Analysis of Research/Survey Conducted

This survey was carried out with the purpose of fully analyzing the popular and best
existing systems out there, taking into consideration their features, limitations, user
requirements and how to improve on these limitations and better satisfy customer desires in
regards to the system.
Most of the existing systems give priority to users to be able to meet online and
check on the days they are available. Systems like doodle allows the user to create events
invite participants and confirm meeting date and time.
The tools (systems) commonly used to schedule meetings as well as reserve facilities
can be categorized under two levels:
Traditional meeting schedulers: such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and
Desktop Calendar

Business meeting schedulers: the common ones in the market are Doodle,
Tungle, ScheduleOnce, TimeBridge, Smartsheet and Meeting Wizard.
There are of course, strength as well as weaknesses of these above mentioned
schedulers and we analyze them according to their levels traditional and business. Below
are the detailed explanation of what each does and how they perform their jobs.

1. Google Calendar
Google calendar is something most of us use on a daily basis and as the days
progress, Google adds more and more features to make this a powerful organizing
tool. Google calendar provides different views by which users can view the calendar
by day, week, month or a view that just displays the next four days. Or if the users
to choose an agenda view, such a user can see all scheduled events as a list rather
than as a calendar view.
How Google works is that it provides users with a simple click-and-drag
interface with which users can schedule appointments or events by entering its
respective details. One cool feature about Google calendar is that has a search
function that enables one to search for event not only in your calendar, but in Google
system as a whole. Say if a user is preparing for an upcoming event, he can search
for it on Google and when found, Google automatically synchronizes this event with
users own calendar. Reminders are set to pop-up for events on your browser and
one can easily attach a Google document to an event.

2. Microsoft Outlook
This is as the name implies, off the Microsoft office shelf. Although often used
as an email application, it offers features such as Calendar, task manager, contact
manager, note taking, journal, web browsing. It is some peoples personal
information manager. One can change calendar views, creates an HTML
representation of ones calendar using calendar snapshots so information can be
shared with everyone. Email messages as well as reminders can be set to send
automatically as text messages to a mobile phone using Outlook sms service
provider.

3. Desktop Calendar
This is virtually not new to anyone who uses a computer. It is simply one cool
calendar application placed on your windows desktop that helps one to manage
appointments, to-do lists, schedules etc. There are so many different types of desktop
calendars out for download, most of which are free. One can easily mark up dates as well as
check the dates of meetings/events, birthdays, anniversaries and what have you and make
notes for upcoming event. Some give notifications well in advance so theyll never forget a
special day. This however, is more suitable for personal events reminders not for scheduling
a meeting.

4. Doodle
Doodle is the commonest business tool available in the market. It works in three 2
simple ways:
1. Create a poll
2. Invite participants
3. Confirm date and time

In October 2011, Doodle was able to pride itself to having hit the 10million user
mark, with over 2 million users from the United States. It supports mobile use which
enables you to use it on the go. One can respond to meeting polls, create polls and see all
pools at a glance. It uses a connector called iCal that enables Mac users to synchronize their
calendar on their Mac OS with Doodle. The best part about Doodle is; No download is
needed and Doodle is free!

5. Tungle.me
Tungle.me cuts across time zones or problems of finding the right time to
meet, hence making scheduling meetings possible.
How Tungle.me works is that you:
1. Register for an account
2. Set the available times youre free during the week and share your
Tungle.me page with your contacts on Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn etc. So even while you are asleep, one can simply follow the
link to your Tungle.me page, book an appointment/meeting with you
on your free days according to your schedule and then you can
respond to it when you awake from sleep.
3. Invitees do not necessarily have to create an account with Tungle.me
first before they can book to meet with you.

It makes it possible for users to create and send private meeting, manage
meetings, view own calendar and share with others.

6. ScheduleOnce
Simply put, ScheduleOnce is a service to Google Calendar, making it easier
for others to schedule time with you. It synchronizes with you Google calendar,
adding more scheduling power to it by offering individuals and businesses services
that helps them to quickly find a unanimous meeting time.
All thats needed to be done is:
Sign onto your Google account or even Facebook ID. Registration is not
required for invitees and/or organizers.
You tell when youre available and how people can schedule with you.
People who wish to schedule a meeting with you follows the link your profile
which you can share on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn etc - to see when youre
available as proposed by ScheduleOnce, disregarding roadblocks such as time zones
and systems.


