IS480 Team wiki: 2012T1 Team Glocal
Introduction
The growing pace of economic globalization has created more migrant workers than ever before. Unemployment and increasing poverty have prompted many workers in developing countries to seek work elsewhere, while developed countries have increased their demand for labour, especially unskilled labour. As a result, millions of workers and their families travel to countries other than their own to find work. At present there are approximately 175 million migrants around the world, roughly half of them workers (of these, around 15% are estimated to have an irregular status).
Women make up almost half of migrants. Migrant workers contribute to the economies of their host countries, and the remittances they send home help to boost the economies of their countries of origin. Yet at the same time migrant workers often enjoy little social protection and are vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. Skilled migrant workers are less vulnerable to exploitation, but their departure has deprived some developing countries of valuable labour needed for their own economies.
There were 201,000 female domestic workers in Singapore on Work Permits (end of 2010), as reported by the Ministry of Manpower. That made it about one for every five households in the country. In 2002, there were 140,000. The majority, by far, are from Indonesia and the Philippines; smaller numbers come from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Thailand, and Bangladesh.
Contents
Team GLOCAL
Roles and Responsibilities
MEMBER | PRIMARY ROLE | SECONDARY ROLE | RESPONSIBILITIES |
Uma Devi D/O Krishna Moorthy [1] | Project Manager | Usability Analyst |
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Aung Myat Ko, John[2] | Lead Developer | Tester |
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NGUYEN Minh Dang [3] | Lead Tester | Developer |
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PHAM Duong Thai [4] | Usability Analyst | Business Analyst |
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NG Qi You [5] | Business Analyst | Developer |
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Project Status
- Our current updates are available here
- Our midterm wiki is available here
- Our final wiki is available here
Project Overview
Motivation
To help migrant workers to assimilate into Singapore faster by providing avenues for them to get help and information quickly.Also, to shorten the response time for migrant workers to get help by creating a direct connection between the subscriber and officer on duty.We also want to provide insights into needs and sentiments of migrant workers in Singapore through analysis of data collected from subscribers’ day-to-day activities on our platform. Hence,these data can come from frequently-used words in messages, most frequently-viewed FAQs and common complaints submitted by subscribers (migrant workers).
Description
We are building myHome, a social networking site which is accessible via a web-based application and a mobile optimised version targeting migrant workers in Singapore. On the backend, our site will capture user habits from day-to-day activities which subscribers perform on our web-based application and/or mobile application and later generate report (in charts and graphs) based on collective behaviour and activities performed on our site.
Activities are defined as user actions performed in our website (either via the web application or mobile application). Log ins and log outs, date and time of feedback submissions and frequently viewed FAQ are some examples.
Collective behaviour is defined as an action which is performed by a group of user (i.e. 10 or more) at the same time or in close timing. An example is between 5:30am to 6:30am, many users log into our website via their mobile phones, many also message their friends (i.e. other members of our site) during this time period. Therefore, we can determine that this is the “hot” period to disseminate events notification or new survey for our users to respond.
Stakeholders
Client Background
The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) is committed to the principle that migration of people benefits the global society with a focus on the effects of migration within the context of Singapore.
The mission objectives of HOME are:
- To develop research and education on the socioeconomic of migration on Singapore and the countries of origin;
- To provide social integration services for emigrants and immigrants;
- To provide humanitarian assistance for the effects of 'crisis' migration.
There are some 800,000 migrant workers or more in Singapore and HOME has provided direct assistance to more than 50,000 men and women migrants and victims of human trafficking and forced labour, who availed of our programme and services. Among those helped included migrants affected by the Tsunami disaster in 2005 and the present global economic crisis in 2008/2009. On one occasion, HOME provided shelter for 15 Indonesian women and their children, who were abandoned at sea by seamen.
Scope
Module 1: Account Management
Basic security feature to authenticate user and restrict the functions they can perform based on their assigned role. Currently, there are two roles – user and administrator. Also, users can link their Facebook account to myHome.
User:
- Register account
- Edit profile and account settings
- Restrict site information to logged-in users only
- Connect with Facebook
- Implement CAPTCHA
- Cancel account
Admin:
- Delete user(s)
- Manage site administration
- Validate user(s)
Module 2: Social Interaction
Basic social network functionalities to facilitate online interaction.
