Technical Paper: Proof of Concept (POC)

Technical Paper: Proof of Concept (POC)

Your company is a 4-year-old startup called XYZ Software Enterprises. XYZ produces a point of sale system and was awarded a Proof of Concept (POC) to one of the largest and oldest restaurants in the industry (you know, the ones in the commercials all the time). The restaurant wants XYZ to prove that the software will do what the sales people said it could do.

Your Proof of Concept will include four parts:

• Part 1: Gantt Chart.
• Part 2: Testing and User Acceptance Report.
• Part 3: Use Case Diagram.
• Part 4: Activity Diagram.

Part 1: Gantt Chart

A Gantt Chart (see page 353, Figure 11-18 in your textbook) needs to be created for the entire process of the Proof of Concept. There is a two-month deadline from today to complete the POC.

Using Visio or Excel, create a Gantt Chart that includes all of the items listed below and adds five more tasks minimum from the concepts learned from the course:

• The initial meeting—today.
  • Should appear as the first line.
• Teams selected to participate in the project (1 week).
• Information gathering (add the information gathering methods you will use and how long each will take).
• System configurations based on information gathering methods (2 weeks).
• Create Activity Chart based on information gathering (information to create chart supplied).
• Create Use Case Diagram based on information gathering (information to create chart supplied).
• Show the finished configurations to the team and get feedback (1 day).
• Make changes based on feedback (3 days).
• Install the system in the test store (2 days).
• Train staff (1 day).
• Run a live test of POC (2 weeks).

Note: The five or more additional tasks can be sub-tasks for information gathering methods as well some other sub-task or major task not in the initial list.
You may add items from the SDLC, specific item or items on testing, or any other concept you think should be part of the POC process learned in the course of this semester.

Note: Remember that events in a Gantt chart can happen at the same time as other events. Some items also cannot start until others are completed. Everything has an estimated time frame and it is displayed in the chart.

Part 2: Testing and User Acceptance Report

As part of the expected documentation in the POC, XYZ wants a report on Testing and User Acceptance.

Your manager is asking you to research the testing criteria they listed in the POC documents.

The POC document states that they are looking for the following:

• System and Stress Testing.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

For both categories, research and report on the following:

1. What these tests are.
2. Why the industry leader would want these particular tests.
3. The best ways, in detail, to accomplish the tests so that your company meets the criteria they are looking for.

These items can be added to your Gantt Chart (Part 1).

Part 3: Use Case Diagram

The restaurant, as part of the information gathering, outlined a use case in a chart, which is below.
Your manager assigned you to create the Use Case Diagram using Visio, MS Word, or any other software. (See the diagrams on Page 84 and 85 of the textbook.)

• Paste the diagram into the created report.

Part 4: Activity Diagram

As a part of the information gathering process, a chart of items was provided by XYZ.

Your manager has asked that you use Visio, MS Word, or any other software with which you are familiar to create the Activity Diagram (see pages 138 Figure 5-5 and 139 Figure 5-6 in the textbook.)

• Paste the diagram into the created report.

Additionally, you must do the following:

• Use at least 3 quality resources. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Develop a proof of concept of a software system for a potential customer.