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ChaPter 3 • ProjeCt management 51

Figure 3.2
Problem definition for Catherine’s
Catering, developed with the help
of users.

Problem Definition

Catherine’s Catering is experiencing problems with handling the number of routine calls with customers, as well as
staff is leading to scheduling conflicts and understaffed events.
Issues
coordinating with external partners such as suppliers and meeting facilities. The growth in the number of part-time
Weight

1. Customer contact takes an inordinate amount of time for routine questions.
10
2. Managing part-time employees is time-consuming and leads to scheduling errors.
9
3. It is difficult to accommodate last-minute changes for events.
7
4. Supplies are ordered for each event. Often shipments are received several times a day.
6
5. There are often problems communicating changes to event facilities.
5
6. There is little historical information about customers and meals.
Objectives
3
1. Provide a Web system for customers to obtain pricing information and place orders.
2. Create or purchase a human resources system with a scheduling component.
3. After customers have signed an event contract, provide them with Web access to their
account and a means for them to update the number of guests. Notify management of changes.
concurrent time frame.
4. Provide a means to determine overall quantities of supplies for events occurring within a
5. Provide a system for communicating changes to key personnel at event facilities.
Requirements
6. Store all event data and make summary information available in a variety of formats.
1. The system must be secure.
2. Feedback must be entered by event managers at the close of each event.
3. There must be a means for event facilities to change their contact person.
4. The system must be easy to use by nontechnical people.
Constraints
1. Development costs must not exceed $50,000.
for graduation parties and weddings.
2. The initial Web site for customer orders must be ready by March 1 to accommodate requests

3. It was too time-consuming for Catherine and her staff to handle each request for catering,
with about 60 percent of the calls resulting in a contract.
4. Conflicts in employee schedules were occurring, and some events were understaffed.
Complaints about the timeliness of service were becoming more frequent.
5. Catherine does not have any summary information about the number of events and types
of meals. It would be helpful to have trend information to help guide customers in their
choice of meals.
6. Events that include service for sit-down meals are often held at hotels and other meeting
halls. There are problems with scheduling sufficient wait staff and responding to changes
in the number of guests.
The problem definition is shown in Figure 3.2. Notice the weights on the right, representing
an average of the weights assigned by each employee. Objectives match the issues. Each objec-
tive is used to create user requirements.
User requirements are then used to create either use cases and a use case diagram or data
flow diagram processes. For each objective there may be one or more user requirements, or
several objectives may lead to the creation of one or perhaps no use cases (use cases are not
often created for simple reports), or each requirement may lead to the creation of one data flow
diagram process. The user requirements for Catherine’s Catering are to:

1. Create a dynamic website to allow current and potential clients to view and obtain pricing
information for a variety of different products.