20.2.1. Project Objective

Design and deliver a shopping cart feature for an online retail platform, enabling users to add, update, and purchase items.

The main objective of the project is to create a shopping cart feature for an online retail platform. This means that the feature should allow users to easily add items they wish to purchase to their cart. Additionally, users should have the ability to update the contents of the cart, which includes changing quantities or removing items, and finally, complete their purchase efficiently.

Think of a shopping cart like a physical cart you would use in a grocery store. As you walk through the aisles, you can pick up items and place them in your cart. Later, when you’re ready to check out, you can review everything in your cart and decide whether to buy it or change something. This project aims to replicate that experience online for users shopping on an e-commerce site.

✅ Key Business Requirements ● Users can add multiple products to the cart ● Cart contents are saved across sessions ● Discounts and promo codes can be applied ● Cart updates dynamically with stock availability ● Checkout process integrates with payment gateway

This section lists the critical business requirements necessary for a successful shopping cart feature. First, users need to be able to add multiple products to their cart, which is essential for the shopping experience. The requirement for saving cart contents across sessions ensures that if a user leaves the website and returns later, their selected items remain available. Discounts and promo codes are important for marketing and customer satisfaction. The dynamic update of the cart based on stock availability prevents customers from trying to buy items that are no longer in inventory. Finally, a seamless checkout that integrates with a payment gateway is crucial for completing transactions securely.

Imagine you go shopping and put several items into your cart. If you decide to take a break and leave the store, you’d want your cart to still be there when you return, right? Discounts might encourage you to buy, and you wouldn't want to get to the cash register only to find out one of your items is sold out. This is what these business requirements address for users online.

👥 Stakeholders ● Product Owner ● Marketing Team ● Customers ● Logistics & Inventory Team

This chunk identifies the key stakeholders involved in the project. The Product Owner is responsible for defining the product vision and prioritizing what needs to be built. The Marketing Team plays an essential role in promoting the product and may provide input on discounts and promotions. Customers, of course, are the end-users whose needs and feedback are paramount. Lastly, the Logistics & Inventory Team ensures that there is enough stock to fulfill orders made through the shopping cart.

Think of this like a theatrical play. The Product Owner is the director, setting the vision and direction for the performance. The Marketing Team are the promoters who help get an audience in the seats, while customers are the audience themselves. The Logistics Team ensures all the necessary props and costumes are ready, much like ensuring products are in stock for purchase.

📊 BA Activities ● Gather user stories (e.g., “As a shopper, I want to remove an item from my cart”) ● Create wireframes for cart UI ● Define business rules (e.g., max quantity per product, cart expiration) ● Document functional & non-functional requirements ● Conduct UAT for checkout and promo logic

This part outlines the activities that a Business Analyst (BA) will undertake to ensure the project’s success. First, gathering user stories involves collecting specific user needs, like the ability to remove items from the cart. Creating wireframes helps visualize what the user interface will look like. Defining business rules is crucial for setting limits on product quantities and how long items can stay in the cart. Documenting both functional and non-functional requirements ensures all aspects of the cart are specified. Finally, conducting User Acceptance Testing (UAT) allows real users to test the checkout process and ensure it works as expected.

Think of a BA like a chef preparing a new dish. They need to know what the diners (customers) want to eat (user stories), how the dish should look (wireframes), what ingredients they can and can’t use (business rules), and then they must test the dish with a few guests before serving it to everyone (UAT) to make sure it’s just right.

🛠 Tools Used ● JIRA (User Stories) ● Figma (Wireframes) ● Confluence (BRD/FRD) ● SQL (Verify cart behavior in DB)

This chunk lists various tools that the team will use during the project. JIRA is utilized for tracking user stories and managing tasks. Figma is a design tool for creating wireframes, which represent the visual layout of the shopping cart. Confluence serves as documentation for Business Requirement Documents (BRD) and Functional Requirement Documents (FRD). SQL is used to verify if the shopping cart behaves correctly in the database by checking if data is being handled properly.

Imagine building a house. Using JIRA to manage tasks is like having a construction manager who keeps track of all the builders’ assignments. Figma is like blueprints showing how the house will look. Confluence acts like a filing cabinet where all important documents about the project are stored. SQL is akin to quality checks that ensure everything is built correctly before the house is finished.

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