Specifications for the scheduling project
From:  Outside User Group
Draft:  1
Date:  February 1, 2002

Here's what the "outside users" groups came up with.

1)  How will the outside user enter the system?

Option 1: Have a registration page for outside users where they can type in
information (name, e-mail address etc.) and then a temporary username and
password is emailed to them. Then they can login into the system.

Option 2: The outside users does not need to log in to view a professor's
schedule. All schedules should be available to outside users for viewing.
However, the should not have permission to sign up for appointments ete.
directly. They should contact the professor first to ask for a 
particular time
available on the schedule.


2)  What views/screens will the general user see?
- login page with a "guest" link
- search/browse page to search for people's schedules
- a general version of the schedule; shows the free time available only,
and doesn't include any information about the existing appointments
- appointment request page


3) How will the outside user request appointments? Must the user request a
specific time or a range of times? If a range of times is allowed, how
broad should that range be?

The system would have to ask for crucial information such as email, name,
phone number, and a short explanation of the reason for the meeting.  If
the outsider wants to request a range of times, the professor should be
asked how long he thinks the range should be.  One way to keep outsiders
from making prank requests is to restrict available times to the
professor's office hours so that the prof is not left waiting with nothing
else to do.


4) What verification of the user's identify will be sought, and how will
the user receive confirmation regarding any requests for appointments?

Either upon log in as a "guest" or upon requesting an appointment, the user
should be taken to another screen that asks him/her to provide first and
last name, email address, contact number, a description of why they want to
meet with the prof and who they are (eg. a parent of a student). These
should be required text feilds.  All this information should then be
transferred to the prof for review.  It is then up to the prof's discretion
whether or not to grant the appointment. The confirmation should be an
email, sent to the person when the prof accepts the appointment.


5) How will an outside user be notified in case of a change in the
appointment?

- email/phone call (if the system supports phone numbers) for outside users
there should not be any phone numbers/calling.  if there is a change, the
outside user should be notified through email not later than eg 24 hours
before the appointment.


6) How much advanced notice should an outside user give for an appointment,
and how should that notice be enforced?

They can request an appointment as early or late as they want.  The person
who confirms the appointment will be the one to decide.


7) What test cases and desired responses cover the full range of outside
user options?

case 1: request an appointment -> receive an email back
case 2: change in appointment -> be notified no later than 24 hours 
before the actual appointment
case 3: browse people's schedules -> be able to view what times they are
available, but not the actual information

test matrices should cover...
make sure system does:
(1) Access system
(2) Allow viewing of any schedule
(3) Allow "guests" to create as many types of requests as can be 
anticipated

make sure system does not allow:
(1) Guests to automatically schedule appointments
(2) Guests to submit more than an allotted number of requests in a given 
time period