REFRESH

Brian Mojica, Shawn Lindow, Daniela Gonzalez, Emil Johnson

Logo

What Is REFRESH?

-Clothing industry area

-Monthly subscription service

-Subscribers will receive a package every month containing 3 outfits we select based on their style preferences and budget. Subscribers will then return the products or purchase an outfit if they choose to keep. Once the package is received a new package is sent to the subscriber.

-Stop wearing the same outfits and REFRESH!

How Does It Work?

-Customers will download our app or visit our website where they will create their account. Upon creating an account, customers will create their profile where they will choose their clothing style and budget in which they will receive 3 outfits of the selected style monthly. At the end of the month the member will return the three outfits and receive 3 new outfits the next month.

$20 a month- Mass market (H&M, American Eagle, Hollister, Forever 21, etc.)

$30 a month- Premium (Nike, Adidas. Polo, Express, etc.)

$50 a month- Luxury (Gucci, Michael Kors, Coach, Armani, etc.)

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How Does It Work? (Cont.)

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The REFRESH system will categorize all apparel inventory into categories using what we call STYLE TAGS. Style tags are hashtags (#) that label and categorize inventory into styles. Subscribers will take a style quiz which will help choose which style they wear. The quiz results will assign the subscribers their Style tags in which the REFRESH system will select clothing from to make up an outfit and send to the subscriber.

Business Profile

Vision: To be the world’s leading source of creativity and expression by providing a quality and efficient service.

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Mission: To spread creativity and inspiration through fashion everywhere.

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Products/services: Our products include clothing and accessories that are provided monthly.

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Customers: young adults, people who are into fashion, people who like to wear outfits that are in season

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Suppliers: H&M, Forever 21, American Eagle, Hollister, Nike, Adidas, Gucci, Michael Kors, are among the variety.

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Business Profile (continued)

Competitors: Depop, Stitch Fix, Trunk Club, Gwynnie Bee

Strengths: Weaknesses:

• Pricing
• Provide more services

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Constraints:

• COVID regulations
• Shipping is dependent on services from 3rd party delivery services (UPS, FedEx, USPS)

• Policies
• Marketing

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Preliminary Investigation

Description of Problem/Need: Refresh’s service requires a lot of delivery and shipment of packages. Usually this requires a lot information such as information on delivery statuses, customer style preferences and clothing sizes, information on the condition of the returned clothing, etc.; and product flow including packages to customers and packages from customers. With all this information and product flow, there is more room for error and the amount of costs of delivery expenses will be high due to all the packaging and third party delivery services.

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Proposed Solution and Benefits: For our company to become successful we need an information system that will help in delivering our services to customers and accomplishing our mission. The IT system should keep information about our customers in a customer profile that will store information customers’ style preferences and clothing fit. This Profile should also store information on product that the customer has or ordered. The information system must also keep track of product inventory and condition of each product (damaged, clean, dirty, good). Furthermore, the information system should be able to provide information on the shipment delivery progress. All of these aspects are essential to making sure we can provide our services and keep costs and room for errors low and efficiency high.

Preliminary Investigation (continued)

Constraints: The biggest constraint to this project is money for funding the project. Since the company is barely starting up, Refresh still has to invest in supply its inventory with all the clothes and packaging product it will utilize in providing the service. Refresh also lacks in expert knowledge in order to create an effective IT system, which acquiring such services will also cost money.

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Alternatives: Alternatives include having recording information on a word document or excel spreadsheet which will be very inefficient and will hold Refresh back from growing.

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Mission Alignment: The ability to create and maintain an IT system like this one is aligned with our mission, as the IT system will keep the cost of expenses low and efficiency high which will allow Refresh to keep prices low and make the service affordable for everyone who wishes to become a member. This will allow us to grow as a company and expand our services internationally.

Preliminary Investigation (continued)

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Overall Requirements and Scope of Work

• To complete this project we will need talent specialized in information technology such programmers, system analyst, project manager, and other technical specialists. This would also require us to have money in order to pay for this labor and other technical equipment like computers.

Estimated Time

• According to our Gantt chart, it will take approximately 6-12 months to finish building REFRESH’s information system.

Estimated Cost

• The estimated cost of building the system is approximately $75,000.

Possible Risks

• Risks include the possibility of the system not working as intended or not helping in making operations more efficient. Another risk includes that by the time we finish building the system, the technology could evolve and leave us behind. We could also run out of money before finishing the system, leaving us with an unfinished system.

Future Considerations

• Future considerations include making updates to better the system later in the system life cycle.

