Information Systems Engineering
Case Study

The Learning Support Service


Overview
The Learning Support Service offers Maths and English teaching programmes to children aged 5 – 16 years. The idea is that the programmes support children through their primary (5 – 11yrs) and secondary (11 – 16yrs) education up to GCSE standard. They sell the teaching programmes through consultants directly to families in their homes.

Both the Maths and English programmes are split into 12 levels. Levels 1 to 7 are aimed at primary school children and levels 8 to 12 are for secondary school children, with levels 11 and 12 for children doing GCSEs. Each level is made up of a number of videos (up to 5 for each level) and for every video there is a separate workbook. The child will work through each video and workbook and when they have completed the material the parents will contact the Learning Support Service for a Stage Test. This is sent to the family and the child does the test under the guidance of their parent. The test is sent back and if the child has passed the test with a mark of 80% or more then the child can move on to the next stage.

The Learning Support Service has a central office in Greenwich and a number of local offices around the country (Currently there are 8 branch offices but this is likely to rise to 15 in the next two years). Each office has an office manager, a number of consultants who sell the learning packages to families and office support staff.

The consultants pick up leads for possible sales from a number of different sources. These might be adverts in the local press or canvassing in shopping centres. The Learning Support Service picks up most of its leads from working with local schools. A school is offered a cash donation if they allow The Learning Support Service to send out a mail shot to all parents of children in the school.

A consultant will go to a family and assess each child’s needs. Based on this assessment the consultant will work out the starting point for each child and a programme of study. If the family agrees to purchasing the learning programme they will then pay for the goods which are sent to them within 5 days.

The head office currently holds an oracle database of stock for the company. Each branch holds stock locally and re-orders stock from the head office when considered necessary.

Requirement
The Learning Support Service has a requirement for an information system incorporating both Sales and Stock Control functions. This information system will be available at each branch office.

The sales part of the system will need to record customer details, where the leads come from, the consultant who made the sale and the child’s progress (as this is related to future sales).

The stock control part of the system needs to link in with the sales function so that when stock is sold it updates the current stock levels at each branch. It is envisaged that the system will, eventually, be linked with the Head Office so that re-ordering can be undertaken automatically.

Additional information

Leads
A branch gets leads from a number of sources: schools, adverts, and canvassing. It is possible that these sources of leads might be extended (e.g. the Internet.)
The potential customer fills in an Interest Form and sends it to the local branch of the Learning Support Service. This form is then allocated to a consultant and the consultant makes an appointment with the customer. During the meeting with the customer the consultant will assess the child’s needs and work out the starting level on the learning programme.

The consultant will then fill in an order form with the customer.

Orders
A learning package from the Learning Support Service is sold to a family. A family will have one or more children. Each family will have a separate consultant. Each child has a separate learning programme (that is, a start point for the child.) The Learning Support Service needs to keep a history of each child’s progress through the learning programme.

All goods are paid for in advance and goods will only be sent to customers once the payment has been cleared.

Typically a customer will order a complete level from one of the learning programmes in one go. Occasionally a customer might order more than one level (especially if they are buying the programme for more than one child.)

Processing Assessment
A branch office could expect to deal with 20 or 30 requests for assessment a week. When a child has completed a workbook for a particular video the parents will contact the Learning Support Service for Stage Assessment. This will be done over the phone or by filling in an Assessment Request form and sending it the branch office. The Assessment is sent out to the family and the parent supervises the test. The test is sent back to the branch office for marking.

If the child has achieved the required pass mark then a letter of congratulations is sent out along with a Stage Certificate. If this the last video in a level then a Level certificate is also sent out along with a request for a consultant to visit the family to discuss the child’s learning needs (or sell them the next level of material.)
The new system will need to track all assessments taken.

Stock
The Head Office of the Learning Support Service orders stock from suppliers about once every six months. When the stock is delivered it is kept at the Head Office until a branch requires it. The branch will normally send in an Order Request Form each month to replenish their stock. One of the problems with the system as it is currently used is that there is no analysis of the use of stock and this often branches phoning up 2 or 3 times a month asking for additional stock.

Questions to be answered
1. Explain how you, in the role of an analyst, would approach the task of identifying classes for the Learning Support Service system. Use examples, where appropriate, to illustrate your answer.
(15%)


2. Draw a class diagram for the Learning Support Service system. Show class attributes and relationships as appropriate.
(35%)


3. Produce an initial list of methods for the classes Order and Learning Programme (or equivalent).
(20%)


4. Draw state diagrams for the classes and Learning Programme (or equivalent).
(30%)

Use the UML notation to document your diagrams.
Clearly state any assumptions that you have made.