Information Systems Analysis and Design Group Project: Analysis and re-design of the "Stephen Seitz Real Estate Business" website.

The Original Task Order ·  The Initial Analysis and Re-design Proposal ·  The Scope and Feasibility Analysis

The Project Ghant Charts ·  The System Design Report ·  The Project and Team Assessment Report

The System Analysis Report

Date: 9/24/2001

On: Stephen Seitz Real Estate Business, 410-xxx-xxxx, sseitz@xxxxxx.xxx

Prepared by: BAC Consulting, Inc. (Christopher Paul, Matt Berkowitz, Charlene Seitz, Vivian Cook, and Ari Kurz)

General Project Information:

Project Name: SSRE

Project Managers: Matt Berkowitz and Charlene Seitz

Note: BAC evaluated SSRE's web site at www.stephenseitz.com prior to our interview with Stephen Seitz. Our interview guideline is listed below.

Interview Guideline

Interviewee: Stephen Seitz Interviewer

Interviewer: Charlene Seitz, BAC Consulting Inc.

Interview Date: September 18, 2001

Interview Time: 6 pm to 6:30 pm

Interview Location: UMBC Computer Room

Objectives: Determine what SSRE is looking for to be included on his site.

Obtain agreement on the task at hand: BAC to redesign and implement new site.

What data to collect/need to collect: A copy of his current site on disk, marketing material.

Establish time frame: Approximately 6 weeks to complete.

General Observations

This site should look and behave as an extension to the actual business. SSRE takes great pride and extends maximum effort in portraying the firm as professional, trustworthy, experienced, and financially stable.

Unresolved Issues

Mr Seitz needs to provide BAC with marketing content that BAC will review and use on the new site.

Questions presented to Mr. Seitz and his responses

1. Are there certain items that you want to keep on SSRE’s web site, or can BAC pick and choose which items to keep and dispose of? BAC can pick and choose.
2. Can we have a copy of your existing site to re-use certain items? Yes, he will make a copy and give it to Charlene.
3. Is there any marketing material that SSRE or Prudential has that we can utilize on your site? There is a listing presentation that Prudential provides. Will also check to see what other materials are available.
4. What is your opinion on using frames on your web site to keep you picture, e-mail, and phone number on the screen at all times? Like the idea of using frames to keep the picture and e-mail on screen at all times.
5. What are the important tools and other vital content for the site that the users would access? Database to research homes, neighborhood information, school information, tax assessments, Map Quest, form to contact me.
6. What appeals to you the most about your current site? News and Related Links, Vendors, Search for Homes Database, A For Sale By Owner Section. Like the breakdown between buyers and sellers.
7. What do you dislike about your site? That it looks like an amateur designed the site. Also the site needs more meaningful content for the first time homebuyer.
8. Should the target user population stay the same or change? Stay the same.
9. Should the mission of the web site stay the same or change? Stay the same.
   

BAC discussed various pages from SSRE’s web site and discussed the following with Stephen

1. The site needs a professional appearance.
2. The site needs better navigation.
3. Color of background not appealing for the user.
4. The site needs an improved interface so that when the user is sent to an external link, the user can return to the homepage without using the back button.
5. Site needs a direct search for homes.
6. Download time of site needs improvement.

BAC's proposal to make the SSRE website more appealing

1. Have MR. Seitz photograph and e-mail address displayed on all pages.
2. A fade in and out picture of houses rotating from one to the next.
3. A MS PowerPoint presentation on website for FSBO, Sellers Process and Buyers Process.
4. Expand the website to include buying process to assisting first time buyers.
5. Links for services related to real estate (i.e. Mortgage Calculator, Seller’s Net Sheet, Rent vs. Buy Calculator, Map Quest, Tax Assessment Records.)
6. A password protected “client site” that allows the client to view their present state in the buying or selling process.
7. A more professional look with improved navigation by utilizing frames (frames – a feature that enables a Web page to be displayed in a separate scrollable window on the screen.)
8. Minimized the amount of download time.

Website Mission

SSRE’s website is a business site with two primary objectives: conveying useful real estate information to potential and existing clients, while promoting Stephen and Charlene Seitz as realtors. This site needs to have a professional look, and be able to satisfy two audiences: those who are inexperienced with real estate transactions as well as people who are experienced with such transactions. On this site, users navigate through a menu interface to reach different sites regarding the real estate process, while promoting Stephen and Charlene Seitz as their realtor representatives.

Design and Layout

The site will be designed using Microsoft FrontPage and will have enhanced color graphics, in addition to different font sizes. JavaScript will be used to rotate pictures instead of Macromedia Flash because many people still use dial-up modems (56/33.6k) and will not have the patients to wait for downloads. The images that will be used on the website will be copied from Prudential Carrathers Real Estate, and the photos will be scanned in from personal pictures or taken from the multiple lists of homes on the web. Most of the content will be provided by SSRE, however some content will be developed by BAC and then discussed with SSRE before BAC converts to an electronic format.

The web pages will be designed to meet various technological characteristics such as what browser, what connection speeds, what content and information will keep users coming back. Each page will focus on a single topic, with similar menu layouts, and will be designed to maximize the amount of information while minimizing the size of the page.

Frames will be used in the design, consisting of a top header that will have the navigation at the bottom. Although the website will be designed for potential and existing clients, anyone who is familiar with using computer and the Internet can visit the site and will be able to navigate the site without any knowledge of real estate. The site will be developed to conform with 508 compliance guidelines.

Navigation

The overarching goal of the website is to be aesthetically pleasing to the viewer and easy to navigate, while providing potential clients with information on buying and selling real estate. Navigation will be consistent throughout SSRE's web site, by using hypertext links. For the user to be able to navigate through the site, appropriate task needs will be established. The site will be organized in a manner that is self-explanatory. All users need do to move through the site is click on links, which are underlined, to access a certain page. This site will be developed using the top-down approach. By clicking on links on the home page top border, users have the opportunity to navigate to the desired page.

Impact on the Environment

1. Using site colors similar to the firm will instill confidence in visitors that Mr. Seitz Stephen works for a highly reputable firm instilling trust in the consumer.
2. The use of mass mailer and other advertising techniques to inform people about the new design might generate additional business since interest rates are currently low.
3. Society uses technology for everything. The website improvements will attract consumers who live and die by the latest technological inventions.
4. Mr. Seitz uses the best of the home search sites, he will not waste consumers' time with homes that are on a site but have been sold and have not been removed from the site.
5. The site will allow the client to gather other information like neighborhood and school information just by picking a link from his web page. This will save time for the client who may not have time to go to the school board or police station for the most up to date information for the area that they wish to live.
6. The site will available 24 hours a day, seven days a week so customers can be served at times that are best for them.