Our vision for this project is to create an up-to-date reservation database for Hope for Youth to use for their four organization owned vehicles. We have the opportunity to help this amazing organization become more efficient. Our intent is to eliminate the paper system that is currently implemented using a binder in the office with a database that can be accessed by employees using their computer or phone. This will decrease the amount of paper used as well as the foot traffic in and out of the office where the binder is held.

Problem Statement

The problem that we are trying to solve is to fix an outdated paper vehicle reservation system with an online reservation database. This affects the employees at Hope for Youth who manage the reservation calendar as well as those who reserve the vehicles. This will have a positive impact by making the reservation calendar available anywhere an employee has access to their computer or mobile device and keeping all the data consistent and updated. A successful solution would be obtaining all the info of the previous system and using that data with a software to organize the data into a calendar that can be used to reserve any of the four vehicles owned by the organization.

Product Position Statement

The target users of our product are the employees of Hope for Youth who have the ability to use the organization’s vehicles. These employees use the vehicles to transport youth to appointments, school, the Hope For Youth main office for medical appointments, and in some instances to work. Our product will be all software based. This software would have the ability to run on the hardware already owned by Hope for Youth. This system will work like many other reservation systems. Employees will read and sign the acknowledgement form and certify that they have everything needed to use a organization owned vehicle. Then they will get to the calendar where they can select the date they need and see which vehicles are available to reserve. Finally, they will make a reservation and acknowledge that they will conduct all inspections and record all need information about the car before they use it and after they return it.

Users that may interested in utilizing our application include normal employees who may like to reserve the use of an organization vehicle and organization supervisors who would like to monitor the reservations made by employees. Supervisors may also be interested in receiving a report on reservations (generated on a weekly basis). All users require basic computer knowledge to utilize our application as our application navigation will rely on a series of appropriately labelled buttons/links.

Features include creating new reservations, completing an accountability form before and after each reservation, putting in a request for a taken reservation for a high-priority reason, accessing the weekly reservation list, accepting/rejecting reservation requests, and viewing of past reservations.

The only constraint encountered is that the application depends on the organization’s SSO  system as the preferred way for employees to log into the application. Though this is a constraint, it would ultimately be more efficient for Hope for Youth employees as they would not have to memorize a new set of login credentials to access organization resources.

Use Cases

Use Case 1

Identification: This use case is for normal users who access our reservation system. Their primary goals are to create new reservations and complete an accountability form before AND after they utilize an organization vehicle.
Primary Actor: Basic User
Stakeholders and Interests:
-User themselves as they would have a digital application that allows them an efficient and convenient ability to make reservations wherever they may be
-Administrators as there would be no need for users to enter office to access a binder of reservations, as well as help decrease the usage of paper in the office
Preconditions: Prior to accessing this application, users first must have an employee ID and password determined for the organization’s network access. This will be used as login information. Prior to making a reservation,  user needs to have an assigned FOB number (from the administration) and acknowledge responsibility for the vehicle.
Postconditions: At the end of every reservation, user will have completed an acknowledgment form that holds them responsible for the reserved vehicle and two accountability forms (one before and one after the vehicle has been used for is intended purpose). This new reservation would be added onto the list of reservations associated with the user.
Main Success  Scenario:
1. User logs into the application with their employee ID and associated password.
2. User selects “Organization Vehicle” rather than “Personal Vehicle”.
3. A list of past and current reservations is displayed and user clicks on “+ Reservation”.
4. User reads through and checks off a box that states that they acknowledge that they understand the responsibilities that they hold as the person who reserved an organization vehicle.
5. User selects date that they would like to utilize an organization vehicle.
6. User selects one available vehicle to reserve on the desired date.
7. User enters basic information like user’s name, email address, phone number, and the reason why they are reserving the vehicle.
8. User returns to the list of reservations and re-enters login information at the time of the reservation.
9. User accesses the list of reservations and selects current reservation.
10. User is prompted to complete the accountability form and submits it.
11. At the end of the errand/trip, user re-logs into the application and accesses the list of reservations once again.
12. After selecting the current reservation, user fills out another accountability form and submits it.
Extensions and Alternative Flows:
4. If user does not have FOB number and/or acknowledge the form, user is prompted back to the list of reservations and notified that they are either missing an acceptable FOB number and/or did not acknowledge the form.
5. If desired date to reserve a vehicle is empty and user has a high priority task to complete,  they can click on “Contact Admin for Priority Reservation”.
Open Issues: N/A

Use Case 2

Identification: This use case is specifically intended for system administrators to maintain the system and access generated weekly reports on reservations.
Primary Actor: Organization Supervisors
Stakeholders and Interests:
-Organization Supervisors as they would be able to digitally access a generated weekly list of reservations. This would cut down on the usage of paper and time needed to create an overview of reservations that occurred during a particular week. They would also be able to override previous reservations for other, higher-priority reservation requests.
-IT Managers would be able to maintain the system by being able to access the “behind-the-scenes” of our application.
Preconditions: User must have acceptable administrative log-in credentials. Either a role must be assigned to the user upon login via employee ID and password or the user enters the login credentials for the general admin account.
Postconditions: The state of the system should be unaffected if user decides to access the weekly report of reservations made. If the user decides to override a previously-made reservation for a higher-priority request, the previously-made reservation will be cancelled and replaced with the newer request. Both of the reservations’ requesters will be notified of this change.
Main Success Scenario:
1. User logs into the application with admin credentials or admin rights.
2. User selects ‘Organization Vehicle Weekly Reports’.
3. User selects that week’s report and a PDF file is automatically opened in a new tab.
4. User selects to download/print the file.
5. User checks for any reservation requests within the current week at ‘Reservation Requests’.
6. If reservation requests are accepted, user would press ‘Accept’ and the new request will replace the previously requested one.
Extensions and Alternative Flows:
6. If reservation requests are rejected, user would press ‘Reject’ and new request’s requester will be notified that their request has been declined by the admin.
Open Issues: N/A