2022

Computer Care
Domain Study

AGILE WARRIORS
Anil Abraham g20A2632, timothy Fischer g19F7919, Lihle Mahlombe g19m4974,
aquem khumalo g19k5813

rhodes university | Makhanda

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Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Typical Stakeholders..............................................................................................................................3
Typical Processes and Functionality......................................................................................................5
Ease of Use....................................................................................................................................5
Asset Management.......................................................................................................................6
Preventative maintenance..........................................................................................................6
Security...........................................................................................................................................6
Work Order Management............................................................................................................7
Report Management.....................................................................................................................7
Mobile Maintenance Management System.............................................................................8
Typical Information Stored and Processed............................................................................................9
Insight Technologies.................................................................................................................10
weFix..............................................................................................................................................12
Boot Systems Go........................................................................................................................13
Typical User Interfaces, Systems Interfaces and Architecture Employed............................................14
Boot Systems Go........................................................................................................................14
Insight Technologies.................................................................................................................15
weFix..............................................................................................................................................16
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................18
References...........................................................................................................................................19

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 Introduction
This document serves as a domain study, which is a study done to explore the
business domain of the respective information system, finding out what information
and systems exist already within this business domain, and to extract information
from these existing systems to aid the project team in developing their own
implementation of an information system. Creating a domain study assists the
project team in various ways. For example, a domain study can help a project team
to understand the core functionalities that their system should have, and for the team
to add their own additional features and functionalities which have not been done
before in other systems to create a unique service.

The business domain of interest to this project is the area of computer hardware
repairs and the information systems used to automate this. Three websites, in
particular, will be researched: Insight Technologies, Boot Systems Go, and weFix.
These three aforementioned websites each have their own unique implementation of
an information system relating to desktop and laptop repairs. Our information system
will cater specifically towards students and staff only and will deal with desktop and
laptop repairs. The reason for requiring an information system is to automate the
procedure of having a laptop/desktop repaired. This entails managing the details
regarding various repair jobs, allowing technicians to easily update repair jobs,
allowing customers to check on the status of a repair job and more.

Investigation will be done in the following four areas: Typical stakeholders, typical
processes and functionality, typical information stored and processed, and typical
user interfaces, systems interfaces, and architecture employed.

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 Typical Stakeholders
Stakeholders are a vital component to any project, as they can impact a project
hugely in terms of user requirements, design, feasibility and more. Stakeholders are
defined as: “The people involved in or affected by project activities, and include the
project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, users, suppliers, and even
opponents of the project” (Schwalbe, 2016). Stakeholders can be internal to the
organisation or external and can impact the project either positively or negatively.
The project is of great interest to stakeholders, therefore it is imperative that the
project is a success as most, if not all, stakeholders will benefit from the completion
of the project. Examples of typical stakeholders include, but are not limited to:
Project sponsor, customers, suppliers, government, competitors, project manager,
employees of the business, and more. After investigating the three aforementioned
websites, the following table was concluded:

Insight Boot Systems weFix

Technologies Go
Customers Local residents and Local residents Local residents of
organisations of and IT Cape Town,
Grahamstown departments of Pretoria,
Port Elizabeth Johannesburg
Project sponsor Insight Technologies Boot Systems Go weFix
Suppliers Wootware HugePC Evetech
Project manager PM of Insight PM of Boot PM of
Technologies/externa Systems weFix/external
l PM Go/external PM PM
Competitors IT Solutions Ibayi PC The Laptop Lab
Employees Employees/staff of Employees/staff Employees/staff
Insight Technologies of Boot Systems of weFix
Go

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After using the above information, we have ascertained that the typical stakeholders
of Wood Street Academy are:

Wood Street Academy

Customers Staff and students
Project sponsor Wood Street Academy
Suppliers Preferably local suppliers
Project manager Wood Street Academy PM
Competitors IT Solutions
Employees Staff
members/technicians/administrators.

The Computer Care system will however only offer their hardware repair services to
the employees of Wood Street Academy, as well as the students that attend the
academy. Their services are not available to the rest of the city.

