Page 1 Of 1itco 498 Capstone Project Guidelines V10overviewthis Docu ✓ Solved

ITCO-498 Capstone Project Guidelines V1.0 Overview This document provides information to guide your capstone work. The ITCO-498 Capstone Project is the culmination of your Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) degree program. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate many of the concepts and techniques you learned throughout your degree program. The Capstone Project’s required group work, individual work, scenario, and submission details are provided in this guidelines document. During the first week of the class, you will be formed into teams by your instructor.

Teams will need to select which project components each member will assume responsibility for. Contact your instructor if you have any questions regarding this document or the ITCO-498 Capstone Project. Capstone Project Scenario A new software company, Crostini, Inc., is in the early stages of formation and is seeking your help. You have been hired as an information technology (IT) consultant and are charged with designing and proposing a complete IT solution that includes hardware, software, networking, and security components. Crostini’s leadership team has provided the following that defines their vision requiring an IT solution.

Crostini is designing an online software service called Mince, which is a secret acronym for “Making Italian Novel Culinary Experiences.†The word is never written in all capital letters. Mince is envisioned to be an online platform for all things related to Italian cooking. Initial Functionality: • Blogs that Crostini staff will write, and users can read, follow, and comment on. • Recipes from Crostini staff with the ability to subscribe to specific chefs, print recipes, and watch videos of the chef creating the dish. • Robust eCommerce component to sell Crostini products and third-party products. • Social media component called Mince-Meet. Standard social media functionality to include: o Discussion forums o Instant messaging o Secure emails o VOIP calling between connected (friends) users • User accounts and profiles. • Content, people, and product search. • Calendar component with reminders. • Administrative and reporting tools.

Based on market research, Crostini expects Mince to house unlimited recipes, videos, and other content. The eCommerce component will have several thousand products. Crostini’s Expectations of the IT Solution • Easy to use (user perspective) • Easy to manage and configure (administrator perspective) • Available 24/7 • High performance even during peak usage times • Support thousands of simultaneous users across the globe • Security and safety are of paramount importance • Collect, store, and backup user data with tools to mine data for analytic Getting Started with the Capstone Project The "Capstone Project Guidelines" document is available in the School of Information Technology LibGuide (BSIT/ITCO-498).

Unit 1 Requirements: Planning and Systems Requirements 1. Read the Capstone Project Guidelines document in its entirety and contact your instructor with any questions. 2. Group Assignment: None in this unit. 3.

Individual Assignment: Research and analyze the stated requirements of the Capstone Project Scenario. In a 3-5-page MS Word document, address the following: · What unstated requirements are there, and what method(s) would you use to collect a more comprehensive set of requirements? · Describe all of the requirements (stated and unstated) and explain how they could be met using hardware, software, networking, and security. In other words, summarize the elements of the solution that are necessary to address the requirements. Support your proposal. Your paper should be in APA format and include a title page and references page, neither of which count towards the page length requirement.

Paper for above instructions

Introduction

The development of an online platform called Mince, which intends to serve as a comprehensive resource for Italian culinary experiences, presents a complex set of requirements that may not all be explicitly articulated. Given the outlined functional expectations from Crostini, Inc., this document aims to identify both stated and unstated requirements and present a comprehensive IT solution that encompasses hardware, software, networking, and security components necessary for successfully implementing the platform.

Stated Requirements

Crostini, Inc. has clearly delineated several requirements that the Mince platform must fulfill. These include:
1. Content Management Features:
- Blogs written by staff, with user interaction options (comments, following).
- Recipe sharing, with functionalities for subscribing, printing, and watching recipe videos.
2. ECommerce Functionality:
- Ability to sell Crostini products and products from third parties.
3. Social Media Components:
- Discussion forums, instant messaging, secure emails, and VOIP calling.
4. User Account Management:
- User profiles and account settings.
5. Search Functionality:
- Searching across content, users, and products.
6. Calendar Component:
- Features that include reminders.
7. Administrative Tools:
- Reporting and management interfaces.
8. Performance Metrics:
- Availability 24/7, high performance, capacity to manage thousands of users.
9. Data Security and Backup:
- Secure data collection, storage, and analysis capabilities.

