Design Document of an Online Travel Agency

Introduction

A - Graphical User Interface Design

1.1 Main Interface:

The main interface will be a page that will contain a tabled layout of the various services which may be provided. Note: Images will be used only as complements to the text items.

1.2  Common Attributes

All pages will share these common attributes:
1.2.1 Table Columns

A table of three columns.
The rightmost and leftmost columns will each be 25% of the window width. The center column will be 50% of the window width.

1.2.2 Table Borders

The table will have no borders.

1.2.3 Table Style

The table background will be white. There are some exceptions to this rule:
1.2.3.1 Advertising Cells

The advertising cells will have a light grey background.

1.2.3.2 Promotion Cells

The special promotions cells will have a dark grey background

1.2.3.3 Right Column

The right column will contain navigational buttons to the Home page, and Logout page with the following exceptions

1.2.3.4 Home Page

The home page will have an integrated login/password cell where the user can enter his login information right in the cell then press login to gain access to the system

1.2.3.5 Logout Page

The logout page will have one link to the home page only

1.2.4 Center Column

The center column will always contain the body of information for the page.

1.3 Main (index) Page Services

1.3.1 Defaults

See defaults for all pages above and note exceptions

1.3.2 New Users

There will be a join button for new users

1.3.3 Guest Users

There will be a guest button in the last cell of the right column. This is for those users who would like to see what kind of services we provide.

1.3.4 Company Synopsis

There will be a brief description of the company  in the center column.

1.4 Login Page Services

1.4.1 Defaults

See defaults for all pages above and note exceptions

1.4.2 Services

In the center column will be a listing of available services with an associated image icon.
1.4.2.1 Travel Planning Wizzard

This will take all the users through the necessary steps of planning a trip from the initial to the final stages of the trip. Most users will select this option unless they have prearranged plans.

1.4.2.2 Flight/Rail Reservations only

(IE: a friend will pick them up at an aeroport and drive them to their house so all they will need is to arrange for a flight reservation)

1.4.2.3 Taxi / Transportation Reservations only

1.4.2.4 Hotel Reservations only

1.4.2.5 Directions to/from aeroport

1.4.3 Based on the user selection of the above options various

server parsed (PHP3) web pages will appear.

1.5 Logout Page Services

1.5.1 Tell the user that he/she has been sucessfully logged out
1.5.2 Allow a display (in the center column) for a sponsor's add.
1.5.3 Allow access to the home page for a re-login.

