DESIGN AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTERIZED FOOD MENU DIRECTORATE SYSTEM
ABSTRACT
The main objective of this study is
to develop an ICT assisted menu directorate system, whereby someone could be
able to choose a meal, get the list of ingredients to cook the meal and follow
a step by step help in order to cook the meal. In the other hand, it will also
consist of a food time table, where certain meal will be designated for a
certain time. Analysis involved a detailed study of the current system, leading
to specifications of a new system. The existing system of Menu Directorate
System is highly manual; the chef or cook thinks about a specific meal he or
she wants to cook, determines the ingredients he or she wants to use, he or she
then collects the ingredients before starting the cooking process. There is no
definite database in this system; the only thing the chef or cook may do is to
write down the ingredients in a book for reference purpose and forming a
timetable. The development ICT assisted menu
directorate system involved many phases. The approach used is a top-down one
concentrating on what first, then how and moving to successive
levels of details. The first phase started with a detailed study of the
problems and prospects of cooking a meal. In the course of this study, many
problems were discovered to have hindered the effectiveness of the existing
manual system. These problems, information needs, and activities were
documented and later used as the basis for system design, which immediately
followed the first phase. The design phase was concerned primarily with the
specification of the system elements in a manner that best met the voter’s
registration need. During this phase, strict adherence was made on proven
software engineering principles and practices. To implement this design, a
computer program was then written and tested. It is hoped that effective
implementation of this software product would eliminate many problems
discovered during systems investigation.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) is a term used to describe technologies in manipulating and
communicating information. As telecommunication systems have evolved, they have
increasingly used computing technology in switching nodes and then in
non-switching nodes supporting services. With mobile telecommunications, the
amount of information processing required to manage mobility and services has
increased enormously and this has resulted in a tremendous increase in computer
communications within the telecommunications environment.
The parallel emergence of computer
communications in science and business, the enormous increase in the
capabilities and numbers of personal computers and the extraordinary changes
brought about by the Internet have driven a merging of computing technology and
telecommunications as the two areas have moved from analog to digital and then
to packet technologies, and as the Internet has emerged to become the dominant
data communications system in use today, whether as the “public Internet” or
“managed Internet.”
What started as a circuit-switched voice
network has evolved to a packet switched data network. Initially, data was
handled by making it look like voice (modems.) Now voice is handled by making
it look like data (Voice over IP or VoIP.) While voice remains the dominant
revenue generator, the shift to VoIP brings major challenges to
telecommunications operators as they manage the enormous shifts taking place in
the nature and volume of traffic they carry on their networks.
ICT capabilities vary widely. In
developed countries, they are widespread and sophisticated, while in developing
countries, they may be less available and offer less capacity. Developing
countries are catching up quickly by leapfrogging older generations of
technology as well as creating solutions that suit the needs of their user
communities. In some cases, the lack of a legacy infrastructure makes rapid
modernization easier.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Cooking
a delicious food is a tedious and complex task, the combinations of ingredients
of several tastes, weight, and forms is usually a herculean task for various
Chefs. One of the major problems of this study is to tackle the problems of
selecting a choice of what to cook, also the problem of arranging a complete
set of ingredients for cooking a specific meal without forgetting any one of
the ingredients, and also to teach how to cook a specific meal in a step by
step manner within a specific time and with little or no stress.
1.3 Objectives
of the Study
The
main objective of this study is to develop an ICT assisted menu directorate
system, whereby someone could be able to choose a meal, get the list of
ingredients to cook the meal and follow a step by step help in order to cook
the meal. In the other hand, it will also consist of a food time table, where
certain meal will be designated for a certain time.
1.4 Scope
of the Study
This research work is designed to
enable chefs and even a lay man to cook a described meal, with the aid of a
step by step directory and also gives the ingredients needed in cooking the
specified or chosen meal, within a specific time.
1.5 Limitations
of the Study
During the design of this project
work, much finance was required and owing to the financial meltdown globally,
the research was limited by finance and hence concentrated on the available
materials within the locality. Another limitation was time, the time given for
the project work was limited and there are other works for me on campus thus
limiting the scope of the study to the available time.
1.6 Significance of the Study
In view of the rapid development of
computer technology in virtually all fields of operation and its use in
relation to information management, it has become important to look into the
development of a menu directory for cooking various meals:
(a) List various meals, both European
and African dishes.
(b) Safeguard data and information in
the system.
(c) Avoid the omission of cooking
ingredients.
(d) Keep accurate record of every
meal.
(e) Allocate a specific time to a
certain meal
(f) Provide a food time table.
1.7 Project Report Organization
This project was covered under five
stages:
CHAPTER 1; Deals with the
introduction. The background of the project is discussed. The objectives of the
project, its significance, scope, and constraints are pointed out.
CHAPTER
2; This chapter is a Review of the evolution of ICT and food applications.
CHAPTER
3; Discusses system Investigation and Analysis. It deals with detailed
investigation and analysis of the existing system and problem identification.
CHAPTER
4; Treats the system design and implementation
CHAPTER 5; The
summary and conclusion of the project are finally treated in this chapter.
1.8 Definition of
Terms
ICT: Information and communication technology
Information System: It is a collection
of procedures, people, instructions and equipment to produce information in a
useful form
Technology: It is study of
techniques or process of mobilizing resources (such as information) for
accomplishing objectives that benefit man and his environment
Computer Network: is a system that
connects two or more computers together using a communication link.
Databases:
A
systematically arranged collection of computer data, structured so that it can
be automatically retrieved or manipulated. It is also called databank.