GR1 - Project Proposal and Analysis

Problem Statement

Dorm management staff have difficulty conducting smooth operation of dorm resident inflow/outflow, as well as physical maintenance of the dorm; paperwork and decentralized tools make these tasks inconvenient.

Group Members: Viet-Tran Nguyen, Sumit Gogia, Daniel Martelly

User Classes

• Dorm Manager
  • Hired from outside of MIT to manage two buildings including Next House (primary) and Tang Building
  • Keeps track of housing condition, desk workers, maintenance
  • Using software provided by campus housing
  • Tasks involve using both web application and paper
• Desk Worker
  • Hired from outside of MIT to work approximately 8 hours a day at a dorm
  • Tend to be in their late twenties
  • Comfortable using computers   

Breakdown of Some Common Tasks

1. Physical Maintenance 

Basic breakdown

1. Dorm management is alerted to maintenance requirement.
2. Management files maintenance report.
3. Dorm management sends request to staff for maintenance.
4. Staff makes repairs to affected parts of dorm.
5. Staff informs management of issue and resolution.
6. Management files report on maintenance conduction.

Key points of communication

• Management informs maintenance staff that maintenance is required.
• Maintenance staff informs management of maintenance conduction.

2. Moving in to a room

Basic breakdown

1. Room must have been cleaned before new resident is allowed to move in
2. Dorm manager sends email to desk workers giving the all clear
3. Resident receives email saying they are cleared to move in
4. Resident physically meets desk worker to check in and receive key
5. Resident moves in
6. An email is sent to resident after a week to check up on them

Key points of communication

• Room is cleaned
• Room is available for moving in
• Room has been moved in to
• Check up email has been sent

Interviews

Users include the classes mentioned as interview subjects. Essentially, they are all people who need to keep track of dorm facility availability, usage, and maintenance, as well as living conditions of the various residents, though at varying levels.  

Dorm Manager

The dorm manager was hired as a full-time employee to manage a couple of buildings including Next House and Tang. He is in his late thirty and is a very dynamic individual. He started to work at 8am and end his day at 3pm. His primary tasks are to manage the dorm condition including desk workers, janitor, and mechanics. He also in charge of coordinating with the dining to ensure the whole building is secure and students’ roaster are up to date. In order to do all of these tasks, he uses three to fours different software packages provided by the housing web developer in addition to spreadsheet and paper works. In addition, he also reported to send/receive more than 100 emails a day for communication.

Requirements

1. Prefer to have centralized tools to manage his house/dorm including keeping track of student move in/move out during school year
2. Prefer a modernized and visual display instead of dense text, spreadsheet, or paper-based documentation.
3. Want to have a tool/application to manage the facilities/dorm properties when people checkout items.
4. Want an alternative way where students can supply pictures to report problems with facility to make it easier for him to identify the problem.

Desk Worker

This desk worker was hired from outside of MIT to work approximately 8 hours a day at a dorm on MIT campus. He is in his late twenties and is comfortable using computers. As a desk worker, he has various small tasks between which he must switch between often. His highest priority task is to watch the door and ensure that non-residents check in with him first. If non-residents are on a guest list, they are allowed to pass through after signing in. Otherwise, non-residents must wait until a resident picks them up. Another important daily task is to mediate package delivery to students. Desk workers receive packages on behalf of the student, and then alert the student so that may pick it up at their convenience. One task which the desk worker thought was particularly confusing and inefficient was facilitating moving in and out of rooms. Organizing information about the state of the rooms such as current occupant and necessary repairs is desired. Currently, this task is done using paper, excel spreadsheets, and communicating through email. Other tasks include sorting mail, giving spare keys, renting out various items, and locking up the dorm piano every night.

Requirements

1. As a desk worker, he has various small tasks between which he must switch between often.
2. Highest priority task is to watch the door and stop non-residents.
3. The most confusing task is keeping track of who moves in and out of which rooms when. Requires effective communication between multiple desk workers, dorm manager, and relevant student.
4. The front desk has various items for rent. However, the current system is extremely poor in logging which student has rented what mostly due to it being prone to mistakes and therefore being unreliable.
5. One of the most common tasks is delivering packages. This involves receiving the package on behalf of the student, alerting the student to the package’s arrival, and then student pick up.
6. Other tasks: mail sorting, giving spare keys, locking piano at 11pm. 

From these interviews, we conclude that dorm management staff typically want to have a centralized location to view and update information about the living condition of residents of the dorm, as well as view and update information about the physical maintenance of the dorm.