Bandcamp Project: Designing and Implementing Audio and Chat Features

This project report details the design and implementation of new features for Bandcamp.com, specifically online audio/video streaming and online customer service. It formulates project specifications, identifies factors influencing project selection, and proposes a detailed project plan. The report then implements the project according to the agreed specifications, analyzes the outcomes using a periodic logbook, and employs project evaluation techniques to interpret the results against the original specifications. Recommendations are made for further consideration and improvement, and a record of all project procedures is provided. The project considers business scopes and capabilities to meet the desired goals, aiming to enhance Bandcamp's offerings and customer engagement.

Project design and
implementation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...........................................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Formulate and record possible outline project specifications............................................................2
1.2 identify the factors that contribute to the process of project selection..............................................4
1.3 Produce a specification for the agreed project...................................................................................5
1.4 produce an appropriate project plan for the agreed project...............................................................6
Task 2...........................................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Match relevant resources efficiently to the project from the given case study..................................8
2.2 Undertake the proposed project in accordance with the agreed specification...................................8
2.3 Organise, analyse and interpret relevant outcomes for your project using a suitable recording
mechanism such as a periodic log book..................................................................................................9
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................................11
3.1 use appropriate project evaluation techniques.................................................................................11
3.2 interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original project specification................................11
3.3 make recommendations and justify areas for further consideration................................................12
Task 4.........................................................................................................................................................14
4.1 produce a record of all project procedures used..............................................................................14
4.2 use an agreed format and appropriate media to present the outcomes of the project to an audience
...............................................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................16
References..................................................................................................................................................17

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Project life-cycle...........................................................................................................................2
Figure 2: PERT chart for the project..........................................................................................................11

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Factors that contribute to the process of project selection.............................................................4
Table 2: Project Plan....................................................................................................................................6
Table 3: Periodic logbook............................................................................................................................9

