Developing a mobile applicantion for a school: Project Management
The school
mobile application project aims to revolutionize communication and resource
accessibility for students, parents, and teachers. As a software developer
overseeing this endeavor, I am responsible for creating a user-friendly
platform that facilitates secure account creation and login. Data privacy and
authentication mechanisms will be meticulously implemented to ensure user
safety as required in software project management (Gechman, 2019). The
application will feature a dedicated section to display the latest school
announcements, complete with essential details and push notifications for
crucial updates.
A comprehensive
calendar will also showcase upcoming school events and activities, enabling
users to filter information based on specific categories or dates. The
application's core feature will provide students and parents with instant
access to academic grades and attendance records, which will be visually
represented through charts, aiding in tracking academic progress. This
introduction sets the stage for the development of a cutting-edge, inclusive,
and efficient school mobile application.
Objectives
The main
objective of the school mobile application project is to enhance communication
and provide easy access to school resources for students, parents, and
teachers. As a software developer, my primary focus is to create a
user-friendly and secure platform that facilitates smooth account creation and
login processes. The application aims to ensure data privacy and user
authentication, offering a safe environment for all users, which is vital in
software development (Huang, 2023). A dedicated section will be designed to
showcase the latest school announcements, allowing users to stay informed about
important updates and events. Push notifications will be incorporated to
deliver critical information directly to users’ devices.
Moreover, the
application will feature a comprehensive calendar displaying upcoming school
events and activities, with filtering options to streamline information
retrieval. The application will provide instant access to academic grades and
attendance records for students and parents, presented through visualizations
to help track academic progress over time. By achieving these objectives, the
school mobile application aims to streamline communication, increase
engagement, and foster a more connected school community.
Work
breakdown structure (WBS)
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of a project into smaller, manageable components. It organizes the project’s scope, tasks, and deliverables in a tree-like structure (Carstens & Richardson, 2019).
List
of the specific activities that need to be performed to accomplish the project
objective
A comprehensive
list of specific activities must be undertaken to develop a school mobile
application that enhances communication and provides easy access to school
resources for students, parents, and teachers. As the software developer, my
team and I will begin by conducting in-depth requirement-gathering sessions
with stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations. The collaboration
will enable us to design a user interface and experience that caters to their
preferences, ensuring a seamless and intuitive application.
The next
critical activity involves implementing secure user registration functionality
and collecting necessary information like names, emails, and passwords.
Simultaneously, we will establish robust user authentication mechanisms and
integrate data privacy measures to safeguard sensitive information. With these
essential foundations in place, we will design a dedicated section to display
school announcements with relevant details like titles, dates, and
descriptions.
Push
notifications will be integrated into the application to ensure users receive
timely updates and crucial information from the school. Additionally, we will
develop a visually appealing calendar featuring upcoming school events and
activities, complete with details such as titles, dates, times, locations, and
descriptions. To further enhance user experience, we will implement filtering
options for announcements and events based on specific categories or dates.
Furthermore, the
academic interface will be carefully designed to grant students and parents
access to their grades and attendance records. Visualizations in the form of
charts or graphs will illustrate academic progress over time, aiding users in
tracking their performance effectively. We will conduct extensive testing and
debugging throughout the development process to ensure the application
functions flawlessly. Once all aspects have been thoroughly assessed, the
application will be deployed on the chosen platform(s) and launched
successfully.
User training
and support will also be provided to the end users to ensure a smooth
onboarding experience, empowering users to make the most of the application's
features. By diligently executing these specific activities, the school mobile
application will fulfill its primary objective of fostering effective
communication and easy access to essential resources in school, ultimately
creating a more connected and engaged school community.
Network
diagram that shows the sequence and dependent relationships of all the
activities
A network
diagram is a graphical representation of project activities and their
dependencies. It illustrates the sequence in which activities must be completed
and the relationship between the tasks (Muhammad et al., 2022).
