RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROJECTT TITLE: DESINGNING AND DEVELOPING A MOBILE POINT-OF-SALE (POS)

APP FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

STUDENT NAME: PATRINA KAFWSA

STUDENT NUMBER: 22093782

PROGRAM OF STUDY: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TELEPHONE: 0976059798

EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

BACKGROUND OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

In the increasingly digital landscape of commerce, small business owners face the
challenge of effectively managing transactions, inventory, and customer
interactions. A Point of Sale (POS) system serves as the cornerstone of these
operations, facilitating smooth transactions, inventory management, and
reporting. The proposed POS app aims to address the specific needs of small
business owners by providing a comprehensive yet intuitive solution.

Problem Statement
Small business owners often face significant challenges in efficiently managing
their daily operations, particularly concerning transactions, inventory
management, and customer interactions. Existing POS systems are often
expensive, complex, and not tailored to the specific needs of smaller enterprises.
Therefore, there is a critical need for a user-friendly, cost-effective POS solution
that addresses these challenges and enhances overall business efficiency and
customer satisfaction.

Key Challenges:

1. Complexity and Cost: Current POS systems are often designed for larger
enterprises, with features that small businesses may not need, leading to
unnecessary complexity and higher costs.
2. Lack of Customization: Many existing POS systems do not offer sufficient
customization options, making it difficult for small business owners to tailor
the system to their specific needs and preferences.

3. Integration Issues: Integration with other business tools such as accounting

software, e-commerce platforms, and customer relationship management
(CRM) systems is often limited or cumbersome, hindering seamless
operation.

4. User Interface Complexity: The interfaces of existing POS systems can be

overly complex and unintuitive, requiring extensive training for users and
potentially leading to operational errors.

5. Scalability and Flexibility: Small businesses need a POS solution that can
grow with their business and adapt to changing needs without requiring
substantial investments in new technology or extensive retraining.

Objectives of the proposed system

 Simplicity and Usability: Develop a user-friendly interface that minimizes

the learning curve for small business owners and their staff, facilitating
quick adoption and efficient use.

 Cost-Effectiveness: Create a POS app that is affordable for small businesses,

eliminating the need for expensive upfront costs and reducing ongoing
maintenance expenses.
  Customization and Flexibility: Provide customizable features and modules
that allow businesses to tailor the POS system to their specific industry
requirements and operational preferences.

 Integration and Compatibility: Ensure seamless integration with other

essential business tools such as accounting software, e-commerce
platforms, and CRM systems, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

 Scalability and Growth: Design the POS app to scale effortlessly as the
business expands, accommodating increased transaction volumes,
additional products or services, and new business locations.

Literature Review (Software and Hardware)

1. Development Frameworks and Tools:

o React Native: A popular framework for building cross-platform mobile

apps using JavaScript and React.

o Flutter: Google's UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications

for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase.

o Ionic: A framework for building cross-platform mobile, web, and

desktop apps using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

2. Backend Development:
 o Node.js: A JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine
for building scalable server-side applications.

o Django: A high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid

development and clean, pragmatic design.

o Firebase: Google's mobile and web application development platform

that provides backend services like database, authentication, and
analytics.

3. Database Management:

o MySQL: An open-source relational database management system

known for its speed, reliability, and ease of use.

o PostgreSQL: A powerful, open-source object-relational database

system known for its robustness and advanced features.

o MongoDB: A NoSQL database program that uses JSON-like

documents with schema flexibility and scalability.

4. Cloud Services:

o Amazon Web Services (AWS): Offers a broad set of global cloud-based

products including computing, storage, databases, analytics, and
more.

o Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Provides cloud computing services for

computing, data storage, machine learning, and more.

o Microsoft Azure: A cloud computing service created by Microsoft for

building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services.
 5. Payment Integration:

o Stripe: A global technology company that builds economic

infrastructure for the internet, including payment processing.

o PayPal: An online payment system that supports online money

transfers and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper
methods.

o Square: Provides payment hardware and software solutions for

businesses of all sizes.

