JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR AWARD OF DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

PROPOSED PROTOYPE OF AN AUTOMATED COMPUTER BASED SYSTEM IN A SUPERMARKET

KEVIN M. OKEMWA JKC-D01-0010/2010

PROJECT SUPERVISOUR: ALEX WATILA
Signature:
JKC-D01-0010/2010 KEVIN M. OKEMWA 1

Date:.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This project was designed with the aims of improving the supermarket device equipment by solving the problem of the current system. The designed system should be able to solve the present problem that the supermarket is under goes. The project will enable the financial sector of the supermarket to know alter the prices and value depending on the weight and the changing stock market values. The project will enable the system analyst to know the effectiveness of IT in any organization. It will provide him with wide knowledge of integrating many business operations into a single organizational unit. It will also help him in developing an application in a real world environment.

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

TABLE OF CONTENT PAGE 1.INTRODUCTION...............................................................................3 2.PROPOSED SOLUTION....................................................................4 3.IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT................................................4 4.RESEARCH QUESTION...................................................................4 5.PROJECT OBJECTIVES..................................................................4 6.LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................5 7.METHODOLOGY..............................................................................5 8.PROJECT TIMELINE.......................................................................8 9.PROJECT BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATION.................................9 10.REFERENCE...................................................................................10

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

1. INTRODUCTION
Naivas was opened in 1992; it has experienced steady growth from what was a small selfservice-store to the large branches. Naivas is located right in the CBD of Naivasha with branches already stationed all around Kenya. Naivas provides everything from preserved and fresh food, electronics, hardware items etc. at reasonable prices. They have excellent customer service and pocket friendly prices in major towns around Kenya. Naivas is a rapidly growing supermarket that enjoys a large market share of customers. It has professional business practices coupled with customer oriented approach has made the store a popular supermarket. It is now a declared as a supermarket of choice with its catchy motto Save Your Money! Naivas supermarket scales can mark weight, unit price/count. Editing of these features must be done manual one scale at a time this may make the system prone to errors. With the new system editing and updating of information will be done via computer and electronically. The problem is that there is slow service and diagnostics of the weighing machines. This inconveniences sales which in time also inconveniences technicians who repair the machines due to the fluctuating market prices. This makes service slow, delays customers and inaccurate pricing causes lose in profit for the supermarket. Inaccurate pricing of weighed food stuffs and this causes the supermarket to lose unnecessary money.

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

2. PROPOSED SOLUTION
The problem affects the sales sector with electronic weighing machines; this is because the process on these machines has to be calibrated manually. Build a program that will allow the user to set and control operations of the device and as well as network several devices from secure location saving on time and enjoy spent on moving from one device to another. This will also reduce the chance of errors as all the devices will have been synchronized by the administrator. The proposed system will eliminate the problem of acquiring and changing the value of the electronic weighing machines. This system will be able to change the values faster and eliminate slowness experienced when valuing. The managers of the supermarket require a system that will reduce errors when weighing food stuffs.

3. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT

This project will help in finding a solution to the absence of proper electronic weighing machines which cause a lot of incorrect and non updated market prices. This project will show that the market fluctuating prices can be avoided by direct transfer of the prices to the weighing machines. This project will assist in creating a solution to updating and transferring market prices to electronic weighing machines in real time. This will thus give profit and reliance to the supermarkets and stock market.

4. RESEARCH QUESTION
What is the impact of the automated computer based system in the supermarket?

5. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Prepare and submit a project proposal Conduct a literature review on the impact of the new system to the supermarket Find the requirements of the active weighing machine system Design a prototype of a computerized active weighing machine system

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

Prepare and test the code deliverable Test the prototype Finalize and submit project report

6. LITERATURE REVIEW
Weighing machine is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load. A balance compares the torque in the arm due to a standard reference weight using a horizontal lever. Weighing machines have been used for more than centuries by business people and have changed over time from manual weighing scales to digital scales of today. Supermarket retail scales are used in bakery, delicatessen, seafood, meat, produce and other perishable departments. They can print labels and receipts, mark weight/count unit prices and total prices in some cases. Some modern scales print RFID tags that can be used to track the item for tampering. The readings on the tags are usually correct.

Positive Impact

Less time spent pricing which saves customer time Speeds up time: according B.Gilchrist (E.d), information processing 77, proceedings of I.F.P
congress 77.A computer is capable of processing information faster compared to manual due to the fact that it has multiple micro processors which eventually saves time.