Duration
for each activity crucial for effective project planning and resource
allocation
Estimating the
duration of each activity is crucial for effective project planning and
resource allocation. However, it is essential to note that accurate duration
estimates heavily depend on various factors, including team expertise,
available resources, and potential risks. Here are two points outlining the
estimated durations for the critical activities involved in developing the school
mobile application:
User
Interface and User Experience Design:
Estimated
Duration: 3 weeks
Developing a
user-friendly and visually appealing user interface (UI) and user experience
(UX) design is critical in the application development process. This phase
involves designers, developers, and stakeholders collaborating to create an
intuitive layout and seamless navigation flow (Huang, 2023). The estimated
duration of 3 weeks accounts for the time required for multiple design
iterations, feedback gathering, and revisions to ensure that the final UI/UX
meets the project’s objectives and user expectations.
Testing
and Debugging:
Estimated
Duration: 2 weeks
Testing and
debugging are integral steps in the development process to identify and rectify
any issues or errors in the application. This activity includes functional
testing, usability testing, performance testing, and security testing. The
estimated duration of 2 weeks allows for comprehensive testing coverage and the
resolution of potential bugs or glitches. It also accounts for additional time
to address any unforeseen challenges that may arise during the testing phase.
Calculate
the ES, EF, LS, and LF times and SL for each activity
Calculations
for each activity
1.
UI/UX Design – Duration: 2 weeks (Start
of the project)
2.
User Registration Functionality –
Duration: 3 weeks (Depends on UI/UX Design)
3.
User Authentication and Data Privacy –
Duration: 2 weeks (Depends on UI/UX Design)
4.
Announcement Display Design – Duration:
4 weeks (Depends on User Registration Functionality)
5.
Push Notification Integration –
Duration: 2 weeks (Depends on User Authentication and Data Privacy)
6.
School Events Calendar Design –
Duration: 3 weeks (Depends on User Authentication and Data Privacy)
7.
Event Database Development – Duration: 1
week (Depends on Push Notification Integration)
8.
Academic Interface Design – Duration: 2
weeks (Depends on School Events Calendar Design)
9.
Data Visualization Development –
Duration: 2 weeks (Depends on School Events Calendar Design)
10.
Testing and Debugging – Duration: 3
weeks (Depends on Event Database Development, Data Visualization Development)
11.
Deployment and Launch – Duration: 1 week
(Depends on Testing and Debugging)
12.
User Training and Support – Duration: 2
weeks (Depends on Testing and Debugging)
ES,
EF, LS, and LF times and SL calculations for each activity
Note;
what ES, EF, LS, LF, and SL stand for:
1. ES (Early
Start): The earliest possible start time for an activity, assuming all
preceding activities have been completed. It represents the earliest point in time
when an activity can begin.
2. EF (Early
Finish): The earliest possible finish time for an activity. It is calculated by
adding the activity’s duration to its ES.
3. LS (Late
Start): The latest possible start time for an activity without delaying the project’s
overall duration. It is calculated by subtracting the activity’s duration from
its LF.
4. LF (Late
Finish): The latest possible finish time for an activity without delaying the
project’s overall duration. It represents the latest point in time when an
activity can be completed.
5. SL (Slack or
Float): The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the
project’s overall duration. It is calculated as the difference between LS and
ES or LF and EF.
