Setting up the IT Infrastructure for the Drone Delivery Department

Assignment Taken

Plan on IT Infrastructure Including Apps, Website/s, and Management Information System

Case Understanding

For hyper-local delivery of goods, the organization has decided to come up with the use of drones. Drones will offer costly yet time-effective delivery services for the customers. It is believed that using the current model making a 5km food delivery within 15 minutes is very tough thanks to the city transportation infrastructure and traffic. Using the drone service such delivery will be possible within a timeframe of 15 minutes. As a team, we need to provide the business feasibility of launching such a service. It is also mentioned that we already have all the necessary licenses and the trials have also been completed.

BCS Solution Summary

Since this is an expensive process, it is necessary to inform potential customers about the USPs of the service. Hence the drone department should have a dedicated space on the company's website highlighting the process. Customers require an additional app/website for placing an order using the service. The same needs to be integrated with the company's MIS system for smooth operations.

Solution

Website - There are 2 web-based projects which need to be developed.

Firstly, on the company's existing website we need to add a new page which will showcase the new service that the company is providing. On the home page, a carousel should highlight the new service. Additionally, a cost comparison calculator should be present which takes distance and weight as input and calculates the difference in money paid as well as the time saved in traditional delivery and drone-based delivery.

The Second website is a customer touchpoint. It will allow users to book the drone delivery service. This should be built using HTML, CSS for the frontend. Javascript, Python, and SQL development will be required for the backend.

The organization will already be having developers who work on the existing site, hence no new human resource is required. In terms of server load, adding a new page to the existing site can be managed internally. However, it is recommended to host the customer website on a new server.

 

Mobile Application

An android and iOS application are required which will perform the same functionality as we discussed above. Instead of setting up a new department for app development, I recommend outsourcing both the apps to 3rd party developers. This will be slightly more expensive but will be a faster process. Additionally, once the pilot apps have been tested, after proper transfer of knowledge the maintenance and future development of apps can be done at home.

 

Management Information System

For centralized data management, smoother operations, and optimum logistics management it is necessary that whatever data is being processed using the new website and mobile applications is being registered in the organization's central management information system. This will keep all departments in the loop automatically since only the mode of transportation is changing, rest of everything has remained the same.

Conclusion

Using a combination of in-house development and 3rd part software company we will be able to build a suitable IT infrastructure comprising of customer website, mobile applications and integration with the organization’s central management information system.

Attached File Details

View Attachment file (outsourcing-vs-inhouse-app-dev-infographic.jpg)

Video

https://youtu.be/R7ZSh2--W7Y