PROPOSAL WRITING

The following is a brief explanation on how you can write a proposal.

A proposal is the first three chapters of the project

Before you start writing, you should keep in mind that Proposals are written in future tense.

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. 0 PREAMBLE

This is the introduction of your project. The reader must clearly understand what your topic is all about. The following should be included in the preamble

• Case study of your project
• Discuss on 1 global system that you might use as one of the existing system in chapter 2
• Address the current manual process that needs automation
• Minimum of 2 citations (use APA format of citation) follow the link on how you can use APA format of citation https://jamila.design.blog/2020/02/25/apa-format-of-citation-and-referencing/

The preamble should be a half or one page.

1.1 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

1.1.1 Background of the problem

The main purpose of developing a system is for that system to solve a problem that a given case study is facing or experiencing. Here the researcher should give an overall background of the main problem in regards to the current system (the manual process). The researcher should identify the problem using a data collection tool either questionnaire, interviews so that it should not seem the researcher just assumed that there was a problem but a study was conducted.

1.1.2 Problem statement

After the researcher has identified the main problem, other smaller problems can arise from the main problem.

For example, in a hospital a researcher has analyzed the current manual process of patient card retrieval, whereby the receptionist has to manually look for the patient card based on a name or a number. This process is time consuming and the space for storing the cards is limited. So from the main problem of the patient data other problems arise like the space, queue, loss of records etc.

Therefor the other problems that arise from the main problem should be discussed. There should be at least five problems to be discussed on so that a system can be developed to solve those problems.

1.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVE

Project objectives are categorized into 2

1.2.1 General objective

This is the main purpose of doing a research and how the problems identified are going to be solved.

1.2.2 Specific objectives

These are specific steps that a researcher has to conduct in order to archive the general objective.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS  

These are questions that a researcher should ask on how they are going to achieve their specific objectives.

1.4 PROJECT SCOPE

1.4.1 Scope

The scope of the study is the case study in which the researcher will use to collect data and implement the system.

For example if am doing a research to automate the manual process of mvita clinic, Mvita clinic will be my case study and in the scope you will have to discuss on mvita clinic.

Here you will have to outline the departments that exist in that organization and narrow down the scope to a specific department in which the system will be integrated. So if I will want to automate the patient card system at mvita clinic the department which will use that system is the reception.

1.4.2 Target User

After you have identified a case study and the department in which the system can be implemented, now the researcher should clearly elaborate who will use that system. Those people who are going to use the system are the target user.

Be very careful on stating the users since you are going to use them on chapter 3 to design the system.

For example on mvita clinic, the users of the system are the receptionist and doctor.

After you have analyzed the exact users of the system. Explain the roles of each user towards the system.  i.e the receptionist will register new patients, new doctor, search for existing patients create a patient profile so that the doctor can note down the patient’s symptoms and logout. On the other side the doctor will login, view patient, prescribe and logout.

1.4.3 Specific Platform

On specific platform here the researcher has to state the tools that they are going to use in order to develop the system. The tools are categorized into hardware and software requirement.

On hardware requirement you will have to outline the hardware that is needed to support and build the system such as PC, laptop, windows, processor speed e.t.c.

On software requirement the researcher should elaborate the tools they are going to use in order to build the system, here the tools may vary on the platform the system will run. Depending on the user requirement the researcher has to analyze whether the system is a web based application, mobile application, or a desktop application, therefore the tools and languages used may vary on platform that the system developed will run.

1.5 CONSTRAINTS

 At this part the researcher has to discuss the limitations experienced while conducting the research. Other than the ones stated on the guideline you can add time the researcher has to conduct the research, learning new programming languages might be a bit challenging, limited resources among others.

1.6 PROJECT STAGES

Here the researcher has to show using a diagram the time taken to conduct both the proposal and project. They can use tables or Gantt chat to elaborate that and give an explanation on that don’t forget to label the chart and move it to appendices.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

This part should elaborate the advantages of doing the research towards solving the problems stated in the problem domain. If you have stated four problem statements you will have to discuss on how significance the project is to the target users. You can use bullets to space between each significance.

