Question
• What are the main functional requirements for the major subsystem areas (i.e., resort relations, student booking, accounting and finance, and social networking)?
Case Report on SBRU
Summer Breaks 'R' Us (SBRU) represents an online travel service provider that books summer break trips to resorts for university students. Students have booked summer break trips for decades, but changes in technology have transformed the travel business in recent years. SBRU moved away from having campus representatives with posted fliers and moved to the Web. The basic idea is to get a group of students to book a room at a resort for one of the traditional summer break weeks.
SBRU contracts with dozens of resorts in key summer break (Dec- Feb) destinations in Bali, Bangkok, Dubai, Istanbul, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Its website shows information on each resort and includes prices, room availability, and special features. Students can research and book a room, enter contract information, pay deposits, and make final payments through the system. SBRU provides updated booking information, resort information updates, and travel information for booked students when they log into the site. SBRU management is however concerned that students must feel comfortable with using their system.
The resorts also need access to information from SBRU once they have completed registration. However, registration is not free and involves a payment made to the SBRU management. The resorts need to know about their bookings for each week, the room types that are booked, and so forth. Before the summer break booking season starts, the resorts need to enter information on their resorts, including prices and special features. Resorts need to be paid by SBRU for the bookings. Furthermore, resorts need to be able to report and collect for damages caused by summer breaker students during their stay.
SBRU has recently decided to upgrade its system to provide social networking features for students. It is currently researching possibilities and collecting information from prospective customers (i.e. students) about desirable features and functions. From the business standpoint, the idea is to increase bookings by capturing good experiences before, during, and after the trip. Students must be provided with suitable and easy to use networking functionalities to provide their feedback.
Case Report on SBRU
Summer Breaks 'R' Us (SBRU) represents an online travel service provider that books summer break trips to resorts for university students. Students have booked summer break trips for decades, but changes in technology have transformed the travel business in recent years. SBRU moved away from having campus representatives with posted fliers and moved to the Web. The basic idea is to get a group of students to book a room at a resort for one of the traditional summer break weeks.
SBRU contracts with dozens of resorts in key summer break (Dec- Feb) destinations in Bali, Bangkok, Dubai, Istanbul, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Its website shows information on each resort and includes prices, room availability, and special features. Students can research and book a room, enter contract information, pay deposits, and make final payments through the system. SBRU provides updated booking information, resort information updates, and travel information for booked students when they log into the site. SBRU management is however concerned that students must feel comfortable with using their system.
The resorts also need access to information from SBRU once they have completed registration. However, registration is not free and involves a payment made to the SBRU management. The resorts need to know about their bookings for each week, the room types that are booked, and so forth. Before the summer break booking season starts, the resorts need to enter information on their resorts, including prices and special features. Resorts need to be paid by SBRU for the bookings. Furthermore, resorts need to be able to report and collect for damages caused by summer breaker students during their stay.
SBRU has recently decided to upgrade its system to provide social networking features for students. It is currently researching possibilities and collecting information from prospective customers (i.e. students) about desirable features and functions. From the business standpoint, the idea is to increase bookings by capturing good experiences before, during, and after the trip. Students must be provided with suitable and easy to use networking functionalities to provide their feedback.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Here's a breakdown of the main functional requirements for the major subsystem areas of Summer Breaks 'R' Us (SBRU) based on the provided case report:
### 1. Resort Relations Subsystem
- **Registration Management**:
- Facilitate the registration process for resorts, including validation of payment and required documentation.
- **Resort Information Management**:
- Allow resorts to input and update information related to their properties, including room types, availability, pricing, and special features.
- Provide a dashboard for resorts to view their bookings, including details such as dates, room types booked, and customer information.
- **Payment Processing**:
- Handle payments to resorts for completed bookings, ensuring secure transactions and timely disbursement of funds.
- **Damage Reporting and Collection**:
- Enable resorts to report damages caused by students during their stay, including a process for financial recovery or charges applied to students.
- **Communication Portal**:
- Provide an interface for resorts to communicate with SBRU, including queries related to bookings, issues, and feedback.
### 2. Student Booking Subsystem
- **User Account Management**:
- Allow students to create and manage user accounts, including password recovery and profile updates.
- **Search & Filter Functionality**:
- Implement search capabilities to allow students to find resorts based on location, price, amenities, and other relevant factors.
- **Booking Process**:
- Enable students to select resorts, specify room types, and choose payment options; ensure a straightforward pathway from selection to final booking confirmation.
- **Payment Processing**:
- Facilitate secure payment methods for deposit and final payments, including credit card processing, PayPal, etc.