2.0 Main Functions

2.1 Travel Planning Wizzard
The travel planning wizzard will consist of cycling through the identical functionality of the individual forms, with a next button appended so that the user will not have to go back to the login page and actively choose the page.
• The first page will be travel directions to the origin aeroport/railway station. (optional)
• The second page will be flight/rail reservation page
• The third page will be taxi/car service reservation page (optional)
• The fourth page will be hotel reservation page (optional)
• The last page will be a summary of options selected with a cost quote. And a confirmation form for their current billing information stored in the system. All of these options will be 'live' (which means that the user will be able to alter them by selecting a button next to it that will bring them to the appropriate page.)
2.2 Direction / Map Engine
The direction / map engine will consist of several pages. The first page that will appear is the Site Selection page. Then based on the user's selection, general directional information to each site will be given, originating from the surrounding area.
2.3 Flight / Rail Reservations
2.3.1 Route Selection
Flight and Rail Reservations will consist of the Origin Selection Form, and the Destination Selection Form appearing. The user will then select the appropriate options and press the OK button to commit the selections.
2.3.2 Agency Selection
Flight(s)/Railway trains approximating the options selected in the previous forms will appear. The user will select the approriate flight/railway passage for his trip and commit the selections via the OK button.
2.3.3 Agency Submission
Upon submission the user will be prompted with a confirmation screen. This confirmation screen will have one live form for the data selected along with the user's current billing information on file. The user presses an OK button to complete the transaction.
2.4 Taxi / Car Service Rental / Reservations
2.4.1 Rental Site Selection
Taxi or car service rentals and reservations will consist of the Site Selection form appearing. The user will then select the appropriate options and press the OK button to commit the selections.
2.4.2 Agency Selection
The user will be taken to a taxi or auto rental agency selection screen. This screen will have a form with radio button group of agencies to select from.  It will also have another form from which to select the car models and types. And a third form from which to select price ranges. Each form is mutually exclusive and will have their own submit buttons. The user commits the data selected by pressing th submit button for its respective form.
2.4.3 Agency Submission
Upon submission the user will be presented with a mutually exclusive range of options. The user will have an option of going back to select another mode of search, or making a selection a commiting the data.
2.4.4 Agency Confirmation
Upon submission the user will be prompted with a confirmation screen. This confirmation screen will have one live form for the data selected along with the user's current billing information on file. The user presses an OK button to complete the transaction.
2.5 Hotel / Lodging Rental / Reservations
2.5.1 Rental Site Selection
Hotel and lodging rentals or reservations will consist of the Site Selection form appearing. The user will then select the appropriate options and press the OK button to commit the selections.
2.5.2 Agency Selection
The user will be taken to a hotel or lodging selection screen. This screen will have a form with radio button group of agencies to select from.  It will also have another form from which to select the room types. And a third form from which to select price ranges. Each form is mutually exclusive and will have their own submit buttons. The user commits the data selected by pressing th submit button for its respective form.
2.5.3 Agency Submission
Upon submission the user will be presented with a mutually exclusive range of options. The user will have an option of going back to select another mode of search, or making a selection a commiting the data.
2.5.4 Confirmation
Upon submission the user will be prompted with a confirmation screen. This confirmation screen will have one live form for the data selected along with the user's current billing information on file. The user presses an OK button to complete the transaction.
2.6 Personal Information Editor
This page will contain a center column with space for the user's personal information:
1. billing name
2. billing address
3. billing type
4. billing type's account number (CC card or bank routing number)
2.7 Confirmation Screen
This page will contain a summary of the services selected that will be billed to the customer's account located in the personal information editor. The customer will be offered an option to finalise the transaction such that the system will bill the customer for the services provided and commit the transactions.
2.8 Shared Objects
Several pages used within the system will be shared among various other pages.
2.8.1 Origin Selection
This is a page where the center column will be a list of sites that the user will be departing from.
2.8.2 Destination Selection
This is a page where the center column will be a list of sites that the user will be heading towards.
2.8.3 Site Selection
This will be a page where the center column will be a list of markets where the Company will be able to provide services.

3.0 Alternative Functions

3.1 Email Notification

The customer's email address will be used in such a way that a confirmation message with the standard web page format, will allow the notification of pending or commited transactions. The user will have the option of clicking on a button in the center column to go to the webpage to confirm flight time and / or any forseeable delays.

3.2 Special Offers

The user will be emailed special offers and incentives based on their account history. The format of the email will be in the standard web page format, and will include a button in the center column for user's to click on and retrieve more information on the special offer.

3.3 Contact Page

The user will have a link at the bottom of each webpage and email address that will allow for the navigation to the Contact Page. This page will be formatted similarly to the standard web page, except that the user will be supplied with a list of email addresses with which to contact the company and its relevant services. (all hyper linked with mailto: tags)

B - Architectural Design

4.0 Architectural Design Diagram

This is based on a simple concept, a many to many relationship. Since the bulk of the business is going to be done through the internet. It is quite visible that there would have to be an architechure similar to the one in this diagram.

• figure1.fig
• figure1.gif
• Note: to download the above item, you will need XFig or a similar program that can read diagram figure files. It is GPL'd and can be downloaded for free at the following location: www-epb.lbl.gov/xfig

4.1 Architectural Design Diagram Description

You can see here that the design is a simple one. The server is located behind a network connection to the Internet. The server is running a web daemon able of processing the user's request for documents (the system) and set everything (their choises) for the system. There are others connected to a local area network that can administer and update the system when necessary. This is because the system is not allowed to be logged into via the Internet. The only accessible service that the users will see from the Internet is the web daemon.