Hardware Components

1. Tablet or Mobile Device:

o iPad (iOS) or Android Tablet: Popular choices for POS systems due to
their portability, touchscreen interface, and availability of POS apps.

2. Barcode Scanner:

o Symbol LS2208: A reliable and cost-effective barcode scanner suitable

for small businesses.

o Honeywell Voyager 1250g: Offers superior scanning performance and

ease of use.

3. Receipt Printer:

o Epson TM-T88V: A high-speed thermal receipt printer known for its

reliability and compatibility with POS systems.
 o Star Micronics TSP143III: Offers fast printing speed and easy
integration with various POS environments.

4. Card Reader and Payment Terminal:

o Square Reader: Supports contactless (NFC) payments and chip (EMV)

card transactions.

o Ingenico iPP320: Provides secure and reliable payment processing for

various card types.

5. Cash Drawer:

o APG Vasario Series: Known for its durable construction and

compatibility with various POS systems.

o MMF Advantage: Offers secure storage and reliability for cash

handling in retail environments.

6. Customer Display:

o Elo Touch E-Series: Provides clear and responsive touchscreen

displays for customer interaction.

o Bematech LDX9000: Offers versatile mounting options and clear

visibility of transaction details.
 Methodology & Research Design
1. User Research and Requirements Gathering:

o User Persona Development: Create detailed profiles of target users

(small business owners) to understand their specific needs, pain points,
and preferences regarding POS systems.

o Requirements Analysis: Conduct interviews, surveys, and workshops

to gather comprehensive requirements, ensuring that the POS app
meets user expectations and business requirements.

2. Technical Feasibility

o Technology Assessment: Evaluate the technical feasibility of

implementing the POS app using chosen technologies (e.g.,
development frameworks, backend architecture).

o Platform Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with popular mobile

platforms (iOS, Android) and consider cross-platform development
frameworks like React Native or Flutter.

o Scalability and Performance: Design scalable architecture to handle

potential growth in user base and transaction volume. Conduct
performance testing to ensure the app can handle peak loads
efficiently.
3. Economic Feasibility

o Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluate the costs associated with developing,

deploying, and maintaining the POS app against the anticipated
benefits and returns on investment (ROI).

o Budget Allocation: Allocate resources effectively, considering

development costs, hardware procurement (e.g., tablets, printers), and
ongoing maintenance expenses.

o Revenue Generation: Explore potential revenue streams, such as

subscription models, transaction fees, or additional services offered
through the POS app.

4. Operational Feasibility

o Integration Capability: Assess the app’s ability to integrate seamlessly

with existing business systems (e.g., accounting software, CRM
systems) and third-party services (e.g., payment gateways).

o Usability and Training: Design an intuitive user interface (UI) to

minimize training requirements for small business owners and their
staff. Conduct usability testing to validate ease of use.

o Change Management: Plan for change management strategies to

facilitate smooth adoption of the POS app within the organization,
ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations.

Feasibility Assessment

 Technical Feasibility: Ensure the chosen technologies and development

methodologies align with project requirements and can be implemented
within the desired timeframe and budget.
  Economic Feasibility: Evaluate the financial implications of developing and
deploying the POS app, considering both initial investment and ongoing
operational costs against potential benefits and revenue generation
opportunities.

 Operational Feasibility: Assess the practicality and effectiveness of

implementing the POS app within small business environments, including
compatibility with existing workflows, ease of integration, and user
acceptance

Technologies to be Used

Front-End Development

1. HTML/CSS: For structuring and styling web-based POS interfaces.

2. JavaScript: Essential for creating interactive and dynamic user interfaces.

o React: A popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces,

especially single-page applications.

o Angular: A TypeScript-based framework for building web applications.

o Vue.js: A progressive JavaScript framework for building user

interfaces.

Back-End Development
 1. JavaScript (Node.js): Often used for building server-side applications due to
its non-blocking, event-driven architecture.

