PROJECT PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION
Executive lodge is one of the fast growing service providers in the tourism industry. The lodge offers first class accommodation, food and entertainment facilities. It has some suits which can accommodate a family of six people, couples and individuals. As a growing firm, it needs to compete on the world market and this can be achieved through an interactive website. The site will serve as a marketing tool as well as allowing customers to do their booking from anywhere in the world.

1.1 RESEARCH PROBLEM Executive lodge is currently running a manual booking system. The current manual system is experiencing a lot of problems. It is very slow in the storage and retrieval of data and it is limited to the locals as it does not allow the lodge to advertise to other customers abroad. Time and again guests have been allocated the same room because the current system is very inefficient and slow. This has got a negative impact on the reputation of the lodge in the hospitality industry and such matters should be dealt with as a matter of urgency as they may tarnish the corporate image of the organization. Below are the key problems that have been found to prevalent in the current system. Poor marketing the current marketing strategies implemented are very poor. Currently they are using the local newspaper Slow retrieval of data - .it takes a long time for one to search for data as it is done manually Not competing in the world market - like any other lodge it needs to compete in the world market Obsolete the current manual system has become obsolete in terms of architecture and functionality. Poor security the current system has no level of restriction in terms of access of data as anyone can access and manipulate the data. Wastage of resources too many resources are wasted due to the bulky storage The paper records are easily damaged

1.1.1 AIMS OF THE RESEACH STUDY The main aims of this research is to identify all the problems that are being in the current manual booking system and come up with possible solutions to these problems and then implementing the solutions.

1.1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPORSED SYSTEM The proposed system will: Allow clients to book online Show full details about the lodge Generate reports Be user friendly and inco-operate a good graphical user interface Minimise data redundancy

1.1.3 CONSTRAINTS The following constraints could be encountered during the development, implementation, operation and maintenance of the system: Time - this project is expected to be completed and accessed in three months considering that I am a student I have limited on the project this may also impinge negatively on the quality of my project Power cuts - The project may be delayed by the current electricity situation we are experiencing in the country Users resistance to technology - It could also face resistance from some staff members who may fear that their jobs are at stake. On initial implementation, the solution may have some few bugs that need to be eliminated as the time goes and this many pose serious acceptance problems from users.

1.2 JUSTIFICATION
There is need to continuously upgrade and move inline with the current level of technology. The online booking system will make it easier and effective as well as reduce labour for the employees The proposed system will have all records in one system rather than in the previous system. The software to be used in the proposed system is readily available in the market and a budget has already been allocated for the project to kick-start. The proposed system saves a lot of time and improves customer service and this effectively widens the customer base.

1.3 METHODOLOGY AND METHOD

1.3.1 HYPOTHESIS The above mentioned problems can be overcome by computerising. To design the computerised system, the following tools will be used: PHP- a powerful scripting language My SQL a scalable relational database Macro media dream weaver

1.3.2 INSTRUMENTS To gather data on the current system, the developer used a lot of instruments. These instruments include the company journals, news papers and also some literature from the library which relate to the research problem. The developer also used the internet to do his research.

1.3.3 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES There are various ways of gathering data that can be used. In doing the research the developer used the following fact finding techniques. 1.3.3.1 Interview I conducted interviews with identified key employees within Executive Lodge, ranging from Front Office staff to middle-level managers. I collected information from individuals through face-to-face interaction. The interviews helped to give an insight of how executive Lodge functions, and to provide answers to questions that could not be answered by the former techniques. Advantages of using Interviews Interviews can react immediately. First hand information is obtained. Flexible since answers were obtained spontaneously. Interviews helps in time consuming since the users of the current system quickly pointed out some of the strength and weaknesses of the current system. There is use of body language and it could be read and translated. Interviews allow the interviewer to explain or help clarify questions, increasing the likelihood of useful and immediate responses.

Disadvantages of an interview Some information could not be disclosed for security reasons. It can be time consuming and costly to get to the organization to conduct interviews It can be biased as people can give answers to make happy Volume of information gathered may be too large and difficult to analyze.

1.3.3.2 QUESTIONNAIRES This is when a set of questions intended for research purposes are presented on a piece of paper, on which spaces are left for the individual provided the answers to fill in. Samples of questionnaires are found in appendix two. ADVANTAGES Fear is reduced as no names are involved, Information was obtained as a number of people could answer the questionnaires at the same time, Minimum disruption to the busy schedule of workers, The people involved answer the question at their free time. It allow for anonymous input and therefore to produce precise information.

DISADVANTAGES Costly in terms of stationary involved, Respondents were limited to what was on paper as they could not expand on an issue, High ranking officials ended up using their subordinates to fill in information for them Some questions were answered wrongly because they had been misinterpreted and seemed ambiguous to the responded

1.3.3.3 OBSERVATIONS This is when the researcher goes and watches the current system in operation in order to obtain first hand information and have a better insight into the procedures of the current system. To make this method effective I went to Executive lodge as a client wishing to use their facilities and observed while being served.

ADVANTAGES Provide first hand information of how the system operates, Allowed all those operations or tasks omitted from interviews or questionnaires, Allows interpretation of other information researched correctly and accurately

DISADVANTAGES The process is time consuming There were some scheduling inconveniences as some activities took place at odd hours There are possibilities of bias since some employees changed their normal ways of operation due to the fact that they were being watched.

1.3.4 DATA ANALYSIS

1.4 DISSERMINATION OF FINDINGS

To distribute the findings from the research, the developer is going to give repots to all the responsible authorities of the lodge. The developer is also going to do presentations as a way to give out the data.

1.5 BUDGET
The developer incurred a few expenses in doing the research. The costs re summerised below in their monetary value

Transport Stationery Typing and printing Photocopying

$9 $10 $5 $7

TOTAL

$31

1.6 TIMING
The project development is expected to run for about 62 days. All the stages involved and their expected durations have been summarised in the tables below:

Phase Project proposal Planning Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Documentation

Start Date 01/02/11 05/02/11 12/02/11 23/02/11 17/03/11 29/03/11 01/02/11

Completion date 04/02/11 11/02/11 22/02/11 16/03/11 28/03/11 03/04/11 08/04/11

Number of days 4 6 10 22 11 6++ 62

The Gantt chart The above information can also be represented using a Gantt chart shown on the Figure below. Phase/Week Start End Feb 11 March 11 April 11

01 04 05 11 12 22 16 17 28 29 03 08 1 Proposal 2 Planning 3 Analysis 4 Design 01/02 04/02 05/02 11/02 12/02 22/02 23/02 16/03

5 Implementation 17/03 28/03 6 Maintenance 7 Documentation 29/03 03/04 01/02 03/04

1.7 CONTENTS LIST

1.1 Research Problem........................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Aim of the research study........................................................................................2 1.1.2 Objectives.................................................................................................................2 1.1.3 Limitations or constraints.........................................................................................2

1.2 Justification...................................................................................................................3

1.3 Methodology and Methods..........................................................................................3 1.3.1 Hypothesis....................................................................................................................3 1.3.2 instrument...................................................................................................................3 1.3.3 Data Collection Procedures ........................................................................................4 1.3.4 Data analysis................................................................................................................6

1.4 Dissemination of findings..............................................................................................7

1.5 Budget...........................................................................................................................7

1.6 Timing............................................................................................................................8

1.7 Outline of Provisional Content list...............................................................................10

1.8 Refences........................................................................................................................11

1.8 REFRENCING