Problem Statements

BAD Designs - Surfboards manufacturers

Business background:

BAD Designs is a new business starting up. 5 friends from school started building and spraying surfboards, they made their own boards and made some for friends, a couple have been sold on ebay. They have developed a good reputation as builders and sprayers in their local market, but inquiries are now coming from the other side of town, interstate and even overseas. The current manufacturing environment is a garage/shed.

One of the founding members was the runner up in the Auzzy Grommet Surf Championship.

Just recently they have had an influx of requests for the designs of surfboards, however it is taking a long time to design the boards, and not so many have turned into orders. In addition the costs associated with printing and postage of brochures is becoming overwhelming, they seem to be sending lots out but getting very few orders.

Their reputation is spreading but the team is not well known outside their local area, they seem to spend a lot of time on the phone describing their manufacturing processes, or taking uncertain clients on factory tours.

Generally there are a lot more inquiries coming through, but only a few more orders.

'BAD Designs' cannot efficiently handle the quantity of general enquiries that are arriving on a daily basis. They need a means that enables prospective clients to self service themselves in the area of surfboard design and brochure/info distribution.

When I look at this problem statement some questions come to mind immediately.

They work in a shed and are stretched to meet inquiries and orders, how are they capable of meeting the increased orders and inquiries that might result from a well designed and promoted website?

If it takes them a long time to design boards, how will they expect non-designers to do so with a program?

How can a web designer promote a business with the name "BAD Designs"?

We are required to determine the needs of this business so I've tried to come up with some questions to ask.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To identify key stakeholders in the project.
2. To identify senior management and their involvement in the project.

- Who are the decision makers on this project? What is the turnaround time for making a decision?

3. To identify users of the system.

- Please describe your potential customers.

4. To identify areas of cost saving.
5. To identify inefficiencies in the current system.
6. To understand how things are presently done in the organisation.

- How are you currently interacting with your customers?
- What is most important to you, quality or speed?

7. To understand the processes being used in the current system.
8. To identify opportunities for the business.

- Do your competitors use somethig on their sites that you really like?
- Will you offer something that your competition doesn't?
- Have you considered taking a fresh look at your corporate identity?

9. To understand how a new system/website can help the business

- Why do you want a website?

10. To identify the problems perceived by management.

- What will happen if you don't get a website?

11. To identify what is in scope for the project.

- What is your budget for this project?

12. To identify the location of servers and routers.
13. To understand how users currently interact with the system.

- What is there about you that sets you apart for a special group of customers?

14. To identify the current hardware and software in use in the organisation.
15. To identify network topology within the organisation.
16. To gain an understanding/outline of the organisation.

- Please describe your organization in a few sentences.

17. To understand how the system should look in the future.

- What will be your future needs? What do you anticipate adding to your website?

18. To identify documents that may need to be referenced (read or reviewed) during the project.
19. To identify the people who will be involved in the project.

- What staff will be involved? What are their roles? Will there be a webmaster on your staff?

20. To understand how people enter data into the current system.
21. To collect examples of current work practices.
22. To collect samples of current forms and reports.

- Where is is the website content coming from? Who's responsible for updating it? Is it ready for use on the website?

23. To identify if all relevant information has been disclosed (asked at the end of the interview)
24. To identify the boundary of the project in terms of scope.

- Are you planning to do online sales?
- Are you set up to accept credit cards?

25. To identify what is out of scope.
26. To identify what is needed for the new system/website.

- What do you absolutely definitely want on the site?
- Is there any content that requires a database, scripting or 3rd party software?
- Do your customers have any special requirement or needs to be met by this project?

27. To identify time and scheduling constraints in the project.

- What is your deadline for completing the project?

28. To understand how people will key information into the new system.

- How much time will you be able to spend online, responding to inquiries that come in via the website?

29. To understand the wants of the organisation as a whole.
30. To understand management's preference for the new system.

- List 5 general websites that you really like?
- How would you like to communicate with your visitors? (Telephone, email, Live Chat, Blog's or discussions, Mailing list, Brochures/magazines)?

If we could continue to add questions to this list then hopefully we'll identify the 10 or so objectives that will clarify the business needs of "BAD Designs", and have our questions for the interview.

Seems I was on slightly the wrong track here with my questions as our lecturer, Tim, pointed out today.

We are not to presume that "BAD Designs" necessarily needs a website but discover instead what they really need.

So a fresh start is made in the other Forum topics.

This topic is now locked.