2. Python: Known for its readability and versatility, with frameworks like
Django and Flask.

3. Ruby: With the Ruby on Rails framework, it's a popular choice for building
scalable web applications.

4. Java: A robust and widely-used language, particularly with the Spring

framework.

5. PHP: Commonly used in web development, with frameworks like Laravel

and Symfony.

Mobile Development

1. Swift: For developing native iOS applications.

2. Kotlin/Java: For developing native Android applications.

3. Flutter (Dart): A UI toolkit from Google for building natively compiled

applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase.

4. React Native: Allows for building mobile apps using React.

Database Management

1. SQLite: A lightweight, file-based database often used in mobile and small-

scale applications.

2. MySQL/PostgreSQL: Popular relational database management systems for

larger-scale applications.
 3. MongoDB: A NoSQL database for handling large volumes of unstructured
data.

Cloud and DevOps

1. Docker: For containerization, ensuring the application runs consistently

across different environments.

2. Kubernetes: For container orchestration, managing deployment, scaling, and

operations of application containers.

3. AWS/Azure/GCP: Cloud platforms for hosting the application, providing

scalability, security, and various cloud services.

Payment Integration

1. Stripe API: For processing payments, managing subscriptions, and handling

financial transactions.

2. Square API: A comprehensive payment processing solution for POS systems.

3. PayPal API: Another popular payment gateway for handling online

transactions.

schedule of tasks
JUNE 2024

 Requirement gathering and analysis: 2 weeks

 System design and architecture: 1 weeks

 JULY 2024

 Development and implementation: 4weeks

AUGUST 2024

 Testing and quality assurance: 1 weeks

 Deployment and user training: 2 weeks

Conclusion

By integrating these technologies, the proposed POS system can significantly

enhance the operational efficiency of small business owners, offering them a
reliable, scalable, and user-friendly solution to manage their sales and inventory.

References
1. HTML/CSS/JavaScript for Front-end Development

- W3Schools. HTML, CSS, JavaScript Tutorials.

[W3Schools](https://www.w3schools.com/)

- MDN Web Docs. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. [MDN Web

Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/)

2. Back-end Development
 - Node.js. Node.js Documentation. [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/docs/)

- Django. Django Documentation. [Django](https://docs.djangoproject.com/)

- Ruby on Rails. Rails Guides. [Ruby on Rails](https://guides.rubyonrails.org/)

- Spring Framework. Spring Documentation.

[Spring](https://spring.io/projects/spring-framework)

- Laravel. Laravel Documentation. [Laravel](https://laravel.com/docs)

3. Mobile Development

- Swift. Swift Programming Language Guide.

[Swift](https://swift.org/documentation/)

- Kotlin. Kotlin Documentation. [Kotlin](https://kotlinlang.org/docs/home.html)

- Flutter. Flutter Documentation. [Flutter](https://flutter.dev/docs)

- React Native. React Native Documentation. [React

Native](https://reactnative.dev/docs/getting-started)

4. Database Management

- SQLite. SQLite Documentation. [SQLite](https://www.sqlite.org/docs.html)

- MySQL. MySQL Documentation. [MySQL](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/)

- PostgreSQL. PostgreSQL Documentation.

[PostgreSQL](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/)
 - MongoDB. MongoDB Documentation. [MongoDB](https://docs.mongodb.com/)

5. Cloud and DevOps

- Docker. Docker Documentation. [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/)

- Kubernetes. Kubernetes Documentation.

[Kubernetes](https://kubernetes.io/docs/)

- AWS. AWS Documentation. [AWS](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/)

- Azure. Azure Documentation. [Azure](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/)

- Google Cloud Platform. GCP Documentation.

[GCP](https://cloud.google.com/docs)

6. Payment Integration

- Stripe. Stripe API Documentation. [Stripe](https://stripe.com/docs/api)

- Square. Square Developer Documentation.

[Square](https://developer.squareup.com/docs)

- PayPal. PayPal Developer Documentation.

[PayPal](https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/overview/)