Client Needs Analysis

Posted: September 5th, 2013

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Client Needs Analysis

1. Introduction

Currently, learning goes on everyday and everywhere. However, the formal learning is evaluated through examination. Examinations require a lot of work, starting from issuing of the examination, marking and compiling results for the students. With the increase in number of students and amount of work going up, this becomes quite hard. However, with the advancement of information technology, examination can be done online and results marked immediately to produce the score as soon as possible. Therefore, examinations being part of the learning process where normally students sit for them in classes, with information technology they can be taken from anywhere, and instead of waiting for long before results are out, they can also be gotten immediately after examination is done. Thus, it shortens the time it takes to take an exam and get results.

However, to do this, it requires a strong software and program to support the whole process. The testing system should be in a position to: maintain a stock of multiple choice questions as well as answers, identify students’ details, and randomly generate tests on any subject area. The system should also be in a position to take answers from the students to the tests issued and store them as well as mark the results and generate reports while it notifies students of their results. The system should also keep all record of he tests including re-sit tests and the results. The documentation of the above-described systems is as follows.

2. Documentation

The online testing system is a web-based application, which can be modified as well as customized in accordance to needs of any education institution. The software is designed to conduct tests or examinations to students from teachers without having them in examination rooms, for examinations such as admission exams, and it is time efficient. It provides a fully automated web-based tests software, online registration of students, automated creations of random questions tests, and a centralized control for the administrator.

The system works by maintaining details of each student and provides an option of editing details when necessary. Each student has a password for accessing answers sheet, results and tests. The password is stored in the database in an encrypted form (MD5 hash) and provides authentication through sessions. Students can apply for their examinations and tests through the internet. The applications are evaluated and admissions from the qualified students are sent back to them. The candidates register for the tests, and after taking them, they send them in to wait for results. The examiners issues the results after the tests are submitted, and send back the results. This is an aim to reduce costs of examinations as well as time taken for examinations, resulting in efficacy of taking examinations.

2.1. Features of the system

The system has many features considering most of the operations and applications can be customized depending on each individual institution. The features of the product or the necessities provided by the system are as listed below

1. access of the database from anywhere anytime
2. A question database built specifically for issuing tests and examinations, where the exams can be timed or un-timed. This requires one to answer questions within a specified time for the timed questions.
3. an easy to navigate exam formatted database
4. Administrators can upload questions to the database any time from anywhere
5. The database generates the examinations automatically and randomly depending on student selection
6. There is an option for editing, deleting or even re-using the tests whenever needed.
7. study materials can be uploaded by the administrator for reference by the students
8. students are in a position to view their results online through their passwords
9. it offers a discussion boars for students to discuss issues and challenges
10. Administrators are able to maintain blogs that can regularly update students on new studies as well as issues to look out. Students can post their questions on the blogs for the teachers to respond. This can also be posted to the discussion board for other students to contribute.
11. Quantitative data can be gotten from the results since compiling and deriving graphs is easier, and any trend can be noted. The graphs can be for certain purposes such as showing how many students passed in the individual assessments, number of students passing in topical tests among others.
12. It can offer an analysis through different parameters or even combine several parameters to make an analysis of students by the administrators.

2.2. Users

This system is meant for students as the biggest user and the teachers, educators, and administrators. Students use the system for taking tests that otherwise would have to be taken in class or in examination rooms. The students will need to have access to the internet and have profiles in the database through which to access the examinations. The teachers on the other hand are the ones to upload the questions and answers to the database. They also require good skills in computers and languages in order to post what students can understand. Administrators and educators can use the system in the same way. The users of this system are not required to have technical knowledge of the system since all that is required is uploading and accessing information for the teachers and students.

2.3. Environment of Operation

To make it possible to access the database from anywhere, it will require the system to run on the web, meaning users will access it using their browsers such as the Mozilla Firefox. Therefore, the system should be capable of running from any remote device of students or teachers using connection to the internet. However, this will be dependent on where the data is stored, whether in a local server, or external server. For a local server, the program will be run through a local machine that all can have access. However, for an external one, it will require using the browser. It will also be through ASP.Net, the 3.5 HTML versions together with JavaScript.

The software can run by the Pentium 4 2.4 GHz hardware, with Windows Vista, or nay other compatible Windows such as SQL server 2008 Express Edition to be used as the database system while the development environment can be the 2008 visual studio. This can be used together with an inbuilt Microsoft Internet Information Services server in the whole process.

2.4. System requirements

The interface of the external server can be designed using standard tools of the 2008 Microsoft Visual Studio Professional Edition. Macromedia Flash components contained in some interfaces could also be used, as well as message boxes where error messages can be shown. The hardware has also its requirements in order for the system to work with ease as listed below.

1. there has to be a CPU, Central Processing Unit contained in a personal computer or a laptop, which is internal.
2. A monitor for the CPU has to be present to show the information gotten by the computer.
3. There has to be a keyboard and a mouse used for entering data and highlighting specific places on the monitor to issue commands to the computer.
4. A printer could also be needed in case one needed to keep record of their results. Any printer as long as it is compatible with the computer in use it is okay.

The other requirements are the software ones, which include the Microsoft Windows software, which could either be he 95, 98, XP Vista, and all the OS Microsoft windows. The system is compatible with most of the Microsoft software programs. The other software requirement is the ASP.Net. In addition, for the system, to work it requires some communication software, which can be the World Wide Web browsers, such as the Mozilla, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera among others that are available. In addition to this, SMTP server and LAN Connection is required

There are some non-functional requirements for the system that are designed to ensure quality and efficiency among the users. One of them is the performance requirement that requires the system to be capable of allowing access to its users, and synchronizing each user’s information with the database. Other requirements include security, where the system is supposed to ensure that only those with access can have access to the database, and no students can access the results of another student.