprietary or Open source software Proprietary or Open source software Proprietary or Open source software Proprietary or Open source software Hardware to consider: Input Keyboard and mouse Keyboard, mouse, and stylus Keyboard and mouse Keyboard and mouse Output Monitor and printer Monitor and printer Monitor and printer Monitor and printer Communication Landline phone, mobile phone, and facsimile Landline phone, mobile phone, and facsimile Landline phone, mobile phone, and facsimile Landline phone, mobile phone, and facsimile Content Intuitive, interactive and multimedia Intuitive, interactive and multimedia Intuitive, interactive and multimedia Intuitive, interactive and multimedia Cost Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Read More