The purpose of this book is to inform practitioners of the strategies and techniques that can be used when developing Internet commerce applications. This book provides detailed coverage of the Internet Commerce Development Methodology (ICDM), which was developed by Dr.
Growth of the Internet and the Need for New Development Approaches
Introduction
Growth of the Internet
In the early 1980s, universities began using the Internet as a cheap and easy way to communicate among themselves. The Internet is divided into a number of top-level domains (the domains are explained in detail later).
The World Wide Web
Some parts of the world, such as Africa and South America, are populated regions but have proportionally few people online. The Web's success owes much to the simplicity of hypertext, which is a type of point-and-click interface that was used much earlier in the Apple computer's hypermap system.
Internet Commerce and Business Opportunities
The latest explosion is in the use of the World Wide Web as a vehicle for electronic commerce. If organizations explore the wider dimensions of Internet business, they are more likely to tap into the greater scope of potential it offers.
Global Impact of the World Wide Web and Internet Commerce
Some people prefer to call this type of business Internet business to distinguish it from other forms of electronic business. It includes a series of steps or phases before and after the transaction, such as providing information and after-sales services.
Types of Systems
This way, the supplier can be responsible for checking inventory levels with the customer and shipping out new stock when necessary. They can be used for things like providing an interface to access databases, downloading documents, providing access to company manuals and documents, and providing information about the latest company initiatives.
Uses of the World Wide Web
Nevertheless, there is a wealth of useful information on thousands of topics to be found online. More and more domestic Internet users see the Internet as a form of recreation.
What Is Special About Internet Systems?
Due to the diversity of stakeholders, responsibility for the website within the organization can be ambiguous, with the potential for little attention to be paid to the overall management of the web strategy [3]. In these organizations it is difficult to separate IS from the other activities of the organization.
Information Systems Trends
Some customers may know the organization and interact with it only through its website. One trend we are beginning to see is that of the IS function moving from a centralized function to one that is distributed throughout the organization [6].
Why Traditional Systems Development Is Not Effective for Developing Internet Systems
The multi-functional nature of web application development is also an aspect that does not fit well with traditional system development methods. A criticism of structured methods is that they concentrate on documentation rather than products, and that this slows down the system development process.
How the Internet Works
Therefore, not everyone needs to run the same software package and the same version of the package to function effectively on the Internet. When all data is received, it is passed on to the application program.
Accessing the Internet
Telnet is a utility for accessing and logging in to other computers on the Internet and for working on the remote machine. For example, some charge by the time spent on the Internet, others by the volume of data downloaded, and others may only have a flat fee.
Summary
Introduction to Systems Development
The Systems Development Context
The Systems Development Life Cycle
The life cycle can be modified for alternative system development approaches such as prototyping (discussed later). The dangers of developing an information system without a life cycle framework are listed in Table 2.1.
Skills Required by Systems Analysts
Tasks Involved in Each Stage of Systems Development
The requirements for the proposed system can be documented using process models (data flow diagrams) and data models (entity relationship diagrams). A computer-aided systems engineering (CASE) tool can be used to develop and maintain the documentation of the system.
Information Gathering
Bugs are more likely to be discovered after the system has been running for a while. These changes may occur due to new regulations, changed preferences, or new techniques that can improve system performance.
Process Modeling
An entity relationship diagram (ERD) is a data modeling technique that shows the data and relationships between data within a business (Figure 2.12). If the warehouse address changes, every record for that warehouse must be updated.
Systems Development Methodologies
Structured methodologies, while not truly scientific, tend to rely on the reliability of the scientific method. If the users were unsure of their requirements, the methodology became an obstacle to the progress of the project.
Overview of the Internet Commerce Development Methodology
Perhaps the biggest problem that many organizations face is the lack of a structured framework to manage the development of Internet commerce. In parallel, it provides a management structure for the development of Internet commerce in an organization.
Strategy Phase
Process change is related to improving or changing an organizational process using the Internet. Process reengineering is the complete redesign of a process using the Internet.