C - Object Oriented Design

5.1 Main Module

This modules handles the user logging in and off the system and also calls the user module form for editing user information and handling the user to the travel module should they desire it.

knows:

• the username
• the password

calls:

• security::logon
• security::logoff
• user::edit
• travel::start

members:

• get username
• show username
• get password

5.2 User Module

This module handles the user information stored in the system.

knows:

• real name
• login name (or username)
• password
• address
• phone number
• email address
• billing information

calls:

• security module::verify

members:

• edit user
• save user
• delete user

5.3 Security Module

This module handles the logon/logoff and any other security related administrative task. Including configuring the web page url for each unique user such that it checks on 'cookies'.

knows:

• login name
• login role
• login role exceptions
• login tables
• database objects

calls:

• role::update role
• role::update exceptions
• role::revoke role
• role::revoke exceptions
• role::create role
• role::create exceptions

uses:

• role module
• tables module

members:

• verify user
• verify (same as above)
• logon
• logoff
• make cookie
• get cookie

5.4 Role Module

Handles the roles which are eventually assigned to each user. The roles consist of a number of tables/webpage each user is allowed to alter data on. Along with the role's value. Hence if a role is set to guest, then the user is allowed to browse the web pages and tables that are marked off for that role.

knows:

• role names
• table names
• security levels
• pages names

uses:

• table module

calls:

• table module::add table
• table module::remove table
• table module::update table

members:

• update role
• create role
• delete role
• add security level
• delete security level
• add page name
• delete page name

5.5 Table Module

This module keeps track of the tables in the database.

knows:

• table names

uses:

calls:

members:

• update table
• add table
• remove table

5.6 Travel Module

This module keeps track of the user's selection for the travel information. For example, when the user decides that he wants to initiate a new car travel reservation.

 

knows:

• user name

uses:

• rail / airline module
• auto rental module
• direction finder module
• hotel module

calls:

• rail/airline::start
• auto rental::start
• direction finder::start
• hotel::start
• security::verify

members:

5.7 Rail/Airline Module

Handles the airline/rail reservations initiated by the user. It starts by associating the login name with an origin and destination. Both vars are retrieved by selecting a site.

knows:

• login name
• Origin
• Destination
• airlines
• flights

uses:

• Site Selection Module
• Flight Module

calls:

• site selection::get(origin)
• site selection::get(destination)
• flight::get flights (origin, destination)

members:

• start

5.8 Auto Rental Module

Handles the auto rental reservations initiated by the user. It starts by associating a site with the available information for the companies. Requesting information for unavailable sites via its calls.

knows:

• login name
• available companies
• available sites

uses:

• Site Selection Module
• Taxi Module

calls:

• site selection::get(site)
• taxi::get(companies)

members:

• start

5.9 Direction Finder Module

Handles the distribution of directions for the user. For example, if the user needs to get from his home to the local airport.

knows:

• login name
• place of origin
• airport
• market city's maps

uses:

• Site Selection

calls:

• site selection::get(place of origin)

members:

• start
• display map

5.10 Hotel Module

Handles hotel reservations for the city's location. In case the user has to reserve a hotel room.

knows:

• login name
• place of destination
• area hotels

uses:

• Site Selection

calls:

• site selection::get(place of destination)

members:

• start

5.11 Site Selection

Handles the selection of sites. This is never called from an external object. It is an internal class used for selecting sites for the various modules previously listed.

knows:

• login name
• list of market cities and towns

uses:

calls:

members

• get
• add
• remove
• update
• list

5.12 Flight Module

Handles the selection of flights. This is called by some modules for displaying of flight information.

knows:

• airline co.
• flight number
• flight time
• flight duration
• flight date
• number of seats

uses:

calls:

members:

• get
• get flights
• update
• add
• remove
• list

5.13 Taxi Module

Handles the selection of flights. This is called by some modules for displaying of flight information.

knows:

• auto svce co.
• auto rental time
• auto rental duration
• auto rental start date
• auto rental end date
• type of car
• size of car

uses:

calls:

members:

• get
• get autos
• update
• add
• remove
• list

D - Glossary

1. Operator: An employee of the Company, given rights to operate on the System.
2. Customer: A client or potential client of the Company.
3. System: The collection of computers, or server(s) that will collect, operate on, and manage the data automatically.
4. Oracle: Trademarked name of the Relation Database Management System company, and it's affliates.
5. DBA: Database Administrator.
6. real tables: tables that contain Company sensitive information of previous clients, and current clients.
7. development environment: The environment where the System can be tested and new features tested with minimal to no impact on the Operators, or Customers.
8. production environment: The environment where the System can be utilised by the Customers and Operators to preform the daily routine transactions of the system.
9. downtime: Times when the Operator or the Client has no access to the system.
10. back end: The portion of the System that is not apparently visible to the Operator or the Customer.