Acme Travel Agency Booking System - Streamline Your Travel Bookings

Problem Definition

Acme Travel Agency is an organization with 18 employees: 1 owner/operator, 1 bookkeeper who also handles payroll and other human resource duties, 4 supervisors, and 12 travel agents. Supervisors are also travel agents and perform all of the same duties at their employee in addition to the managerial duties. Acme wants to streamline their bookings process by implementing a system that allows their travel agents to make air, hotel, and/or car reservations in one place. Currently, they are using 3 separate systems,
which means they must fill out the client’s information up to 3 times, provide up to 3 confirmation numbers, and have to manually compare air, hotel, and/or rental car availability because these systems do not communicate. This leaves a lot of opportunity for human error with comparisons, entering information, and getting information to clients. Clients are also inconvenienced by having to keep track of 3 reservations and confirmation codes.

In addition to their travel agents, they also want their clients to be able to view their reservation information online. There should also be special access for supervisors that allows them to make changes to existing reservations, but regular non-supervisory employees cannot change reservations they did not make.They want this system to be in place before February, since it is a popular time for people to travel from colder climate to warmer, southern climates. It must be user friendly so the travel agents can use it as soon as it is implemented. They need to be able to transfer any existing reservations from the old system to the new system. There must be no disruption of service; that is to say, clients should be able to make reservations during regular business hours regardless of where in the systems implementation process you are in.For simplicities sake, assume the budget they have will cover any small business system solution you propose.

Prepare the following in an MLA or APA style (12-point, Times New Roman font, double spaced with 1-inch margins) and cited document in PDF format.

1. Create a problem definition for Acme.
2. Create a use case diagram for this system.
3. Create a questionnaire to get information from the agency employees that will help you design the system.
4. Which of the three systems development methodologies would you recommend? Explain your answers.
5. Assume that they will use their existing hardware and that this hardware will run all current software available. Research existing software solutions and software companies (in the real world!), and create a list of options for software (whether it be creating custom software, buying COTS, or using SaaS). Include your recommendation and explanation of your choice in the systems proposal below.6. Write a systems proposal. Include at least 3 alternatives, with one of your alternatives being finding a way to use their existing system. Include your recommendation for system and software. Do not include the outline of a systems study, or the detailed results of a systems study – these are beyond the scope of this class and your capabilities. All other parts are to be included.
7. Design an input screen for travel agents to make reservations.
8. Design an output screen that gives summary and confirmation information to the travel agents after the have made a reservation.