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virtual science forum for professionals
Download PDFClient Requirement
Client required a virtual science forum for professionals who engage in the fields of High Tech, Green Tech, Medicine and Business. The application must allow networking with other scientists, doctors, engineers, and colleagues in user's fields. It is also a trade journal that keeps you up to date with news, trends, and events. Unlike a trade journal, user gets to talk back and air their views.
Client needed professionals to maintain their open communication and information platform for staying abreast with the latest innovations and news. Client sought professional assistance for the following:
- All kinds of Bug fixes (minor, major, crashed)
- Maintaining the system stability
- All the business logic procedures for modules such as User Profiles, Invitations, Forums and Blogs etc... forming the Business Logic Layer.
They also required enhancement in its features as listed next:
- Implementing E-reader to show uploaded documents such as PDF, TEXT, DOC and PPT documents
- Implementing interaction with other sites such as Facebook
- Creating an extra interface for SEO
- Fetching latest PDF's from Google similar to News
- Cross Reference option when Uploading Paper or Press Release
- Save complete paper locally on hard disk and mobile in converted format
Challenges
Team faced the following challenges:
- Setting up an entire existing system into our development environment, learning the system functionalities, complexities, and incorporating desired changes was the biggest challenge during this maintenance project.
- Apart from the above, this web application was earlier dealing with High Tech, Green Tech, and Medicine domains. Adding up a new domain came as another impugn to the project team; they observed the existing domain and set up a new "Business" domain with the required features, accordingly.
- E-reader was developed on the fly and incorporated into application for users to view documents uploaded in variety of formats such as PDF, TEXT, DOC or PPT.
- Team also assisted in providing and maintaining the database for the range of interactive features.
Technologies Used
| PHP | Most appropriately suited to create dynamic web pages. Enables fast extraction of data out of a database for presenting it on the web page. |
| JavaScript and AJAX | (Client-side Language) Cross browser support & faster loading time with light web pages that require no plug-in downloads. Scalable JavaScript based controls to provide flexibility and enhance user experience and involvement. |
| MYSQL | A versatile low maintenance database management system which acts as a cross-platform compatible database component of the LAMP Platform. |
| Linux | A Sturdy platform with open source code for extensive customization and with powerful multitasking abilities. |
| Apache | Server Ideal for serving static as well as dynamic content on the web in a safe and secure manner. Supports a variety of features while offering extendible core functionality. |
Manpower
| Project Leader | 1 |
| Developers | 3 |
| Designers | 0 |
| Quality Assurance Testers | 1 |
| SEO | 2 |
Planning
The enormous structure of the website and the challenges involved necessitated the adoption of a four-tier approach that consisted of:
- MySQL Server Database, Tables, stored procedures etc... incorporated within the database layer.
- The data conversion between incompatible type of systems in databases and accessing data from the database through the Interface layer and Database Abstraction layer respectively.
- All the business logic procedures for modules such as User Profiles, Invitations, Forums and Blogs etc... forming the Business Logic Layer.
- The GUI of the website formed by the User Interface layer.
Architecture
The website was mainly characterized by social networking nature which entailed a PHP based design approach involving MySQL Server. PHP was used to develop modules like User Profiles, Invitations, Forums and Blogs such that direct execution from the UI layer was possible. Effective access to the database in an object oriented context was implemented using an interface translating the object logic to relational logic so as to communicate with the relational databases in an object-oriented manner. Access to the database was enabled through the creation of an intermediary abstraction layer. Only the complex retrieval of data from multiple tables was facilitated through stored procedures and everywhere else conditional syntax was implemented to ensure seamless performance of the website. Images, applications and data were called from their respective servers keeping the UI layer free of any business logic and scalability was guaranteed by implementing sub-domains for various areas of the website.
Development Highlights
The site architecture enabled the 'faster to market' transition which is highly essential for social networks. It involved all the major complex queries and a simple but extensive User Interface for admin to drill down and track the details of each user effectively. Optimized query features offered comprehensive search & browse options. Web usability guidelines were strictly adhered to during the maintenance of existing and development of new features and the interface was easily navigable through the judicious use of AJAX, CSS and HTML controls. Search Engine Optimization activities were regularly resorted to with a view of ensuring high visibility for the site over the internet.
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