Assessing the Feasibility of Adopting Internet Commerce
This can be measured in many ways, for example, the number of functions, the number of pages and the volume of information. A larger number of users often means more time spent consulting with users to determine system requirements.
Management Structure for ICDM
If there are no Web applications in the organization, the project will involve work at a strategic level to define the goals of the system. The second level of management concerns the development of website components.
Meta-Development Strategy Guidelines
Plan the core of the website (external or internal) and do not make further changes. Plan the core of the website and let user departments develop their own neighborhoods.
Site and Component Development
They should define the unit's main goals and business strategies in consultation with user management. Detailed requirements should be defined such as the types of documents to be managed, details of required functions or specific connections to other systems or databases.
Beyond the Methodology
The first level controls the ongoing development process, and the second level is concerned with the development of functional or partitioned components of the system.
Strategic Planning and Internet Systems
Business Strategies and Goals
For a corporate strategy to have an impact, it must be supported by business- and functional-level plans that are aligned. Dangers for the organization can arise if the development is driven by information technology without proper consideration of the strategic direction of the business.
Internet Commerce Development Methodology
A key lesson of the Internet retail model is that the Web can be used to sell additional products and services beyond the core product or service. The Web can be used to facilitate communication and interaction between companies and their suppliers.
Strategic Options
Transformation
A radical transformation sometimes cannot take place without replacing certain parts of the company. Some companies are able to take advantage of the global opportunities that the Internet provides.
![Figure 4.4 Various forms of BPR. (Based on a diagram by Talwar [14].)](https://thumb-ap.123doks.com/thumbv2/azpdfco/10579910.0/101.648.75.574.95.385/figure-various-forms-bpr-based-diagram-talwar-14.webp)
Process Reengineering
While this may increase the number of applicants, the Internet can be used more innovatively by allowing greater interaction between the company and the applicant. For example, a resume builder can be used so that the information collected is relevant and formatted according to the organization's requirements.
Process Improvement
Strategy can be developed at the functional level of the organization to support the company's strategy. For the marketing function, for example, models of the customer service life cycle and customer attitudes can be used to develop a more detailed strategy [18].
Systems Analysis for Internet Systems
If the system does not provide the necessary resources and information to users, then they are unlikely to use it. The system can cause a large number of problems such as costly debugging.
Analysis of the Problems
For example, a website that provides internal company strategy information is unlikely to be read by customers or potential customers unless it is easy to read, in the right format, and relevant for them to make decisions about. purchase or investment. Even if it meets user requirements in terms of quality of information content, it may not in terms of reliability of transaction processing or overall performance.
How to Be Creative and Innovative in the Use of the Internet
Assessing Feasibility
A web application may fail because it lacks management support or the users are not trained on how to use the system. It can be argued that some customers will seek the more traditional points of sale if they do not have access to the Web option.
Strategies and Analysis Approaches
Via a browser on a client system, the user connects to the web server on the Internet or intranet. The web application connects to several enterprise databases such as inventory and order processing from the web server via an application server (see Chapter 6 for more information).
Requirements Analysis Techniques
The actual number of sessions required will depend on the size and complexity of the system being developed. Interaction between different functional groups in the organization can help encourage the view of the system as an organizational resource.
Functional Categories of Internet Applications
The savings that can be achieved by selling online can be partially passed on to the customer. Electronic mail can be used to inform people about special offers in a relatively inexpensive way.
Transformation
The web can be used to provide after-sales support to customers, improve customer service and provide answers to common queries. This travel agency has been radically transformed from the traditional type of travel agency (Figure 5.5).
Process Reengineering
Process Changes or Enhancements
Meta-Development Strategies and Framework
Another option is to design the core of the site (using outside contractors or in-house talent) and then make no further changes. Some companies design and develop a core site centrally and then leave it to user departments to develop their neighborhoods.
Working Across Departments
Customer service representatives will also interact with the Internet and with marketing and sales personnel.
Working Across Organizations
Working With Different Cultures and Languages
Even though it seems that the Internet is turning the world into a 'global village', there are still many cultural differences between people of different nationalities.
