The main objective of the capstone project for Agora Tutoring's website application is to design and implement a fully functional payment and subscription management system that integrates seamlessly with the existing web platform. This project will provide a hands-on learning experience for university students in web development, focusing on real-world application of programming, database management, and system integration skills.

Project Goal:

Develop a Secure and Efficient Subscription Management and Payment System

Problem Statement:

Students are tasked with creating a system that enables Agora Tutoring to manage its subscription-based business model effectively. The system must allow users to subscribe, modify, and cancel their memberships with ease, while also integrating a payment gateway for secure transaction processing.

Expected Outcomes:

By the end of the project, learners are expected to achieve the following outcomes:

Functional Payment Gateway Integration:

• Successfully integrate Stripe (or another chosen payment service) into the Agora Tutoring website.
• Ensure that the payment system handles transactions securely and efficiently.
• Implement recurring billing features for subscription management.

User-Friendly Subscription Management:

• Develop a dashboard or interface where users can easily sign up for, modify, and cancel subscriptions.
• Include features such as automatic renewal, payment method updates, and billing history access.

Data Security and Compliance:

• Adhere to best practices in data security and ensure compliance with relevant legal standards, such as PCI DSS for payment processing.
• Implement robust security measures to protect user information and transaction data.

Testing and Documentation:

• Conduct thorough testing of the system to identify and resolve any bugs or security vulnerabilities.
• Provide comprehensive documentation for the system, detailing setup, usage, and troubleshooting steps for future reference.

Presentation and Evaluation:

• Demonstrate the functioning of the system through a presentation that outlines the technical details, challenges faced, and solutions implemented.
• Evaluate the system based on performance metrics, user feedback, and compliance checks.

This project not only aims to provide a critical component of the Agora Tutoring service infrastructure but also serves as an excellent practical learning opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in software development and system integration in a meaningful and impactful way.

To successfully achieve the goal of developing a secure and efficient subscription management and payment system for Agora Tutoring, learners will need to complete several key tasks. These tasks are structured to cover all aspects of the project from initial planning to final deployment and evaluation. Here's a breakdown of the activities:

1. Project Planning and Analysis

• Requirement Gathering: Identify and document the specific requirements of the subscription management system, including user needs and business objectives.
• System Design: Outline the architecture of the system, including data flow diagrams, database schemas, and the integration points for the payment gateway.

2. Technology Selection

• Technology Stack Integration: Using current programming languages, frameworks, and tools to be used based on the project requirements.
• Payment Gateway Comparison: Evaluate different payment gateways (continue with Stripe or consider alternatives) based on features, costs, and integration capabilities.

3. Environment Setup

• Development Environment: Set up the local development environments for all team members.
• Version Control: Join the existing version control system Git to manage code changes and collaboration.

4. Development Tasks

• Backend Development:
• Implement server-side logic for managing subscriptions, including CRUD operations (create, read, update, delete).
• Integrate the payment gateway API to handle payment processing.
• Frontend Development:
• Design and develop the user interface for subscription management (sign-ups, modifications, cancellations).
• Ensure the interface is user-friendly and responsive across different devices.

5. Security Implementation

• Secure Data Handling: Implement encryption and other security best practices to protect sensitive user data.
• Compliance Checks: Ensure the system meets compliance standards like PCI DSS for payment processing.

6. Testing

• Unit Testing: Write and execute unit tests for individual components to ensure they function correctly in isolation.
• Integration Testing: Test the interaction between components and the external payment gateway to identify integration issues.
• System Testing: Conduct end-to-end tests to verify the system meets all requirements.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Allow actual users (or testers simulating user roles) to test the system for usability and functionality.

7. Documentation

• Developer Documentation: Create detailed documentation for future developers explaining the system architecture, codebase, and APIs.
• User Documentation: Prepare user manuals and FAQs to assist users in navigating the subscription management system.

8. Deployment

• Deployment Strategy: Plan and execute the deployment of the system to a production environment.
• Monitoring Tools: Set up monitoring tools to track the system’s performance and quickly identify issues post-deployment.

9. Presentation and Feedback

• Final Presentation: Present the completed system to stakeholders, showcasing the functionality and explaining the development process.
• Collect Feedback: Gather feedback from stakeholders and potential users to identify areas for improvement.

10. Evaluation and Reflection

• Evaluate Project Outcomes: Assess the success of the project based on predefined criteria such as functionality, security, user satisfaction, and adherence to requirements.
• Reflect on Learning: Encourage learners to reflect on what was learned during the project, challenges faced, and how they were overcome.

By completing these tasks, learners will not only meet the project's objectives but also gain valuable experience in system development, project management, and real-world problem-solving.