Need advice for a best way to make this application

[Chisum]

I have a few suggestions on how to begin. Much of my professional work was focused on system design and implementation.

Your post seems to include some basic ideas on some of the essential elements of a good system design. So here are some of my ideas:

1. Begin with the Business Process Design. You have a basic start of that in your comments which beginning the paragraph that stars with "The job at hand is this. ....". My suggestion is to create a flowchart diagram of the business process that you describe in that paragraph. Include at the beginning of the design a few simple paragraphs that describe the who, what, where, and when of the process. Then include a simple flowchart that describes the steps of the process. At this point, do not think about the computer or the code. Your goal is to produce a basic description of the business process.

Then show and discuss this document with the people who actually perform this business process as a part of their jobs at the present time. This effort is extremely important. Everything else that you will do is dependent of the success of this effort. Keep your work simple and clear cut. Be precise.
Do not expect your first efforts to be perfect. Your goal at this stage is to create a documentation of the business process that both IT and the staff who perform this process all agree that the document is accurate. Listen carefully to everyone's ideas and comments and include all relevant information. In fact, get their approval and 'buy in' to your effort, in writing if possible.

2. Once you have completed the first step, you can begin working on the a description of the IT processes currently used. Take each step of the business process and identify this IT components currently involved. These would include paper forms currently used, existing databases used, and how individual items on the forms are mapped to the existing databases. Some of this information may already exist.

As you have noted, "Our working orders are very old and don’t serve their purpose any more.". Identify the specific problems as you work through this step. Note current information that is obsolete, vague, and what new information is needed. Again, keep talking with the staff who actually are performing this process. They will, often, be very happy to point out the shortcomings in the current process. They will often be able to describe the irrelevant information being gathered now and they can describe the additional information which is actually needed. Such comments as "Oh, the item is worthless..." or "Oh, we always add extra data up here on the left about such and such..". They will tell you this information but you have to ask for it. The information that you gather here should be added to the description of the business process that you produced in Step 1.

3. The results of these two steps will allow you to write a proposal of your suggested improvements to streamline this business process. These suggestions would include changes to the current business process including new/revised source documents (forms), modified/new steps in the business process and modified/new changes to existing/new databases, and finally a description of the process of automation of all of your effort; in other words, your proposal for an computer application. The description of your proposed computer application should include sketches of the actual screens involved. Again, you will want to share this work with everyone involved, get their ideas and comments, and obtain their approval and 'buy-in'

Final Comments:

I know this is a lot of work. But I have created several large automated implementations of manual business processes by using these steps. By being careful and precise at the start, by involving the important players or users of this process, and by producing a final proposal that all can accept, you will find that you can achieve this with a minimum amount of pain. Imagine that you are building a pyramid. If you do not use the right stones, placed correctly at the bottom, the stone that you place on the higher levels will be wrong, and the pyramid will eventually fail.

To paraphrase a comment from an early sci-fi movie "TRON",

"You are TRON, you fight for the user.!"

There are also many books and articles on the INTERNET that discuss these issues. I would be happy to answer any of your questions.

Good Luck!!!

Gary

[frenk_castle]

I already thought that nobody would answer. Thanks for proving me wrong Gary.

I started conversations with people who will use the application and with people who will work with printed version of the working order. I almost finished a very rough code design of user interface. Application works but lack most functionality. This, I can't call it even prototype, will go to IT Section for their suggestions for the user interface and everything else. When I get input from both IT and Technology section I will make final design. In the mean time I won't think about the code at all but try to follow path similar to what you described. This is very similar to what my college professors talked about when they taught us system design. I majored in electronics but basic principles are the same. And off course I will try to find articles on the net about this kind of design to help me.

Thank you Gary.

[Chisum]

That is great news. Yeah, I was a college professor for awhile. I am so glad to hear what you have accomplished. It sounds like you are well on your way to a successful project.

It is absolutely essential to include users and technical staff in such a project. Think of them as your customers. If they are not satisfied, it really does not matter how cute or sophisticated is the code that you may come up with.

In the General Discussion forum on this site, there is a long topic on 'Are you a professional programmer?'. I have not put up my answer yet, but it will include a lot about Systems Design. Coding is fun, I still code even though I am retired, but to be a Professional means implementing good system design and satisfying your users and managers about all else.

Keep of the good work!!!

Gary