<p><strong>APPROACH<br /><br /></strong>A very important aspect of developing systems is to first take a step back and study the business/social development requirements that the client is trying to achieve through the system. Based on this study New Concept will be able to recommend the &#65533;right&#65533; system. It is most important to develop the right system because if the system is not useful and does not meet business objectives then no matter how well it has been executed it will not be effective. Therefore the first step is to do an onsite evaluation of the objectives that the client is trying to consummate through the system. Having gotten a good grasp of the high level objectives, the next step is to break these down into very specific Business (social development) Requirements in terns of input data and output indicators and then translating these into Technical Requirements.<br /><br />After understanding the needs and articulating them in Business Requirements a system model will be developed which will model out the system on paper and identify its various aspects before any software development work is undertaken. This will organize the entire software development process and make it top down. This model can later be used to easily modify and extend the system. New Concept will work with the client team to develop the system model. This will ensure we understand the system model inside out and can continue to work with it as the system evolves. <br /><br />The activity cycle is illustrated in the Figure 1 below: <img src="http://www.newconceptinfosys.com/IDBMS/assets/images/project%20Methodology.gif" alt="" /><br />Figure 1: Activity Cycle Overview<br /><br /><strong>GATHERING BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS</strong><br /><br />The NCIS team assigned to the client project will meet the decision makers in an initial meeting to envision the basic system. At this meeting the NCIS team will inform the client about the general process that will be adopted to make the system. The first step of this process if for the management to identify precisely what they would need from the system.<br /><br />It is crucial to identify the fact at the outset that this stage requires substantial work on the part of the client. In this meeting NCIS will sit with the client and help them to think through what they need and help them to systemize and organize their needs into a general framework.<br /><br />At the end of this first visioning meeting, the client should have a good but rough idea of what they would require from the system and would understand a basic sketch of the system.<br /><br />Hereafter the client would be required to do a substantial amount of work to create Report mockups for the system. The client is the expert on the type of reports that they would like the system to generate. Since the final end result of the system being developed is to provide proceesed information in the format the client would like to see it in, it is crucial for the client to be very clear about the final reports the proposed system will generate. This clarity is articulated in the form of report mockups. These are to be prepared by the client in Excel and should be precise and also include any graphs if the system is to provide them. Please note that if the client would like NC to help with the domain specific process of creating reports for the client domain, the work of domain experts needs to budgeted into the proposal separately. This proposal does not include this work.<br /><br />Once the client has provided the report mockups, NC will create a system model and generate forms that would collect the data that will logically enable the system to generate the reports that the client would like the system to generate.<br /><br />The reports should also include calculations for calculated fields. The forms, reports and calculations together will comprise the Business Requirements.<br /><br />This is a key stage in the project as it represents an intellectual version of the system of paper. The Business Requirements document when it is created implies the solution of all domains specific issues (i.e. the types of forms and reports the client would like to see and how they will be structured in the system) on paper. Thereafter NCIS will translate this document into the system.<br /><br />Client management must then provide a formal approval by email to the Business Requirements to proceed to the next stage. This formal approval is key as the changes as articulated in the business requirements document will be programmed into the system. After the approval of the business requirements document it will not be possible to make further changes to the system (except cosmetic superficial changes) New Concept is expert at building and modifying web based systems specially for the social development sector. This is our core competence. Having done many such systems we have substantial practical experience in doing this type of work. One key aspect of this process is to separate the Business Logic/Domain problems from coding/programming problems.<br /><br />The purpose of creating the Business Requirements document in a great degree of detail is to solve all the domain/business logic problems at a conceptual level on paper, before any changes to the system are undertaken. Once these changes are discussed and approved by the client, these will be translated into code by New Concept&#65533;s team of expert crack programmers. It is crucial to know at the outset that changes structural changes cannot be entertained after the Business Requirements are approved and the coding has commenced, i.e. the set of approved Business Requirements are being translated into code.<br /><br /><strong>THE PROGRAMMING PHASE</strong><br /><br />The programming phase will commence as soon as the client provides formal written approval to the Business Requirements document via email.<br /><br />New Concepts team of highly skilled trained and experienced programmers will works with New Concepts heavy weight team leaders to translate the approved business requirements into the system. This will constitute the programming phase.