Host:
Event maNAGEMENT SYSTEM
Fall 2023
How can we create a simple, reliable, and efficient system for managing events across various university units and provide a user-friendly experience?
Design question:
Overview:
This project was my senior capstone and was a team effort between a group of Media Arts and Design (SMAD) and Computer Information Systems (CIS) majors. We were tasked with developing an online system for managing events such as conferences, workshops, contests, and hackathons at the university. Our team, leveraging both SMAD and CIS resources, aimed to create a reliable and user-friendly system that met the needs of organizing committees, particularly for the AIS Student Chapter Leadership Conference and Competitions 2026 and the JMU Oracle Hackathon 2024. We adopted the Agile Development approach, working in short sprint phases to ensure continuous progress and alignment with client requirements. As the project manager, I organized all team meetings throughout the semester and ensured that the team stayed on track with deadlines and objectives.
Challenge:
The main challenge was to design a system that could efficiently handle the creation and management of events and sub-events, while also providing functionality for room allocation and generating reports and feedback. We also faced challenges in blending the skills of CIS and SMAD students, managing time effectively, and ensuring a smooth integration of UX and system development.
Approach:
We began by conducting user research through interviews in order to gain more data and knowledge in regards to event management systems. We then constructed three different user personas to aide in the understanding of our audience. We then analyzed the specific needs of each role, followed by designing a database to store critical information about users, events, sub-events, and rooms. Using the Agile Development approach, our team tackled tasks in short sprints, ensuring close collaboration with the client and adaptability to changing requirements. The CIS team focused on coding (C#, SQL, HTML), while the SMAD team managed design and presentation. Tools like GitHub and Trello were used to promote collaboration and resource sharing.
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​The system was deployed on AWS, allowing users to access the application from multiple locations. By the end of Sprint 3, we successfully delivered a fully operational system where students could sign up and collaborate with other users.
Solution:
The final outcome was an online event management system that allowed university units to create and manage events with ease. The system included features for different user roles:
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Organizers:
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Account Creation and Login: Secure access with a personalized dashboard.
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Event & Sub-Event Creation: Quick and easy setup of events and related activities.
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Room Suggestions: Automated recommendations based on event needs.
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Communication: Ability to send emails to attendees directly through the system.
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Admins:
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Manage Event Requests: Approve or deny event requests.
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User & Event Reports: View and manage user accounts and event details.
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Attendees:
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Account Creation and Login: Personalized access to event details.
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Event Registration: Simple registration for events and sub-events.
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Communication: Receive event-related emails and view all registered events.
