Trojan Home: USC Housing Mobile Application

Introduction

At USC, housing issues extend beyond merely finding accommodation; students often struggle with securing housing within budget, finding compatible roommates, and managing logistics like purchasing or disposing of furniture. The lack of a centralized platform means these tasks are scattered across multiple unconnected services, creating inefficiency and frustration. The Trojan Home mobile app seeks to address these pain points by offering a secure, student-only hub that integrates all these processes, streamlining housing searches, roommate matching, and used goods exchanges.

Additionally, the app includes a sustainable marketplace where students can buy and sell used furniture and other goods. This not only reduces waste but also helps alleviate the financial burden for students seeking affordable furnishing solutions. Trojan Home is designed to save students time and effort while enhancing security and convenience, fostering a stronger, more connected USC community.

Problem Statement

Currently, USC students navigate a fragmented, inefficient housing process, relying on a range of external platforms with no coordinated service tailored specifically to student needs. The process of securing housing options, finding compatible roommates, and managing transactions for household goods involves significant time and effort, without the assurance of safety or personalization.

Key problems include:

  • Fragmentation: Housing searches, roommate matching, and used goods exchanges occur across various disconnected platforms.

  • Security Risks: There’s no assurance that those involved in these transactions are verified USC students, leading to safety concerns.

  • Lack of Personalization: Current platforms don’t allow for personalized roommate matching based on lifestyle compatibility or tailored housing recommendations.

  • Without a unified, student-only platform, USC students face inefficiency, security risks, and a lack of personalization. Trojan Home aims to address these problems with a secure, all-in-one solution.

Objectives

1

Develop a Comprehensive Mobile App: The app will serve as a centralized hub where students can find housing, match with roommates, and manage the sale and purchase of used goods, all in one place. The app will provide real-time updates on available housing options, compatibility scores for potential roommates, and an intuitive interface for trading household items.

2

Ensure Secure Access: By restricting access to verified USC students via the USC Net ID system, the app ensures that only members of the USC community are involved in transactions or communications. This security feature will help to mitigate risks such as fraudulent listings, scams, or unsafe meet-ups, fostering a safer online community for students.

3

Offer Personalized Recommendations: The app will include personalized search and filter features, allowing users to tailor their housing searches based on specific needs like location, budget, and amenities. Similarly, the roommate matching feature will use profiles based on preferences and lifestyle habits to help ensure compatibility.

4

Generate Revenue Sustainably: To ensure the long-term viability of the app, an advertisement platform will be integrated. Revenue will be generated through ads, but the design will prioritize user experience by ensuring that ads are minimally intrusive and relevant to the student demographic.

Project Scope

The project encompasses the design and development of the Trojan Home mobile app, focusing on creating an intuitive, secure housing and roommate matching platform, along with a marketplace for students to exchange goods. The project will cover essential aspects such as cross-platform compatibility, security, and scalability.

In Scope

The scope of the project includes:

  • Mobile App Development: The app will feature a comprehensive Housing Catalog for comparing options, a Roommate Finder with compatibility scoring, and a Marketplace for trading goods. It will also allow filtering by location, rent, and amenities.

  • Compatibility for iOS and Android: The app will be developed for both platforms, ensuring accessibility for all USC students.

  • Security Features: Access will be restricted to USC students using the USC Net ID system, ensuring secure interactions within the platform.

  • Advertisement Platform: A sustainable advertising model will generate revenue to support the app’s operations.

Out of Scope

The following will not be included in the app:

  • Non-USC User Access: Only verified USC students will be allowed to use the platform, maintaining a closed, secure environment.

  • Financial Transactions: The app will not facilitate payments; users will need to arrange financial exchanges independently.

  • Monitoring of Marketplace Listings: While the app will allow students to report inappropriate listings, it will not actively monitor or guarantee the quality of the listed items.

Project Schedule

The project timeline ensures delivery by August 20, 2024, with key milestones in place to track progress:

  1. Initiation Phase (March 7 – March 20, 2024): Defining objectives, assembling the project team, and identifying key stakeholders. Resource planning and project charter development will take place.

