Case Study

IT Software Development Project: Bank Branch Operations System

Project Overview: The goal of this large-scale IT software development
project is to design and implement a comprehensive Bank Branch
Operations System (BBOS) for a national banking chain. The system will
manage all the day-to-day operations within the branches, including
customer transactions, account management, loan processing, and
regulatory compliance. The software is intended to replace outdated legacy
systems and unify branch operations under one streamlined, user-friendly
platform that integrates seamlessly with the bank’s central IT infrastructure.
This project will require close collaboration with various user groups across
the bank to ensure the system meets their specific needs and optimizes
workflows. The success of the project heavily depends on user involvement
throughout the development process, as the end-users are the ones who
will rely on the system for efficient and secure operations.
Key Objectives of the Project:
1. Automate Daily Branch Operations: Implement features to handle
customer account management, deposits, withdrawals, loan
processing, and routine transactions in a faster, more secure manner.
2. Enhance Customer Experience: Improve transaction processing
times and offer personalized banking services through the system’s
interface.
3. Improve Efficiency: Streamline workflows, reduce paperwork, and
eliminate manual errors in the branch operations.
4. Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Incorporate compliance features to
meet banking regulations, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) protocols.
 5. Enable Centralized Reporting: Allow for real-time data
synchronization between branches and the central office, with
enhanced reporting and auditing capabilities.

Project Phases:
1. Requirement Gathering and User Involvement:
o Key User Groups:
 Tellers and Front-line Staff: Use the system for daily
customer interactions, handling transactions such as
deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and balance inquiries.
 Branch Managers: Oversee branch operations, monitor
employee performance, and ensure regulatory
compliance. They need detailed reporting and monitoring
tools.
 Loan Officers: Manage loan applications, approvals, and
processing. The system must facilitate document
verification, credit checks, and automated approval
workflows.
 Customer Support Teams: Handle inquiries, complaints,
and account-related issues, requiring access to customer
records and transactional histories.
 Back-office Staff (Compliance and Audit Teams): Ensure
that all branch activities adhere to regulatory
requirements and provide audit trails.
 IT Support Team: Maintain and monitor the system’s
performance, troubleshoot issues, and ensure security
protocols are met.
 o Use Cases:
 Teller Operations: Tellers will use the system to quickly
process transactions, ensuring accuracy in cash handling,
customer verification, and receipt generation. The system
will integrate with scanners for checks and ID validation.
 Account Management: Customers opening new accounts
or updating existing ones will have their details entered
into the system, with checks for compliance (e.g., KYC).
Account creation workflows need to be simple and
efficient for both customers and bank employees.
 Loan Processing: Loan officers need an interface that
guides them through credit scoring, document
submission, and loan approval steps. They also need to
track loan payments and send automated reminders to
customers.
 Branch Performance Monitoring: Branch managers will
access dashboards that track performance metrics (e.g.,
daily transactions, sales goals, customer satisfaction) and
real-time alerts for issues like transaction errors or non-
compliance.
 Compliance and Audit Monitoring: The back-office team
needs tools for flagging suspicious transactions, tracking
regulatory reporting requirements, and generating
comprehensive reports for internal and external audits.
2. Design and Prototyping:
o Wireframes and Mockups: Prototypes of the system will be
designed, focusing on the user interfaces for each group.
 Tellers will need simple, intuitive interfaces, while branch
managers and loan officers may require more complex
dashboards with advanced functionality.
o Usability Testing: Involve users early in testing prototypes.
Front-line staff, for example, should test whether the workflow
for processing transactions is efficient and user-friendly.
Feedback from these tests will be used to refine the design
before development begins.
3. Development and Integration:
o Modular Design: The system will be developed in modules,
such as Customer Account Management, Transaction
Processing, Loan Management, and Regulatory Compliance.
Each module will integrate with the bank’s existing IT
infrastructure, such as its core banking system, customer
relationship management (CRM) system, and online banking
services.
o Data Security: The system must comply with banking industry
standards for data encryption, authentication, and user
permissions. Role-based access control (RBAC) will be used to
ensure that employees only have access to the data they need
for their job function.
o Real-time Data Synchronization: Transactions processed at any
branch should update in real-time across the entire system,
ensuring accurate data for branch employees, back-office staff,
and central office reporting.
4. User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
 o Pilot Program: The system will first be rolled out in a few test
branches to gather feedback and identify any issues before the
full deployment. User acceptance testing will involve the same
key user groups, ensuring that the system works as expected in
real-world scenarios.
o User Training: Comprehensive training programs will be
conducted to ensure that staff members understand how to use
the system efficiently and securely. Training will be role-
specific, ensuring that each group can maximize their use of the
software.
5. Full Implementation and Rollout:
o The system will be gradually deployed across all branches, with
careful monitoring of its performance. IT teams will provide on-
site and remote support to resolve any issues.
o Ongoing feedback from users will be collected to make iterative
improvements to the system.
6. Post-Implementation Review and Continuous Improvement:
o After the system is fully operational, regular reviews will be
conducted to ensure that it continues to meet user needs. Any
additional features or adjustments required will be implemented
through updates.

Deliverables
Given the details of the BBOS project, write a report on the following:
a) Techniques for gathering user needs
Interviews
Focus groups
 Observation
Participatory Design

(15 marks)

b) Bearing in mind the importance of the user, how will you ensure the
following?
Usability
Learnability
Robustness
Enjoyability
Effectiveness

(15 marks)

c) What is Interactivity with respect to HCI? What are the interactivity

options for the system in terms of user-computer interfaces? (10
marks)