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM</strong><br /><br />The system can be developed in two alternative platforms. Windows/ASP.net/SQL Server or Linix/PHP/Mysql. NCIS is proficient in both platforms. The final choice of platform will be based on the organizational preferences of the client and will be determined in discussions with the web host of the client . In case the client goes with the windows platform there is a cost to purchase SQL server assuming that the client doesn&#65533;t already own a licensed version. A third party graphing tool will be employed which the client would have to purchase.<br /><br /><strong>PRESENTATION TO CLIENT</strong><br /><br />Upon the completion of the programming phase, New Concept will be ready to present the completed system to the client. The system will be available for the client to see online. A meeting can be held where the NC team leader will present the system to the client.<br /><br /><strong>CLIENT TESTING</strong><br /><br />During and after the presentation to the client meeting, the client will test the changes to the system comprehensively. The testing will be limited to the points listed in the Business Requirements Document. the client will provide New Concept with an excel file listing each change on a row. It is important to note that no changes other than those listed in the Business Requirements can be changed in the testing phase. They can be budgeted for separately and done separately from this financial contract if necessary. Once the client has compiled all the testing feedback in the excel file, they would send this to New Concept.<br /><br />The process of testing will be done using a Change Request File described in the previous paragraph. Requests for changes individually are difficult to entertain and make. Therefore the process that will be followed will be that the client will list all the changes (Offcourse these must be within the scope of work articulated in the Business Requirements) in the Change Request File. When the client has completed the testing and filled the Change Request File comprehensively, the crack programmers at NC will swiftly execute all the changes, making the system fully tested and almost ready to be deployed.<br /><br />NC would incorporate the testing changes and fix any bugs discovered as listed in the excel file containing testing feedback as provided by the client. They would upload these changes and the client would be able to see them online. Upon the completion of the changes listed in the testing excel file (assuming they are all non structural and within the scope of work as detailed in the business requirements) the programming phase of the project will be over.<br /><br /><strong>DEPLOYMENT</strong><br /><br />The fully tested code approved by the client will be deployed on the decided upon web hosting platform. Thereafter the system will be available to the world.<br /><br /><strong>USER TESTING:</strong><br /><br />Upon deployment users will test the system. At this stage if any bugs are found by the users (New feature requests by users are not bugs and if any of these are requested a separate proposal will be provided for these and these will not be in the scope of this contract) these bugs will be fixed by the programmes.<br /><br /><strong>USER GUIDE AND TRAINING </strong><br /><br />A Concise User Guide will be prepared and a soft copy will be provided to the client. This will be made to introduce the features of the system to new users who would be able to refer to it to get going with the system. <br /><br />A one day training session will be provided to key users. If this is within Delhi there will be no additional costs, if outside Delhi the client must bear all associated costs of board and lodging. <br /><br /><strong>HAND HOLDING SUPPORT</strong><br /><br />At this stage after testing by NC, the client and users it is not envisioned that any further support will be necessary. NC prides itself on building software of the highest quality. However should the client need any further support this will be provided over email or the phone for a period of 1 months after deployment. If there are any bugs that are discovered in the system these will be fixed. The bugs include errors in the system not system restructuring or new development. Further if the client needs any help with the system in this time NCIS will be a phone call or email away. <br /><br /><strong>DESIGN METHODOLOGY</strong><br /><br /><strong>ENVISIONING THE WEBSITE:</strong><br /><br />The first phase of the project is to write a narrative vision statement for the web site. At NC we lay great emphasis on this phase of web site development. It is most important to design a web site in accordance with a well thought out plan. Adopting a bottom up approach to a design is easier, but cannot result in the development of a sophisticated web site. A bottom up approach results in a suboptimal system with stand alone modules, non-standard design elements, and disjointed pieces of code. It is most important to have the web site envisioned and designed on paper as many design and architecture issues are addressed at this stage.<br /><br />The narrative vision will think through the graphic design, navigation and flow of the web site. It will also analyze the architecture of the information systems underlying the web site to recommend an optimal web site structure that is intelligent, user friendly and intuitive to use. <br /><br />A narrative vision will address following issues:<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;a)&nbsp; Site Map and architecture<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;b)&nbsp; Navigation and flow<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;c)&nbsp; Graphic Design options suggesting the look and feel of the site<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;d)&nbsp; Analysis thinking through the design issues and reasoning to support design and architectural choices.<br /><br /><strong>GRAPHIC DESIGN:</strong><br /><br />Graphic design will include the following:<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a)&nbsp; Creating and modifying visual options. In case the client has a brand book or brand color or look and feel guidelines, this along with the creative ideas discussed in the brainstorming meetings, will be used to create several design options. These will be presented to the team at the client. Based upon mutual discussions these will be modified to arrive at the final visual appearance of the web site. Two initial brain storming meetings are budgeted.