  2. Planning Phase (April 3 – May 10, 2024): Gathering requirements, estimating the budget, and conducting market research. A detailed project plan, including the execution strategy, will be finalized by the end of this phase.

  3. Design Phase (May 13 – July 8, 2024): Finalizing UI/UX design, database architecture, and system integration. The Roommate Matching Algorithm and Marketplace features will be key focus areas.

  4. Development Phase (July 9 – August 5, 2024): Building and coding the app’s features, including Housing Catalog, Roommate Finder, and Marketplace. A secure database for user data will also be implemented.

  5. Testing Phase (August 5 – August 12, 2024): Conducting thorough performance and security testing. Beta testing will also be conducted with feedback incorporated into the final product.

  6. Rollout and Marketing Phase (August 5 – August 18, 2024): Deploying the app to USC students, with marketing campaigns and workshops to promote adoption.

  7. Closure Phase (August 20, 2024): Final project documentation and a project success evaluation will be completed. A transition plan will ensure smooth ongoing operations.

Critical Path: Tasks like developing the project charter, requirement gathering, and developing the Roommate Matching Algorithm are on the critical path. Delays in these tasks will directly impact the project’s completion date.

Risk Plan

Technical Problems:

  • Mitigation: Use experienced developers and conduct frequent testing, including compatibility tests across iOS and Android platforms.

  • Contingency: In case of major technical issues, the team will collaborate with external experts to resolve problems swiftly.

Financial Constraints:

  • Mitigation: Secure revenue streams through in-app advertisements and premium features. Regularly review the budget to ensure funds are allocated efficiently.

  • Contingency: If financial problems arise, cut non-essential features or services and focus on core functionalities.

Operational Management Issues:

  • Mitigation: Ensure that all team members are well-trained and that there is clear communication and role definition. Implement resource planning tools to monitor team capacity and workload.

  • Contingency: Restructure the team or bring in additional resources if necessary to address bottlenecks or operational challenges.

Legal and Policy Risks:

  • Mitigation: Consult legal experts regularly to ensure compliance with data protection laws (e.g., FERPA) and USC policies. Implement robust privacy and security measures.

  • Contingency: If legal issues arise, work closely with legal counsel to rectify violations, settle any disputes, and avoid recurring problems.

User Adoption Risks:

  • Mitigation: Launch a strong marketing campaign targeting USC students, using email, social media, and campus events to promote the app.

  • Contingency: Simplify the app’s interface and provide user training workshops to make it easier for students to adopt the platform.

Project Budget

The budget for the Trojan Home project is a crucial aspect of ensuring that the application can be developed, tested, and maintained effectively within financial constraints. The estimated total project budget is approximately $211,510, allocated across personnel, software, hardware, office, and utility costs. A detailed breakdown follows:

Personnel Costs: $125,490

Key roles:

  • Project Manager: $50/hour for 512 hours (total: $25,600)

  • Frontend/Backend Developers: $30/hour for 160-194 hours each (total: ~$30,000)

  • Marketing Team: $25/hour for 40 hours (total: $2,000)

  • Legal Advisor: $40/hour for 56 hours (total: $2,240)

Software Costs: $7,320 for a six-month period

Software includes:

  • Project Management Software: $30/month for 6 months (total: $180)

  • UI/UX Design Tools: $60/month for 6 months (total: $360)

  • Network Security: $300/month for 6 months (total: $1,800)

  • Application Software User Licenses: $600/month for 6 months (total: $3,600)

Hardware Equipment Costs: $21,000

Major items:

  • Office Laptops: $15,000 (for programming, testing, and project management)

  • Networking Equipment: $3,000 (routers, switches, etc.)

Office and Utilities Costs: $57,700

  • Office Rent: $7,500 for a deposit, $5,000/month (total: $37,500)

  • Office Furniture and Equipment: One-time purchase of $10,000

  • Utilities: $500/month for 6 months (total: $3,000)

  • Office Insurance: $200/month (total: $1,200)

Operation Costs (Post-Launch):

  • Personnel: $985,000 annually

  • Software: $24,240 annually

  • Office and Utilities: $80,400 annually

This budget is designed to cover both the initial project development and the first year of operation, ensuring that the app can be maintained, updated, and supported effectively post-launch.