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 Typical Processes and
Functionality
When identifying the processes and functionality that an organisation’s system
should have, an analysis into systems in similar business areas is of vital
importance. This aids the organisation in seeing what works and what doesn’t work
with systems that have already been implemented. The PC repair system is identical
to a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). After thorough
investigation, the following 7 processes and functionalities were identified that make
up the core of a typical CMMS:

 Ease of Use
 Asset Management
 Preventative maintenance
 Security
 Work Order Management
 Report Management
 Mobile Maintenance Management System

Ease of Use

Complicated systems, or systems that do not present its functionality in a simple

way, will create issues for all users. Quoting Agarwal: “The more complicated a
CMMS is the greater the chance of failure” (Agarwal, 2021). Managers, technicians,
and customers alike are affected by the complexity of a system, especially if the
system is newly implemented. We can see how the layout for the domains presented
in this document are designed in such a way in that it is simple and intuitive to
navigate about the website. This is one of the most crucial steps in creating a well-
designed system.

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 Asset Management

Performing hardware repair tasks strongly relies on a technician’s skill but also on
the use of quality equipment and parts. Therefore, a system that can manage stock
of equipment and parts is vitally important. The three websites of interest most likely
have a well-implemented system in place that keeps track of information such as
details of the parts/equipment in stock, whether or not these parts/equipment are
available, manufacturer and suppliers of these parts/equipment as well as other
supporting documentation.

Preventative maintenance

Preventative maintenance is the process of performing routine maintenance on a

system with the goal of preventing any unexpected problems, equipment failures or
downtime.

Security

Security of online systems is becoming increasingly more important. Both the actual
system as well as the information within the system’s databases have to be kept
safe. Both Insight Technologies and weFix’s respective systems allow users to
create a personal account that is password protected; not only for the sake of
validating users but also for the sake of protecting their personal information.

Protecting information within the business is also crucial as this may contain
customers or employee’s personal information and information relating to business
practices and services. Information such as anything captured by the reporting
system, stock information within the asset management system and any work order
information should be backed up on external storage devices and be kept off site in
case of a security breach or loss of data.

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 Work Order Management

Work order management, also known as work order tracking, is one of the core
features of any CMMS. This process involves storing information related to repair
orders, allowing for the monitoring, and controlling of repair tasks. Information such
as what work needs to be done for a specific task, tracking and prioritizing tasks,
who will be assigned to the repairs and how the tasks are progressing can and
should be stored. This enables technicians and managers to monitor, control, and
track repair orders.

This is present in all three respective domains. Logging repair tasks are initiated by
the user via emails or form entries. These tasks can then be managed and controlled
by staff.

Report Management

This process allows for extensive reporting of information related to repair tasks. This
information is available to technicians, managers of the system and the repair
organisation through efficient report management. Technicians are able to report on
the progress of tasks, issues encountered while performing tasks, as well as the
ability to view previous task reports for similar tasks. Managers can also view reports
to ensure tasks are running as planned. They should be able to deal with any issues
that arise such as delays, downtime, shortage of assets as well as to analyse
information for the purpose of business decisions. All of the aforementioned is
achieved through good report management.

Report management is also relevant to users as users’ reports, ratings and

complaints are all great ways to review the work done and to identify any issues with
the system or process of repairs. This process is often used by the repair
organisation themselves as a way of marketing or promoting their services.

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After inspecting the domains of interest, one can see the user reporting feature in
both the weFix and Boot Systems Go domains. Both systems allow users to submit
reviews, ratings, or complaints via their website.

Mobile Maintenance Management System

A mobile maintenance management system refers to a repair system that can be

accessed by technicians via mobile devices. According to Agarwal, 50% of
technicians use a mobile device for work (Agarwal, 2021). This highlights why a
mobile system is beneficial to implement. It gives technicians the ability to work
wherever they may be, as well as having easier access to work orders and stock
information.

All three of the domains of interest use a website as their main system. This is a form
of portable software, meaning they can be accessed anywhere and at any time via
mobile devices or desktop devices.

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 Typical Information Stored and
Processed
The information processing cycle is a broadly utilised method in systems analysis
and software engineering for characterizing the structure of an information
processing program or other processes (Sucharitha, 2020). This cycle identifies four
basic principles, namely: Input, output, processing, and storage. Therefore, this
section will investigate and give a clear understanding as to how information is often
stored and processed within the typical computer repair system using these four core
principles.

Figure 1: Information processing cycle.

https://gumption.typepad.com/blog/2006/01/input_processin.html

The first stage is the input, where the computer is given data by a user or a program
by means of input devices such as a microphone, scanner, or keyboard. After
receiving input, the computer uses and manipulates this data according to the user’s
instructions, also known as the processing stage. After processing is complete, the
output stage begins. Information is outputted which can then be displayed on
screens, printers, or video cards. This information can then be stored via storage
devices for future use (Sucharitha, 2020).