Preliminary Investigation (continued)

Operational feasibility: This new system Refresh will implement will focus on supply and demand for the type of clothing that the client needs. Based of the operational analysis, the project is feasible, but only if the given resources are available from each given vendor, as well as all other constraints are held to constant.

Technical feasibility: Based on the technical analysis the project can meet the standards of technical feasibility if we can implement a successful IT system when dealing with communication and distribution. Technical feasibility can also be met to standards when the proper amount of human resources are implemented for each sector of the IT system in order to guarantee success.

Schedule feasibility: Based on the time based analysis of the company, the project can have schedule feasibility depending on if the company has the necessary resources it needs distribution at the given time. The process can be completed in proper time due to the mass amount of vendors that are able to cooperate with Refresh in order to supply clients. Another big detail is the amount of liabilities that are returned back to Refresh in a timely manner and within good condition in order to used for redistribution. The company can meet schedule feasibility by only if the IT system provides service through a much more shorter route, along with providing sustainability for the client.

Economic feasibility: If the projected is completed successfully it is projected that Refresh will make an annual cash flow of $25,000. The project is estimated to cost about $75,000 in total. According to the payback period method (project cost/annual cash flow), it will take around 4 years to recoup the original investment of the project.

Payback Period= $75,000/$25,000= 3

MindMap

Strategic Use of IT

Recommendation I: Implement the use of cloud computing when managing with the customers profile information, orders, returns, and billing along with the use of product subscription details as a mean to offer and promote recommendations based on customers preferences and interests. This can also be used as a way to manage items and inventory.

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Recommendation II: Implement the use of GPS within the IT system along with product inventory aspect as a mean of when dealing with tracking, distribution, and shipping of inventory to clients. This should be used as a mean of confirmation, when a task is completed and to track when the inventory is in transit.

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Recommendation III: Implement the use of a mobile system for the web design aspect of the IT system by providing a app in order to expand the vector outreach on all platform.

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Strategic Use of IT

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Recommendation IV: Implement the use of a web based system for the web design as a way to promote and distribute items to the general public, by using the web design aspect of the information system along with aid of product vendors.

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Recommendation V: Implement the use of social media by using product inventory, vendor, and subscription detail as a way of promotion and reaching to the target market.

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DFD Context Diagram

Data Stores

CUSTOMERS

CLOTHING

EMPLOYEES

PACKAGE DELIVERIES

STYLE TAGS

OUTFITS

SUBSCRIPTIONS

SUPPLIERS

MS Project Gantt Chart

Development Strategy

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The REFRESH system will be required to be built in house.This will require investing in specialized

talent for creating information system. This will be a very expensive choice. However, the benefits

will outweigh the costs as the system will help set REFRESH apart from similar competitors in the

industry. The system will be both web based and will also be made into a mobile app. The system

will utilize cloud computing in order to store and access information within the system from

anywhere since it will be utilized by customers from around the nation. This will require to invest

in security in order to protect the information. REFRESH will also utilize AI technology in order to

help pack orders in the REFRESH warehouses. This will help reduce costs for labor. REFRESH

will also utilize social media for marketing purposes.

Utilization of Mobile Technology

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REFRESH will build a mobile app for customers. The app will allow customers to sign up, edit their profiles, make orders, track orders, and browse inventory available.

REFRESH will invest mobile scanners in order to keep track of inventory and to scan orders during the outbound and inbound process.

Another possible use of mobile technology could include tracking technology that is built into the packaging boxes in order for customers to track their packages better than updates provided by delivery carriers.

Design Diagram

Design Prototypes

Home Page

About Page

Subscriptions Page

MS Access Prototype

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ER Diagram- UML

CRUD DIAGRAM

Application development methodology

AGILE METHODOLOGY

Pros:

• Constant communication with team and customers
• Customer collaboration
• Centered around rapid planning, organization and short delivery times
• Delivers value to customers

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Datacom design diagram

Quality/ Acceptance/ Training/ Support requirements

• Quality Requirement- Refresh’s IT system must be compatible and user friendly. The system must guarantee the ability for user navigation, and must pertain a simple user interface in order to provide a user friendly experience.
• Acceptance Requirement- Refresh’s IT system will be tested for managing expectation when involving speed and quality. Along with meeting the established criteria set when providing user comfort and simplicity.
• Training Requirement- In order to the IT system to be usable, the IT system must provide technical and operational capabilities that must be easy for the user to master and generate a good experience between users and clients.
• Support Requirement- The IT system must show a return of positive and strong quality performance among users. The system at large must display reliability when transmitting data from across all aisles, and especially among user and client.

