Dormitory Management & Student Mobile App | Digital Transformation
When I was studying in Burdur, I stayed at the KYK dormitory, and various events and programs were held at certain times. Events were generally announced on poster boards on each floor, or students were informed about real-time events and announcements through the announcement system. Our dorm also had a request and complaint box on each floor. Students could use these boxes to report any issues they might have or see, or any issues they might have with the dormitory administration. One of the biggest disadvantages is that students are not aware of the announcements if they are not present.
Another situation in dormitories involves students checking whether the washing machines are full or empty. Students then take turns using the washing machines and dryers, and then proceed with their work accordingly. If they're not at the dormitory, they're required to fill out a form in advance to inform the administration of the days they won't be there. Similarly, package tracking is done by filling out a form. Upon arrival, packages are left with security guards at the dormitory entrance. Before the package arrives, you fill out a form stating that you're expecting a package, and the information is then collected by security on your behalf.
My application was to implement the entire process using this type of paper. On the administration side, data is entered through the administration panel for tasks such as tracking notifications, organizing announcements, and organizing events. Students, on the other hand, will be able to track notifications through the application. They will also be able to instantly report requests and complaints to the administration through the application. Let's examine the application in more detail. Below, I will try to explain its content with some screenshots:
Mobile Application - Home Page
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When the app is first opened, active announcements and notifications will appear. Students can view notifications, announcements, and events by scrolling horizontally. Students can click on the relevant announcement to view detailed information about the announcements. The app is designed to be simple. A drop-down menu on the left provides quick access to other features. Three screens, Announcements, Complaints, Suggestions, and Surveys, are for students, while Housekeeping and Security personnel are for staff. Housekeeping personnel perform the necessary cleaning of rooms twice daily. They report any malfunctions or further issues to management. Additionally, they fill out a form on the back of the room door stating that they have cleaned the room, including the time, the person who cleaned, and their signature. With the app, they now report cleaning by scanning the QR code on the back of the door. Similarly, security guards visit the floors at predetermined intervals to check for any problems. They fill out forms posted in designated areas to inform management of their visits. Similarly, security guards can use the QR code to report their visits to management. With digital transformation, paper was saved and tracking of operations became easier.
Mobile Application - Request and Complaint
Students can submit their requests and complaints through the screen shown above. If the required fields are not filled in, a warning is issued. Users are asked for basic information. They enter information such as their name, email address, room number, and details of the request and complaint. Finally, they select whether the notification is a request or a complaint and submit it to the administration. This allows the administration to more easily filter whether the notification is a request or a complaint.
Website - Menu
In the administration panel, staff can enter announcements and events, and track requests and complaints, the meal plan, and staff members. The numbers next to them, in the Announcements section, represent active and inactive status in red. 0 passive announcements indicate two active announcements. In the Requests and Complaints section, "Unread" indicates two read requests and complaints. In the meal plan tab, meals to be served in the dormitories are posted in advance in the cafeteria, and the weekly meal plan is tracked from there. With digital transformation, this can now be done through the app, allowing users to find out what's available for lunch today without having to go to the cafeteria. For cleaning and security personnel, staff members are registered in the system. This way, when the QR code is scanned by active employees, action can be taken; otherwise, the QR code is meaningless.
Website - Wish and Complaint List
The screen displays a list of requests and complaints submitted by students. The request type will determine whether the feedback is a request or a complaint. The status will indicate whether it has been read before. Students can delete completed requests from here.
Website - Add Announcement Notification
Administrators will be able to share announcements and notifications with students via the screen above. The announcement title, details, and an image are expected to be uploaded. The Type section determines whether the announcement is active or inactive. If active, it will be visible to students. If not, it will be registered in the system but not viewable by students.
The application was roughly like this when I started it. It was late 2019, when the coronavirus(!) had already begun to spread in Turkey, but precautions hadn't yet been implemented. Just as the application seemed to stall, students were sent home early. Back then, international travelers were allowed to return home after a two-week quarantine period. During that time, as a precaution, they weren't allowed to leave their rooms. Meals were delivered to their rooms. They would request any needs from outside by visiting each room. My application was particularly useful here. Dormitory residents downloaded the application and reported their needs to the administration through the application. The administration then read and fulfilled the requests through the application. It was then used in neighboring dormitories as well.
Retrofit was used for the Android application's communication with the backend. Firebase was used for notifications. The management screens were written in PHP, and the data was stored in MYSQL.
If you have any questions about the application, you can contact us.