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b)&nbsp; Graphic design will address layout, colors (based upon brand book/guidelines), flow and navigation, graphics. <br /><br /><strong>EVOLUTIONARY DESIGN:</strong><br /><br />The fundamental design issues will be addressed by the one time design process including the Narrative Design Document and the one time graphic design that will proceed in accordance to it. Thereafter, an evolutionary approach will be taken to actually extend the overall design vision and high level design approach to all aspects of the web site. After the basic high level design issues of visual design, navigation, flow, and structure are addressed, additional design toppings including the following will be evaluated for relevance. Not all of the following add value and improve a website and after the brainstorming meetings these options will be evaluated to determine if any are relevant to the client&#65533;s needs. Please note that flash animations require substantial extra work which will be budgeted for separately in case the client decides to incorporate flash animations into their website. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a)&nbsp;Banners<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b)&nbsp;Buttons<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c)&nbsp;Images<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d)&nbsp;Flash Animations<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e)&nbsp;News Letters<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;f)&nbsp;Screen shots of work done<br /><br />In addition to the above additional incremental evolutionary design avenues will be identified in the initial one time design process.<br /><br /><strong>DESIGN PROCESS AND DELIVERABLES:</strong><br /><br />Two initial brain storming meetings are budgeted. In these meetings design ideas will be discussed and new creative ideas will be generated. The purpose of these meetings is to question the assumptions of the client, share information about the latest trends in web design, lend NC&#65533;s heavy experience in design and web development to the client to explore previously un-thought ideas so as to expand the vision for the web site.<br /><br />The end result after these initial brainstorming meetings will be to arrive at a very precise picture of the design for the site. These ideas will then be articulated by NC into design options that will be emailed to the client. Two design options will be provided for the home page and two for the inside page templates. The client will then peruse these design options and email back suggestions for change. A third meeting can be held at this stage to review the design options. After this review meeting NC will incorporate the client feedback into the design options and email them back to the client for final approval.<br /><br />It is expected that the client will provide swift and timely approval and upon formal approval the NC team will proceed to translate the approved designs to CSS designs which are the cutting edge way to do graphic design for web sites.<br /><br />Post the approval, design changes will be difficult to do as they are to be done in CSS rather than on the design itself and will therefore be budgeted separately. It is highly recommended that the client fully finalize the design at the pre approval stage.<br /><br />Once the client has approved the design options and provided the content, these will be implemented on the web site. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>CONTENT:</strong><br /><br /><strong>Content Hierarchy:</strong><br /><br />It is most important in the new media of the internet, to be able to prioritize content. This is because; web users have a very limited span of attention. Therefore they come to a web page and need to be hit with the most important content immediately. If the important content is buried heavily under menu and sub menu items, then it is highly unlikely that the target audience will ever get to see it. Hence the crucial role of content hierarchy.<br /><br />The client is responsible for providing NC with a word document that contains the hierarchy of content. This is created by prioritizing the content of the organization with the most important key words listed first and then sub content areas listed below them, followed by sub areas and so on. This will be translated into the Menu system on the web site. This process will result in the client thinking about the positioning of their organization and thinking through how the content on the web site is to be presented. The end result of this process is a word document that contains this hierarchy of content which the client must supply to NC, which NC will use to create the menu systems.<br /><br />Thereafter the client must also provide the actual content of the pages that will appear when a user clicks on a menu item. Should the client require content development services including content development or proof reading, these must be budgeted for separately. <br /><br /><strong>Types of Content:</strong><br /><br />Two types of textual content should be included on the web site: <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a)&nbsp;Static Content: Web sites generally contain some static content. These include pages of information that are not subject to rapid change. Examples of these are the Contact Us, About Us, Resumes and such pages. The way these are generally approached is that the client provides the edited and proof read content. This content is integrated by NC in the also provided Content Hierarchy (As described in the prior section)<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b)&nbsp;Dynamic Content: Often times it so happens that the client&#65533;s content is not really static and is subject to change quite often. In this case static content is not really feasible because once the content changes, the web pages will become obsolete. In this case there are several possibilities for dynamic content. These include the provision of database driven dynamic content or the use of a Content Management System. The relevance of these is to be determined after the initial brain storming meetings. In case any custom development or CMS integration is required cost estimates will be provided as a separate line item in this proposal. <br /></p>