Modeling Techniques for Internet Systems
Project Management and Documentation
If the system is related to files and databases, then an entity relationship diagram should be drawn. The project plan provides a timeline for the various components of the project and assigns responsibility for the tasks to be completed.
Acquiring and Working With Consultants and Vendors
The best way to find out is to ask for a complete list of the project team. If the web consultancy is not financially stable, it could try to cut corners on the project or, in the worst case, go bankrupt.
Designing Internet Systems
Client /Server Technology Infrastructure
In three-tier systems, the business logic is extracted from the client and placed on a separate server, called an application server. Sometimes the application logic can be distributed among the client, application server, and database server.
Web Technology Infrastructure
When the number of users becomes large, there is too much traffic between the client, where most of the business logic resides, and the database server. A database request must maintain session information or transaction state information back and forth to the user.
Web Database Application Design
For example, Figure 6.8 shows zones for the menu, ads, title, and most of the screen area for displaying other information. Horizontal lines in any form to separate areas of the web page should be avoided because they create noise, adding to the cognitive load without conveying useful information.
WEALTH
The designers can refer back to the requirements and check that they are met in the design of the website. Software can be evaluated with users in a number of ways depending on the goals of the evaluation and the stage the software is at in the system development life cycle.
Prototyping the Web Interface
Then changes to the prototype should be made and, if essential, changes to the demonstrations should be repeated. Phillips, “Evaluating the Relative Utility of Two Interfaces: A Comparison of Heuristic, Formal, and Empirical Methods,” in Bridges Between Worlds, Proc.
Implementing Internet Systems
Web Authoring Tools
There are several such packages available on the market, and here is an overview of Microsoft's FrontPage. The explorer provides an environment for managing the development of web pages (Figure 7.1), while the editor is intended for editing and developing the actual web pages (Figure 7.2).
Web Client Programming Languages
These bytecodes can be interpreted by any Java interpreter, regardless of platform (if an interpreter exists on that platform, of course). A Java program is limited to the "Java Runtime Environment" and is not allowed to access other parts of the computer.
Scripting
JScript is a C, C++, and Java-like programming language that can be used with virtually any browser. The syntax will be familiar to many programmers, although it is a language in its own right that can be used with other applications.
ActiveX Controls
It is dynamic, has object-oriented features, and has a number of useful built-in functions and expressions.
Security
The firewall could be used to separate the intranet from other systems within the organization or outside (Figure 7.6). The firewall can also be used to record the amount of traffic entering and leaving the organization.
Planning Implementation
The Java Commerce APIs are an extension of the core Java platform and are designed to help developers easily and quickly create e-commerce applications. Within the organization, one way to draw attention to the website is to open a website with some celebrations or contests that can be included.
Measuring the Effectiveness of the Web Site
Interviews and questionnaires can be used to obtain feedback from internal and external users of the website. Studies may be conducted to determine the effect the website has on such areas.
Maintenance and Management of the Web Site Resource
Strategies for Managing the Internet Resource
Although sites typically have management teams to plan and develop the initial site strategy and implementation, governance structures are needed to oversee the ongoing development of the system. Information systems are designed with policies and procedures to help clarify the effective use of the system.
Alternative Management Structures for Web Site Management
- Edith Cowan University
- Joondalup City Council
- ABC Broadcasting Company
- WesComm Pty Ltd
- Curtin University
- Alexander College
There is now an executive strategy for the website aimed at improving student services and the university's image. Management of the website's content and design has been tightened because people were not adhering to the guidelines.
Issues for Practitioners
The simple form of management structure in which most or all authority is vested in one individual is perhaps a low-cost structure to follow and may be suitable for a small organization. The organic approach can be useful in encouraging innovative uses of the web and can work effectively where constant changes to the content are required.
Maintaining Web Sites
The initial design and development of the website can be done in such a way that the administrative issues that may arise during maintenance are minimized. Therefore, management procedures should be put in place that assign responsibility to key personnel for monitoring parts of the website.
Administration of the Web Site
However, some of the website administration tools can build sitemaps and usage maps. Website administrators usually help with training in the web authoring tools adopted by the organization.
