Web Applications Development Case Study

Scenario:

You are required to create a simple web application which we will call Recycle for the

purpose of listing used as well as new items online. Visitors to the site will be able to register

with the site as members and once registered and verified members can post information

about items they wish to donate and search for items posted by other members. To

implement the site you must use HTML5, CSS and JavaScript for the client- side coding.

ASP.NET or PHP must be used for the server side coding. The site must run from a local

web server. The backend will be built with MySQL or MS SQL Server database.

Functional Specification

1. Account Creation

Create an HTML form which allows visitors to create a member’s account with the site with

only 4 pieces of information from the applicant; username, password (to be stored in an

encrypted format in the database), email address and postcode. Account details are to be

stored in your MS SQL MySQL database. On completing this form, the applicant must be

presented with the verification form (level 2).

The system must prevent duplicate usernames being chosen. Do not use the email address

as a username. Newly created accounts must remain inactive until they are verified by

handshaking the email details (level 2).

2. Account Verification

Account verification will require sending a message to the email address provided in level 1.

This email message should include a 5 character activation code which enables a user to

activate their newly created account. Users should not be allowed to make further use of the

site until they have verified their account. You are to create an HTML account verification

form which requires an agent to enter the activation code (retrieved from their email).

Accounts must remain inactive until the correct information is provided.

3. Authentication

Provide a login form that allows returning verified members to authenticate with the site using

their username and password. These credentials should be compared with the information

recorded in your database. Users who have already applied to be members but have not yet

verified their account but attempt to log in using this from must be presented with the

verification form you created above.

Note: You will need to initiate some form of session state to prevent unauthorised access to

further activity.

4. Item Post

Provide an HTML form that allows authenticated members (who have verified their account)

to post advertisements of items they wish to donate. This information should be structured to

include a brief heading (item title) and a more complete multi-line description plus one or

more images. This information must be stored with a posting date and be editable by the

member who posted it and nobody else. Members should be able to delete items they have

listed (to remove them once they have been recycled).

Note: Images may be stored as either files on the server or as records in the SQL database.

Remember that images need suitable alternate text content when included in a web page

(the filename is seldom appropriate as alt text).[Also Read Newspaper Web Designing Assignment]

5. Item Search

Provide a means for authenticated members to browse and search uploaded information.

Browsing should list all posted item titles in reverse chronological order. Searching should

filter this list with the option to choose searching titles only or searching full item details. Each

entry in the list may be clicked to show full item and (public, so not email) member details

including a map location.

Note: Item lists may become lengthy and must therefore be paginated. You should not

expect search terms to be an exact match for items. Make sure that you have sufficient items

in your database to demonstrate pagination. You may wish to include thumbnails alongside

item titles in the lists.

Task 1: Understand the concepts of web application development 

In the reference to the above scenario:

1.1       Evaluate the functions and advantages of web applications. [P1.1].

1.2     Compare different types of server-side and client-side scripting languages. [P1.2,

M1].

1.3      Examine    web    security     concerns     and     make    recommendations     for    security

improvements for your web application. [P1.3, D1].

Task 2: Design web applications

This task focuses in the design of the web application and associated database. Within this

context and in the reference to the above scenario:

2.1       Design a web application to meet the given requirements in the scenario above. Use

all relevant techniques such as wire-framing, storyboarding and sitemap. Your

website shall have all the relevant pages for full implementation of the above

scenario including a sitemap. Use master pages/layout to create a consistent layout

for the pages in your application. [P2.1, M2].

2.2       Synthesise client-side and server-side (client-server architecture) functionality in

your web application. [P2.2].

2.3       Design a database system for use in your web application. [P2.3, D2].

2.4       Evaluate alternative designs and solutions to meet a given requirement. [P2.4, M2].

Task 3: Implement Web Applications

This task aims to establish a good familiarity with the implementation of the web application

using proper client-server technologies connected to a relational database using html, CSS,

JavaScript, PHP/ASP.NET and SQL/MySQL DB. To this end you have to:

3.1       Implement the proposed wireframe and the client-server architecture introduced in

task 2 using scripting languages as appropriate: HTML for web pages, CSS for

presentation styles, JavaScript for client side script, php/ASP.NET for server side

script and SQL for database query. Create the required pages and relevant

functionalities as specified in the scenario above. [P3.1, M2]. 

 3.2       Implement a web-enabled database management system to store, retrieve and

manipulate data in the web application as specified in the scenario above. [P3.2,

D3].

3.3       Identify and implement opportunities for error handling and reporting. [P3.3, M1].

Task 4: Test Web Applications

You are required to produce web sites that pass W3C validation using http://validator.w3.org

and also pass least the Priority 1 W3C web content accessibility guidelines. When designing

your web pages you should give serious consideration to usability and how CSS and

JavaScript can be used to enhance usability. Your sites are at required to display and

operate correctly on all popular web browsers, i.e. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla

Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc. Client side (JavaScript) and server side (PHP, ASP.NET) scripts

must be used to validate input data from all forms. Your site must operate correctly with and

without JavaScript and CSS.[Read about website designing testing assignment]

You need to provide the overall documentation for the website testing including a detailed

description of the tests you will perform on the various functions and web services of the

program, the database and the program as a whole to ensure that each function works

correctly (Unit Testing), all the functions work together correctly (Integration Testing) and that

the website meets all the requirements (Acceptance Testing). Moreover, you are required to

test the compatibility issues (test the website using various web browsers), compliance the

website with the relevant legislation the security issues and the accessibility and usability

features of the website, you have to explain and justify your answers. To this end you must:

4.1      Review and test your web application on front end and back end levels. [P4.1, D1].

4.2      analyse actual test results against expected results to identify discrepancies (Use

verification table). [P4.2, M3].

4.3      Critically evaluate independent feedback on a developed web application and make

recommendations for improvements [P4.3].

4.4      Create user documentation for a developed web application. [P4.4].

 Assessment Methods

This is an individual coursework.

There are TWO components to this assignment.

1. Your system will be assessed at a laboratory demonstration/viva where the complete

system (software or hardware) you produced will be demonstrated and you will be

asked to answer related questions. For this, you will need to prepare a power point

presentation or similar presentation package of your choice to aid your oral

presentation. The presentation will last no more than 10-15 minutes. You will be

marked on content, presentation style and clarity of delivery. This is important and

you should treat it as an examination. [M3]

2. You will need to produce a short report addressing all the questions in each learning

outcome. You must include your power point slides in this report. There is no written

examination for this unit.

Additional Specs, Hints & Good Programming Practices

•      The marking scheme for this coursework will assign marks for Functionality, Quality

of Code, Program Design, Style, Documentation and Working Binaries. Style and

Documentation are crucial – you must neatly comment your code.

•      Try and break the coursework down into do-able chunks as identified by the task list.

These are distinct programs in the coursework, so try and modularise your effort – for

instance - first you need to set up the menu system and build functionalities of each

menu item one by one. This approach will help in the testing and debugging process

of your code.

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