Organizational Change Management Plan

As the Trojan Home project introduces new features like Virtual Reality (VR) housing tours and adopts Agile methodologies for development, it requires an Organizational Change Management (OCM) plan. This plan helps manage the people-side of change, ensuring smooth transitions and maximizing the adoption of these new tools and processes.

Purpose:

The OCM plan focuses on guiding the team through the changes involved in implementing the VR feature and Agile development processes. These changes are not purely technical but also impact the roles and responsibilities within the team. The goal is to ensure that these changes are adopted quickly and efficiently, minimizing any disruptions to productivity.

Scope:

The OCM plan covers several key aspects of change management:

  • Stakeholder Analysis: Identify all the stakeholders impacted by the VR implementation and Agile processes.

  • Communication Strategy: Develop a detailed communication plan to inform stakeholders about upcoming changes.

  • Training and Education: Provide comprehensive training for both the internal team and external users.

  • Feedback Mechanisms: Establish feedback loops, including surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one discussions, to gather input.

  • Sustainment and Continuous Improvement: Once the VR feature is deployed, the OCM plan will shift focus to sustaining the change.

Reasons for Implementing VR & Agile Development:

  1. Convenience and Accessibility: The VR feature allows students to explore housing options remotely.

  2. Informed Decision-Making: By virtually walking through properties, students can make better-informed decisions about housing.

  3. Time and Cost Efficiency: Both students and housing providers save time and resources by conducting virtual tours.

  4. Agile Development: The Agile methodology supports rapid iterations and allows for continuous updates based on user feedback.

  5. Enhanced User Engagement: The interactive nature of VR housing tours makes the app more engaging for students.

Project Change Controls

The Trojan Home project includes a robust change control system to manage any modifications to the scope, budget, or timeline. This system ensures that changes are documented, evaluated, and approved before implementation to avoid scope creep or budget overruns.

Change Request Process:

  1. Identification: Any stakeholder, including project team members, can initiate a change request if they identify the need for modifications. This could include new features, changes in design, or alterations in the project schedule.

  2. Impact Assessment: Once a change request is submitted, the project manager and relevant stakeholders will evaluate the impact of the change on the project’s scope, budget, and timeline.

  3. Approval Process: Changes that have a significant impact on the project must be approved by the project sponsor (USC) and key stakeholders. Minor changes may be approved by the project management team.

  4. Documentation: All changes must be documented, including the rationale for the change, the projected impact, and any necessary adjustments to the project schedule or budget.

  5. Implementation: Once approved, the change is implemented according to a detailed plan, ensuring that the project stays on track.

Justification for Changes: Changes to the project scope will only be approved if they align with the overall project goals and provide added value to the users or stakeholders.

Impact on Budget: The impact of each change on the project budget is carefully evaluated. If the change results in additional costs, the project management team must identify how these costs will be covered.

Impact on Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Changes that affect the WBS will be reviewed to ensure that new tasks are added or existing tasks are adjusted to reflect the changes in scope.

Changes to Plan: If significant changes are made, the overall project plan will be updated to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the modifications. This includes adjusting timelines, resource allocations, and deliverables as needed.

Conclusion

The USC Housing Mobile Application represents a forward-thinking solution to USC students’ housing challenges, addressing issues of inefficiency, security, and convenience. The project has been designed with scalability, user experience, and long-term viability in mind. By providing a secure, centralized platform for housing searches, roommate matching, and the buying and selling of used goods, the app is set to improve the overall student experience while also promoting sustainability and safety within the USC community.

The project’s success depends not only on the technical execution but also on stakeholder engagement, user adoption, and the ability to adapt to changing requirements. With these factors in place, the Trojan Home app is poised to become a vital tool for USC students, revolutionizing the way they approach housing and campus living.