Denwacho

Project Manager: Shingo Morita
Team: Two Engineers from Upwork Inc.

Introduction

Motivation

The goal is to launch a web service that will list and search Japanese-related businesses in cities with large Japanese populations across the U.S.

Benefits

Business Owners

• Additional channel to attract customers with reasonable cost
• Display business-specific advertisement

Users

• Find out more about Japanese stores and businesses through a Japanese portal site

Japanese Community

• Feature Japanese American businesses and their many attractions
• Attract visitors from various locations across the U.S.

System Requirements

Functions

• Offers web services in Japanese
• Navigate to linked sites
• Maintain a database with information on up to 100,000 stores or businesses.
• Facilitate the payment process
• Provide Search function: phone number, location, keywords, business type
• Display advertisements

Security

• Identify malicious bots and prohibit access to sensitive contents from the IP address
• Block access of malicious bots to sensitive contents by returning a fixed page.
• Rate limit by IP address

System Design

Project Management

• Ensure customer satisfaction by liaising between the client and the developer.
• Consult with the customer and provide feedback to the developers and vendors.
• Establish a deadline and monitor the progress of the project
• The process was agreed upon and proceeded.
• Create and help to maintain software documentation

List of Pages

• Home Page
• User Registration Page
• Business Registration Page
• Listing Page
• Business Page
• Phone Number Search Page
• Contact Us Page
• FAQ Page
• About Us Page
• Privacy Policy Page
• Terms and Conditions Page
• Login Page
• User Page

DB Tables

• Users
• Permissions
• Roles
• Service Areas
• Business
• Business Categories
• Banners

Implementation, Testing, and Maintenance

Tools & Technologies

• Programming language: PHP
• Database: MySQL
• Server: Linux nginx
• Testing Server: app.netlify.com, oreostudios.com
• Project Management Tools: Upwork.com, Trello.com

Test Plan and Test Activities

The user acceptance test is scheduled in January 2023.

Following tasks:

• Improvements as requested by the client.
• Integration test with applications, accounting payment applications, etc.

*Only content that does not violate the Terms of Business is listed.

Key Responsibilities

As Project Manager, I was responsible for:

1. Client Communication: Acting as the primary liaison between the client and development team
2. Requirements Gathering: Understanding and documenting business requirements
3. Project Coordination: Managing timelines, milestones, and deliverables
4. Quality Assurance: Ensuring the final product meets client expectations
5. Documentation: Creating and maintaining project documentation

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Remote Team Coordination

Solution: Utilized Upwork and Trello for effective project management and communication with remote developers.

Challenge: Security Requirements

Solution: Implemented bot detection, IP-based rate limiting, and secure access controls to protect sensitive business information.

Challenge: Scalability

Solution: Designed database schema to support up to 100,000 businesses with efficient search and filtering capabilities.

Key Learnings

1. Project Management: Effective communication and documentation are crucial when managing remote teams across different time zones.

2. Security First: Implementing security measures from the start (bot detection, rate limiting) prevents issues later.

3. User-Centric Design: Creating a comprehensive list of pages and functions based on user needs ensures a complete solution.

4. Scalable Architecture: Designing for 100,000+ businesses from the beginning prevents future scalability issues.

5. Client Relations: Regular consultation and feedback loops with clients ensure the final product meets their expectations.

Future Enhancements

• Mobile app development
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Integration with payment gateways
• Enhanced search algorithms
• Multi-language support expansion