System Changeover Method

The system method that is chosen for Refresh involves phased operation changeover method. By using this method the new IT system can be implemented in small fragments bit by bit. This will allow Refresh to slowly adapt to new changes and have the system users and clients be able to learn be recognizable with user interface and features. If there are any trends that show difficulty or complexity, Refresh can temporarily halt and redesign and simply the particular phase of the system in order for it to be user compatible.

Thank you for listening.

APPENDIX

WBS (Excel and drawing)

Gantt Chart

FDD

Requirements Document

• Input: Customer information/ preferences, transaction information, delivery/ shipping information
• Output:Organized and easy to access information for users to utilize
• Process: Customers will sign-up for REFRESH services and make their profiles in which they will select their style preferences and fit measurements. These preferences will be labeled and organized within the system using tags (#). Every month REFRESH system will select items for customers into an order based on the preference style tags. The employees will gather and package the items and scan order labels for tracking. The packages will then be sent to delivery carrier for delivery. This process repeats every month.
• Performance: This system must be able to be utilized by both customers and employees simultaneously, and if a change is made by a customer then the change will be reflected to employees, and vice versa. So if an employee removes an item, the customer will not be able to see the item. The system must also be connected with delivery carrier, so that delivery information is easily available to customers.

Requirements Document Cont.

• Interface Requirements: The interface must be very simple and easy to use. The interface must be useable by both REFRESH customers and REFRESH employees.The interface must be compatible for not only computers, but also tablets and phones, and mobile apps.

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• Assumptions and Constraints: We assume that this system will make our services much more efficient and lower risks. We assume that customers will return the items on time. Also we assume that customers will return the items undamaged. Also we assume that customers will return the items in box that is delivered in undamaged for reuse on their next order. Constraints include the delivery of the items as we use a 3rd party delivery service, so we rely on them to transfer items safely and quickly.

Microsoft Project

Website Design: Planning Questions and Answers

How will you communicate your brand?

REFRESH will be communicated through advertisements on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Also, REFRESH will heavily push on sales promotions and endorsements with social media influencers who will help promote our service to their fans.

What content will make this site unique and attractive?

Quality pictures and an easy to use and attractive to look at graphic user interface will make our site unique and attractive. This will include easy to look colors for our website and a dynamic user interface that changes as users scroll around.

What will keep visitors coming back?

Users will keep coming back as it is the only way to subscribe and keep ordering outfits. The fun and easy to look at user interface including the easy to look at color way and dynamic scrolling will keep users interested in coming back.

What sort of interactive content does the site need?

The only interactive content that will be utilized is a photo gallery and videos.

Should the site include some form of entertainment to keep people interested?

A possible form of entertainment would be a way in which users can upload pictures into the photo gallery to show off the outfits they received.

Website Design: Planning Questions and Answers Cont.

Should a “community” be built through message boards, memberships, chat areas, and special interest areas?

Yes we should include a community into our site. This is will a kind of a social media site within our site, sort of like an Instagram or VSCO page, where only pictures can be uploaded. Here, users can show off their outfits, photography skills, write reviews, etc.

What multimedia components might facilitate meeting our objectives?

Videos and pictures can be used to help customers better understand how REFRESH provides our services and to show what we offer.

Should the site include a help section that allows users to provide feedback and contact the organization?

Yes. The site needs a “contact us” page where customers will be given REFRESH business phone number, email, and an option chat online instantly. The site will also have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for more common questions customers have asked, so that customers do not have to wait on a reply.

Should the site include product pictures and descriptions?

Yes. REFRESH will have an inventory page that will show users all the clothing products that could be included in their outfit packages. Also, there will be descriptions for each subscription tier and a description for each Styletag, to explain to users what they get in each option.

Website Design: Planning Questions and Answers Cont.

Should the site include descriptions of services, fees, and related information?

Yes. There will be descriptions for each subscription tier and will also have a pricing for the corresponding tier.

Will the site require the use of forms?

Yes. We will need forms to input customer information and information on shipments.

Will the site need to be tied to a database?

Yes. The site will be connected to our information system which will provide access to information for customers and employees that will be stored in a database. This information will include customer, inventory, and shipment information.

Should external links be included? To what sites?

Yes. External links used can be links that take users to REFRESH social media pages. Also, REFRESH can link articles that talk well about REFRESH to establish credibility and make customers trust us and want our services.

Content Priority

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE