Group Project

### Sample cs327e Group Project Reports from Previous Semesters

1) Fall 2001: Fast Scheduler (UT Registration System) [zip file]

We plan on creating a web site similar to the defunct Fast Scheduler that UT created in fall’98. The basic idea is to create a database containing course information, and use that information to enable the dynamic creation of course schedules for students.

2) Spring 2002: DNA Packers (UT Prof. Philip Tucker’s Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Lab) [zip file]

Automate storage and retrieval of research data to facilitate the continuation of research projects carried out at Prof. Philip Tucker’s Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Lab. Most of the data will be based on DNA, RNA and protein experiments. Currently, the data exists in the form of hardcopies and there is no electronic archive of this data. The purpose of this project is to create a database using SQL Server that can be accessed off the Internet at the following website www.esb.utexas.edu/Tuckerbase. This would enhance search and access capabilities. It would also allow the faculty to better track and analyze the research being carried out in the lab.

3) Spring 2002: UTSAS (UT Study Abroad Office) [zip file]

The Study Abroad office here at UT is designing an online application for UT students wishing to study abroad. Most of the application information is being stored on UT’s mainframe database. However, this database does not handle large text areas well - the formatting information is not retained, which reduces readability and general appearance. The Study Abroad Office would like to implement another database for holding the larger text items (such as Essays and Letters of Recommendation.)

4) Spring2002: Foundation For Homeless [zip file]

The topic of this project is to improve and add new features and capabilities to an existing database for Foundation For the Homeless, Inc., a private nonprofit corporation that specializes in working with homeless families. Foundation for the Homeless, Inc., has the need to efficiently store and track information about its contributors, volunteers, and other associates. Their current database system contains redundancies that require many unnecessary hours of time for data entry and manipulation.

5) Spring2002: Shearwave Reference (UT Dr. Robert Tatham, Department of Geological Sciences) [zip file]

The purpose of this project is to put online a collection of references on the topic of shear-wave seismic studies. Shear-wave studies are an important tool of geophysicists in the oil industry. Not all geoscientists have access to the theses or to the wide range of articles that pass through UT. This database will provide a gateway for this information. These references have been extensively catalogued, summarized, assigned to various categories, and scanned to computer files. Our audience wants to be able to sort and view the references according to these categories, rather than searching by author, title, etc. The database will include associated files (.PDFs, DOCs, TIFFs), which the user may view once a reference is selected. The immediate audience is Dr. Robert Tatham in the UT Department of Geological Sciences. The ultimate end users are members of the EDGER Forum, which provides funding for geophysics graduate students at UT Austin.

6) Spring2002: The Union (UT Quality Management Consortium) [zip file]

QMC is a student-run business sponsored by the Graduate School of Business and the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Texas. The mission of the QMC is to improve the business results of our Member Companies, enhance the professional experience of our Associates, and advance the University's involvement in the Austin community. QMC maintains the database currently of over 350 large and medium sized companies in and around Austin. Every year groups of around 50 students are selected as QMC associates who are trained through the spring semester. The association then seeks to provide when internships in the Austin based companies. QMC associates are divided into 4 groups of Engineering, Finance, Marketing, IT and OPERATIONS areas. The companies are classified into one or more areas based on this broad division. Students are assigned a list of companies to target. Based on the information they obtain on market search and personally contacting the companies they update the database.

Based on discussion with QMC employees & associates we propose to build a database for the organization that will be accessed online by all the members, group leaders etc based on their administrative rights. Thus the database can be updated or accessed in real-time by the members from their homes or offices. This will save the duplication of work and also provide current information about the company so that a company is not targeted twice. Also companies’ part of QMC can use the system to match profile of students to their requirements.

7) Spring2002: Shadow Platypus (MP3 file organizer) [zip file]

A dynamic database that will enable the user to efficiently maintain and organize all music/sound related files so that queries and searches can be made on the basis of attributes that are relevant to the particular file (e.g. file extension, artist name, music genre etc.).

8) Fall2002: Fossiloggers (UT Dr. Kappelman, Catalog fossil specimens) [zip file]

We intend to create a database for the cataloging of fossil specimens as found by research groups in the field. There is currently no satisfactory database for the cataloging of fossil specimens according to Dr. Kappelman. There was one program that the department used years ago called Paradox, but the disks were lost and it also needed major improvements. A good database would greatly enhance a researcher’s ability to keep track of discoveries and share information with others.

9) Fall2002: Seven of Hearts (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. John Middleton, RN Clara Ying, Determine the effectiveness of aggronox and plavis in the prevention of vesicular access clotting) [zip file]

To determine the effectiveness of aggronox and plavis in the prevention of vesicular access clotting in ESRD patients, currently in preliminary selection process. There are two stages of study: observatory phase and full-scale study. Observatory is pre-operation, and full scale is post-operation.

10) Fall2002: The Chips (Migration of existing Excel schema to RDBMS) [zip file]

The Industry Economic Model (IEM) is a project that was started by International SEMATECH, a consortium of semiconductor companies. The semiconductor industry is a very cyclical industry and is very subject to shocks. These shocks could be the advent of Cell Phones or the Internet. Those two issues combined make it very difficult for companies to know how many semiconductors to produce in the future. If they produce too many, we have over supply, too few and there could be a shortage. This causes massive price fluctuation. Building new factories or "fabs" is a very expensive endeavor. Therefore, the IEM is meant to give companies guidance as to when they should build new fabs or when they should upgrade their old fabs. Just one of these upgrades is a very costly endeavor, so they don't take it lightly. Currently the IEM runs on a series of Excel spreadsheets. However, the size of these spreadsheets has grown huge and we believe it's time to move the data to a relational database like SQL Server. For the project, we would take one parameter across all the product lines from excel spreadsheets and go through the Database design for that parameter. The especially neat part of this project is that this will be something that may actually be used in production. This project also would give us some exposure to real world issues in an industry.

11) Fall2003: Castilian ITS (Dorm Registration) [zip file]

Currently the Castilian Stores all the Resident information in paper files and they use Excel for all the registration. This project will create an electronic tool to handle all the important information regarding the residents, financial status, general reports, and maintenance requests.

12) Fall2003: DatabaseBall (Online Data Management System for RECSPORTS) [zip file]

Currently the Intramural Department doesn’t have an online information source for students. Students must visit Gregory Gym to find out their team’s statistics, and or remaining schedule. Relaying information to the large number of students is burdensome, and this tool would be very effective here.

13) Fall2003: MEDICARE (Mechanical Engineers Database for Infants CARE) (Database Support to UT Child Care Center) [zip file]

The project will serve to meet the database requirements of the UT Child Care Center (UTCCC). UTCCC provides a developmental early childhood program for the children of UT employees. At present, a lot of their business data transactions and storage are either paper-based or require manual data entry. The objective of this project is to automate the processes and make them web-based wherever required. Doing so will save a lot of work for UTCCC staff and also eliminate data entry errors.

14) Fall2003: The Leftovers (Boy Scouts of America) [zip file]

Every year the community service organization Alpha Phi Omega puts on a Merit Badge University (MBU) for the Boy Scouts of America. Scouts come from all over Texas to attend MBU. The largest amount of work involved in MBU revolves around processing registration forms for the 1500 to 2000 scouts that attend. What we propose is to develop a web interface for online registration where the database would be used to keep track of all aspects of MBU such as scouts’ info, teachers’ info, class times and places, scout registrations, etc. Basically we would like it to mimic the registration process that UT has.

15) Fall2003: WJG Database Enterprises (Skating Rink transaction management system) [zip file]

Our database was conceived in an effort to streamline the business practices and organization of the SkateWaco skating rink. Previously, all transaction data was recorded on daily “run sheets” which recorded total admissions, concessions, skate rentals, coupons used, and expenses. No record of individual transactions was kept except in the case of recording expenses. Our database is designed to eliminate this unorganized, non-specific, and inefficient method of recording transactions. Our solution is a fully functional, web-based database used to process transactions at the individual level.

16) Fall2003: Accounting Anywhere (AA) (Browser based corporate accounting for offsite and onsite employees with billable hours and expenses) [zip file]

The purpose of the project is to provide the ability for corporate accounting of employee hours worked and expenses incurred on projects. Employees need to be able to edit and view this information. A web based application will allow both onsite and offsite access to the data.

17) Fall2003: ACE (Volleyball League/Tournament MGMT system) [zip file]

Currently, Aussie’s volleyball league signup is paper based and the schedule is not published. We propose to create a registration system, which will facilitate scorekeeping, scheduling, and registration.

18) Spring2004: DBMS Dawgs (Database to keep track of student participation data that is recorded for each of Dr. Kortum's class lectures) [zip file]

When the time to choose what to base our project on, we all wanted to do something that we could relate to, or something that would actually be used. So we set out and pooled ideas and chose a project where we would be making a database for Professor Rebecca Kortum. She teaches BME 301 - Biotechnology and World Health and just received a one million dollar grant for research from The Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The research study entitled “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Evidence-based Teaching Strategies in BME 301: Biotechnology and World Health,” is basically to see how different teaching methods and situations effect student participation, interest, and success in learning.

19) Spring2004: eCulinar (“What’s for Dinner” (A recipe database with meal planning capabilities)) [zip file]

MealSack was developed by eCulinar in the spring of 2004 as a free meal planning service for the public. The intent of MealSack is to create an online community where food lovers can share their favorite recipes and find new ones to enjoy. Members are able to plan their meals for days, weeks, months, or even years and print a shopping list for quicker and easier shopping.

20) Spring2004: Team Caffeine (Database for a coffee house) [zip file]

The purpose of this project was to design a database to organize a coffee house’s products and aide in the efficiency of day-to-day activities. The audience was the coffee house owner and their employees.

21) Spring2004: Team Friendship (Database of all Academy Award nominees, and winners and the related information for each movie) [zip file]

The database will provide historical archiving of all the films associated with the Academy Awards. The database will be used to conduct research, observing trends, and general awareness of the various nominees and winners. Current databases are difficult and confusing to navigate and are not as complete as one might desire. The database will benefit film students and scholars, statisticians, sociologist, and the general film going public.

22) Spring2004: Team 420 (Online book purchase) [zip file]

Blue Arrow Books is a book-resale network operating in several universities across the nation. They currently use a basic database solution that leaves many transactions undocumented. We will redesign Blue Arrow Books into an efficient Amazon-like company, where the user will be able to search, review, and purchase books online.

23) Spring2004: OUTCAS (Maintenance of information on chemicals used in an Organic chemistry research lab) [zip file]

Database will catalogue of the available chemicals in the typical chemistry lab, based on the needs of the Kerwin lab in the UT Pharmacy department.

The typical organic chemistry research lab will contain a library of over 1200 different organic chemicals. Due to the danger these chemicals pose to each other upon contact, many of these chemicals must be stored separately from each other. Finding a desired chemical is therefore not as simple as an alphabetical search. This project is designed to make these searches easier and to provide additional information about these chemicals. Additional information needed for a chemical is its life on the shelf; MSDS catalogue number (CAS), and any additional safety information. This project will also minimize such costly effects of a large library such as duplications and decomposition due to age.

24) Spring2004: Project Control (Integration of construction data for improving project analysis and control) [zip file]

Construction materials are tracked from manufacturing to delivery. But once they are delivered, it is very difficult to identify and locate them. Data associated with a material is usually not available. Our team aims to integrate the materials data into a unique and reliable database, including precise location for item.

25) Fall2004: Mayhem (Water Quality Monitoring Database) [zip file]

At the present time, water quality testing agencies organize their technicians, equipment, and data using a paper system. This project provides a database solution for the management of water quality testing.

26) Fall2004: Bonestorm (Phylogeny research project) [zip file]

The purpose of this database is to store and organize research data for a phylogeny research project done by a graduate student. Data consists of phalaenopsis, species, extractions, and different types of DNA markers.

27) Fall2004: Lillies (Student Sound Connection Database) [zip file]

Our project consists of developing a content management system for the Student Sound Connection web site. Student Sound Connection is a UT Student Organization dedicated to the promotion of student music. Our system will model the real world organization of student bands. It will allow Student Sound Connection to maintain a database of student bands and their members.

28) Spring2005: TAOS (A content management system for TAOS-College Houses) [zip file]

The purpose of this project is to build a web enabled user management system for the TAOS House. Registered users will be able to log in and see what labors are assigned to them, see what meetings are scheduled, look at messages other users have sent them, and send messages to other users. Administrators with the right privileges will be able to assign labors and modify other users.

29) Spring2005: MadMonkey (Equipment Checkout and Inventory Database) [zip file]

`Making and managing an equipment checkout and inventory database for KVR-TV station that will be an effective means of checking out equipment and keeping track of equipment and renters because of current problems that exist without a database.`

30) Spring2005: BullisBucks (Outdoor Recreation Center Database) [zip file]

To evaluate the harvest data that has been collected over the past years to help increase hunter success.

31) Spring2005: BooksWarehouse (Books Warehouse Database) [zip file]

The main purpose of this project was to provide a searchable database as well as a Web application for entering in books related to my dissertation studies.

32) Spring2005: Photoshop (CVS Photo Lab) [zip file]

The purpose of this project is to provide the CVS Photo Lab with a database that can determine when a customer made the order(s), how many pending order(s) a customer has, and whether another family member has already picked up the order(s).

Last Updated: 5/29/2005 12:38:22 PM