- Create group
- Add friends to group
- Report inappropriate content
- Send message
- Accept/Reject friend invite
- Instant chat (with friends)
- Comment/Like/Post a picture
- Tickle (replaced with Gift)
Module 3: Event Management
Subscribers can indicate attendance (Yes, No) for upcoming events. Administrators will be able to keep track of sign-up rate and make more accurate logistics arrangements (venue, food, tables & chairs, etc.)
User:
- Invite friends (replaced with event listing)
- Set event preferences
Admin
- Create/Edit/Delete event
- Set event privacy
- Invite attendee(s) (replaced with event listing)
- Noticeboard (Widget)
- Set targeted group
Module 4: Feedback Management
Subscribers can submit a complaint or enquiry (grouped into feedback) while administrators will receive alert for inquiries (consolidated into topics) instantly or after fixed interval [for phone and email notification], and can respond to the feedback as soon as possible.
- Post an incident/inquiry (with email notification to admin)
- Reply to incident/inquiry by admin
Module 5: Q & A Management
Users can search for answers to their questions either by entering their questions into the search box or browse through the category list of previously posted questions and their respective answers. Each question posted will go through the text parsing to be categorized under three main topics: legal, employment, health.
- Search Question(s)
- List most freqently asked questions (by category, search count)
- Post Question(s) & Answer(s)
Module 6: Survey Management
Subscribers can respond to surveys and view their list of previously completed surveys. Administrator can create new surveys, delete outdated or error surveys, close surveys which have passed their closing dates.
- Draft/Post/Delete Surveys
- Updated: Show surveys on user profile
- Respond to survey
- Disseminate survey (via email)
Module 7: Analytics & Reporting
For administrators only, they will be able to: See site user statistics (user access log, user demographics, etc) using embedded Google Analytic code and Generate reports about most frequently appeared words in categories - employment, legal, and health. Each category will have a set of predefined key words to help do text parsing for posted questions. Reports will come under the form of pie charts for words under each category and bar charts to give general comparison among the top three categories.
- Most Influential User
- Data Analytics
Module 8: X Factor
Voice-enabled myHOME Social Network for Android
This function will enhance the site-wide navigation of myHOME social network on mobile where the screen size is substantially small by adding the ability to say voice commands to go to different pages.
Our android app will recognize the voice commands, make necessary processing of the commands and then redirect the user to a different page. (e.g. registration page, profile page, activity page, event page etc.). First, we will start with English commands only but will add support for other languages if time and technology permit.
Project Management
Schedule
Project Schedule (Planned): Link
Project Schedule (Actual): Link
Project Schedule (Adjusted): Link
Schedule Metric: Link
Timeline
Project Timeline: Link
Bug Log & Metric
Bug Log & Metric: Link
Risk Management & Metric
No | Type of risk | Description | Probability | Impact | Assessment | Mitigation Strategy |
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1 | Technical | [Despite research and sourcing done prior to procuring our current server.] Sudden unforeseen problems (crashes + slowness) with production server during our UT#1, disrupting our team's ability to consolidate valuable inputs from our invited testers. This caused us not to be able to collect concrete results and findings from the UT, causing us to haul the UT process. | High | High | A* | Inform sponsor of the problem while contacting hosting company to find out the root cause of problems encountered. Next, source for another hosting plan - preferably "tried & tested". If user testing and/or mid-term presentation are affected, make the necessary arrangement to postpone them. |
2 | Business | Broken commitment from Client, promised to provide migrant workers to test our application during UT#1, however Client had sudden change of plan as an event was organised by the NGO on the same day as our UT#1. | Medium-High | High | A* | To continue with the scheduled UT date by getting 40 pseudo testers [SMU students] to assist us with our UT#1, as their capabilities and skills acquired through Facebook would very much similar to the migrant workers.
