Case Study - Social Networking
Application: Social Networking Site
Industry: Online Social Networking
Aim: To design a social networking website focused on location/ residential area of the users
Abstract: This website allows the users to connect and make friends who live or work around them. It has features like chat services, mails and scraps. It also provides search option to the users in order to find the person they want to be friends with.
Background: Our client approached us with a concept of designing a location based networking site like facebook but more focused on the local areas as selected by the client. The client wanted to create a unique space on the internet providing private space as well as helping the users to connect to the other local users of the site.
By making friends who live or work around them, members have the possibilty of meeting up with each other in person and carry their friendships on to the real world. Selling and buying is easier too when people deal with those who are in their own area.
The client had specific needs and requirements including an easy-to-use admin panel integration into the website for the effective management of the content of the website as well as the profiles of the different users.
Objectives: After an in-depth understanding of the client's needs and requirements, we proceeded with the website development with below mention primary objectives :
- Allow the users to search for other members in their area who match their profile
- Secure and Scalable website design
- Provide the user with geographic user networking site where she can search on the basis of zip code, region etc
- An effective admin section panel for administrator use
Solution: Exceeding the client's expectation, we turned up with a custom website design with back end admin system along with the user login and access functionality at the front end. The website we designed had the ability to approve/manage the new members before they get an access to the site features. The website design allows the users to access the site with enhanced user security. Superior database design and intuitive search facility allows for quick, filtered, relevant searches. The admin panel of the website has been designed in a way, allowing the administrator to have full control over the site working. The website administrator can manage the website content and the profiles of the user using different modules being integrated into the design.
Technical Background:
PHP and MySql on the server-side
HTML and Javascript on the client-side
Features: The website design was configured with a spectrum of features. For better understanding we have bifurcated the features of the website into the admin section features and the user section features.
Admin Section:
- Manage City
- Manage Area (Karampura, Punjabi Bagh)
- Neighborhoods – Create neighborhoods under areas. Manage discussions and notices posted for each neighborhood.
- Manage Members – Admin can view all registered members and suspend any erring ones
- Groups – Admin can view and manage the groups created by members, create groups on their own too
- Events – Can post and manage events and related info
- Classifieds – Create categories and sub-categories for classified ads. Manage ads posted by members
User Section:
- Register and manage their profiles
- Send private messages to each other
- Send public messages to be displayed on each others' scrapboards
- Bookmark and favorite members
- Invite friends
- Create and manage events
- Post and respond to Classified ads
- Create Groups based on similar interests or activities
- Create and manage Photo Gallery
- Search or Browse Members in their neighborhood
- Members can mark their profile as private if they do not want everyone to contact them
