C# Homework

3. Detailed Design (one section for each component)

Williams Specialty Company (WSC) e-commerce system will have some functional components that together works for the online exchange of goods and services. These components are as follows:

i. Product Information(In database)

This component carries and displays the relevant product’s (a sellable unit in ecommerce system) information. It need to show the customer as much information as possible and required about product so that they can after that make an informed purchase decision. The industry standards of information should be adhered to in this component, so as to easy comparison by the customer.

ii. Catalog Component

A catalog refers to an online version of the menu or brochure, which contain all the products and services that the business is offering. The products are arranged in categories of meaningful lists of products, e.g Media> Clothes > Shoe

iii. Search Component

This component is probably the most used feature of every ecommerce system. It basically provides the customer with easy product location on the large store of products. And rather than looking in catalogs for a product, the customer will simply search for it by typing a keyword(s) on the search box and look for the product. An efficient search functionality will often ensure that the customer gets product he is looking for and easily.

iv. Shopping Cart Component

This component offers the functionality that all the selected products by a specific customer will be displayed in shopping cart. It is responsible for applying of any offers, discount-through voucher, taxes etc.

v. User Details/ Profile management

This is an important component since the system might need to allow a user to shop without login to system. Although at times it is important and desirable to enables the users create their profile on the system, so that they don’t need to each time enter their details when making a purchase.

vi. Order management component

This system basically defines how a customer can order for a product or a service, and the way he places an order; either online, through emails, call up customer care available or go to nearby store and get the product.

vii. Payment Component

This defines the different modes of payment that a customer can use in the system; using credit cards, debit cards, cash on delivery, net banking etc. Here, a third party payment gateway can be employed to keep focus on the main business requirements.

viii. Warranty or Guarantee Management

This is for the products that might have a guarantee or warranty associated with them, which needs to be considered by the business in order to make sure that the customer is coming back.

ix. Offers Components

This component will cater for the rising need of the businesses to come up with frequent offers/ loyalty programs/discounts to boost up their sales.

i. Privacy Policies and Security Component

The business also might require collecting some information about the customer like name, location, address, sex, aging etc. This information collected from the customer needs to be kept private by this component using authorization and firewalls.

3.1 Processing Description

Williams Specialty Company (WSC) e-commerce system has various processes that corporately achieve the commerce functionality and they are as mentioned below:

i. Product Information Entrance into the database

This involves the process of collection and recording of the stock or inventory products that exist in the business. Also retrieval when the information is required.

ii. Catalog Management

This refers to the process of maintaining and updating the products catalog which is the online version of the menu or brochure.

iii. Search Process

This is the process where the customer enters the system they keys in some search string to be searched on the system then the result of the search displayed to the customer at the end of the process.

iv. Order placing process

This is the process that involves the order that the customer sends to the system admin as an indication of a purchase completed then goes to the payment process.

v. Payment/ Checkout Process

This refers to the process when the customer pays for the product and waits for shipment of the product.

3.2 Interface Description

Interface properties is the surface cues which makes the first impression on the customer created by the system. Given people’s confirmation bias, the first-time customers or visitors will unintentionally seek to approve their first impression rather than misrepresent it. The main consideration factors here are the branding and usability.

1. Branding

Emotional response is the first response when a customer accesses the system for the first time. The appeal of the system interface, in terms of its graphic design and its layout, can instantly and directly influences the acceptability and the usage of the system. Identification of company and its activity sector by the customer needs some more specific attributes of branding like use of a prominent logo and slogan. It is done in the following ways:

i. Taking advantage of the familiar brand experience: by ensuring that diverse channels all deliver same image, and Incorporate offline marketing movements into design of the web site.

ii. Create an interactive brand experience:

2. Usability

This refers to the ability of the system to support the prospective customers in the exploration of the system, the ease and efficiency with which they might access related information may affect how much they sense in control of site.

Provide easy and quick access:

· Design to work for cross-platform and having cross-browser compatibility.

· Only use plug-ins if they enhance value to content.

· Avoid the need for plug-ins and downloads on homepage.

Be customer-centric in the UI design:

· Use customers’ domain model and expectations to structure the system.

· Present information relevantly to the customer: e.g. thoroughly test localized systems.

· For greater efficiency and satisfaction, try to minimize click stream.

· Learn and anticipate customers’ preferences: e.g. personalization over time.

In the system, let the customer be in controller i.e.

· For both the novice and expert users, you should support the browsing behaviors.

· Inform customers on the steps and procedures required to achieve a transaction.

· Provide clear feedback to user actions: allow for easy error management.

· Give room for customization: e.g. content and language customization. (John Vergo, 2003)

References:

John Vergo, S. N. (2003). The human-computer interaction handbook. Hillsdale, NJ, USA: L. Erlbaum Associates Inc.