7. TimeBridge
Timebridge is a web-based software application that makes it incredibly efficient to
schedule, hold and follow up meetings online. This is suitable for companies or businesses
that hold meetings whereby participants are separated by local as well as international time
zones. In September 2009, it released an iPhone app that made all these meeting
functionalities possible from a mobile, making meetings to be on-the-go.
How it works is that:
1. It proposes 5 times that work best for you
2. It lets the attendees specify which times they prefer
3. Then TimeBridge coordinates everyones calendar chooses the
best time for everyone to meet that is suitable for everyone.
4. Timebridge rounds up late comers on your behalf and ensures it
sends automated email and SMS reminders to participants well before
the meeting date.

Smartsheet
Smartsheet is something like your Gantt chart only that it makes it easier to
set up your project, share it online and get real-time updates from team members. It
is an online project management tool basically efficient in managing and tracking
your project work. In March 2011, an iPad version was released to make project
management to be on-the-go.

8. Meeting Wizard
This strives to eliminate the need for phone and email tag. Meeting Wizard is a free
online tool that saves time, money, and eliminates hassle.
It works in five (5) easy steps:
1. Sign up for an account if youre a new user
2. Propose time for meeting
3. Notify participants via email of proposed meeting dates
4. Review responses
5. Confirm a time.
A tabular comparison of the features offered by all the above mentioned meeting
schedulers is shown below:
Scheduler U
ser-
friendly
?
Sends
email
notification?
Send
s sms
notification?
B
ook
facilities?
Confi
rm
attendance
online?
U
pload/
view
files
Google Calendar
Microsoft Outlook
Desktop Calendar
Doodle
Tungle.me
ScheduleOnce
TimeBridge
Smartsheet
Meeting Wizard

Fig. 1 Table Showing the Features of all the above explained schedulers
Form the table above, the x symbol denotes the particular scheduler system offering
that particular feature. We can see that none of the known business/traditional schedulers
available for use today, have the capability of booking for additional facilities on their
systems. Only Microsoft Outlook with special configuration and TimeBridge are the only
schedulers that make it possible for participants of a meeting to get their notifications as
text messages on their mobile phones.
Also, only Google calendar and Smartsheet give preference for users to upload files
to their scheduler to save time of typing of copying and pasting on their web based
scheduler.
After all these research, a survey was conducted to see what users in the real world
really require of their scheduler system. Twenty-five (25) questionnaires containing a group
of 15 questions were printed and distributed out to people from all works of life. Below is a
copy of the survey drafted out in picture format. In the appendix, can be found users
answers to these questions:

Fig 2.1 Page1 of Questionnaire Distributed to gather user opinion on
schedulers

Fig 2.2 Page 2 of the Questionnaire Distributed to gather user opinion on
schedulers

The result of the poll conducted was unexpected. While some had barely used any
scheduler at all, most had never heard of the business scheduling software available in the
marketplace. The scheduler that was favored by the majority was Desktop Calendar and this
group of individuals who made this rank was students. The working class preferred and
used Google Calendar the most, besides the few who had used a real time business
scheduling tool. One of these persons who partook of this poll said he had never used any
scheduler of any sort.
Below is a pie chart showing the variation scheduler dependents, grouped according
to their favorite schedulers in relation to the number of users:

Fig.3 Bar Chart showing the variation between the Schedulers users prefer
to the corresponding number of users.
Conclusion
From the research as well as poll conducted, it is safe to say although there are a lot
of web-based scheduler software available in the market which are distinct in their own
ways, there is none like Surprise Enterprises. Reasons for these amounts to the following:
1. Surprise Enterprise Meeting and Facilities Scheduler is targeted at
companies or firms be it a large or small firm.
2. It is the only Scheduler right now that gives preference to booking
facilities for a company upcoming meeting.
3. It is a much secured System in that not just everyone can access the
database which contains information about staff.
4. Although all staff details are inserted into the database, only the
authorized staff (called participants) can access the system, only
surfing the system based on the access granted to one.
5. Not everyone has the same privileges as the administrator is to
determine the access to grant to each user, even if such a user is the
Manager of the company.


References
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/awesome-google-calendar-features/
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/google-calendar1.htm
http://www.desktopcal.com/usa/index.php
http://breakingnewsworld.net/2011/10/doodle-hits-10-million-users/
http://www.tungle.me/Home/learnmore/mobile-tungle/
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/tungle
http://www.scheduleonce.com/
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/scheduleonce
http://www.timebridge.com/pages/features-overview
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/timebridge
https://www.smartsheet.com/work-management
http://www.cmswire.com/cms/social-business/smartsheet-gets-smarter-with-box-
integration-014389.php
http://www.meetingwizard.com/