Negative Impact

High cost to training the staff: is a common occurrence when new information systems are
implemented and can greatly contribute to failure of newly implemented systems (Adams, Berner & Wyatt, 2004). IT systems continue to grow more complex and evolve according to the advancing in new discoveries.

More expensive: installing the various equipments and adapting the technology to fit with the evolving IT systems.

7. METHODOLOGY
The program language that I am going to use is Visual Studio 2006 because a large data base program that will require a lot of coding cause of its complexity and C++ offers the best tools

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

required for this project. Visual Studio uses logical concept that represents a software development project. The method to be used for this project will be the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This method is the main and common method of project development method. It is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project. These methods are divided into 7 steps: Project initiation. Feasibility study. Analysis Design Coding/development Implementation Maintenance System development life cycle (SDLC) SDLCs advantages are 1. Easy to explain to the user 2. Stages and activities are well defined 3. Helps to plan and schedule the project SDLCs disadvantages are 1. That it assumes the requirements of a system can be frozen before the design begins. 2. The waterfall model states that the requirements have to be completed in order for the development to be proceeded.

Development environment I am going to use is Visual Studio 2006 because a large data base program that will require a lot of coding cause of its complexity and C++ offers the best tools required for this project. Visual Studio uses logical concept that represents a software development project. It also has the following advantages:
1. It provides the best code background for a writing interface

2. It is easier to use

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

Literature review is the weighing machine system the literature review will be conducted. The following data collection will be used during analysis stage: Record Inspection is where the analyst goes through the maintained records to obtain quantitative data to confirm quality information. This method is necessary because the information acquired by other means of fact finding. Interview is the face to face communication between the analyst and the affected personnel. The analyst acts is the interviewer and the personnel acts as the interviewee. The interviewer asks questions and the interviewee responds with an answer and his/her opinion. Observation is where the analyst becomes part of the organization to observe with his/her own perspective. This method is perceived to be the best data collection as it is not biased. Questionnaires-The analyst asks various questions that the customer and staff answer and in the end lead to help quick analyzing of data.

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

8. PROJECT TIMELINE
The following Table 1.1 shows the estimated time that will be spent on the project. The estimation is in weeks.
TASK HRS ESTIMAT ED START DATE 18 Jan 2011 1 Feb 2011 19 Feb 2011 25 Mar 2011 15 Apr 2011 3 May 2011 22 May 2011 6 June 2011 ESTIMAT ED END DATE 31 Jan 2011 18 Feb 2011 24 Mar 2011 14Apr 2011 2 May 2011 21 May 2011 1 June 2011 24 June 2011 ACTU AL START DATE ACTUA L END DATE DELIVERABLE

IDENTIFY PROJECT RESEARCH PROJECT ISSUE ANALYSIS DESIGN DEVELOPMENT TESTING DOCUMENTATI ON HAND IN

320 400 800 460 400 450 1 1

PROJECT PROPOSAL LITERATURE REVIEW SYSTEM REQUIREMEN TS SYSTEM DESIGN PROTOTYPE TEST PLAN AND RESULTS PROJECT REPORT ACTUAL SYSTEM

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

9. PROJECT BUDGET AND JUSTICATION

The budget table 1.2 below shows an estimated cost of items to be used for and during this project.

Item Computer Visual Studio 2006 Internet browsing A4 Papers Binding Flash disks Transport Lunch Blank CDs TOTAL

Quantity 1 15000 200(hrs) 50 5 2 (2GB) 90 100 5

Unit price 60000 1 10 40 100 500 14 14 10

Total price 60000 15000 2000 2000 500 1000 1680 1400 50 83630

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

10

The computer will be used to create and test the new system. Visual Studio 2006 will be the software that will be used to develop the code. Internet browsing will allow me to research for the project and to get more reliable information and data. A4 Papers are required in order to print the project and produce a hard copy. Binding is for holding the project intact and not to lose any valuable pieces of the project. Flash disks will be used in order to save the project and for back up incase of any malfunctions or lose of the data. Transport from Karen to town Lunch is required for my half day meals. Blank- the blank CDs will be needed for the back up and for burning of the new program.

10. REFERENCE
www.naivas.co.ke www.trade.go.ke/index.php Kenneth E. Kendall and Julie E. Kendall - System analysis and design fifth edition
Adams, Berner & Wyatt, 2004 B.Gilchrist (E.d), information processing 77, proceedings of I.F.P congress 77

Specifications, Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices - NIST HANDBOOK 44

JKC-D01-0010/2010

KEVIN M. OKEMWA

11