TSI6223 System Integration & Architecture Project 2 (40%)

Assignment Overview

Students at Multimedia University who are taking the System Integration and Architecture module have to work on a group project. The project is about making a college library management application.

The project wants students to use things like system integration concepts, requirements engineering, UML modelling, interface prototyping and cost-benefit analysis techniques in a situation.

This project is worth 40% of the module assessment.

Project Guidelines

• Students have to work in groups of up to four members.
• The report should be:
• spaced
• Written using Calibri font size 11
• Properly formatted and neatly organised
• A front cover page must be included according to the lecturer’s appendix format.
• All sections listed in the table of contents must be completed.
• Students can use tools like:
• Proto.io
• Figma
• Adobe XD to design prototype interfaces
• Students can use tools like:
• Draw.io
• Lucidchart
• StarUML to create UML diagrams

Project Scenario

College ABQ wants to make the student learning experience better by introducing a library application for students and staff members. Now the college library does not use any computerized system for managing library activities.

The development team has to analyse, design and propose the library management application.

Core Features of the Proposed Library Application

The system should support things like:

• Searching books within the library database
• Viewing book information
• Borrowing or checking out books
• Returning borrowed books
• Checking student information such as fees
• Managing library records digitally

Students can also suggest features to make the library experience better.

Suggested Additional Features

• Online reservation of books
• Notification reminders for dates
• QR code-based borrowing system
• Digital library card integration
• Student activity dashboard
• Fine payment tracking
• Friendly interface

Part 1 – Interface Prototype

The development team has to create a simple interface prototype to help with requirements gathering and fact-finding discussions with the project sponsor.

Prototype Objectives

• Visualise the proposed system functionality
• Improve communication with stakeholders
• Clarify user requirements
• Demonstrate navigation flow and user experience

Recommended Screens

• Login Page
• Dashboard
• Search Book Page
• Book Details Screen
• Borrow/Return Module
• Student Information Page
• Notification Panel

Part 2 – Requirements / Specifications

After talking to the lecturer students have to prepare system requirements.

Good Requirement Characteristics

Requirements should be:

• Clear
• Consistent
• Complete
• Testable
• Unambiguous

Examples of Functional Requirements

• The system should let students search books using keywords.
• The system should update book availability after checkout.
• The system should display notifications automatically.

Examples of Non-Functional Requirements

• The application should respond within 3 seconds.
• The system should support devices.
• User data must be securely stored.

Part 3 – UML Diagrams

Students have to develop UML diagrams that clearly show the proposed library management system.

Recommended UML Diagrams

• Use Case Diagram
• Activity Diagram
• Sequence Diagram
• Class Diagram
• Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
• Deployment Diagram

The diagrams should reduce development uncertainty. Accurately describe the application workflow and structure.

Part 4 – Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA)

The development team has to see if the proposed application is financially beneficial and practical for the college.

4.1 Estimate the Project Size

Students should estimate:

• Development duration
• Team effort
• Number of modules
• Required technologies
• Expected maintenance workload

4.2 List of Costs

Possible costs may include:

• Software development expenses
• Hosting/server costs
• Maintenance and upgrades
• Staff training
• Database setup
• Security implementation
• UI/UX design tools

Each cost estimation should have a justification.

4.3 List of Benefits

Possible benefits may include:

• Faster library operations
• Reduced paperwork
• Improved student experience
• Book tracking
• Increased staff efficiency
• Reduced manual errors

All benefits should be realistic and measurable.

4.4 CBA Table and Financial Analysis

Students should prepare a CBA table including:

• Net Present Value (NPV)
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Payback Period Analysis

All calculations should have explanations and assumptions.

Report Structure

The report should include the sections:

• Integrity Pledge
• Task Breakdown
• Interface Prototype
• Requirements / Specifications
• UML Diagrams
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Project Size
• Cost Estimation
• Benefit Estimation
• NPV, ROI & Payback Analysis

Tips for Scoring Higher Marks

• Use professional formatting and consistent design
• Add labelled screenshots for prototypes
• Ensure UML diagrams are detailed and accurate
• Provide realistic cost estimations with calculations
• Explain all assumptions clearly
• Use proper academic references and citations
• Prepare for presentation questions, as a group