Peter+Huynh_Project+Log+Book

December

12/15/09- I met with Mrs. Mushen (Client) and I explained the project that I'm working on and we talked about the China Exchange Program.

12/20/09- I brainstormed all the problems associated with the China Exchange Program and thought about all of the possible solutions

12/21/09- Decision to make a website for the China Exchange Program was made to solve all of the programs problem.

January 1/5/10- Sent email to Mrs. Mushen containing questions to find out more details about what type of website features and layout she wanted. Hi Mrs. Mushen, we’ve talked a little the other day about the project that I’m required to do for IB ITGS and I wanted to do something to help the China Exchange Program. I was thinking about a website that could help the China Exchange Program fund-raise, communicate easier, and have daily updates for the curious parents of the participants of the trip. I’ve come up with a few questions that I would like for you to answer when you have the opportunity. Also, please add anything that you would like.

1) What kind of website would you like? 2) Who would you like to be able to view this website? 3) What would you want to see on the website? 4) Would people have to have user names and passwords? 5) Who will keep updating the website?

Thanks, Peter Huynh

1/7/10- Started to brainstorm and make stretches of the program using the program Paint.

1/12/10- Worked on Criteria G

Many participants and their parents are very oblivious about all of the activities of the China Exchange Program. It seems that the participants are missing meetings and fund-raising activities due to the unawareness that there is one. Parents are becoming very curious about the cost and whether their child is going or not. There has been a lack in communication within the China Exchange Program. Also, being a sibling to a participant from the previous trip, my parents were very worried because my sister had barely any contact with them while her stay in China. Pamela Mushen has e-mailed the participants but very rarely do they check their e-mails and as a result, they miss out on the event. The faculty adviser, Pamela Mushen has stated that the China Exchange Program will benefit from the agenda and arrangements being posted immediately when created where everyone evolved will be aware of it. At the moment, there is no such system available, but it is possible to provide the China Exchange Program with a website that will remarkably help them communicate and collaborate amongst one another.
 * __ Criteria G- Identifying the problem within a social context __**

1/15/10-Worked on Criteria H

There are many possible solutions to the problem that the China Exchange Program is having difficulties planning meetings, fund-raising events, curious parents due to the fact of the lack of communication. A few solutions are to create a website that is updated daily or have a weekly agenda for the participants and their parents. The advantage of the website is that it will save a paper, time, a lot more convenient and it’s more professionalize. Participants and their parents can access things right away rather then have to wait each week. If a mistake is made, it could be fix in a matter of seconds rather then the need to print out copies after copies. The disadvantage is some parents aren’t as high-tech as others and may not even know what the Internet is. The advantages of the weekly agenda are it will be better for less high-tech people; people wouldn’t have to go out of their way and go onto a computer and Internet to access it. The disadvantages are it’s a lot more inconvenient, students will have to stop by each week and pick a sheet of paper up that they might lose, it will take longer to update because the adviser could update the website everyday very quickly while the weekly agenda could possibly take a longer time. Evaluating the pros and cons of each, I’ve came to the conclusion that it will be a lot better to create a website. I will create the website and teach the adviser, Pamela Mushen how to update everything and she will continue the trend.
 * __ Criteria H- Analysis and Feasibility Study __**

1/18/10-worked on Criteria I

I spent a lot of time thinking about what I would like to do my project about and after thinking long and hard, I have decided to do something for the China Exchange Program. I’m a member of it and we have been having a lot of difficulties communicating and I feel that it will help Pamela Mushen who is putting so much time and effort in and I feel that this will help her a lot.
 * __ Criteria I- Planning and developing the chosen IT solution __**

1/20/10- Mrs. Mushen has still not responded to my e-mail thus causing me to personally going to her room to give her a hard copy of the questions and she said she will gladly answer them and reply quickly.

