BUSINESS CASE
A healthy lifestyle advocacy group is aiming to build a bike sharing system within a medium size
metropolitan area. The group has signed a contract with a company to provide the bike sharing
technology and hardware (bike stations, bikes, network equipment, a server, and bike sharing software that automates the process of checking out and returning bicycles, and billing customers).
DOCKING STATIONS & BIKES
The docking station provides a limited number of bike parking spots, and is characterized by its location, bike capacity, and by real time number of bikes parked. Docking stations have computers running on them, credit card reader, and a networking module which allows it to be connected to the Internet. The fleet of bikes has also been purchased.
FUNCTIONING OF THE SYSTEM
There are two ways a user can get access to the system:
1) Using her annual subscription ($70)
2) Buying day pass ($5)
Every ride under 30 minutes is free. User is charged $1 dollar for a ride between 30 and 1 hour, 3 dollars for rides between 1 hour and 2 hours and a flat rate of 7 dollars for any ride over 2 hours. The users who haven’t returned a bike within 10 hours are billed with a $50 fine.
Description of the IS Architecture, Software and Database Components, and Hardware Architecture
The information system designed for this case should connect docking stations, as well as manage user registrations and billing. We learned about different architecture models (e.g. centralized, distributed, and cloud).
Directions
In a Word document, provide the following information:
1. Propose the IS architecture for the IS for the bike sharing system. Explain the rationale behind the choice (between half of a page and a page);
2. List all the software, and database, and hardware components;
3. Draw a architecture of the system showing the components using Word shapes, use arrows to show business process and major data flow between them.