Unstated Requirements

While the stated requirements form the foundation of the IT solution, several unstated requirements should also be considered:
1. User Experience: The interface must be intuitive and accessible across various devices.
2. Scalability: Given that the platform may evolve, it should have the ability to scale as user demand increases.
3. Localization: Features may need to account for different languages and culinary standards depending on geographical regions.
4. Integration: The platform may require integration with external services for payment processing, marketing, and potentially third-party recipe databases.
5. Accessibility: The platform should comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure access by individuals with disabilities.
6. Analytics: There will be a need for robust tracking of user activities for optimization and marketing strategies.
7. Content Moderation: Given user interaction, content moderation policies will be imperative to maintain quality and safety standards.

Methods to Collect Additional Requirements

To develop a more comprehensive picture of the requirements, several methods can be utilized, which include:
1. User Interviews: Engage potential users through interviews to gather insights about their expectations and experiences with similar platforms.
2. Surveys: Distribute surveys that target potential users, chefs, and even eCommerce customers to gather quantitative data regarding desired features.
3. Focus Groups: Conduct focus groups consisting of culinary enthusiasts, chefs, and eCommerce clients to discuss their needs and expectations regarding platforms similar to Mince.
4. Competitive Analysis: Study existing culinary and eCommerce platforms to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
5. Wireframing and Prototyping: Create initial wireframes and prototypes that users can interact with to better gauge necessary refinements and additional features.

Proposed IT Solution

Hardware

1. Servers: A robust cloud-based server solution such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to host the Mince platform, which facilitates scalability and load handling.
2. Networking Equipment: High-speed routers and switching equipment ensuring reliable connectivity. A Content Delivery Network (CDN) can help serve content swiftly to users worldwide.
3. Backup Solutions: Reliable backup systems using cloud storage for data integrity and rapid recovery solutions.

Software

1. Content Management System (CMS): A user-friendly CMS such as WordPress or Drupal to facilitate blog and recipe management.
2. ECommerce Platform: Shopify or WooCommerce, integrated with the CMS for seamless eCommerce functionality.
3. Social Media Stack: Implement third-party APIs, or develop custom modules to integrate messaging, VOIP, and secure email features.
4. User Management System: Utilize OAuth for user account management and authentication, ensuring secure login and password management.
5. Data Analytics Tools: Tools like Google Analytics and Tableau to collect user data, track user engagement, and inform improvements.

Networking

1. High-Speed Internet Connection: Ensure a strong, reliable internet connection with redundancy measures in place.
2. Firewalls and Load Balancers: Employ hardware and software firewalls to prevent unauthorized access and load balancers to distribute traffic evenly across servers.
3. VPNs: For secure, remote access by administrators and staff, implement Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Security

1. End-to-End Encryption: Implement SSL/TLS to secure data during transmission and ensure user security.
2. Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular assessments and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities.
3. Compliance with Data Protection Regulations: Ensure compatibility with GDPR and other relevant privacy frameworks to protect user data.
4. User Data Management: Employ data encryption for storage and ensure compliance with data retention policies to securely manage sensitive user data.

Conclusion

The proposed IT solution for Crostini's Mince platform encompasses a comprehensive understanding of both stated and unstated requirements. Through robust hardware, software, networking infrastructure, and stringent security measures, this proposal endeavors to create a reliable, engaging, and secure online culinary platform capable of evolving with growing user needs.

References

1. Beekman, J. (2020). Analytics for Marketing and Advertising. Wiley.
2. Cloudflare. (2023). “Content Delivery Network (CDN).” Retrieved from https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/cdn/what-is-a-content-delivery-network/
3. Google Cloud. (2023). “Google Cloud Solutions.” Retrieved from https://cloud.google.com/solutions
4. Grefen, P., & Lu, Y. (2019). E-Commerce Platforms: Analysis and Recognition. Springer.
5. Hale, J. (2021). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview. Web Accessibility Initiative.
6. Jacobsen, H. A., & Simmons, R. (2021). Social Media and Online Community Management. Academic Press.
7. Kumar, V. (2022). Customer Data Platforms: Use Cases and Implementation. Springer.
8. McNally, R. C., & Gavin, J. (2022). Unpacking E-Commerce Success Factors. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.
9. O'Reilly, T. (2020). What is Web 2.0? O'Reilly Media.
10. Pahl, C., & Womack, R. (2020). Information Systems Design for Children. Springer.