1.8 SUMMARY

This should be a summary of your chapter 1, here you can add the following in a paragraph

• Title of the project
• Main problem
• General objective
• Tools that you will use to develop the system
• Case study and target users

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Here introduce your topic and explain why you are conducting literature in line with your topic. Literature review is reviewing what other authors/researchers have done in a given area. Add citations on this as well.

2.2 THEORETICAL REVIEW

At this part add existing theories with APA citations in line with the title. Discuss systems features and functionalities related to your topic. Search for articles using https://scholar.google.com/

Theoretical review can be a maximum of one page. Use current citations not exceeding 10 years from now.

2.3 SYSTEM REVIEW

2.3.1 Existing Products

The main purpose of reviewing the existing system is to get an insight on how systems are working related to your topic. You should list at least three existing systems with screenshots and label them according to chapters and add a link to the existing system.

2.3.2 Advantages

Analyze advantages of each system, this is how you can analyze existing system

• Open tabs to all existing systems.
• Analyze the features and functionalities that have been implemented on those systems.
• Check on the user interface, how appealing they are, how links and buttons are connecting.
• Look at the platform, some systems exist in different platform i.e mobile, desktop e.t.c.

All the advantages should be explained in detail.

You can have 3-4 advantages

2.3.3 Disadvantages

Analyze the limitations of each existing system, this is how you can do it.

• Open tabs to all existing systems.
• Check on the features, interface, design and platform if one existing system has a specific function and the other one is missing you can discuss it as a disadvantage.

All disadvantages should be discussed in detail,

You can have 3-4 disadvantages.

This is how you can write it on your document: name of the existing system, overview of the system a screenshot, label the screenshot according to chapter, give a link to the existing system, after you have given all that you can now analyze the advantage and the disadvantage of each system.

2.4 SYSTEM CRITIQUE

For this part the researcher has to identify a gap between the existing system discussed above, by identifying a gap the researcher discusses on the limitations of the existing system and what they are missing.

2.5 SYSTEM ADAPTATION

Here the researcher has a clear vision on how his/her system will be working after reviewing the existing systems. Discuss all the modules that will be integrated in your system and discuss each feature in details.

CHAPTER 3

ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Give an explanation as to why you are doing analysis and design in relation to the title of your project. Outline the advantage of doing analysis and design of the system you will develop.

3.2 DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

Here the researcher has to identify a specific methodology that he will use to develop his system, there are several methodologies that the researcher can apply in his/her research the following are types of methodologies that a researcher can use.

• extreme programming,
• agile software development
• rapid prototyping
• unified software process

After the researcher has identified a specific methodology justify why you will use that methodology. Using a diagram discuss on how you will archive your objectives using the methodology used.

3.3 REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION

This part is related to the system adaptation the researcher will have to explain in detail each of the features or functions that the user has agreed to include as part of the system or the purposed features or functions to be included in the system.

3.4 LOGICAL DESIGN

Here the researcher will have to come up with different structures on how the system being developed should be designed. The diagrams below will be needed in the proposal to show how the system is working. For more information on how to create the diagrams click on the link https://jamila.design.blog/category/object-oriented-analysis-and-design/

3.4.1 ACTIVITY DIAGRAM

Specify and create details flow chart and also specific flow chart for all the functions and features. Provide a list of diagrams based on functions or modules. List of diagrams needed:

a. Activity Diagram (Business process flow – Details flow chart)

b. Use Case Diagram (Interaction between system and user / capture business scenario)

c. Package Diagram (How the classes are organized into package (related with d. item and interdependencies of those packages)

d. Class Diagram (Physical/system design phase and a class diagram can be translated to an ERD)

e. Sequence Diagram (Interactions between objects)

3.4.2 DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

Specify and create data flow diagram level 0 and level 1 based on features, functions and data flow of your system. This would include the input and output of the data. Provides a list of diagram based on functions or modules.

3.5 DATABASE DESIGN

Specify the overall entity relationship diagram (ERD) for database tables that are required for the system. Provide every table with a list of attributes and data type.

3.6 INTERFACE DESIGN

Provide the details navigation or page flow of your system starting from login until the user signs out. You can use a flowchart to show the interface design