MatesX | Phase I (Project Scope, Planning and Task Definition) IDENTIFYING THE NEED AND STUDYING THE RELEVANT CONTEMPORARY ISSUES A survey conducted by SpareRoom, a leading roommate matching service in the UK, found that 83% of renters in the UK believe that finding the right flatmate is important to their overall happiness and wellbeing. Additionally, the survey found that 54% of renters had lived with a bad flat mate in the past, which can lead to a negative living experience and even impact mental health. Similarly, homesickness is a common issue that many people face when living away from home, particularly for the first time. A study conducted by the American College Health Association found that nearly 60% of college students experience homesickness at some point during their college years. Homesickness can impact academic performance, mental health, and overall well being. The major part of homesickness can be eliminated by living with roommates who are compatible,suitable and mostly come from the same cultural background in any form. In addition to these surveys, several agencies have also documented the importance of addressing these issues. For example, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recommends that colleges and universities offer support services for homesick students to help them adjust to college life. The NACE also notes that helping students find compatible roommates can enhance the overall living experience and contribute to student success. CLIENTS The clients for an Android application that allows users to find flat mates could be a variety of organisations or individuals, including: ● Real Estate Companies: Real estate companies or agents who specialise in renting or selling apartments or flats may want to develop an Android application that helps their clients find compatible flat mates. This can enhance the overall living experience for their clients and increase tenant retention rates. ● Co-living Companies: Co-living companies are organisations that specialise in developing shared living spaces for young adults or professionals. These companies may want to develop an Android application to help their clients find compatible flat mates and enhance the community-building aspect of their services. ● Universities or Colleges: Universities or colleges may want to develop an Android application to help their students find compatible flat mates when they are living off-campus. This can enhance the overall student experience and help students feel more connected to the campus community. ● Private Individuals: Private individuals who are renting out a spare room in their apartment or flat may want to develop an Android application to help them find compatible flat mates. This can increase their chances of finding a reliable and responsible tenant and reduce the risk of conflict or dissatisfaction with the living arrangement. Overall, the common goal for all these clients would be to develop an Android application named MatesX that simplifies the process of finding compatible flat mates and enhances the living experience for their tenants or users. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION The broad problem that needs resolution is the challenges faced by people when living away from home, particularly in finding compatible flat mates and dealing with homesickness. The process of finding the right flatmate can be difficult and time-consuming, and living with an incompatible flatmate can lead to negative living experiences and even impact mental health. Similarly, homesickness is a common issue that many people face when living away from home, particularly for the first time. Homesickness can impact academic performance, mental health, and overall well being. Thus, there is a need for solutions that can simplify the process of finding compatible flat mates and help individuals manage homesickness. TASK IDENTIFICATION 1. Researching and selecting appropriate development frameworks and technologies. 2. Designing and developing the user interface, database, and back-end systems. 3. Testing the application and ensuring it meets functional and non-functional requirements. 4. Deploying the project on Play store and on Cloud. 5. Providing documentation, support & maintenance services. Further the team members also will be performing these tasks as per their specialisation. Shivam Jha (20BCS2790) Project Leader & Proposer Madhur Joshi (20BCS9826) Testing, Quality Assurance Pranit Sharma (20BCS9832) Design, Maintenance & Support Hemant (20BCS1331) Documentation and Digital Marketing Development and Deployment Jatin Raghuvanshi (20BCS1535) Managing the relationships with multiple clients and teams as per the needs Features and Functionalities: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● The application will include the following features and functionalities: User profile creation and editing. Roommate search and filter options based on location, budget, and preferences. In-app messaging and chat functionality. Push notifications for new roommate matches and messages. Integration with social media platforms for easy profile creation. Secure payment gateway for paid services, such as background checks or credit checks. TIMELINE OF THE PROJECT The project timeline will be as follows: Requirements gathering and analysis: 1 week. Design and development: 1 week. Testing and quality assurance: 2 weeks. Documentation and deployment: 1 week. ORGANISATION OF REPORT The organisation of the report for the Android application for finding the perfect roommate could be structured as follows: I. Introduction ● ● Background and context of the project Purpose and objectives of the Android application II. Problem Statement ● ● ● Overview of the challenges faced by people in finding compatible flat mates and dealing with homesickness Justification for the need to develop an Android application to address these issues Relevant contemporary issues documented in reports of some agencies related to the same III. Scope of the Project ● Project goals and objectives ● ● ● Features and functionalities of the Android application Target audience and user personas Assumptions and constraints IV. Research and Design ● Methodology for conducting user research and design ● User research findings, including user needs, pain points, and preferences ● Design process, including wireframes, prototypes, and user testing results ● Final design and user interface of the Android application V. Development and Implementation ● Overview of the development process ● Technology stack and tools used ● Challenges faced during development and how they were overcome ● Implementation of key features and functionalities VI. Results and Evaluation ● Evaluation of the Android application's effectiveness in addressing the identified problems ● User feedback and reviews ● Key performance indicators and metrics VII. Conclusion and Future Work ● Summary of the project and its achievements ● Lessons learned and future recommendations for improvement ● Potential for future expansion and new features VIII. References ● List of references used in the report IX. Appendix ● Additional supporting materials, such as user personas, wireframes, or user testing reports. In Phase - 1, I will be submitting the reports and deliverables for the I. Introduction II. Problem Statement III. Scope of the Project In Phase - 2, I will be submitting the reports and deliverables for IV. Research and Design Phase-3 and Phase-4 will be for (V) Development and Implementation, and Phase-5 will be for remaining tasks and will be our buffer time also.