Calculations
UI/UX
Design:
ES = 0 (Start of
the project)
EF = ES +
Duration = 0 + 2 = 2 weeks
LS = 0 (Since it
is the start of the project)
LF = LS +
Duration = 0 + 2 = 2 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 2
– 2 = 0 weeks
User
Registration Functionality:
ES = 2 (End of
UI/UX Design)
EF = ES +
Duration = 2 + 3 = 5 weeks
LS = 2 (End of
UI/UX Design)
LF = LS +
Duration = 2 + 3 = 5 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 5
– 5 = 0 weeks
User
Authentication and Data Privacy:
ES = 2 (End of
UI/UX Design)
EF = ES +
Duration = 2 + 2 = 4 weeks
LS = 2 (End of
UI/UX Design)
LF = LS +
Duration = 2 + 2 = 4 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 4
– 4 = 0 weeks
Announcement
Display Design:
ES = 5 (End of
User Registration Functionality)
EF = ES +
Duration = 5 + 4 = 9 weeks
LS = 5 (End of
User Registration Functionality)
LF = LS +
Duration = 5 + 4 = 9 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 9
– 9 = 0 weeks
Push
Notification Integration:
ES = 4 (End of
User Authentication and Data Privacy)
EF = ES +
Duration = 4 + 2 = 6 weeks
LS = 4 (End of
User Authentication and Data Privacy)
LF = LS +
Duration = 4 + 2 = 6 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 6
– 6 = 0 weeks
School
Events Calendar Design:
ES = 4 (End of
User Authentication and Data Privacy)
EF = ES +
Duration = 4 + 3 = 7 weeks
LS = 4 (End of
User Authentication and Data Privacy)
LF = LS +
Duration = 4 + 3 = 7 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 7
– 7 = 0 weeks
Event
Database Development:
ES = 6 (End of
Push Notification Integration)
EF = ES +
Duration = 6 + 1 = 7 weeks
LS = 6 (End of
Push Notification Integration)
LF = LS +
Duration = 6 + 1 = 7 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 7
– 7 = 0 weeks
Academic
Interface Design:
ES = 7 (End of
School Events Calendar Design)
EF = ES +
Duration = 7 + 2 = 9 weeks
LS = 7 (End of
School Events Calendar Design)
LF = LS +
Duration = 7 + 2 = 9 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 9
– 9 = 0 weeks
Data
Visualization Development:
ES = 7 (End of
School Events Calendar Design)
EF = ES +
Duration = 7 + 2 = 9 weeks
LS = 7 (End of
School Events Calendar Design)
LF = LS +
Duration = 7 + 2 = 9 weeks
SL = LF – EF = 9
– 9 = 0 weeks
If an activity
has a positive slack value, it means there is some flexibility and can be
delayed without impacting the project's critical path. However, if an activity
has zero or negative slack, it is on the critical path, and any delay in this
activity will delay the entire project.
Critical
path
The critical
path in a project is the most extended sequence of dependent activities that
determines the minimum time required for the project's completion. It is the
path with zero slack, meaning that any delay in any activity on this path will
directly delay the project's overall duration. According to Jones (2021),
identifying the critical path is crucial for project managers as it helps
prioritize activities that must be completed on time to ensure the project’s
timely delivery (Jones, 2021).
The critical
path includes the following activities:
1.
UI/UX Design
2.
User Registration Functionality
3.
User Authentication and Data Privacy
4.
Announcement Display Design
5.
Push Notification Integration
6.
School Events Calendar Design
7.
Event Database Development
8.
Academic Interface Design
9.
Data Visualization Development
10.
Testing and Debugging
11.
Deployment and Launch
Conclusion
The paper has
presented the stages for developing and managing the project of creating a
user-friendly school mobile application. The project is focused on developing a
mobile application to enhance communication and accessibility for students,
parents, and teachers. It also aims to improve the collaboration between the
students, teachers, and parents in school. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
was presented to provide a detailed breakdown of tasks. A Network Diagram was
also presented to show the activity dependencies and the critical path. The
project can be successful by fostering innovation, adhering to guidelines, and
avoiding plagiarism. Clear visuals and individual effort contribute to
effective planning and resource allocation. Lessons learned are vital for
future improvement. With teamwork and adherence to timelines, the project can
achieve its objective of delivering a user-friendly application for the school
community, enhancing educational experiences and communication.
References
Carstens,
D. S., & Richardson, G. L. (2019). Developing the work breakdown structure
(WBS). Project Management Tools and Techniques, 63–88.
https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429263163-8
Gechman,
M. (2019). Software project management introduction. Project Management of
Large Software-Intensive Systems, pp. 3–22.
https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429027932-1
Huang,
C.-J. (2023). Effects of design thinking on Learning user experience and user
interface design. Usability and User Experience.
https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003198
Jones, C. (2021). Challenges of Software Project Management. Software Development Patterns and Antipatterns, pp. 3–45. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003193128-2
Muhammad Sadis Isa, Bilkisu Maijamaa, & Babagana Modu. (2022). Investigating construction activity using network analysis like the Critical Path Method (CMP). Lloyd Business Review, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.56595/lbr.v1i1.3