1/21/10- During class, I found a website to create free websites. I'm starting on the preview that contains a home, fund-raising, gallery, calendar and blog page. I'm putting in information about the program and pictures of previous trips.I started the home page with information about the program and put a picture of the school up

1/22/10- I did do a survey on a couple of previous participants to find more information about what should be on the website. I started the fund-raising page with pictures of all of the possible ideas and the amount and why it is important to fund-raise and lower down the cost. Pictures from previous trips have been obtained and are being put onto the website. It took me a while to understand and learn how a photo album works so it took me a while to learn but I successfully made one and it's on the Gallery page.

1/24/10- More pictures are being collected and put up on the page and I'm surveying more participants of the program to find out more details of what the page should consist of. I'm attending the China meeting today to ask Mrs. Mushen about the questions that I have given her a while back and to find out more details about what's going on inside the program.

1/25/10- I'm having lots of difficulties finding pictures of previous trips and getting responses from old participants and my client. I found some people with pictures and I'm working on obtaining those pictures for the website. I'm trying to find an Online Calendar and how to work it and how to update it onto the website but I'm having a really difficult time. I sent another message and email to all of the old participants that had the survey in it and asked them to please answer and quickly but thoughtfully.

1/26/10 I personally went to Mrs. Mushen and reminded her about the questions and she said she had forgotten and will have it done soon. I'm also looking around at different China Exchange program website to get an idea of what I want. I finally obtained more pictures from previous participants and my client and added them onto the website. I'm still trying to figure out how to put a Calendar onto my website.

1/27/10 I'm surfing the web looking for Calendars but still couldn't find one that I liked so I'm going to keep on looking. I rearranged the Fund-raising page to make it look a little more appealing. I talked to some old participants and they recommended that I do a Experience Page and have people describe their trip and how it affected their lives. So, I took it into consideration and I liked the idea and today, I'm started it. I've been trying to find out how to create a blog page and how to embed a Calendar onto my website but I haven't had much luck. A few more pictures have also been added to the gallery. I've talked to former participants to get a paragraph or so of their experience and ask them if they had any pictures but everyone has been a little busy so I just asked them to do it when they have the opportunity.

1/28/10 I've been trying to put a Calendar onto the page but I just found out that you can't and that Calendar is on their top wish list but they still haven't put it into the website yet. I changed the background, calendar page and Blog page. I made the background more colorful to be more appealing to the viewers eye. I had to change the Calendar page because the website doesn't provide the option of putting a calendar onto it. Also, I spent a lot of time trying to make a Blog page and I still haven't figured it out so I decided to not make it anymore and make a history page instead to give more background knowledge of the program.

1/30/10 Since, the calendar page won't work out anymore, I thought long and hard of an alternative and the decision is to create a weekly agenda page which will updated weekly. I began the weekly agenda page that obtain a title of the month of the year and the abbreviation of the days of the week. It will require the page to be updated every week and at the beginning of every month therefore causing it to be a little more time consuming then the previous solution. Also, a space for comments can be posted on the home page for everyone to view.

1/31/10- Finishing touches are being put on every page and the rough draft is complete.

February

2/1/10-2/7/10- Testers are testing it to find any flaws or anything and to give feedback. Revisions and edits are made according to the feedback.

2/8/10-2/15/10- Technical tester are testing for any technical problems and gave feedback and fixes to the feedback are made.

2/16/10-2/20/10- Client testing and feedback and comments are given. Feedback are taken into mind and changes are made.

2/21/10-2/28/10- End-users testing and give feedback and corrections are made.

March

3/1/10-3/3/10- Putting last fixes on the website.

3/4/10-3/7/10- Revised Criteria G,H, I

3/9/10- Client will take one more look at the website for any mistakes or errors that needs fixing. Teach the Client how to change the daily agenda and how to maintain the website.

3/10/10- End users will take another look at the website for any errors or anything that needs to be changed. I will also explain to them how to access the website with the username and password.

3/11/10- Technical tester will check for any other technical problems.

3/13/10-3/15/10- Final changes are made and the website is completed. Criteria J and K are completed.

3/17/10- Website is handed over to the Client who is the head of the China Exchange Program.