- **Booking Modifications**:
- Allow students to view and modify their booking details (e.g., change dates, room types) before final confirmation.
- **Travel Information Sharing**:
- Provide essential travel details, including packing lists, itinerary, and resort rules, through a personalized student dashboard.
### 3. Accounting and Finance Subsystem
- **Transaction Management**:
- Maintain records of all financial transactions, including student payments, resort payments, and refunds.
- **Reporting Features**:
- Generate financial reports for SBRU management, detailing income from bookings, payments to resorts, and operational expenses.
- **Budgeting and Forecasting**:
- Provide tools for budgeting, forecasting revenue based on historical data, and planning for the next booking season.
- **Payment Reconciliation**:
- Enable reconciliations between SBRU’s financial records and bank statements regarding cash inflows and outflows.
### 4. Social Networking Subsystem
- **User Interaction Features**:
- Enable students to create profiles, share images, and post updates related to their trips.
- **Feedback and Reviews**:
- Provide functionalities for students to leave feedback, ratings, and reviews about their experience at resorts.
- **Group Creation and Management**:
- Allow students to form groups based on shared interests or trip details, facilitating better connections and communication.
- **Event Planning Tools**:
- Feature tools for organizing meet-ups, events, or activities among students either before the trip or during their stay.
- **Content Sharing**:
- Facilitate easy sharing of trip-related content, such as itineraries, tips, and experiences, across social media platforms.
### Conclusion
These functional requirements emphasize the need for SBRU to create a seamless user experience for both students and resorts while ensuring robust financial operations and facilitating social interactions. By focusing on the areas identified, SBRU can enhance its service offering, drive student engagement, and increase bookings.
### 1. Resort Relations Subsystem
- **Registration Management**:
- Facilitate the registration process for resorts, including validation of payment and required documentation.
- **Resort Information Management**:
- Allow resorts to input and update information related to their properties, including room types, availability, pricing, and special features.
- Provide a dashboard for resorts to view their bookings, including details such as dates, room types booked, and customer information.
- **Payment Processing**:
- Handle payments to resorts for completed bookings, ensuring secure transactions and timely disbursement of funds.
- **Damage Reporting and Collection**:
- Enable resorts to report damages caused by students during their stay, including a process for financial recovery or charges applied to students.
- **Communication Portal**:
- Provide an interface for resorts to communicate with SBRU, including queries related to bookings, issues, and feedback.
### 2. Student Booking Subsystem
- **User Account Management**:
- Allow students to create and manage user accounts, including password recovery and profile updates.
- **Search & Filter Functionality**:
- Implement search capabilities to allow students to find resorts based on location, price, amenities, and other relevant factors.
- **Booking Process**:
- Enable students to select resorts, specify room types, and choose payment options; ensure a straightforward pathway from selection to final booking confirmation.
- **Payment Processing**:
- Facilitate secure payment methods for deposit and final payments, including credit card processing, PayPal, etc.
- **Booking Modifications**:
- Allow students to view and modify their booking details (e.g., change dates, room types) before final confirmation.
- **Travel Information Sharing**:
- Provide essential travel details, including packing lists, itinerary, and resort rules, through a personalized student dashboard.
### 3. Accounting and Finance Subsystem
- **Transaction Management**:
- Maintain records of all financial transactions, including student payments, resort payments, and refunds.
- **Reporting Features**:
- Generate financial reports for SBRU management, detailing income from bookings, payments to resorts, and operational expenses.
- **Budgeting and Forecasting**:
- Provide tools for budgeting, forecasting revenue based on historical data, and planning for the next booking season.
- **Payment Reconciliation**:
- Enable reconciliations between SBRU’s financial records and bank statements regarding cash inflows and outflows.
### 4. Social Networking Subsystem
- **User Interaction Features**:
- Enable students to create profiles, share images, and post updates related to their trips.
- **Feedback and Reviews**:
- Provide functionalities for students to leave feedback, ratings, and reviews about their experience at resorts.
- **Group Creation and Management**:
- Allow students to form groups based on shared interests or trip details, facilitating better connections and communication.
- **Event Planning Tools**:
- Feature tools for organizing meet-ups, events, or activities among students either before the trip or during their stay.
- **Content Sharing**:
- Facilitate easy sharing of trip-related content, such as itineraries, tips, and experiences, across social media platforms.
### Conclusion
These functional requirements emphasize the need for SBRU to create a seamless user experience for both students and resorts while ensuring robust financial operations and facilitating social interactions. By focusing on the areas identified, SBRU can enhance its service offering, drive student engagement, and increase bookings.