Applying the information processing cycle to our three existing websites of interest,
we are met with the following.

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 Insight Technologies

Firstly, the user is required to log in or to create an account using a valid email
address, first name, surname, and contact number. The user is then prompted to
create a password as well as to confirm the password. This user data is then
processed and saved into a database, where it will be recognised as a legitimate
account. After logging in or having created an account, the system displays the
user’s account which contains options to view order history, profile information, a
‘return to shop’ option and a logout option.

Figure 2: Insight Technologies login/sign up (Insight, 2022).

A PC Repair Enquire feature also exists on this website where a user can enquire
about Insight Technologies’ services. The system then asks the user to input their
name, number, email, and whatever query they may have (see figure 3). The user
then submits the form that contains all the required information which automatically
gets processed and stored by the system, for which an assistant from Insight
Technologies will respond to. After submitting the form, a message is displayed to
the user’s screen (see figure 4).

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Figure 3: Insight Technologies PC repair enquiry feature (Insight Technologies, 2022)

Figure 4: Insight Technologies’ feedback (insight Technologies, 2022)

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 weFix

The system requires the user’s first name, last name, email, and password in order
for the user to be able to create an account.

Figure 6: weFix subscribe feature (weFix, 2022)

Figure 5: weFix login/sign up (weFix, 2022)

This system also allows the user to subscribe to weFix’s newsletter by entering their
email so that they can receive special offers, free giveaways, and more.
Furthermore, the system has an option that enables the user to search for the
nearest weFix store by entering their address or zip code. After the user has entered
the relevant information, all the nearest stores are displayed stating if they are open,
closed, or closing soon. It also displays the address and a map for the purpose of

Figure 7: weFix map feature (weFix, 2022) navigation.

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 Boot Systems Go

Boot Systems Go has a WhatsApp feature that allows the user to ask an assistant
questions related to their services. This WhatsApp feature allows the user to select a
staff member related to the user’s query e.g., technician. After the user selects a
staff member, they can then ask their specific query. The staff member will then reply
to the relevant question. For example, if the user’s desktop needs a new
motherboard, then delivery arrangement will be made for the user.

Figure 8: WhatsApp Feature (Boot Systems Go,

2022)

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 Typical User Interfaces,
Systems Interfaces and
Architecture Employed
According to Dennis, Wixom and Tegarden, the process of designing user interfaces
in software or digital devices with the focus of aesthetic or style is referred to as User
Interface (Dennis, et al., 2015, p. 376). The goal is to design an interface that is
pleasing to the eye, yet simple to use. It also aims to minimise the effort needed to
accomplish the user’s work. Companies must balance the need for simplicity and
pleasant appearance against the need to present the information. The main
principles of User Interface include layout, content awareness, aesthetics, user
experience (UX), and consistency and minimal user effort (Dennis, et al., 2015, p.
370).

Boot Systems Go
When inspecting Boot Systems Go’s website layout, one is able to see that it has a
simple enough layout which can satisfy user experience. It can be used by both
experienced and non-experienced users. New users can easily and quickly learn
how to use the system as it has a simple home page that has a PC/laptop repair
button at the centre of the page. When a user clicks this button, a full list of services
offered is displayed to the screen, software or hardware related. The software
department has its own list of software problems that a user can choose from, and
likewise, the hardware department also has its own list.

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Figure 9: Boot Systems Go’s Home Page (Boot
Systems Go, 2022)
 Insight Technologies

The Home page of Insight Technologies is divided into rectangular boxes. The 1 st top
section is the information box that has the name and logo of the company, which is
crucially important because the user can easily identify that they are on the correct
website. This also helps in promoting Insight Technologies’ brand and their image.
The top box/section also includes the company’s contact details (email and phone)
which is followed by a search button. The second box is the smallest one which is
the navigation area, and it allows the user to navigate through the system. The
middle/bottom section displays slide-shows of various services that are offered by
Insight Technologies.

Figure 10: Insight Technologies Home Page (Insight

Technologies, 2022)

A read more button is present and is easily clickable. Once clicked, the system will
display the PC repair services that are offered by Insight Technologies. Clicking the
read more button displays the same content as when the user clicks PC support &
Repairs. This shows that simplicity, usability, and friendly user interfaces exist within
this system. Furthermore, under the list of services, Insight Technologies offer a form
to which the user can fill out to enquire a service. The form requires the user to enter
a name, number, email address, and to describe their problem. The user is able to
easily submit the form and a confirmation email is sent to the email address provided
by the user. An assistant/staff from Insight Technologies can then respond to the
user’s query.

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Figure 11: PC Repair Enquiry (Insight Technologies,
2022)

It is stated by Dennis, Wixom and Tegarden that non-functional requirement are

specifications that outline the system's operation capabilities as well as the
limitations that help it perform better (Dennis, et al., 2015, p. 418). These can include
requirements such as speed, security, dependability, operational, performance etc.
Important questions that are usually asked are how fast does the system return a set
of results? How much will this performance change with larger workloads?

The interfaces’ portability and compatibility are also important factors to consider
(Dennis, et al., 2015, p. 419). Insight Technologies can be accessed using a
desktop, laptop, cell phone, and by using any well-known browser. The system does
not limit users in terms of their operating system of choice. This is to allow those
customers who have old operating systems to be able to get help to upgrade.

weFix

Users do not like waiting for systems that take too long to load information, thus
architectures like data storage and access are significant aspects that detect the
system's pace and reliability. This can have a big impact on making the interface
more user friendly in terms of speed, ease of use etc. It is also vital that the system
works even when there are a lot of people utilizing it (Dennis, et al., 2015, p. 419).
weFix has been able to meet this requirement because when a user clicks on a
specific button, it sends you to that section with little delay. It allows users to
schedule a repair online or to request that weFix sends someone to pick up their
laptop and to repair it. Both of these processes require rapid systems to ensure that
any requests that the user/customer may have are received quickly. weFix needs to
store varied data, for example, client information submitted via form, insurance

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information, payments, a list of consumers waiting to be contacted by the agent, and
information on collection and delivery.

Figure 12: weFix’s services (weFix, 2022)

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 Conclusion
Through the thorough investigation of the three domains, namely: weFix, Insight
Technologies, and Boot Systems Go, it is clear that there exists similarities between
PC repair systems. Analysing the typical stakeholders, typical processes and
functionality, typical information stored and processed, and typical user interfaces,
systems interfaces and architectures employed has yielded valuable information that
is imperative to creating a successful PC repairs system. For example, good user
interface and architecture employed are vital as it allows users to browse and access
the system with ease. This lessens the effort required by users to fulfil their needs in
a fast and efficient way. This is because users won’t spend much time searching
around the website for whatever they are looking for, as the user interface should be
intuitive and should not be complex. User friendly systems are bound to improve
sales volumes, and would most likely also improve customer loyalty, resulting in less
resources required to fix unnecessary complexity.

These findings have had an impact on both our systems design and on our project
management. Customer Care’s system design will need to incorporate a PC Repair
Enquiry form, as well as a WhatsApp feature to be able to chat live with an assistant
from the organisation regarding any queries that the user may have. These two
features are commonly seen within similar domains and are therefore crucial
functionalities of these systems and need to be implemented. The project manager
will also need to recruit testers that will test the features that our system will have. In
particular, we will now need to delegate work to a member of the project team as the
assistant who will helps customers with queries via WhatsApp.

References

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Agarwal, S., 2021. 5 Key CMMS Selection Criteria. [Online]
Available at: https://website.maintenanceconnection.com/5-key-cmms-selection-criteria/
[Accessed 18 March 2022].

Agarwal, S., 2021. Accruent Maintenance Connection. [Online]

Available at: https://website.maintenanceconnection.com/5-key-cmms-selection-criteria/
[Accessed 20 March 2022].

Dennis, Wixom & Tegarden, 2015. Systems Analysis & Design. In: B. L. Golub, ed. An Object-Oriented
Approach with UML. East Carolina: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 376-379; 418.

DPSI, 2021. 5 Important Features of CMMS Programs for Maintenance Managers. [Online]
Available at: https://www.dpsi.com/blog/5-important-features-of-cmms-programs-for-maintenance-
managers/
[Accessed 20 March 2022].

IBM, n.d. What is a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)?. [Online]

Available at: https://www.ibm.com/topics/what-is-a-cmms
[Accessed 19 March 2022].

Schwalbe, K., 2016. Information Technology Project Management. 8th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Siyavula, 2019. Information processing cycle. [Online]

Available at: https://www.siyavula.com/read/cat/grade-11-cat/general-concepts-of-computing/01-
general-concepts-of-computing
[Accessed 21 March 2022].

Sucharitha, G., Matta, A., Dwarakamai, K. & Bodepu, T., 2020. Theory and Implications of
Information Processing. [Online]
Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347769974_Theory_and_Implications_of_Information_P
rocessing
[Accessed 20 March 2022].

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