Team also continued to confirm with Client to conduct the UT with the actual testers on 7th October 2012. |
3 | Technical | Members are unfamiliar with the new technologies and their accompanying framework, for instance ELGG framework, Kettle Analytics Tool, PHP. Hence causing delays in development and testing. | Medium | Medium | B | Assign each member to cover a technical aspect of the technologies and ensure they are comfortable with it. Do a bi-weekly sharing of what was read and practised - to ease the learning curve and encourage peer learning. |
4 | Technical | Since there are tons of open source codes to assist us in our project, we have to select and test many packages and use the appropriate ones in our project. This process can be both time-consuming and demoralising causing the team time and energy. | Low-Medium | Medium | C [Monitor] |
Encourage each member to prepare simple documentation of the technologies covered along the way and share these documents internally (via Google Docs). |
5 | Technical | As the project is dealing with an existing (huge) framework, weakness in the framework may cause unexpected bugs to surface. | Low | Low | C [Monitor] |
Utilize the testing phase of each iteration to look out for potential bugs that may exist. When possible, try to get 1 or 2 people from the public/friends/focus group members to test out the functions of the concerned scope. |
6 | Business | Impromptu changes to user requirements from client (beneficiary) | Medium | High | A | Regular communication with client, schedule bi-weekly meetings with client and conduct focus group discussion with end users every three weeks. Also, team (led by our Project Manager) will try to get our client to commit to discussed scopes and functionalities (verbal agreement of project deliveries). |
7 | Business | Last-minute cancellation of meeting with client due to travel commitments, urgent meetings/discussions/incidents to attend to. | Medium (prev. Low) | Medium | B | Open several channels of communication with the client (Facebook, Emails, (Project Manager) mobile number). Also, make sure there's always a point of contact (nominated representative to stand-in) if she is not available. |
8 | Resources | Underestimating resource required, poor resource allocation; Members having internship and travel commitments. | High | High | A* [Risk Eliminated] |
Forward planning and periodic review of schedule, start early – have regular meetings 2 to 3 times weekly and also create a Facebook group to share ideas, news, and web links to interesting technologies to look at and iron out small issues ahead of meetings |
9 | Resources | Multiple users working on multiple files, hence information and file sharing can become hectic and team may face overlaps at times which may cause unneccessary delays. | Medium | Medium | B [Risk Reduced] |
To eliminate these problems from arising, team has to come up with a shared folder, eg) SVN for committing of codes to compile it frequently. The group also has to practice proper committing procedure. |
Meeting Minutes
- Meeting Minutes 1
- Meeting Minutes 2
- Meeting Minutes 3
- Meeting Minutes 4
- Meeting Minutes 5
- Meeting Minutes 6
- Meeting Minutes 7
- Meeting Minutes 8
- Meeting Minutes 9
- Meeting Minutes 10
- Meeting Minutes 11
- Meeting Minutes 12
Project Documentation
Use Case Diagrams
Functional Flow Diagrams
UI Mock Up Diagrams
Web
Mobile
Application Architecture Diagrams
Project Overview Model
MVC Model
System Architecture Model
ELGG Data Model
BI Flow Model
Technologies Used
Technology | Pros | Cons |
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BuddyPress |
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Oxwall |
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Surveys Conducted
No | Objective | Results |
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1 |
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Survey 1 Responses
(Updated as of 7 July 2012) |
2 |
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Survey 2 Responses
(Updated as of 18 August 2012) |
Learning Outcome Management
No. | Description | Expected Learning Outcomes | Methods of Measurements |
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1 | Integration of business and technology in a sector context | ||
1.1 | Business IT Value Linkage Skills |
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2 | IT Architecture, design and development skills | ||
2.1 | System Requirements Specification skills |
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2.2 | Software and IT Architecture analysis and Design skills |
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2.3 | Implementation Skills |
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2.4 | Technology Application Skills |
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3 | Project management skills | ||
3.1 | Scope Management Skills |
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3.2 | Risks Management Skills |
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3.3 | Project Integration and Time Management Skills |
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3.4 | Configuration Management Skills |
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3.5 | Quality Management Skills |
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4 | Learning to learn skills | ||
4.1 | Search Skills |
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4.2 | Skills for developing a methodology for learning |
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5 | Collaboration (or team) skills | ||
5.1 | Skills to improve the effectiveness of group processes and work products |
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6 | Change management skills for enterprise systems | ||
6.1 | Skills to diagnose business changes |
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6.2 | Skills to implement and sustain business changes |
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7 | Communication Skills | ||
7.1 | Presentation Skills |
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7.2 | Writing Skills |
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