8. Evaluation

Evaluating the Desktop Application

The desktop program, or part of the proposed solution functions swiftly and properly for its function, although some limitations are obvious. Initially, hardware requirements are almost non-existent – a dual-core processor, minimum memory and a presence of a network interface card are required.

However, a consistent ability to form a connection with the database is required for the application to even allow the user to log in – no data is kept locally or is accessible in case the school network goes down/is not functioning. On the other side, if the user chooses to keep copies of the absence data as flat files they can refer to them in the future. Additionally, the SQL Server itself requires initial set-up that must be conducted before the first administrator can log in and access/create resources. Also, if more than one user is logged in and make changes, the information presented to the other logged in users will not be dynamically updated. Moreover, staff starting with Mrs. Evi and Mrs. Angela must be trained in using the desktop application and the order in which they must insert data into the database for the solution to function properly. In the long-run, a user manual would be much needed if the solution is to be generalized and applied to more schools.

Finally, staff must be provided with the database address and password separately and must keep this information to themselves – this presents an obvious security challenge since the database can be accessed by everyone with an internet connection if they have the same database credentials. One way to go around this is to set up the SQL server on the local network, increasing security even though additional hardware may be required.

Mrs. Evi and Mrs. Angela both have had hands-on experience with the program and have found it easy to use.

Evaluating the Mobile Application

My mother has tried installing the mobile application to her iPhone SE and tested its functionality for a couple weeks – her feedback was a steppingstone for further improvement, even though she has found the solution to be much more efficient than the old system – since the register can be updated after taking it once, she can be less worried of making errors. Moreover, she liked the ability to pick from a list (picker) that fills in automatically with the day’s timetable and take the register for the desired period of the day. This capability removes any room for error since teachers will always have only 7 periods to choose from every day, which will be set based on the “teachings” records provided by Mrs. Evi or any other administrator.

The same network-related concern arises here, since the mobile application will also need to frequently establish connections with the database and make changes – wireless and mobile data networks can be less reliable than wired connections, which adds to the solution’s points of failure.

Finally, the mobile application is not so inclusive when it comes to software requirements – iOS version 13 and Android version 9 are the minimum requirements, which automatically requires all teachers to own fairly recent devices.

Further Improvements

It is clear that a better way of securing the system is necessary. This could be done by encrypting the user passwords before sending them to the database and decrypting them as they are fetched by the applications. Moreover, the same database credentials must be provided to all users of the solution – a singular password is easy to lose or unwillingly share with others, which compromises data integrity and security of students and their contact information.

Moreover, a user’s manual would be a great addition for the solution so setting up can become a streamlined process for users in different schools as well.

Furthermore, the database should be backed up constantly to ensure data loss is prevented.

Finally, the graphical user interface of the desktop application can be improved so that the tabView can stretch as the user resizes the administrator panel (although this is a limitation found innately in Windows Forms). The mobile application’s GUI may also need visual improvements for a cleaner interface, more spaced-out elements and a more ergonomic placement of checkboxes when taking the register.