Introduction
Project design and implementation are the core phases of the project as these are critical to achieve the
desired outcomes with the consideration of the constraints. The report will consider the case study of the
Bandcamp.com to integrate two new features on the website, online audio or video streaming and online
customer services. The report will formulate the project design specification and determine the factors
working on the project selection. Specification as well as plan will be proposed for the project. Later, the
report will use the agreed specification to implement the project with the availability of the resources
and analysis of the outcomes. Project evaluation and data interpretation techniques will be discussed on
the project and recommendations will be provided to improve the project in later versions. The project
design and implementation will consider the business scopes and capabilities throughout the activities to
meet the desired goals.
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Task 1
1.1 Formulate and record possible outline project specifications
Overview of Bandcamp
Bandcamp operates as an American Online music organization and act as a common platform for
sharing and selling music to wide range of consumers. Some of the artists involved in the
organization are Steward Smith and Andy Thomas. Artists make efforts to connect customers
directly through the website.
Role of project life-cycle
Project life Cycle involves initialisation, planning along with execution and implementation.
Current project at initial stage helps to understand and develop the concept. Planning stage involved
in entire management cycle is related to integration of video and audio streaming as well as
customer services via website (Lock, 2017). Project execution looks into the quality along with
performance to meet desired objectives. Last stage includes monitoring, controlling and closure
includes project completion with minimum utilisation of resources.
Figure 1: Project life-cycle
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(Source: Project Life cycle, 2018)
Significant Functions
Online sound or video streaming for music shows
The feature enables customers to pay once for specific album or music shows. Artists with the help
of streaming feature provide audios and videos on the website of specific albums on shows.
Online chat customers service
Website of Bandcamp exhibits the feature of online chat to support customers. It helps the
customers to communicate with artists as well as to make them aware about new benefits and music
audios and videos (Ascarza et.al.2018).
Department and operations
Technical department plays an important role and works with effective co ordination with
marketing and finance department to promote and fulfil the money needs to accomplish project
needs.
Goals and Objectives
Goal of the project is to provide online streaming of audios and videos to customer’s through their
website. Objectives are in context to under the capabilities of business, as well as to identify the
approaches suitable for online streaming.
Challenges and Risk
Selection of appropriate streaming technology, as well as changing of business structure as per the
needs of customers is few of the challenges faced by the project. Risk is in context to completion of
project on time as well as resource and quality management.
Expected outcome
It is expected that online streaming help to form strong customer base with higher flexibility of
website and other associated applications.
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1.2 identify the factors that contribute to the process of project selection
Table 1: Factors that contribute to the process of project selection
Factors Online audio or video streaming Online customer services
Budget Budget to implement hardware and
streaming software may need minimum of
$60,000.
Estimated budget for including online chat services
on the website beneficial for both customers and
organization need $15000 and updating of feature
annually need $2000.
Technical
skills
required
Skills are needed for selecting appropriate
approach for streaming audios and videos
as well as to update website as per the need
of project. Efficient optimisation is
enhanced with appropriate technical skills.
Skills are requires for regular updating chat feature
and its effective integration within the website.
Factors such as device type along with database of
detailed information of customers must be applied
by using technical skills (Costantino et.al.2015).
Human
resource
Technical and marketing human resources
are needed for integration of streaming
within the website. Marketing resources to
promote the features and therefore overall
team of 5 is necessary for this project.
Full time active technical human resources for
timely updating of online chat feature are required.
3 resources are needed to resolve issues and
queries of customers.
Potential
profit
For each and every downloading of music
and videos from different album is
chargeable and can be done only by
authenticated users.
Higher involvement of customers and support of
organization in resolving their queries is beneficial
for both customers and the Bandcamp.
Impact on
organizatio
nal
reputation
Online streaming features enhance the
reputation of business in the market and
help to form strong customer base. Unique
features in the project will help to gain
competitive advantage in the market.
Online customer chat enables the organization to
gain trust of customers. Customers are also able to
know about new launches of videos and music
albums.
Customer
demands
Demand of customers is in context to
storing of audio and video music albums.
Features must be added for free live music
The time taken by the organization in resolving
queries of customers must be reduced to give them
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for at least one or two times (Kerzner and
Kerzner, 2017).
higher satisfaction.
By studying the above factors, it has been identified that project completion is as per the availability of
resources. Online streaming project is beneficial in increasing traffic of customers and online chat
feature help organization to gain trust of customers.
1.3 Produce a specification for the agreed project
The current project of online streaming and along with integration of online chat service within website
is an agreed project goal. Specification of project has higher focus on stages below:
Costs: Overall cost of the project include expenses in terms of salary of human resources, software and
hardware cost, software licensing cost, etc. Overall project cost includes $60,000.
Timescales: Overall time needed for completion of project that includes different stages of the project,
review, execution and implementation. Below gang chart reflect time needed for all the activities
involved in the project.
Scale of operation: This phase of project describes the way of perform various tasks involved in the
project. All the activities in the task such as implementation of hardware and software need technical
resources. In the current project output is measures with response of customers and compared with
increasing scale (Moeini et.al.2017).
Standards: Streaming of online music videos and audios need to follow standard protocols and formats
that includes HTML, HTTP and many more.
Legislation: Legal requirements before implementation of the project must be fulfilled by the
organization. Some of the legislations such as copyright laws, data protection must be assured by the
organization.
Ethics: It is important for the organization to maintain its brand reputation in the market by following
certain code of ethics to enjoy issues in terms of credibility.
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Sustainability: The current project of streaming with integration of online chat helps the organization to
form stronger customer base as well as to provide higher customer satisfaction. This is supportive in
building brand name in the market and to earn higher profits.
Quality: The Bandcamp has motive of earning reputation, strong customer as well as credibility along
with competitive advantage and for this it is essential for the organization to focus on quality aspects of
both the projects.
Fitness for Purpose: This is defined as effectiveness and applicability of both the features within the
website for its actual purpose of gaining profits and credibility in the market (Magnusson, 2014).
Internet is highly beneficial for marketing and help to attract customers which is one of the basic need of
business and new project.
Resource Implications: Technical human resources are required for effective integration of streaming
and online chat services within the website. Along with human resources there is need of hardware and
software and other related applications of streaming.
1.4 produce an appropriate project plan for the agreed project
Table 2: Project Plan
Activity/ week 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Requirement specification
Systems analysis
Feasibility study
Software systems
Hardware systems
Algorithms
Designs
Different approaches to a specific problem
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Different languages for programming
Different user interfaces
Development of new technique to resolve a
problem
Improvement in current system
Evaluation of various approaches
Alternative methods of implementations
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Task 2
2.1 Match relevant resources efficiently to the project from the given case study
The project has to integrate the features with the considerations of the scopes and capabilities. The
organization can prefer to achieve higher quality and performance with the following resources:
Human resources: The project has need of project leader to manage the strategies and achieve the
desired performance from the team members. There is also need of resources to create and manage the
project plan and execute the activities with the quality baseline.
Software tools: Project has use of software tools to create the plan, prepare the strategies on the basis of
the data analysis and monitor the performance of individual. The project can make use of the software to
monitor the quality and align the practices to complete the desired outcomes within the constraints og
the time, cost and capabilities (Hadaya et al, 2012).
Hardware tools: Besides to it, the project can make use of the hardware components those are required
to achieve the desired outcomes from the computing systems. For example, there is need of the scanner
to feed the details within computer applications. The organization also can use printers to take
information on the papers.
Techniques and strategies: The project can use strategies to utilize the resources in the effective manner
and manage the quality throughout the project (Schwindt and Zimmermann, 2015). For example,
network paths, critical path analysis and Gantt chart can be used to align the project activities to the
capabilities and deliver the desired outcome.
2.2 Undertake the proposed project in accordance with the agreed specification
The organization can execute the activities according to the project plan to achieve the outcomes.
However, some changes can be made to achieve higher performance and quality and integrate the
changes.
Use of resources: The project has collected the data from the customers and the market through the
analysis and it is determined that the new services and features can be provided with the agile team. The
resources are distributed in the project according to their skills and capabilities and it has helped to
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